The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 603

;

THE COMMUNION OF GIFTS

563

name, especially adapted for his particular need, and distributes it carefully and without mistakes, so that every saint receives his own. And while thus every one partakes of Christ and of His gifts, the one Christ with His treasure is common to all. In the child we can see something of the Love cultivated by a mutual possession. Love between the parents may have grown one, She is mine, hope that the former love may return. In spite of their differences both possess the one And child, who with all her love and sweetness belongs to both. many are Church the In Christ. the to sense higher in applies this " Immanuel is tny Bridegroom." And saints, and everyone says: anthem general the into last at turned is testimony individual this

cold, but so

long as both can say of their

and "mine" may become

"ours," there

little

is

"Immanuel is our Lord." Surely every saint finds in Christ something especially adapted to himself, yet all possess the one Lord and all His treasure. And this is the very power of love which in blessing watches over all. Love may grow cold and in

of praise:

an evil hour be turned into bitterness; but this is only temporarily love must return. As in the wealth of the mutual possession husband and wife felt their union, so do the saints, considering their mutual possession of Immanuel, feel themselves bound together by Love's overwhelming impression. " One baptism, one faith, one Lord, one Jesus for every heart," " one Immanuel whom all call precious," and herein alone lies Love's

keep in unity, and, after temporary separation, to reunite the saints of God.

power all

to

goods in Jerusalem was symbol of the symbolic saints' mutual possession in Immanuel, so it was also the gifts in comthe have indication of their individual obligation, to for the them using diligently mon possession, by willingly and

And

as the

communion

of

highest advantage of the other members.

The Lord imparts St.

Paul calls them

(i

"

gifts," " ministrations,"

Cor.

xii. 4. 5- 6);

and

"

adding that

operations" as all

these gifts

Lord, •are of the same Spirit, and these ministrations of the same then And all. in all worketh who God and these operations of the minisgifts, these to use saints the of duty he shows that it is the

and operations not selfishly for one's own glory, but for the Body of the Lord, which is His Church. And by this God's true children are best known and they know

trations,

;

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