十二月六日
属天的怎样，凡属天的也就怎样。（林前15：48）
头与肢体的性质是一样的，幷不像尼布甲尼撒所梦见的大像。那像的头是精金的，胸膛和膀臂是银的，肚腹和腰是铜的，腿是铁的，脚是半铁半泥的。基督的奥秘的身体却不是用各样不同的东西组成的；肢体如果是必死的，那末耶稣也必死；若荣耀的头是永活的，那末身体也必永活，因爲经上这样记着说：“因爲我活着，你们也要活着。”荣耀的头怎样，身体和各个肢体也必怎样；头被拣选，肢体也被拣选；头蒙悦纳，肢体也必蒙悦纳；头是活的，肢体也是活的；若头是精金的，身体的各部也必是精金的；性质的相合乃是密切交通的基础。
虔敬的读者！我们要在此稍停，你想神的儿子降爲至卑，好叫卑贱的你得以在他的荣耀里与他相交，你能不感到惊异吗？你极其卑贱，想到你是必死的，你就对朽坏说“你是我的父”，对虫说“你是我的母亲姐妹”；但在基督里你便大得尊荣，你可以对全能者说：“你是我的弟兄，我的丈夫。”从前与名门世家结亲便觉得增高了自己的地位；现在我们所得的荣耀却超乎他们衆人之上。甚愿最可怜、最卑微的信徒抓住这个特权；甚愿他不因因循苟且，懈怠闲懒，而疏忽了他的这种高尚的关系；甚愿他不容愚妄的虚浮占据他的意念，而失去这种与基督联合的属天的尊荣。
“我在那里，叫你们也在那里。”
December 6
“As is the heavenly, such are they also that are
heavenly.”—1 Corinthians 15:48
The head and members are of one nature, and not like that
monstrous image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The head was of fine
gold, but the belly and thighs were of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet,
part of iron and part of clay. Christ’s mystical body is no absurd combination
of opposites; the members were mortal, and therefore Jesus died; the glorified
head is immortal, and therefore the body is immortal too, for thus the record
stands, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” As is our loving Head,
such is the body, and every member in particular. A chosen Head and chosen
members; an accepted Head, and accepted members; a living Head, and living
members. If the head be pure gold, all the parts of the body are of pure gold
also. Thus is there a double union of nature as a basis for the closest
communion. Pause here, devout reader, and see if thou canst without ecstatic
amazement, contemplate the infinite condescension of the Son of God in thus
exalting thy wretchedness into blessed union with his glory. Thou art so mean
that in remembrance of thy mortality, thou mayest say to corruption, “Thou
art my father,” and to the worm, “Thou art my sister;” and yet
in Christ thou art so honored that thou canst say to the Almighty, “Abba,
Father,” and to the Incarnate God, “Thou art my brother and my
husband.” Surely if relationships to ancient and noble families make men
think highly of themselves, we have whereof to glory over the heads of them
all. Let the poorest and most despised believer lay hold upon this privilege;
let not a senseless indolence make him negligent to trace his pedigree, and let
him suffer no foolish attachment to present vanities to occupy his thoughts to
the exclusion of this glorious, this heavenly honor of union with Christ.
