mind with the perfect adaptation of the various parts of the body.  There are no

square pegs in round holes when the unity is the unity of the Spirit;

there are, alas, too many such when the unity is of the flesh.  Unity is fullest

when it is unobtrusive.  We are not conscious of the many perfectly-fitted and

lubricated joints of our bodies until rheumatism spoils their perfect fitness

and brings the facts of joints to mind.  The healthy man is not conscious of the

organs of his body.  This is the unity that we desire, but the man-made thing is

a source of irritation and trouble all the time.  `Leagues', `unions',

`societies' are all well in their place, but they do not and must not be looked

upon in the same light as the unity of the Spirit.

Not only is the Body `fitly framed' but it is `knit together'.  Colossians

2:19 speaks not only of `joints' but `ligaments'.  What is the bond that unites

the whole body together as one?  Let Colossians 2:2 answer, `being knit together

in love'.  This is the bond of perfectness.  The unity of the Spirit is held

together by `the bond of peace', the unity of the Body by the `bond of

perfectness -- love'.  `In love' commences and closes this section of Ephesians

4 (see verses 15,16).  A loveless unity is not of God.  If we are members one of

another we shall care for and spend ourselves for one another.  When we think of

what love is, we can understand what a bond it can be:

`Love -- its longsuffering, its kindliness; its freedom from envy,

vaunting self-assertion, inflated arrogance, vulgar indecorum; its

superiority to self-seeking; its calm control of temper; its oblivion of

wrong; its absence of joy at the wrongs of others; its sympathy with the

truth; its gracious tolerance; its trustfulness; its hope; its endurance'

(1 Cor. 13, Farrar).

Here is the character of the `perfect man' as 1 Corinthians 13:10,11

indicates.  Is it my character and yours, fellow-member?  Wherever we fail in

this, we fail to maintain unity, and check growth.  Think how much harm is done

among members of the One Body through lack of long-suffering.  Meditate upon the

attributes of this great gift.  Love forms the ligaments of the Body, without

which all is out of joint.

`Every Joint Supplieth'.  Strictly speaking, the words read `through every

joint of the supply'.  The joints supply nothing of themselves.  The supply

comes from the Lord, and through the members as a channel.  This figure is well

illustrated in Philippians 1:19,20 where the word occurs:

`And I know that this will result in my deliverance

through your prayer,

and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my earnest expectation and hope'.

Here are fellow-members joined together in love, the one praying, the

other expecting, and the Lord supplying.  What a beautiful picture of `the joint

of supply'.  Oh, to be honoured as a means and a channel of blessing from our

living Head to His beloved members.

`According To The Working'.  Joints and ligaments perfectly adapted,

perfectly united, need something else than fitness, they need life.  `The body

without the spirit is dead, being alone'.  What constitutes the life-giving

energy of this Body?  It is the power of God, not as manifested in creation, but

in resurrection.  It is `to us-ward who believe' (Eph. 1:19,20).  More than that