der it. The foundation and the
building have a near dependence, the corner-stone and the wall--these knit
together; and Christ Jesus is the foundation and "the chief corner-stone,
in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy
temple," Eph. ii. 20, 21. The head and members are near united, so is
Christ and believers; they "grow up into him," Eph. iv. 15. Parents and
children are almost one, so is Christ Jesus the everlasting Father, and he
shows to the Father the children which he hath given him. We are his
brethren, and he is not ashamed to call us so; but which is more, we are
one flesh with him. There is a marriage between Christ and the church, and
this is the great meditation of the song of Solomon. He is the vine tree,
and we are branches planted in him. Nay, this union is so strict, that it
is mutual, "I in them," and they "in me." Christ dwelleth in us by faith,
by making us to believe in him, and love him; we dwell in Christ by that
same faith and love, by believing in him, and loving him. Christ Jesus is
our house where we get all our furniture; he is our store-house and
treasure, our place of strength and pleasure, a city of refuge, a strong
tower and a pleasant river to refresh us. We again are his habitation
where he dwelleth by his Spirit; we are his workhouse, where he works all
his curious pieces of the new creature, forming it unto the day of his
espousals, the great day of redemption.

This gives us to understand what we once were. We may stand here and look
back upon our former condition, and find matter both of delight and
sorrow. We were once without Christ in the world, and if without Christ,
then without "hope and without God in the world," Eph. ii. 12. I wish this
were engraven on the hearts of men, that they are born out of Christ
Jesus; wild olives, growing up in the stock of degenerated Adam. He was
once planted a noble vine; but how quickly turned he into a degenerate
plant, and instead of grapes, brought forth wild grapes, and sour! We all
grow upon an "olive tree which is wild by nature," Rom. xi. 24. It grows
out of the garden of God, in the barren wilderness, and is meet for
nothing but to bring forth fruit unto death, to be cut down and cast into
the fire. It is a tree which the Lord hath cursed,--"never more fruit grow
upon thee henceforth:" this was the fatal sentence pronounced on Adam. O
that you would know your condition by nature! how all your good
inclinations