Christ, Baptised with
Believers must fully unite with Christ’s sufferings and wounds by faith for revival and life.
As Elisha, when he would revive the child of the Shumanite, went up and lay upon him, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his hands upon his hands, and his eyes upon his eyes, and stretched himself upon him; even so, if thou wouldst be revived to everlasting life, thou must by faith, as it were, set thyself upon the cross of Christ, and apply thy hands to his hands, thy feet to his feet, and thy sinful heart to his bleeding heart, and content not thyself, with Thomas, to put thy finger into his side, but even dive and plunge thyself wholly, both body and soul, into the wounds and blood of Christ. Cawdray.
GG2. CHRIST, Beauty of. Some years ago, during a total eclipse of the sun, a poor child in Switzerland was watching some sheep upon the hills. Having no knowledge of what was about to happen, she saw it growing dark by degrees. There was no cloud or vapor to account for the change. When the sun was at the height of its obscuration, the child cried out in terror, and began to weep terribly, and call for help. Her tears were still flowing when some one reached her; and, when the sun appeared again, she clapped her hands, and exclaimed, "O beautiful sun!" How much more beautiful is the Sun of Righteousness to the benighted sinner!
GG3. CHRIST, in the Bible. In ancient times, a celebrated artist made a most wonderful shield, and worked his own name into it so that it could not be removed without destroying the shield. It is just so with the Bible and Christ.
GG4. CHRIST, a Brother. "How many brothers have you?" said a gentleman to a little boy. The child stated the number, adding, "and one in heaven."—"No, my son," interposed his mother, "you have no brother in heaven."—"Yes, I have," said the boy. "Did you not tell me that God was my Father, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Then he must be my Brother in heaven."
GG5. CHRIST, Care of. Even as the eagle, having her young ones shut up in the nest, although she fiefs exceeding high, and pierceth the lofty air, yet she withdraweth not her eyes from her young ones, but still beholdeth them, and they also, crying after their manner, with their stretched-out necks, do look after her,—even so the Lord Jesus, ascending into heaven, did behold his disciples; and they also, hungering and thirsting after him, did fasten their eyes upon him, and did not lose the sight of him until he pierced and broke open the heavens, and entered into the presence of his Father; and although they were divided from him in body, yet in heart and mind they follow him still. Cawdray.
GG6. CHRIST, in the Church. A swarm of bees had flown from a neighbor's garden into that of Gotthold, and settled on a young tree. From this, he took occasion to observe, "These visitors cannot have come over to us for nothing; and, if we please to reflect, they may give us a useful lesson, and thereby pay for their quarters. In my opinion, the device of a swarm of bees hanging upon a branch, and with the motto, 'I will never forsake thee,' would happily represent the Christian Church and their love to Jesus. The whole swarm, as is well known, is governed by a monarch, exercising an authority, not of coercion, but love; and so strong is the reciprocal attachment of the little honey-birds to their prince, that they quit the five with him, and follow and never leave him. When he flies, they do the same; when he alights, they fasten to him; if he remove, they hasten after him; and if, by some accident, his wings be injured, and he fall to the ground, they fall upon and cover him, as I have seen with my own eyes."