---

That love is the initiative of everything. We did not love Him; but He loved us. We did not choose Him; but He chose us. Just as afterwards, in the copy, the man is not loved first, but the woman. The man's love is the cause; the woman's love is the consequence. The woman's love is reflected love. But His love was intense. It had no beginning, and it had no bounds. It was so great that He actually loved us to the death. Christ, then, having loved us, and chosen us, and died for us, and given us life, preceded next to make us fit and worthy for the high position to which He destined us. For this end two things were necessary. First, we must be relieved of our old guilty defilement. Our souls must be "washed" from the past. The Jews had what they called "the bridal bath." So Christ did away with the previous guilt, and its consequence, and our sins were as though they had never been — for they were expunged! "When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live...Then I washed thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil." Of this "washing" the laver of baptism is the emblem. It prefigures it; it assures us of it; it is intended to be its channel. But it is evident that the forgiveness of past sins, and the removal of their stains, is not all that is necessary for the Church — that it may be "the bride of Christ." There must be also real and actual purity and holiness. Now comes the final purpose. What is it all for? Loved; chosen; pardoned; rid of all past guilt; washed; sanctified; clothed; beautified: — what is the Church? "Glorious." "A glorious Church, not having" — that is, "not having " as God sees us in Christ — "not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." "Glorious" she is — for the glory which God has given Him — which is the Holy Ghost — Christ has given us! "Glorious" she is — for she reflects the face, and the unity, and the glory of her God! "Glorious" she is — from rays of light of heavenly beauty upon her! "Glorious" she is — for God is glorified in her! "A glorious Church!" And why — again we ask — why so glorious? That Christ may "present her to Himself" — Himself to Himself — who made her for Himself, that Himself might enjoy her forever and ever.

(J. Vaughan, M. A.)

---

---

KJV: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

WEB: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;