178 THE MICROSCOPE AND ITS LESSONS. 



the Vine, ye are the branches : he that abideth in Me, 

 and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit : for 

 without Me ye can do nothing ' (John xv. 4, 5). As the 

 graft is kept in union with the stock by means of the 

 clay which has been applied by the gardener, so is 

 the believer united to Christ by faith, which is the girt 

 of God. The clay-cement keeps the parts together, but 

 has no virtue in itself; so faith is the means of union to 

 Christ it shows that the Husbandman has been there. 

 The believer has no merit in this ; faith cannot save him 

 (Jas. ii. 14) or make him bring forth fruit. It is the 

 union with the Stock which does this. Thus it is that 

 his faith is not dead, being alone (Jas. ii. 17) ; there is 

 a real, vital engrafting, and faith is seen by the works 

 which are its fruits. By the process of spiritual graft- 

 ing, he is, so to speak, checked in his own growth, in 

 his self-love, his self-righteousness, and all his sap comes 

 from Christ. In Him are all his well-springs, and from 

 Him alone he derives all the nourishment and support he 

 needs. Thus it is that he flourishes and brings forth the 

 fruit of the Spirit, containing its nine ingredients, ' love, 

 joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

 meekness, temperance' (Gal. v. 22, 23), every one of 

 which is necessary to form the perfect fruit. Some of 

 these ingredients may abound more than others, as it 

 were, imparting a peculiar flavour ; but all must be there 

 in greater or less quantity. Love may be looked upon 

 as the substance coming from the Stock which unites the 

 graft to it. This flows from Christ to the grafted believer. 

 ' As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you : 

 continue ye in My love ' (John xv. 9). Thus the union 

 is formed, and he becomes identified with the Stock. 

 This love will last through eternity. When the clay is 

 removed in the case of an ordinary tree, the graft is found 



