ifwe keep k' our plan from a sense of duty (though our feelings are cold), and when tb.e time c0mes round fall on our knees before God, then may we e::tpect liberation from our un;:piritua.l moods. (3) Prager tnust ,wt be from sel,f. "Praying in the Spirit," it i~ "-'lid here, and t.here is the same association in Jude 20. Prayer is dependence, and we h;;.<"e the infiue.nces of the Spirit on which to depend in prayer. We can only pray »right., nnder the impulse of the Spirit, when the Spirit indeed makes intercession for t:& .And, therefore, we should look to the Spirit tv pui; the right desires within us and t.:> gi,e us right words. 2. With petitions for ourselves toe a,-e to blend petitions _fur oth= "And watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication." The apostle is here carrying forward his thought into a special channel While we are to ~ake h~ to be persevering in praying for ourselves, we are to be especially persevering Ill praying for others. And the ground of that may be that our prayers are apt to be characterized by selfishness. We may go on praying for ourselves; but we too soon give over praying for others. We unwarrantably (and to our own detriment) contract the circle of prayer. (1) Ofrcle of supplication. "For all the saints." That is not the outmost circle; for it is said in 1 Tim. ii. 1, "for all men." But the apostle is here presenting the matter under a special aspect. It is this, that the combatant is to remember his fellow-combatants. Every combatant has bis peculiar difficulties, his weak points. But, if he feels the struggle to be hard for himself, that should put him in sympathy with all others, to whom (in their own way) it is hard too. And he should manifest that sympathy by beseeching God to make their armour bright, to hold them np, to give them to win the day, wherever they are appointed to fight, (2) Special member of that cirde. "And on my behalf." (a) Special prayer he wishes them to offer for him. "That utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, r-0 make knoTil with boldness the mystery of the gospel." That is to say, boldness of utterance, whenever he was called upon to open his mouth in preaching the gospel. This was the great accomplishment of the apostle, that he could preach the gospel And he here disco,ers the secret of it. He put it clearly before his own mind, and got others interested in his object, so that they helped him by their prayers. (b) Special reason fur the prayer. " For which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Reason of his offi~. He girded himself to save souls. He kept strict watch over his heart. He was swift-footed in proclaiming the message of peace. And as he sped from place to place, the fiery darts were thrown at him. Satan stirred up the Jews against him; men said that he was mad. But he interposed the shield of faith; he held up his head in the assurance of pardon. And he used the sword of the Spirit against many a heresy which threatened the peace o.nd prosperity of the Church. It was of great consequence that there should be preservctl to such a.n ambassador the courage of Lis office. Reason of hia position. He was o.t the time in chains. He was ia a condition, therefore, when his courage would be specially assailed. John the Baptist, in the gloom of his dungeon, gave way to doubts of Christ's mission. The apostle's liberty was not so much restricted. 'l'hat the liberty he had might be well used by him, that he might speak boldly as he ought to EJr.:ak, he would have them make that the subject of their prayers for him.-R. F.
, er&. 21-24.-.Affairs of tl<P- apostl-e:- L Wny he does f!Ot enter on them. "But fr.at ye also =y kDow my affairs, how I do, TychicllB . . . shall make known to you aJ things." He knew that they would be an.x.ioUB to Lave some account of his affairs. He would hal'"e gfren them a written account but for the fact that Tychicus, the bearer of hls letter to them, would be able to give them (and others too, it is implied) a more detailed account by word of mouth. We have already remarked on the absence of the personal in this rotl.ol,ic Epistle. The one exception is the introduction of the name of Tychlcna, and it is introduced to account for the absence of details about himself. In the Epistle 1.o the Colossians, along with the same reference to 'l'ychicus, there are numerolll! salutations. It favours the hypothesis of this being a circular letter (intended for a circle of which EphesUB was the centre), that none are conjoined with the apostle in sending salutations (the apostle alone may have been known to all the Churches~, and none are singled out as special objects for salutation (as in the one Church of ~olosBa!). 2. Qualifications of Tychicu,. "The beloved brother and faithful minister w the Lord." In Acts x.x.. 4 he is classed as an Asiatic. If be did not, then, belong to OH, VI. 1-24.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO '£HE EPHESIANS, 285