mystery of God surpasses nnd includes all others; for (Jhrist, in nature and in grace, in history o.nd personal experience, "is all and in all." In view of this Mystery, no wonder that t~e apostl~ says that we a.re" being renewed unto knowledge" (eh. iii. 10). We can conceive no obJect worthier of the pursuit of the loftiest and greatest minds than "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord" (Phil. iii. 8; Eph. iii. 9-11; 1 Pet. i. 12). Dy it "the heart," the whole "inward man" (Eph. iii. 16), is "sto.blished" (ver, 7) and "encouraged" (ver. 2) by the "comfort of love" (Phil. ii. 1) and "the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (ver. 3) that a.re "in Christ." 3. Love and knowledge muae bear fruit in practical obedience. Christ Jesus was received by the Colossiaris as" the Lord" (ver. 6; eh. iii. 24; iv. 1). He is a Master to be obeyed (Rom. xiv. 9; John xiii. 13; xiv. 15), as well a.s a Mystery to be known and a. Saviour to be loved. In him we must walk. The whole conduct of life must be governed by his Spirit (Rom. viii. 14; Gal. v. 25) and directed toward his end1> (Phil. i. 20, 21; 2 Cor. v. 15). He "in all things" cla.irns to be "pre-eminent" (eh. i. 18; 1 Cor. xv. 25; 2 Cor. x. 5). Every desire, affection, pursuit, of the Christian must "acknowledge him to be the Lord." By such true obedience the soul grows in strength and security, and is ever being more completely "builded up in him" (ver. 7: comp. eh. i. 10). 4. And the root of this life of advancing knowledge and obedient love is faith. By this the soul is first "rooted in him" (vers. 5, 12; eh. i. 3, 23; Phil. iii. 9; Eph. ii. 8; Rom. v. 1, 2, etc.). From this root springs love (Gal. v. 6), obedience (Rom. vi.; viii. 3, 4), satisfying knowledge (Eph. iii. 17-19), every good word and work (1 Thess. i. 3; 2 Thess. i. 11; ii. 16, 17). If this fails, everything fails (Gal. iii. 1-5). Whatever strt!ngthens, comforts, and upbuilds the Christian, does so by ministering to his faith. A growing knowledge, a quickened love, a more steadfast obedience, enable bis faith to strike deeper root-stablish him in his faith (ver. 7). In this world he never ceases to "walk by faith" (2 Cor. iv. 18; v. 7); and his alx>unding in it is the greatest gain which the furthest advancement in the life of God can bring him. Yet faith, again, has its outward instrument and condition. It" comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. x. 17). The Colossians are to be "stablishcd in their faith," "even as they were tanght" (ver. 7: comp. eh. i. 5, 7). To that instruction they owe all they possess in Christ, even their own selves (Philem. 19). 5. And he who alx>imds in faith will abound in thanksgiving also. 'l'he more strongly the Christian believes in the Son of God and enters into the mysteries of his kingdom, the more joyfully and constantly will he offer his tribute of praise. This, too, is a fruit of faith-" the fruit of the lips" (Heb. xiii. 15; Hos. xiv. 2), the only fruit of all his mercies which we can directly render to the great Giver. Of such thanksgiving, called forth by the contemplation of the "mystery of God" in Christ, St. Paul's own act of praise in Eph. i. 3-14 is a noble example (comp. Rom. xi. 33-36; xvi. 25--27; 1 Tim. i. 12-17; 1 Pet. i. 3-5; Rev. i. 5-7; Matt. xi. 25-28. See sect. 1, III. 2, homiletics). II. A DANGER AND A BAFEGUA.l!D. (Vers. 4, 5.) 1. There was one thing that specially endangered Chiistian life and the well-being of the Church at Colossai. It was the charm of perverted eloquence (ver. 4). A clever tongue and o. popular style are gifts by no means incompatible with the faithful and spiritual pre3ching of Christ; but they have their peculiar dangers for their possessor, and for the Church in which they are exercised. St. Paul appears to have admired gifts of this kiud in Apollos, but he felt that a plainer and severer method became himself, in which the sheer might and majesty of the truth should stand forth without adornment of rhetoric or drapery of graceful diction that might distract attention from the all-important theme of his address (1 Cor. ii. 1-5). The possession of such powers ma.de the men whom he is denouncing at Colossle so formidable. Perhaps their very gifts had proved a snare to them; and there are indications in St. Po.ul's description of thern (vers. 8, 16, 18, 23: comp. Acts xx. 29, 30) of the arrogance and self-seeking spirit, and the intellectual dis- honesty, into which men of popular powers are liable to fall. 2. On the other hand, there was one specially hopeful feature in tho state of this Church-the good orde:r which it had maintained (vcr. 5); contrast with 1 Cor. i. 11, 12; xi. 2-18; :xiv. 40. So far, these•• deceitful workers" had not succeeded in disturbing the Church's unity or stirring up insubordinntion against its officers. In every organized body it is o. first condition of strencrth 0 and safety that its members should "obey them that have the rule" (Hcb. xiii. 17), should "all of them be subicct one to unother" (Et>h. v. 21 ; THE EPISTLE 'l'O THE COLOSSIANS. [OH, U, 1-28,
1 Pel v. 5), each in his place and rank keeping step and time with tbo movement or the whole.