Ver. 4.-The believer's fi:nal manifestation with CJhrist. "When Christ, who i~ onr Life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." The believer's life will not be always bidden, any more than the believer's Lord. 'l'Lerc will be a period of manifestation for both. This marks the last stage of spiritual life. I. CHRIST IS TilE ESSENCE OF OUR SPIDITUAL LIFE. This is more than saying that our life is bid with him or that he is the Author of it. "He that hath the Son bath life" (1 John v. 12; Gal. ii. 20; Phil. i. 21). We possess this life in virtue of our union with him and bis resurrection (John xiv. 19). II. WE SHALL SHARE WITH HIM IN HIS FINAL MANIFESTATION. 1. The manifesta- tion of Christ is the "blessed hope" of the saints. ('l'itus ii. 13; 1 Tim. vi. 14; 2 'rim. i. 10; iv. 1-8.) He will then be seen as he "is (L.John iii. 2), though mockers may ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" (2 Pet. iii. 4). He will then appear glorious in bis person, glonous in his retinue of angels, glorious in bis authority. 2. We shall 6hare in that manifestation. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shnll see him as he is" (1 John iii. 1, 2); "We wait for the Saviour" (Phil. iii. 21); "The glo~y tho_u hast given me I have given them" (John xvii. 22); "If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also ulorified toa-ether" (Rom. viii. 17). We shall be manifested with Christ in the glory or"'our compl~te manhood, when the conjunction of soul nnd body shall be perfect and indissoluble. We may well set our mind on things above in view of such a glorious prospect.-'!'. C.
Vers. 5-7.-The duty of mortifying tlte old man. The apostle proceeds to deduce tl,e practical consequences of our "death in Christ" in the mortifying of tendencies to impurity, covetousness, rnal:ce, and falsehood. "Mortify therefore your members orr. m. 1-26.] THE EPISTLE TO 'rHE COLOSSIANS. ]71