of Epnphrns the Colossiim citizen, Luke the cultured Jewish physician, an11 OnesiJLus the runaway slave? It has been well said, "Men are not united to the Church of Christ by reason of similarity of calling, of knowledge, or of position· not· as rich or poor, lea.rned or ignorant, but as possessors of a common human nat~re, of common feelings, sorrows, joys, and hopes. Once within its pale, his riches drop from the rich man, and his poverty from the poor, and each beholds a brother soul." II. TRUE CHRISTIAN GREETING RECOGNIZES FULLY THE INDIVIDUALISM OF MEN. There is here no dealing with the mere mass, the group; no speakincr of all with the same tones of unctnous endearment as is common in some Churches to~day. No; each has a separate niche in the' esteem and affection of the apostle. In the li"ht of this greeting we see the Church is not a huge piece of mechanism, but a family of dissimilar though related souls. III. 'l'RUE CHRISTIAN GREETING HONOTTRS GREATLY CHRISTIAN SERVICE. The only letter of introduction to a Church Paul ever wrote is to commend not some wealth v or famous man, but a converted runaway slave. His epithets of praise are not tho:;e that describe rank or riches, or even culture, but usefulness. '!'hat he honours, an<l that the Church of Christ ought above all else to honour: come the day when it will. Amen.-U. R. T. Vers. 2--4.-0onditions of success in prayer. St. Paul draws the attention of the Colossians to two things. I. GENERAL CONDITIONS OF SUCCESS IN PBAYEB. 1. Perseverance. "Continue stead- fastly in prayer." It is part of our spiritual education, teaching us dependence, trust, and patience. No "stock" of blessings given, but daily grace, bread, etc. Blessings may be withheld for a time because, in our present spiritual state, we cannot receive the full supply we shall be capable of after the discipline of persevering prayer. The gift will be in proportion to our faith (cf. Matt. ix. 29; Mark viii. 22-25). Hence the many exhortations to perseverance by parables (Luke xi. 5-9; xviii. 1--43), precepts (Rom. :xii. 12; Eph. vi. 18; 1 Thess. v. 17, etc.), and recorded examples (Gen. xxx1i. 2-1; l<~xod. xxxii. 9-14; Matt. xv. 21-28; Acts i. 14; ii. 1-4. Paul's prayers (Phil. i. 4; 2 Tim. i. 3, etc.; eh. iv.12). Story of James the Just (Eusebius, bk. ii. 23). If time forbids long continuance, there may be energy in brevity and steadfastness iu persistent renewal of prayers (Ps. Iv .17; cxix. 164, etc.). 2. Watchfulness. Be watcb- fu! during prayer, for the constant enjoyment of the inestimable privilege tends to routine, and our spiritual foes are ever ready to distract our minds and spoil our prayers. Chrysostom saith, "The devil knoweth how great a good prayer is." 'l.'he messenger prayer is too often despatched without any definite message. "Ye know not what ye ask;" "Ye have not because ye ask not." Contrast our Lord's prayers and St. Paul's with the vague, sleepy supplications we know too much about. If we thus watch in prayer we may watch after it, expecting the blessings which are on their way to us (cf. Dan. ix. 23; x. 12). 3. Thanksgiving. (Phil. iv. 6.) Our thanksgiving will include that Divine system of mediation and intercession by which we sinners have access to God; all the past answers to prayer we have received through Christ (Ps. lxiii. 7; cxvi. 1, 2), and all the promises he has given. In this spirit we shall also be able to thank him for what he has deferred (Illustrations: Job o.nd "the end of the Lord,'' Jas. v.11) and what be denies. For if we pray with submission for temporal blessings, we lay upon God the responsibility of choosing for us. Plato (' Alcibiades,' bk. ii.) praises one of the ancient poets for prescribing this form of prayer: "Grant to us tby blessings whether we pray for them ~r withhold our prayers, and repel from us all evils even though we pray for them." With fuller knowledge we may offer the samo prayer for temporal blessings "with thanksgiving" (Ps. lxxxiv. 11; Matt. vi. 32), while in regard to spiritual blessings there need be no such conditional uncertainty (Matt. vii. 9-11 ; John xiv. 13, 14). II. SPECIAL SUBJECTS FOR PRAYER. (Vers. 3, 4.) The requests are very personal, for Paul, Timothy, Epaphras, etc. The apostle's condition imposed limitations which ho desired might be removed "for the gospel's sake." 'l.'hese prayers were answere<l (Philem. 22). By prayer doors were opened in the first century (Rom. xv. 10, etc.), and still are (China, Africa, Madagascar, etc.). 'l'hL~ spread of the gospel may still be used as an argument for the divinity of the gospel, as it was by Clement of Alexandria: 238 THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS, (OH, IV, 1-18,
"Th~ Grecian philosophy, jf any m:'gistr~te f~rbade it, immediately died away; but our ~octrme, even fro~ the first preachmgof 1t, kmgs, geue~als, and magistrates prohibited it; nevertheless, 1t does not droop like human doct-nne, but flourishes the more." Similar pra):ers for pastors nnd missi?naries are still ~eecied, and may be enforced by· various motives; e.g.: 1. Our 'flecessity; for the work 1s too great for .us apart from the helJ) give~ throu~h prayer. 2. Our t~als. Illustrate from Paµl's ordinary sources of anxiety (~ Cor. x1. 1-3, 28, 29; Gal. 1v. 19, etc.). 3. Oui· dangers, For we are the mark of many of the fiery darts of the wicked one, and if we fall it is "as when a, ~tandard-bea.rer faintcth." 4. Our responsibilities. (Heb. xiii.17.) We have to speak "the mystery of Christ," and desire" to make it manifest as we ought to speak,'' •How much this implies (Eph. vi. 19, 20)! We aim at the sublimest results (eh. i. 28 29). 5. Our equitable cla.ims. A plea. especially appropriate to pastors, called by a Church to their post of duty and of trust. To restrain prayer is the most lamentaple meanness for it impoverishes the pastor's or missionary's soul (2 Thess. iii. ],, 2, etc.),.:_]j), S, P. '