(Col. 3:16,17.)'

(Continued from p. 237).

"Let the Word of the Christ dwell in you richly."

That "word," then, is what He began to teach when here. But at that time He could not give all the Word He had to communicate. "I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. Lego, meaning to lay forth in systematic or set discourse:from this word logos is derived. But when He is come, the Spirit of truth, He shall guide you into all the truth:for He shall not speak from Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear He shall speak; and He will announce to you what is coming. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine and shall announce it to you" (John 16:12-15). This we know was fulfilled in the ministry of the New Testament apostles and prophets (1 Cor. 2:12-16:they spoke the things of God in the words (logois) taught of the Holy Spirit), so that John can say, "We are of God; he that knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error." This he says in contrast to those misleaders, to whom he emphatically refers in the previous verse (2 John 4:5,6).

Two qualifying clauses which follow describe the manner in which this is to be realized.

"In all wisdom"-the manner in which the following actions are to be carried out. It is that word for "wisdom" which expresses "an attitude as well as an act of the mind. It comprehends knowledge and implies goodness, including the striving after the highest ends as well as the using of the best means for their attainment." Only "the Word of the Christ" can so furnish us.

"Teaching and admonishing"-the actions, first what has reference to the mind that it may be girdled with truth, then what is more moral in character.

"In psalms, hymns, spiritual songs"-the means used. These terms may be difficult to distinguish, but this much may be said:psalms indicate compositions similar to those of the Old Testament; the hymn would be a metrical composition expressing praise, adoration; and in the song, or ode, to which the apostle is careful to add the term spiritual, the writer reproduces in poetic form his personal emotions or experiences. Perhaps this suggests an order of relative importance:first, what is more expositional in character, a teaching composition; then what expresses worship to God, which properly flows out of a growing in His knowledge to which the former would contribute; and finally, what deals more particularly with personal experience.

The second qualifying clause may be considered of similar construction.

"In (en) grace"-this states the manner or perhaps sphere in which the following action is to be carried out, that of "singing;" then, as corresponding to the means mentioned in the former clause, we have, "in your hearts to God."

The thought is that of inward joy toward God grounded upon the knowledge of our privilege to now make our boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the reconciliation (Rom. 5:11), and enter into the grace wherein we stand. "In grace" is not the idea of a gracious disposition on our part, but rather the thought of the grace of God in our singing; and if this be so the former will also surely mark us. It is "in the grace" (literally), setting before us what is objective rather than subjective.

The injunction follows to do everything, whether word or deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus. If this is our guiding principle it will lead us to exclude from our lives that to which His name could not be rightly attached. Let our hearts be searched, and our ways examined in the light of this command of the Holy Spirit. Then the mood in which we are to do all in rendering such obedience is that of "giving thanks to- God the Father by Him."

Certainly a spirit of continual praise and thanksgiving is what should fill the Christian's heart and characterize his life, while the golden rule for his words and deeds is that they be found worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, so that he is fruitful in good work, increasing in the true knowledge of God. John Bloore
(To be continued, D. V.)