"Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

AMONG the various writings of St. Paul which have been received into the canon of Scripture, are two epistles addressed to Timothy, a young man whose exemplary faith had induced Paul to ordain him to the priesthood, and appoint him bishop, or spiritual superintendent, of Ephesus. It is from the second of these two epistles that our text has been selected; and when we consider that St. Paul was commissioned by the Spirit of God to proclaim God's will to the world; that, in the words of the Eternal himself, he was "a chosen vessel unto him,

to bear his name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel;" it is impossible to arrive at any conclusion, other than that the counsels of such an one are entitled to as much attention as would be a proclamation conveyed to us at the present moment by the voice of God.

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The variety of classes into which its real and professed members are divided, is a peculiarly characteristic feature of the religion of Christ. Lord himself declared: "I came not to send peace upon earth but a sword." We are not, therefore, to wonder at the numerous divisions and subdivisions in the Christian church, because these have been pre-ordained by God, who seeth not as man seeth, but who willeth that "all things work together for good to those that love him." The present distracted and confused state, therefore, to which the apostle alludes in the first verse of our text, though it may, as it ought, indeed, humanly speaking, to be a subject of regret, yet ought it also to be regarded with gratitude and praise, inasmuch as we perceive in it the strongest proof of the truth of our religion.

Hence, brethren, do we infer, that it is our bounden duty-the bounden duty of every one who lays claim to the designation of Christ's disciple, to do as much as in him lies to discourage and suppress that which, though it be an evidence of the divine origin of our religion, is nevertheless an evil of the greatest magnitude, and productive of the a Acts, ix. 15.

most lamentable consequences to our species. He who declared, "I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword," has likewise declared, "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."

The two epistles of St. Paul to Timothy, and that which the same apostle addressed to Titus, whom equally with Timothy he ordained to the episcopal office, are different from the rest of his epistles, inasmuch as they were addressed to two individuals who had been consecrated 'to the ministerial office. In these, therefore, it would be natural to expect some useful information respecting any great difficulty, and consequently the difficulty which we are now contemplating. Now it so happens, that the church in the days of Timothy and Titus, in respect of its internal divisions and disputes, was similar to the church as it now exists. Such a coincidence as this, was undoubtedly providential, because it enables the ministers and other members of Christ's church, of the present day, to draw their information from a source which would otherwise have been unavailable.

The epistle to Titus, however, is but short when compared with the two addressed to Timothy. It is, therefore, from the two latter that we expect to derive the most information. Even in the epistle to Titus, the apostle is by no means silent respecting the necessary deportment of a minister (and if a minister, so of every Christian, though perhaps in a less degree) towards those who encourage and

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promote disputes. To Titus, St. Paul says: "A bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men that turn from the truth." The apostle afterwards expresses himself to Titus, thus: "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."

unto men.

In the two epistles to Timothy, similar cautions and exhortations, as I have before hinted, are to be

found in still greater abundance. The following, however, which run thus, will be sufficient for our purpose: "Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

The foregoing extracts from St. Paul's private epistles, are sufficient to assure us of the sin of those who foment disputes within the precincts of the church. They are, indeed, so positive, and so plain, that mistake or doubt respecting them seems to be impossible, and most assuredly would be impossible, were it not for the reason here implied. Men who strive about words to no profit, who addict themselves to profane and vain babblings, and to foolish and unlearned questions, which gender strifes, are within the "snare of the devil," and have been taken captive by him at his will. Such as these are "evil