make this holding the forms of truth given by the Apostle supremely important. In fact, development was the first path of error; philosophy soon came in at Alexandria, and the simplicity and divine perfection and purity of truth were lost. Full grace, and our being saved, now that we believe, shone distinctly in this truth (i. 9, 10). Another important principle laid down, when the form of piety reigned denying the power, is faith based on the authority of the teachers then sent of God and the Holy Scriptures. These suffice to make the man of God perfect. The acknowledgment of the authority of the apostolic writers, and of the inspiration and sufficiency of the Scriptures to make wise unto salvation, "perfect, throughly furnished," is another mark of the sound Christian in the perilous times of the last days. Connected with this, is the place the truth takes. There is such a thing as the truth. This has to be held at all cost. The Lord tells us, "the truth shall make you free," sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy word is truth.” So here, silly women, cannot come to the knowledge of the truth, the deceivers resist the truth. These would soon turn their ears from the truth. Timothy was to teach meekly, in hope that God might give repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. Thus, known direct apostolic authority, which no tradition can give, for I cannot say from whom I learned it so that it should have the Apostle's authority, truth in the form of words given by the Apostle;-the Scriptures, known truth, and the holding these fast, characterize the approved disciple, when decline and unfaithfulness had come in.

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Again-enduring, faithfulness, persecution as contrasted with ease and profession, practically mark the divine path. Not uncertainty as to salvation, and a laborious procuring of it. We are saved, and called with a holy calling, according to God's purpose, before the world began. Death is abolished, so that we are not under its fear. Life and incorruptibility are brought to light. We are in the bright and blessed liberty of saved ones, for whom the whole power of death is destroyed. This was to be fully maintained. On the other hand, the Gospel brought afflictions. Timothy was to be partaker

of them, according to the power of God; Paul was suffering for it; Timothy was to endure hardness as a good soldier, be disentangled from the world; so Paul was enduring all things for the elect's sakes. But it was not merely those ministerially active who would suffer. There was another source of persecution, not Christianity now in itself, but seeking to live godly in Christ Jesus. The form of piety with abounding evil would prevail; but piety, the seeking to live godly, not to join the current of worldly profession, would be persecuted. The professing Church being in this state, the assembly in general would be a great house, and vessels to dishonour allowed in it. This leads to ecclesiastical direction, so to speak. Carelessness as to doctrine, departure from the truth, and a and a worldly, carnal state of the professing Church prevailing, in which the sense, that, risen already in Christ, we were looking for a resurrection to take us out of this whole state, was lost; and what called itself Christian settled into a recognition of man this side death. What was the Christian to do? Purge himself from these, so as to be a vessel meet for the Master's use. He could not leave the profession of Christianity, corrupted as it had become-that is clear; nor was he to sanction the corruption, nor could he correct it as regards the public profession. Nay-evil remained-seducers would wax worse and worse. He was to purge himself from them. But his practice was to be equally exact. Avoiding lusts, he was to follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace. Was he then to isolate himself in his walk because of the evil, in thus pursuing godliness and grace? He was not. He was to recognise and distinguish those who called on the Lord out of a pure heart. If it be asked, how can he do this? My answer is, the apostle tells us to do it: he does not suppose we cannot. It was to be done. may not be able to distinguish a person to be such. That is possible. I am not his judge; but he is not one of those who are pointed out as those with whom I should walk. The direction is very simple. The professing Church is characterised as a great house containing vessels to dishonour. In that state of things, I am not to rest satisfied with the dishonour; not to think

I

of mending the house, nor of leaving it, but of purging myself from those who are so, and recognising those who call on the name of the Lord, own, and worship Him out of a pure heart,-to walk with them.

Some details remain, which we may notice, but now specially connected with ministry. I start from the holding fast the form of sound words; avoiding jangling on profitless questions raised, holding to the truth itself; avoiding striving even in contending for the truth. Shunning profane, vain babblings-they increase to more ungodliness. This was not the jangling on questions to no profit, but error, as we see from the case given. They were to be shunned; nor are we to strive about words to no profit. All these shunnings and avoidings referred to keeping in the simplicity of the truth. From the corrupt profession, forms of piety, and ungodliness, we are to turn wholly away. The former were to be avoided, shunned, it was individual; the latter, left, turned away from. On the other hand, he was to be watchful and diligent to shew himself a workman approved unto God; a workman not needing to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth; it was to be rightly set out, dissected, and applied, as well as expounded according to the mind of God. Then he was to commit what he heard from Paul to faithful men; not put men in office but commit truth to men, faithful men. Truth all through, and truth connected with unaffected and true godliness, is the leading thought of the apostle, and a suffering place in the world because of it, in contrast with an easy-going church. But all his directions are individual, not to fancy he could correct the body; he was to shun, avoid, turn away, etc., and pursue godliness with them that really sought the Lord (not mere profession), out of a pure heart. The testimony and truth were to be held fast, at all cost. We see how soon departure from the truth was the enemy's way of bringing in ungodliness and worldliness. Even when the form of godliness is spoken of, it is propagated amongst silly women, never coming to the knowledge of the truth. This laid them open. Finally, the Lord would be faithful, could not deny Himself.

I have another remark to make here. The promise of life in Christ Jesus is the very starting point of the epistle. What is livingly personal, not ecclesiastical. So the fulness of grace, as we have noticed (i. 9); but, all through, personal responsibility is dwelt on; and, hence, we are placed, not in presence of privileged hopes, but of judgment, I mean even as Christians; for Onesiphorus mercy is desired in that day. Timothy is charged before God and the Lord Jesus, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom. So the crown is a crown of righteousness; men must strive lawfully, and, labouring first, partake of the fruits. The Lord, the righteous Judge, gives him the crown of righteousness; so, as to all others, it is laid up for those who love His appearing. But he had just spoken of His appearing, as the time of judging. And so it is, first the quick, and afterwards the dead. How love it? Now this supposes, first, the most complete association with Him, and acceptance, judgment being set aside for us. But more, loving His appearing supposes that its present realisation awakens no feeling of anything which would have to be judged, which would hinder our loving that which will set aside evil. It is the time of glory for us. When He shall appear, then shall we appear with Him in glory. But, then, it is the setting aside evil; so, that, if anything is allowed in us, anything not suited to His appearing, if we are not whole-hearted in the setting up of His glory, we cannot practically love His appearing. This gives, in the midst of general decline, a solemn but a very blessed character to the instruction of the epistle; indeed, it all supposes great personal nearness, proportioned to the general decline.

May we so judge ourselves, and so hold fast by that Blessed One!

No. IV.

JUDAH'S CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON.

THE Babylonish Captivity, considered as an era in the progress of divine dispensations, was most important and significant. We may well treat it as a very principal station in our journey along that path of light and wisdom which is cast up in Scripture for God's wayfaring men to tread, and tarry there for a little, and look around us.

We may speak of it, generally, as the great conclusive judgment upon the people of Israel in Old Testament times; but it was preceded by a long series of other judgments of an inferior or less weighty character. And it is well to trace them shortly, that we may be moved and humbled by such a sight as they afford us of the incompetency and unfaithfulness of man under every condition of stewardship and responsibility.

These judgments began, I may say, by the retirement, for forty years, of Moses, in the land of Midian. Israel, then in Egypt, lost their deliverer, because they knew not that by his hand God would redeem them; as we read in Acts vii. 25.

After they left Egypt, and got into the wilderness on their way to Canaan, they are doomed, or judged, for another forty years, to wander there, because they did not receive the report of the Spies, but disesteemed the promised land.

When they have reached Canaan, and are settled as a nation there, they are judged again and again for renewed iniquity, by the hand of their neighbours; but at length are more signally judged, by being put under the tyranny of King Saul (see Hos. xiii. 11).

In process of time, they flourish into a kingdom: God gives them the choicest of His people; the man after His