Iconium. St. Paul, however, assigns a far higher motive for his selection of Timothy, than the mere report of mortal tongues; for in committing to him the superintendence of the church of Ephesus, he assures him, in the most solemn manner, that he was induced to do so at the instigation of the Holy Spirit himself. "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare." By the expression of "the prophecies," the apostle refers to those miraculous revelations, by which, in the early times of the church, the vocation of its pastors was directed. A striking instance of this is recorded in the Acts, where it is stated, that when certain prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the "Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Indeed, on the first propagation of the Gospel, it would have been impossible for the apostles, without such direction, always to have selected the most proper persons for keeping alive in the churches, in their absence, the faith which they had established. Their sojourning in the same place was necessarily too short, to enable them to obtain, by merely natural observation, an insight into the different characters of their new converts. It was a matter, too,

of the utmost importance, that the shepherds, put over the flocks, should be found faithful; and as from the reasons just mentioned, the first preachers of the Gospel had no means themselves of previously ascertaining the qualifications of the pastors, God was graciously pleased to direct them in their choice, by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit. It may be observed here, that in later times, when the church became more firmly established, and men had leisure to investigate the moral and religious capabilities of each other, the necessity for this extraordinary interposition was in a great measure removed, and it ceased accordingly. Both Timothy and Titus, as is evident from the directions given them by St. Paul, were to be guided in their selection of presbyters, as well by observation and experience of their conduct and abilities, as by the recommendation of the brethren.

Such, then, being the high authority on which Timothy was elected to the office of a Christian pastor, we may reasonably infer his extreme fitness, in every respect, for the performance of the duties which devolved upon him. If we reflect, too, for a moment upon the times, in which he was thus called upon to superintend the church at Ephesus, we shall be induced to entertain the most exalted ideas of his fortitude and patience. The difficulties he had to struggle with were

many, and alarming. The heathen and superstitious practices of the Ephesians, to which they were more than commonly addicted; the schisms and divisions which had sprung up amongst their own members; all tended to render the office of an overseer one of painful and unceasing exertion. It was a post, too, of imminent danger; and it is generally said, that Timothy obtained the crown of martyrdom at Ephesus, some years after the death of St. Paul, in prosecution of the duties of the high office to which he was called. However this may be, it is clear that he discharged faithfully the trust committed to him: for the converts of Ephesus were peculiarly the objects of St. Paul's affection, from their "faith in the Lord Jesus, and their love unto all the saints." And no better test can be given of the diligence and zeal of a minister, than the spiritual improvement of the flock over which he presides. The great apostle, too, always addresses Timothy in the kindest and most affectionate manner; and appears to have entertained for him the care and concern of a father.

Will it not then be an object with every Christian, to ascertain, if possible, the causes by which Timothy was enabled to attain so high and holy a character? It is well known, indeed, that every good and perfect gift is from above; merely human agency, can, in itself, be of no avail: Paul

may plant, and Apollos water; but it is God alone who can give the increase. Still, it is his pleasure, in ordinary cases, to act by second means. He points out, indeed, the steps by which we must attain unto holiness. If we follow that path in sincerity and truth, he will bless us in all our ways; if we turn aside, he will leave us to ourselves. He invites us, he encourages us by the most gracious promises, to come to him; he menaces us with the most awful judgments, if we embrace not his proffered mercies; but still he does not force us into his service. We must enter it freely and sincerely; we must learn its duties by gradual and continual advances; and it becomes, therefore, a point of the utmost importance, to know what are the means which he will chiefly vouchsafe to bless. The words of my text, in suggesting the apparent cause of the piety and excellence of Timothy, will also furnish us with an answer to our enquiry. He knew the Holy Scriptures from a child. He was blessed, we read, with a mother of exemplary piety; who seems to have inherited her religious temper from her mother also. By these affectionate relatives, he was early trained to purity of life and holiness of heart. There is something delightful, as well as edifying, in the contemplation of a character thus disciplined to holiness from his earliest years; in suffering the imagination to

wander back to the time, when the aged Lois and the anxious Eunice bent over the head of their infant son, watched the dawnings of reason in his opening mind, and strove to make his first lispings those of prayer and praise. It is in truth a pleasing sight, thus to look, though it be but in fancy, on the beaming features of childhood, taught to lighten up with gladness at their Creator's name, to glow with gratitude at the remembrance of his bounty. This is, alas! a picture too rarely met with in the present times. And it would be difficult to account for the melancholy deficiency, except from that perverseness of heart, and those evil dispositions, to which man is by nature prone. He appears, indeed, to have an instinctive aversion to subjects of religion, to imagine that an over anxiety about them is a feeling unworthy of his dignity. He seems to conceive, that to discourse on God, or God's revelations, is unseasonable or mistimed, except during the hours of sabbath worship. Hence it too often follows, that whilst he displays the utmost anxiety that his children should be early instructed in the different branches of human learning, he ordinarily manifests but little concern as to their progress in heavenly knowledge. There is a fatal spirit of procrastination amongst us, which we are ever deferring the time of religious instruction. We hear of men attaining the age