ye who are in any way entrusted with the instruction of youth, in whatever line of life you may be, are you careful that the knowledge of the word of God shall form a principal part of their education? Do you do every thing that in you lies, to impress their minds and hearts whilst tender, with the doctrines, principles, and commands of Scripture ? On the other hand, I would also address a word to those young persons who are under religious instruction. When, young people, you read the Bible, whether it be the Old or New Testament, remember that you are reading the word of God, who lives above in heaven, yet sees every thing we do, or say, or even think: attend therefore to what you read in that holy Book, and try to understand what you read; listen when you have it explained to you, and often pray to God to make you obey what you read or hear. 2. I would next turn to those who are already some way advanced in the knowledge of the Scriptures. I trust there are many such amongst us. Some perhaps, like Timothy, from childhood have known something of their real value, and from their earliest years have been guided by them in their faith and practice; whilst others, after having presumed for a time to treat the word of God with indifference, or even contempt, have, in the mercy of God, been awakened to see the folly and danger of their course, and thence have been led, under divine grace, to yield their hearts and lives to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. To each of these classes, I would say-Be thankful for the blessing which has been vouchsafed you; but rest not content, either with what has been done for you, nor with what you have hitherto been enabled to do. Let not either the early faithfulness in the one case, or even the truest repentance in the other, tempt any one to imagine that they have already attained, or are already perfect. No; trials will come, trials of the severest character will present themselves, when your faith and religious principles will be endangered. Evil men and seducers will endeavour to deceive into sin and ruin. You must therefore be exhorted, like Timothy, to continue firm, stedfast, immoveable, in those divine things in which you have been instructed and been assured of. But especially should we remember that in the approaching danger, St. Paul directs his beloved disciple to the Holy Scripture as his guide and instructor. Let us then take this advice to ourselves. Let us at all seasons make the Scripture our daily study, being assured that the more fully we are acquainted with its contents, the more able shall we be to turn to it for advice and support in all our difficulties and temptations. Let us bear in mind its sufficiency-it is able to make us wise unto salvation: let us not forget its universal profitableness. Are we in doubt about any point of faith, the Scripture is profitable for doctrine. Do we hesitate about any particular line of conduct, it is profitable for instruction in righteousness. Have we fallen into any error in faith or practice, it is profitable for its reproof and conviction, as well as for its correction. And let us ever be impressed with a remembrance of the authority on which it all rests. It comes from God himself. It is given by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit. Oh, let then the Scripture be our you constant guide and counsellor. But let us not forget that it is all Scripture that is declared to be thus inspired and profitable. Every part has its appointed use. Let, then, all Scripture have its proportion of attention. Let us not be content, like some readers of the Bible, to dwell entirely on some favourite texts, or chapters, or even books, whilst all the rest is passed over with neglect. But let us read it regularly through, devoting more time and more frequent attention to the New Testament, because it contains the history and doctrines of the Son of God, the Saviour of the world; but at the same time, not omitting to study with serious attention the books of the Old Testament, in which we find his coming so often foretold, and such valuable truths and instructions enforced. Let us make it a rule to read some part of the Bible, if it be only one verse, every day. Many may read much more, a chapter or two perhaps. Let us read, if possible, at fixed and appointed times in the day; and let us read through one book before we begin another, until we have read the Bible through. Let us, moreover, always read it with a wish to be improved by it, with a desire to be guided by it, and with earnest prayer that we may be enabled to do so; and thus may we hope to be made wise unto salvation. 3. But if the knowledge of Scripture be thus profitable to salvation to those who study it, what may we conclude will be the consequence to those who neglect it? This is an awful question, awful indeed to all those who feel that their conduct in this respect has placed them in danger. Am I addressing any whose consciences tell them that this is their case? I will not suppose that you can have treated the Scripture with ridicule or contempt, but perhaps with indifference or carelessness. Is there one who stands in this fearful situation? If there be, let me entreat you to consider whose word it is you have been trifling with, whose wrath you have been arousing, and therefore whose vengeance you have reason to dread. It is the word of that God who is a consuming fire. Now what excuse can you give for having done this? Can you plead ignorance? Oh no! Ignorance of the Scriptures-that is, entire ignorance-no one in this Christian Protestant country, no one can plead. The Bible is in almost every hand. Most persons can now read; and if this were not the case, our churches are so constantly open, and the quantity of Scripture read in her services so great, greater, I believe, by far than is read in any other assembly of Christians, that if you had attended them at all regularly, with a desire to be improved, ignorant you could not be. In the lessons every Sunday we have four whole chapters read; in the Psalms, often four or five more; two considerable portions from the Epistle and Gospel; the preacher's text must be from Scripture; and besides all this, the Church service so beautifully displays the great doctrines of the Bible, that whoever is not acquainted with them is entirely without excuse. To this may be added that there is scarcely a sermon ever delivered from our pulpits, from which we may not derive some useful lesson. Plead not ignorance then for your excuse: for this will not support you in the great day of account. Remember that that day is coming, is close at hand. Then the word of God will be no longer of any use to you. For it will be opened not to lead you in the way of salvation, for to you that blessed portion of it will then be closed for ever, but to convict, and judge, and to condemn you to eternal ruin. Its promises will be at an end, its judgments beginning to exist for ever. Be wise then in time, Begin to-day. To-morrow may be too late. Fall down on your knees and confess that you have sinned, and pray to God for pardon for Christ's sake. Pray that God will open your hearts to understand, to believe, and to obey the Scriptures, until you also become wise unto salvation. Lastly, let us all join in praying in the words of the beautiful collect for the day-" Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us Amen. D. J. E. through our Saviour Jesus Christ." MISCELLANEOUS. NNNNN ON THE EARLY FATHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. HERACLITUS, MAXIMUS, AND OTHERS. Ορθόδοξοι μὲν καὶ ἐκκλησιαστικοί, ὥς γε δὴ ἡ ἐκάστου παραδείκνυσι τῆς θείας Ypáns épμnveía -Euseb. Hist. Eccl. V. 27. In addition to the writers which formed the subject of our last article, another series are classed together by Eusebius in a subsequent passage, as orthodox interpreters of the divine Scriptures. It should seem, however, that their works were not solely exegetical, but directed occasionally against the prevailing errors of the times. Independently of a general reference to several others, whose labours had perished, six cotemporary writers are expressly recorded, "of whose laudable industry divers monuments were then extant," though a solitary fragment of one of them is all that now remains. Of these ancient champions of the primitive faith, who flourished during the reigns of Commodus and Severus, the first in order, and probably in eminence, was HERACLITUS. "Commentaries on the Apostle" are attributed to him, to Eusebius, and Jerome; † and it is conjectured that an Exposition of the Epistles of St. Paul was published by him under this title. In this supposition, however, there is no certainty; nor does it appear whether the whole, or only a part, of the Apostle's writings were explained by him. Indeed, it cannot even be proved that St. Paul is the apostle more particularly intended; at the same time, it must be allowed that he is more likely to have been called the Apostle kar' ¿¿oxy, than any other. Not a syllable of these commentaries have escaped the wreck of time; and it would, therefore, be of little moment to ascertain the nature and object of a work, to which there Fabricius (Bibl. Græc. V. p. 184.) has given a catalogue of thirty-two writers of the second century, whose works have not come down to modern times. + Euseb. Hist. Eccl. V. 27. Τὰ Ἡρακλείτον εἰς τὸν ̓Απόστολον.—Jerome de Vir. Ill. § 46. Heraclitus sub Commodi Severique imperio in Apostolum Commentarios composuit. is no access. In the chronicle of his authorship, however, is registered the entire memorial of the life and death of Heraclitus. Next on this list of "orthodox and ecclesiastical men," stands MAXIMUS, who flourished, according to Cave, about the year 196. He wrote a volume on The Creation of Matter and the Origin of Evil. Eusebius, in his Præparatio Evangelica, has given a long extract from a treatise on this subject; and in assigning it expressly to Maximus, describes him as οὐκ ἄσημος ἀνὴρ τῆς Χριστοῦ διατριβῆς (VII. 22.) Towards the close of the second century, the philosophers generally maintained the self-existence of matter, and lodged in the Deity the source of evil. Hence arose the treatise of Irenæus, πɛρì τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἀγίννητον τὴν ὕλην, of which a fragment still remains, as well as several Tracts of Tertullian, directed against this doctrine; and hence also the work of Maximus, to which allusion has been made. The extract preserved by Eusebius is also to be found, with some variations, in an imperfect work of Methodius on Free Will, in Origen's Philocalia, in the Dialogue Contra Marcionistas, falsely ascribed to the same author. From its appearance in this last, it has been inferred, that Maximus was the real author of the Dialogue which he published under the name of Origen, and that from thence the extract was made by Eusebius. In order to support this hypothesis, it is necessary to bring down Maximus to the time of Constantine; whereas Eusebius not only quotes expressly from a volume bearing the name of Maximus himself, but synchronizing with the reign of Severus. Besides, the treatise of Methodius, in which it also appears, must have been written considerably before that period, inasmuch as the author suffered martyrdom in the beginning of the fourth century; and he, too, ascribes the citation to Maximus. Basil also, and Gregory Nazianzan (ap. Origen Philocal. § 24.) ascribe it to the same source. In the Chronicle of Eusebius, an individual named Maximus was bishop of Jerusalem in the year 185; and a conjecture may fairly be hazarded of his identity with the patristical author mentioned in the Ecclesiastical History. True it is, that the historian gives no intimation that the bishop and the writer were one and the same; but a similar omission occurs in the Præparatio, where a work of Dionysius of Alexandria is cited without any allusion to his office, or the place of his birth. The coincidence of name and date, the probability that a man of eminence in the Church would be an active defender of the purity of Christian doctrine, afford a reasonable ground for assuming the identity. At the same time, it is far from being a matter of historical certainty. Of three out of the four remaining writers, mentioned together with Heraclitus and Maximus, nothing whatever is known but their names, and the subjects of their respective Treatises. Jerome also (de Vir. Ill. §§ 46-51.) has followed the account of Eusebius; from which it appears, that CANDIDUS and APPION had written Treatises on the Hexaemeron; and that SEXTUS was the author of a work on the Resurrection. The other writer is known by name alone: he was called ARABIANUS. * Vide Heretic. ap. Origenian, III. 9. p. 276, and Wetsten. Præf. ad Dial. Origenis. HYMNS. CHRISTMAS DAY. MORNING.-SECOND LESSON. HARK! hark! the music of the sky, Hark, how they hail the Saviour's birth : Our hearts confess the sacred theme; Our songs shall rise, our love shall glow, His name shall every power employ, We join the choir above. Then to His feet our crowns we'll bring, EVENING.-FIRST LESSON. Immanuel. PRAISE to the Lord, who left the sky, To dwell with us in mortal clay. With us He bore the tempter's strife, His Holy Spirit leads us on, Where He, our great example trod; And through His righteousness alone We come with humble faith to God. EVENING. SECOND LESSON. SAVIOUR, whose love could stoop to death, With holy joy, and stedfast faith, |