THE SAMARITANS were the descendants of those idolatrous nations, whom the King of Assyria sent to unite with the scattered few, in peopling Samaria and the land of Israel. They established a system of religion compounded of Judaism and Heathenism; and the Jews hated them with a perfect hatred, looking upon them as the worst of all human beings: John viii. 48. At present the Samaritans, though few in number, pretend strictly to observe the law of Moses; and find great fault with the Jews for their negligence. They circumcise their children on the eighth day after their birth; and do not allow a plurality of wives; nor marry their nieces. They observe the Sabbath so strictly, that they will scarcely move, except to their synagogues,

THE SADDUCEES, who derived their name from Sadoc, their founder, were a sort of Deists. They believed that God was the only immaterial being; that there was neither angel nor spirit; that there was no resurrec→ tion of the dead; nor any future state; and that men were absolute masters of themselves; and needed no assistance to enable them to do either good or bad. They rejected all traditions, and adhered to the texts of the sacred books; though it is very evident they did not understand them. They were, in general, men of wealth; and, without any restraint upon their corrupt passions and appetites, lived at their pleasure. They were zealous opposers of Jesus Christ and his apostles; and we never read of the conversion of one of them: Matt. xxii. 23-34: Acts v. 17.

THE PHARISEES, or Separatists, were so called because they dististinguished themselves from others by a strict manner of life, of which they made profession. They were haughty despisers of the common people; and the greater part of the Doctors of the law, or scribes, were of this sect, They substituted human traditions in the room of God's word, and were intolerably proud of their religious attainments; supposing they merited the favor of God by their outward observances. They fasted often, made long prayers, gave much alms, and in all things made a great outward show of religion; but were covetous, proud, unjust, superstitious, and hypocritical: See Luke xviii. 9-14. They were very

particular in wearing broad Phylacteries, or, Frontlets; which were scrolls of parchment, four in number; and on which they wrote certain words of the law. On the first piece, they wrote Exod. xiii. from verse 2—10; and on the second, from verse 11-21; on the third, Deut. vi. from verse 4-9; and on the fourth, Deut. xi. from verse 13-21. These they put together, cov ered them with a piece of hard calf-skin, and bound them upon their foreheads, upon their wrists, and upon the hem of their garments, where they wore them during the morning and evening prayers: Matt. xxiii. 5, These customs they founded on what you read in Exod. xiii. 9-16, and Numb. xv. 38, 39, And as the Prophets never spoke against the omission of this practice, it seems evident, they understood literally what was figuratively spoken: Read Matt, xxiii.

THE HERODIANS shaped their religion to suit the times; and though it is not certain what were their particular tenets, it is plain they had a leaven of their own, and that they sought to please men more than God; and more especially Herod; See Mark viii. 15; and xii. 13. But we may consider them rather a political party, than a religious sect.

THE STOICS were a sect of heathen philosophers, who prided themselves in an affected indifference to pleasure or pain, as though either were only imaginary; and maintained that all things were determined by FATE. They held that a wise man ought never to be moved by joy or grief. This sect appears to have been numerous at Athens when the apostle Paul was there. Acts xvii. 18.

THE LIBERTINES were free citizens of Rome; and who, being Jews or Proselytes, had a synagogue at Jerusalem peculiar to themselves: Acts vi. 9.

THE EPICUREANS were a sect of heathen philosophers, who followed the doctrines of Epicurus, the Athenian. They denied that God either made or governs the world, or in any way whatever interferes with his creatures on earth. They denied the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul. They maintained that happiness consisted in pleasure; but Epicurus allowed there was no pleasure but in virtue; and some of his

followers held to the same. Their principles were the very opposite of the Stoics; and they flourished about 300 years before the Christian era: Acts xvii, 18,

THE GALILEANS appear to have been a very turbu lent, political party formed into a sect among the Jews; who refused to be in subjection to any other nation; and who, by degrees swallowed up most of the other sects. They held much the same sentiments as the Pharisees; and in general, they bore no good character for religion : John vii. 52. They considered it beneath the dignity of a Hebrew to pay a tax to heathens. Their first

leader was Judas, the Galilean Acts v. 37. This sect began the war with the Romans which was never extinguished till the Jewish nation was completely ruined.

THE NICOLAITANS are expressly named in the New Testament; Rev. ii. 6, 15; but who or what they are is not certain. It is said, they reckoned adultery and the use of meats offered to idols indifferent things; and imputed all their wickedness to GOD as the cause. Nicholas, one of the first seven deacons, was a man distinguished for holiness and zeal: Acts vi, 5-7. And as nothing is said about his disgracing his profession as a Christian, we cannot think, with some, that he was the founder of this sect. It is not unlikely but they were the very same with, or, at least a part of the Gnostics.

NAZARENES. Christ's dwelling at Nazareth, gave rise to his being called a Nazarene: Matt. ii. 23. To be called a Nazarene, was to be called a worthless, despicable man, from whom no good was to be expected: John i. 46, This name was put upon Christ by way of reproach and contempt; they called his followers Nazarenes, and this stuck to them all as a nick-name: Acts xxiv. 5. No name of reproach for religion's sake should seem hard to us; but we should rather rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer for Christ, who was called a Nazarene.

THERE is no point of importance in which the sixtysix books of the Bible do not perfectly agree. The few trifling differences which have been brought forward, are easily and satisfactorily accounted for, if we but consider, when different writers mention the same facts, each one relates the circumstances as He was acquainted with them. PRINTING is only a modern invention, and been practised but about 400 years; and before that time books could be multiplied in no other way than by writing. Both the Hebrews and the Greeks often expressed their numbers by letters; and some of them being very much alike, a hasty copyist might easily have mistook the one for the other; yet not one doctrine or duty is rendered obscure on account of these differences. Some there are who neglect to "Search the Scriptures ;" and assign as a reason for their so doing, that they find therein so many things they do not understand; and, consequently, can not believe them. How absurdly do such individuals act! who stumble over the difficulties they meet with in the Bible, whilst they pass unnoticed those plainly revealed truths, which, if attended to, would make them wise unto salvation. We meet with many things in our daily life which we cannot understand; and yet no one doubts them. Whence comes pain? Why are plagues, famines, and pestilences, sent to ravage the surface of the earth, and sweep away the thousands of its inhabitants ?. We believe the grass grows, and that the sun shines, though we cannot understand how the one springs up, or the other performs its course. If then, we believe so many natural things we can not account for, why should we disbelieve spiritual things, merely because we are unable to account for them. Is it any thing wonderful that a finite worm cannot comprehend the wisdom, goodness, and glory of an INFINITE GOD? Would it not rather be more wonderful if he could ?

The Bible was never designed to clear up every difficulty. The glimmering lamp of nature will never give sufficient light to enable us to see, why the ungodly should prosper, and the godly be plagued and chastened continually; but the light of grace solves the difficulty, by showing us a state of future retribution; Ps. lxxiii. 12-19: Luke xxiii. 43: Phil. i. 21, 23.

You would do well to bear in mind, that, though many passages may appear difficult to you, they are not at all difficult to those who are better acquainted with their Bibles, their own hearts, the world, and what were the particular customs of the Eastern countries at the time the events recorded took place. Thus, when Christ says, "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles," we cannot understand him till we are informed the bottles were not made of glass, as ours are; but were a kind of leathern-bags made of skins, strongly stitched or pitched together; and which, of course, as they became old and dry, would be unfit to hold new wine, which would ferment and burst them; and the longer they were used the worse they would get. See Gen. xxi. 14: Josh. ix. 4-13: Ps. cxix. 83. Jer. xiii. 12. God tries our hearts, and takes care to give sufficient light to guide the meek on their way, and leave the ungodly without an excuse.

The chief reason why so many difficulties are found in the WORD OF GOD, is, because the reader's heart is not right with God. For how can earthly-minded men enter into the meaning of heavenly truths? 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, The most obscure passages that we meet with, ought, at least, to teach us humility. Those who have joined some particular party, and taken their sentiments from them, instead of the Bible, will always meet with difficulties in selecting particular passages to support their own opin ions. But if all such would only be willing to relinquish their sentiments, and come to the BIBLE with a humble determination to be guided by it, the difficulties met with would be very few and unimportant. Those who medi tate most upon what they read, compare scripture with scripture, and pray for Divine instruction, will encounter the least difficulties; and will find at every step their path become brighter and brighter, even unto the perfect day. Read for yourself, and apply what you read; and never turn from a passage too hastily because it is difficult; for if you are not above being taught, God will not be aboye teaching you. Ps. xxv. 9: James i, 5.