In the first epistle, oversight is committed to Timothy, that purity and order might be kept in God's house; but in the second epistle, when confusion and evil have prevailed, the faithful servant is addressed, and aroused to overcome and persevere.

The outline is this :the servant is strengthened in the first part, then prepared unto every good work, then furnished by the Word, and, in chap, 4:, solemnly charged before God, and sent into the field, encouraged by the crown held forth.

The gift is to be rekindled; for God never gave a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind ; and afflictions are to be faced, that the gospel brings, in the power of God, who hath saved and called us; and in the summing up we have (chap. 2:i), " Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

This is the first thing. If we are overcome with fear, we have no ear to hear any further exhortation. What effect have orders upon panic-stricken troops ? The fearful heart, then, must be strengthened-by faith in the power of God that nothing can overcome. The power of God ! let this take hold upon us. This is the first part of the outline,- a rocklike basis for further instruction and exhortation for effectual service.

It was Saul and his men who trembled before the enemy, and not David, or any of the cloud of witnesses. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Let us not yield, but maintain the conflict.

Note some of the exhortations in this part:"Stir up," or "rekindle the gift"!-"Hold fast"!-"Be strong"!- " Endure"!

Such an one is a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Paul took a long look ahead as to consequences. " Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

Secondly, a man must purge himself from vessels to dishonor to be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

"Evil communications corrupt good manners." (i Cor. 15:) Corrupt doctrine or corruption in life the Christian is to have no fellowship with. " Awake to righteousness, and sin not"! Grace teaches us to be firm and uncompromising in rejecting evil in ourselves and in others, that we may not be overcome by the devil. Hymeneus . and Philetus said the resurrection was past:this was overthrowing the faith of some.

As sanctified ones, we are priests, and so prepared for every good work in service as Levites. As holy priests, we draw near to God, and maintain diligently and reverently in our souls the doctrine of Christ, as the priests alone could view and handle the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary; then the Levites, who were joined to the priests (Num. 4:and 18:), came and carried the burdens along the way ; so Christians, as Levites, bear witness in ministry of the truth received in communion with God as priests. When holiness is absent, there is no priestly discernment of the truth, and no preparedness to serve.

Paul said, "I have kept the faith " (2 Tim. 4:7); and to Timothy he says, " That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." (2 Tim. 1:14.) So in Ezra 8:28, in carrying the vessels of the house of God, not now from Egypt (or the mount) to Canaan, but from Babylon to Jerusalem,-a similar lesson,-the word to the priests is, "Ye are holy unto the Lord; the vessels are holy also. . . . Watch ye, and keep them; until ye weigh them … at Jerusalem."

"If the faith is not kept, there cannot be true service for God, nor is there the sweet sense of His approval amid the stern realities of warfare.

But how well balanced the Christian character ! With holy firmness in departing from iniquity must go gentleness and meekness in maintaining the truth to instruct opposers, counting upon God to bless and give effect to His Word. The energy to refuse the evil must be tempered by meekness, lowly confidence in God, who is above all the wiles of Satan, and able to deliver.

This gives repose to the character amid all distress, and gives glory to God, and effectual ministry.

Thirdly, the man of God, to be perfect, must be furnished for work by the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures; without that, he is not complete. Whatever else he may have, he cannot use the Word without what has already been spoken of. But without the Word diligently searched and learned, he has no weapon to use, however full of courage and zeal. Like a storekeeper without goods to supply his customers, or so little acquainted with his stock that he is unable to lay his hand upon the goods before his customer has gone.

But if I am unable to use the Word for others (according to my measure) it is because I am not using it for myself. Therefore the exhortation here is, first, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, . . . knowing . . . that the Holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation." Then follows the word that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness; that the man of God maybe perfect, furnished unto every good work. For it is only as I am myself living by the Word that I can use it for others. But diligence is needed, or, with all advantages and sincerity at the start, the soul becomes famished, and the Christian life a failure, and Laodicean lukewarm-ness destroys all freshness,-the condition of many Christians, though they have known both peace and liberty before.

We may feel we have excuses, of course,-sorrows, trials, vexations, fears, burdens; but they were not overcome, and the fact remains, vigor has departed, and appetite for the Word and reading with the household has ceased, because it has become a form only ; and lack of gift is pleaded, or timidity. Such is the common condition in souls and in households. " Yet a little sleep, a little slumber (Prov. 6:10, ii); . . . so shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man."

" Through wisdom is a house builded, and by understanding it is established ; and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." (Prov. 24:3, 4.)

We might say that in the first chapter of our epistle we have wisdom enjoined, the house is builded, and the soul encouraged; in the second chapter, by understanding it is established, for "to depart from evil is understanding; " (Job 28:28) and in the third chapter, the chambers are filled with precious things, by knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, Compared with a neglected, tenant-less house, a house-a home well filled and adorned is a picture the Spirit of God presents to us of a soul that is diligent and instructed in the Word. The mind is not habitually dwelling upon trouble or vanity, but upon God and the word of His grace, and the profiting appears unto all.

Chap. 4:we leave for another article. E.S.L.