controversial habits generate, must, of necessity, give advantage to Satan for the infusion of all manner of evil into our souls. Hence St. Paul, in his advice to Timothy, combines with a caution against error, a caution against sin also : " Flee youth- ful lusts ; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with all them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart : but foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes'^." Amongst youthful lusts we must doubtless, in the first place, number those corrupt propensities which are so powerful in the time of youth : but we must also number those which are more nearly allied with heresies, whilst yet they are peculiarly influential on the youthful mind ; such as, a love of novelty, a fondness for disputation, a desire after notoriety and distinction. The tempers which these habits generate are extremely hateful to God, and injurious to man. " The filthiness of the flesh," as the Apostle speaks, is, ^?^ appearance, more opposite to true religion than what he calls " the filthi- ness of the spirit:" but it is not so in reality : and we must be purged from tliis, no less than from the other, if ever we would serve God acceptably, or be approved by him in the day of judgment. The beauty of all true religion consists in a child- like spirit, which is the very reverse of that conceit and forvvardness which characterize the controversialist and vain disputer. I must therefore guard you, with all earnestness, against every thing which may corrupt your mind from the simplicity that is in Christ, or weaken the influence of real piety in your souls.]
And, that my exhortation may have the greater weight, let me proceed to shew,
II. What benefit we shall derive from this care —
In a great house, the Apostle observes, there is a great variety of vessels ; some of purer, and others of baser, materials ; some to honour, and others to dis- honour. So also, in the Church of Christ, there is a great variety of persons ; all indeed in some way or other subserving his interests, and widely differing from each other in their value, their use, and their ultimate destination.
Now those who are infected with evil principles or practice are of no estimation before God.
[Their spirit is hateful to him, as is their conduct also ; nor are they of any use in the Church of God. They tend
«: ver. 22, 23.