cerning a child which had excited its parent's anger-woe to that child; it were better that he should die suddenly at this moment, than that he should meet his Father's anger.

And this mention of the grievous consequences of sin, naturally leads to the self-denial which must be used, in order to avoid, or conquer sin. The earthly treasure must be sacrificed, the desire subdued, the gain resigned, though they be dear as a hand, or valuable as an eye.

8. Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

9. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always 1 behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

11. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountain, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

13. And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

14. Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

What is here declared, their angels do always behold the face of my Father, does not necessarily imply, that a particular angel is attached as guar

dian to every individual of these little ones: but merely confirms what Scripture elsewhere reveals, that the angels who dwell in the presence of God, are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." 3

And the argument runs thus. Angels watch over them: shall man despise them? Are they little ones? Are they tender in age, humble in condition, or is their faith still weak and wavering? Yet they are not to be despised. Their helplessness does not disparage them in the opinion of their Saviour. Nay, it recommends them to him. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. And ought any to be lightly esteemed, whom he has thus taught us to value? Through thee," through thy opposition, or thy seduction, or thy neglect, "shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died ?" 4

66

Further, God looks upon them, now that they are brought into his fold, as a shepherd looks upon a sheep which had gone astray, and been recovered. How then will he be distressed, if one be afterwards decoyed away: be either left to perish through neglect, or wantonly destroyed? For it is not his will, that one of these little ones should perish. He suffers them indeed to undergo temptation, and fall into various trials. It is part of the plan on which he governs the world. But he watches over them and supports them; and has "a crown of life" in store for them, if they "endure unto the end."

Heb. i. 14.

'See 1 Cor. viii. 11, &c.

Wherefore let all Christians, and more especially all the ministers of Christ, promote the will of their heavenly Father, and despise not one of his little ones. It was the merciful character of the Saviour of the world, that he should " gather the lambs in his bosom, and gently lead them that are with young."

LECTURE XLV.

PROPER TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS.

MATT. xviii. 15—21.

15. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee; go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 1

1 Such was the rule of the law of Moses. Deut. xix. 15. "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established." See also Numb. xxxv. 30; Deut. xvii. 6.

17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.

We have here an important passage concerning the behaviour of Christians one towards another. If thy brother shall trespass against thee. As was said before, this must be expected, and provided for. "It must needs be that offences come." Christians are partakers of human nature: they have fallen by Adam's transgression: they have the corrupt heart, out of which trespasses proceed: they are prone to self-love, the source of envy, fraud, ill-will, and slander. Even though the heart is under a course of renewal by the Spirit of Christ, yet this renewal is a gradual work, incomplete and imperfect. It may therefore happen, that brother shall trespass against brother. What is the usual practice in such cases? The offended person whispers his complaint to the friends and neighbours, and the rent is made worse by misrepresentation and exaggeration. This had been perceived by Solomon, who directs, "Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself, and discover not thy secret to another." And now our Lord says, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone: it may be that he hear thee: he may see his error, he may regret it, and make reparation; and thou hast gained thy brother: thou hast gained him as a friend for if there is grace in his heart, he feels that his soul is profited, and that has endeared thee to him and thou hast gained him as a worthy dis

1 Prov. xxv. 9.

ciple to Christ: for, "if any do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." 1

Perhaps he will not hear thee. A man is a bad judge in his own cause, and may think himself offended, rather than an offender. Therefore take with thee one or two more, whose opinions and authority may confirm your own. Christian will do much and suffer much, rather than "go to law with another:" still it is on every ground far more desirable that wrong should be redressed, than that it should remain unnoticed.

Though the

Thus far the rule laid down may guide at all times the private Christian's conduct. What follows, has in a great measure ceased to apply. If he neglect to hear thee, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. While Christians formed a small body taken out of the rest of a city or nation, the church was a separate party, and the ministers and elders of it could, in a solemn way, admonish and correct an individual member in the name of the Lord: and if he refused to regard their censure, could exclude him from their community. So in the Corinthian church, a member of it was living with a person who had been his father's wife. St. Paul directs, "concerning him who hath done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered

' James. v. 19.

3

21 Cor. vi. 6-8. 31 Cor. v. 1-5. R