intimate the probability of offences between brethren, also imply that we are prone to an opposite line of conduct to that here placed before us. Our natural feelings, indeed, prompt to such an unscriptural course, being little disposed to bear injury with meekness, and without retaliation; being more ready to proclaim, than to conceal, the faults of others; and to be revenged for wrongs committed against us, than to recover and restore an erring brother. But here let it be clearly understood, that these words are not to be regarded in the light of mere advice and recommendation, but as a positive command. It is the law of Jesus Christ, the head, to all the members who compose His body, which is the Church. The persons on whom this law is specially binding are His professed disciples. The term by which one party (and by inference, the other also) is designated thy brother "—and the ultimate reference to the Church, in case of the non-success of private remonstrance, intimate that it is given to the Church for a perpetual guide in its practice, and that we are not left to exercise our own discretion as to its use or otherwise. To disregard this law as a principle, and indeed as a literal rule, of action, in such matters, is sin; not only as it involves a neglect of our brother's spiritual good, but as it is practically treating with contempt the counsel of Him who is wisdom and love. While, however, we take this view of our Lord's words, let us not forget how much of the spirit of peace and love they manifest. Spoken by the Prince of Peace, they breathe His spirit, through whose cross peace is preached to us, and who came to reconcile man to Himself by the shedding of His own blood. He was ever found to =exemplify the spirit of His own rule. He returned not evil for evil, but rather good; when He was reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. He came to seek and to save that which was lost; and when He suffered death at the hands of those whom He came thus to bless, He asked not for legions of angels to inflict upon them deserved vengeance, but prayed to His Father for their forgiveness. When, therefore, instead of being revenged on our brother who trespasses against us, or at once making known to others his conduct towards us, we go and tell him his fault alone, and that with the object of gaining

him, we are but acting in accordance with the mind of Him whose example has been left for our imitation.

With these views, then, of our Lord's words, let us contemplate more closelyThe case supposed; The parties addressed; and The line of conduct to be pursued.

The case supposed. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee." While we must be careful in judging what is a trespass against us, we must be equally so not to deem every trespass to be deliberate and wilful, or to have arisen from the worst motives; seeing that such judgment may result from the indulgence, in ourselves, of an unlovely temper, and the want of that charity which thinketh no evil. A trespass against us may be an act into which an individual may be betrayed, under the influence of sudden and strong feeling or passion, or it may partake of a wilful and deliberate character; it may be an act whereby injury is inflicted, or it may be one where what is justly due is withheld: it may be a positive departure from truth or integrity; or it may be a violation of those rules, and of that temper of sincerity, of kindness, of forbearance, which should regulate all our intercourse as brethren and members of one family. In any case, it would appear that it must be a real, not an imaginary trespass-an act morally wrong, an act inconsistent with the Gospel of Christ and the Christian characterthat would justify this designation of a trespass, and warrant the course here recommended. The special case contemplated, then, is a private offence, a case of trespass on the part of one individual towards another. It is well for us to bear this distinctly in mind, not only to guide us in such special cases, but also that we may not blame, nor be blamed by others, for not applying the rule to cases to which it is obviously not intended to apply. Mistakes have, doubtless, been committed, both by those who have not acted on this rule in private offences, and by those who have expected its application in public offences. Cases of open sin, of a general character; sins against the community of believers; cases which are, or may become, the cause of public scandal; sins before all, whether once or oftener committed-cannot be viewed as offences against an individual only, nor can they be so treated.

The parties addressed in this passage are brethren. "If thy brother trespass against

thee"-one who is a professing Christian; who is in reality, or at least in profession, a believer in Christ; a possessor of the hopes and privileges of the family of God. The exhortation would, perhaps, apply specially to those brethren who are mem bers of the same Church; though, of course, not exclusively so, seeing that it evidently suggests a general rule of action amongst brethren, as such, and, therefore, whether belonging to the same particular community or not. The term used is well calculated to beget in us a suitable state of mind; to induce us not only to obey our Lord's command in the letter of it, but also in its spirit, with kindly feelings. The offender may be an ignorant person; he may have done us great injury; he may intentionally have wounded our feelings or reputation; he may have erred greatly against the rules of right, and the law of love but he is our brother, professing the same dependence on Christ as ourselves, the same love and obedience, though in some instances he may not follow Christ fully. Not for one trespass, nor for seven, nor for seventy times seven, must we cease to regard him or designate him as a brother. He may be an erring, but in the exercise of proper means he may become a humbled and penitent brother; in which case, of course, we are bound to forgive him. He is our brother; and until, by departure from Christ, or until, by conduct which excludes him from the Church of Christ, he proves himself unworthy of the designation, we must continue to regard and treat him as such.

The line of conduct to be pursued demands our careful notice. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault." There is nothing in this passage to countenance a spirit that is easily provoked, and ever ready to imagine wilful offence where none was intended; that is ever on the watch for occasions for reproof, and that is ever prone to self-complacency and self-exaltation. But supposing a trespass to be committed against us, then we must not entirely pass it by. The honour of religion and the welfare of our brother require that, for their sakes, if not for our own, the matter should be noticed. As far as we ourselves might be affected, we might often be disposed to take no notice of trespasses committed against us, both because we might not wish it to be thought that we were readily offended, and perhaps, also, because we might wish to save our

selves and our offending brother possible unpleasant consequences. Yet, though we may entertain no revengeful feelings, and indeed cordially forgive the offender, we nevertheless owe him the duty of seeking to bring him to a right state of mind towards God and man with reference to his conduct. (See Levit. xix. 17.)

"Go and tell him his fault." This requirement is addressed to the offended, not to the offending party. Its wisdom and love are manifest. A sense of unmerited injury, of unprovoked trespass, would lead an individual to say, with reference to the party offending, "Let him come to me, and confess, and ask pardon; I shall certainly not go to him." Thus the breach might be widened-both parties, perhaps, indulging in unhallowed and sinful feelings: by this precept the surest means are taken to prevent such a result. We do not, indeed, forget that in another passage (Matt. v. 23, 24) our Lord has made it binding upon the offender, when he takes his gift to the altar, and there remembers that his brother has ought against him, to leave his gift upon the altar, and go and first be reconciled to his brother, and then to return and offer his gift. But the same angry feeling which leads to the commission of an offence, as also a mixed feeling of pride and shame, will often prevent the offender from going to make acknowledgment; such feelings are less likely to remain in operation to prevent such acknowledgment, when the offended party is the first to take steps towards reconciliation. In other cases, an offender may be prevented from going to confess his fault by a doubt as to the reception he may meet with. A word to the offended person might be enough: a kindly voice saying, "Brother, the sun is going down," might be sufficient to restore peace; but he fears he might be repulsed by his offended and perhaps unforgiving brother, and he remains without seeking reconciliation. Such cases our Lord meets when He says, "Go and tell him his fault." The happy tendency of his command may illustrated in the instance of a personal dispute between two brethren, in which it is common for both parties to give offence, and for each to feel that he is the offended person. Now, if we had not such a rule, and each were to act under the double im. pulse of feelings natural to the mind of an offender and to one offended, the probabi lity is that they would remain at variance,

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their unhallowed quarrel would continue, to their own injury and the injury of the cause of Christ. But the operation of this rule, supposing it recognized and acted upon, would present the pleasant spectacle of each going to gain his brother. And when each should proceed with such an object, and in the spirit of cheerful obedience, it could not but be attended with the happiest results.

"Go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone." This, then, must be the first step. There must be no previous mention of it to any other person, not even in confidence, and under the promise of secrecy. Nor must we tell him in the presence of others, but must speak to him in strict privacy. To this part of our Saviour's direction do we ask special attention, believing that it is much neglected, and that by many it is utterly disregarded. When this is the case, and the offence is made known to and commented upon by others, great evils must accrue, both to individuals and the Church of God. It leads to the indulgence and strengthening of evil tempers, not to the cultivation of meekness and gentleness; to the fostering of enmity, not to the producing and cherishing the desire for reconciliation; to the hardening of our brother in an evil way, presenting no inducement to him to confess his error, and to be at peace.

In thus going alone to our brother, and telling him his fault, much will depend, as to the success of our object, upon the manner in which this is done. We must not go to him in a spirit of revenge or retaliation.

It is not ours to revenge injuries. Vengeance belongs to God. It is ours to forgive the wrongs done against us, and if the offence in the sight of God need chastisement, He will repay it. The Lord Jesus, in inculcating the spirit of forgiveness, shows us that instead of being revenged upon our enemy we must forgive him; and that we must bless and pray for those who trespass against us, being our enemies. And if it be our duty thus to forgive our enemy, how much more is it a duty to forgive our

brother.

We must not go to him in a harsh or reproachful spirit. This would only be to embitter his feelings, and, in fact, to commit a trespass against him. But we must go in a meek and humble spirit, remembering that we also are subject to temptation, and liable to fall; and that we are only sustained as God in His grace holds us up.

We must be careful not to use language calculated to wound the feelings; nor, indeed, must we employ any stronger terms than are needful to set our brother's offence before him in the proper light. In our representations to him we must act upon the principle that "a soft answer turneth away wrath." We must be willing to hear anything he may have to say in defence of his conduct. It would be unrighteous to condemn him without hearing him. He may have something to urge in extenuation of his actions. He may not, moreover, have been wholly and only to blame in the matter. His representations may show something to be confessed and acknowledged on our side; and if we go in a right spirit, we shall be ready to make such acknowledgment, on cause being shown for it.

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In thus going to our brother, it is of great moment that we set before ourselves, explicitly and prayerfully, the special object our Lord directs attention to-viz., that of gaining our brother;" of restoring him from the path of sin and inconsistency. Let us set this object before us prayerfully. An offended brother is often hard to be won. To secure a conquest over evil and strong tempers, we must not lean to our own understanding, nor trust in our own strength. What, however, we might fail to accomplish, the grace of God can easily effect. This can humble the proud heart and subdue the haughty spirit. Even while we are praying for our brother, God may show him his fault, and inspire him with contrition on account of it. While we are asking God to prepare our way, and speed our object, He may incline our brother's heart to that which is right, so that he shall meet us in a spirit of fraternal kindness, and readily hear us. We have little ground for expecting God's blessing unless we seek it. If we seek it not in such a case, it is hardly supposable that we are actuated by a right spirit; that this pure and disinterested motive of gaining our brother animates us; and if we have not that blessing, we cannot expect success. Generally speaking, we think it reasonable to hope that our brother would hear us; in which case, not only would further steps be rendered unnecessary, but they would be absolutely wrong, and are forbidden by the spirit of the whole passage.

(To be continued.)