the doctrine of the cross, they knew that fucn were ftill prone to backflide from God, and to return to the world from whence they had come out. They faw many inftances of perfons turning their backs on Chrift. It was the object of the rules they delivered to prevent this, to promote an increafing fuperiority to the world, and the most ftedfaft fubmiffion to the will of Christ.

Jefus is represented, Rev. i. 13. as walking in the midst of the churches, obferving whether his laws are attended to; and we find him sharply reproving the churches of Afia for the existence of various abuses among them, arifing from the neglect of these inftitutions.

It is of the utmost importance, in attending to the laws of Chrift which refpect the difcipline of Christian societies, to confider the spirit as well as the letter of these laws. The object of difcipline, when exercised according to the will of Christ, muft always be the glory of God, the good of the church, and the good of the party. These three are infeparably connected, and we must never lose fight of any of them. If we do, we shall act from improper motives, and more harm than good will refult from our dif cipline. Attention to these will guard us against two extremes into which churches are apt to fall-undue lenity, and unchristian severity. It will also prevent us from acting with partiality, which can otherwife hardly be avoided. It

appointed by Chrift refpects only the members of his churches. "I wrote to you in an epiftle, not to company with fornicators; yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep compaif any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with fuch an one, no, not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without, do not ye judge them that are within ?" 1 Cor. v. 9,—12.

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We have seen that those only of whom it is meet (just, dixalov, Philip. i. 7.) for us to think that they have the Spirit of Chrift, are to be united in church-fellowship. The declaration, that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, is once and again repeated, and the churches are expressly commanded to put away wicked perfons.

"Offences," said Jefus, "muft come." An offence, in the New Teftament, means a ftumblingblock *. Whenever we act improperly, we cast

*The word offend is used above thirty times in the established translation of the New Teftament into English. The original word, oxavduλiw, is so tranflated, and this is in a fingle place, and in that only, rendered make to offend, viz. 1 Cor. viii. 10. In James ii. 10. and iii. 2. the word rendered offend is one, (α) which is elsewhere rendered stumble, Rom. xi. 11. and fall, 2 Pet.i. 19. These are all the places where this word occurs. In one place, Acts xxv. 8. the word rendered offend is aμagrava, that which is uniformly translated elfe

the doctrine of the cross, they knew that fucn were ftill prone to backflide from God, and to return to the world from whence they had come out. They faw many inftances of perfons turning their backs on Christ. It was the object of the rules they delivered to prevent this, to promote an increafing fuperiority to the world, and the most ftedfaft fubmiflion to the will of Chrift.

Jefus is represented, Rev. i. 13. as walking in the midst of the churches, obferving whether his laws are attended to; and we find him sharply reproving the churches of Afia for the existence of various abuses among them, arifing from the neglect of these inftitutions.

It is of the utmost importance, in attending to the laws of Chrift which refpect the difcipline of Christian societies, to confider the spirit as well as the letter of these laws. The object of difcipline, when exercised according to the will of Chrift, must always be the glory of God, the good of the church, and the good of the party. These three are infeparably connected, and we must never lose fight of any of them. If we do, we shall act from improper motives, and more harm than good will result from our dif cipline. Attention to these will guard us against two extremes into which churches are apt to fall-undue lenity, and unchristian severity. It will also prevent us from acting with partiality, which can otherwise hardly be avoided. It

appointed by Chrift refpects only the members of his churches. "I wrote to you in an epiftle, not to company with fornicators; yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then muft ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with fuch an one, no, not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without, do not ye judge them that are within ?" 1 Cor. v. 9,-12.

We have seen that those only of whom it is meet (juft, dixalov, Philip. i. 7.) for us to think that they have the Spirit of Christ, are to be united in church-fellowship. The declaration, that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, is once and again repeated, and the churches are expressly commanded to put away wicked perfons.

"Offences," said Jefus, "must come." An offence, in the New Teftament, means a ftumblingblock*. Whenever we act improperly, we cast

*The word offend is used above thirty times in the established translation of the New Teftament into English. The original word, cxavduλiw, is so tranflated, and this is in a fingle place, and in that only, rendered make to offend, viz. 1 Cor. viii. 10. In James ii. 10. and iii. 2. the word rendered offend is one, (a) which is elsewhere rendered fumble, Rom. xi. 11. and fall, 2 Pet.i. 19. Thefe are all the places where this word occurs. In one place, Acts xxv. 8. the word rendered offend is aμagrava, that which is uniformly translated elfe

a ftumbling-block, or a fnare, in the way of our brethren. Our Lord has delivered his will refpecting difcipline in very few words, which however are of universal application in every case which can occur. "Moreover, if thy brother fhall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he hear thee, thou haft gained thy brother; 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. And if he fhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I fay unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven," Matt. xviii. 15,-18. This is a fhort but comprehenfive rule. It is a general fummary of our duty as church members in regard to discipline. All the directions given in the epiftles

To offend God, properly fignifies to fin against him, by breaking or violating his commandments, and thereby to displease and provoke him to anger. In like manner, in the ufual acceptation of the words, to offend a perfon, whether believer or unbeliever, is to injure, difplease, or provoke him.

'But in no instance in the English New Testament doth the word offend fignify this with respect to God, except in Acts xxv. 8. Jamesii. 10. and iii. 3. quoted above. To offend, on the contrary, and to do iniquity, are distinguished from each other, Matt. xiii. 41. In no inftance hath it this fignification when it refpects our brethren. It then denotes to stumble or enfnare them."