SECT. 3. Offences requiring Church Action.

As "it is impossible but that offences will come," even into the purest and best regulated church, it is of great importance that every member clearly understand, and faithfully carry into practice, the scriptural rules for treating them. For it has before been shown that the removal of offences is one duty required of the church; that is, of each and all the members, individually and collectively.

As this part of church discipline consists in the right application of the law of Christ to offending members, it is necessary to inquire what offences require church action. Natural imperfections of character are not to be classed as offences. A church member may be constitutionally bold or timid, too forward or too backward, loquacious or taciturn; but these traits of character are not "offences," which furnish occasion for church action. An offence is a wrong act, wilfully done, either privately, against the rights of an individual, or publicly, against morality or religion. They may be classed under two heads: private, or personal offences, and public offences. The ground of this distinction, however, is in the circumstances of the case, and the different treatment required; and not in any supposed difference in the degrees of sinfulness involved.

I. Private Offences. A church member may know, or believe, that another member has injured him. If he has not certain knowledge that it is so, he is bound either to seek a private explanation, or to dismiss all suspicions from his mind. If he has certain knowledge that his brother has trespassed against him, but not proof, sustained by the testimony of "two or three witnesses," it is a private, personal offence, for the treatment of which the scriptures furnish clear and specific rules. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone." The first duty is private, affectionate expostulation between the aggrieved and offending brother only. No third person should be informed of it. If the aggrieved brother

tells the secret to any other person, he disobeys the command of Christ. The Saviour's precept has made his duty plain.

One of three results will follow this proceeding. Either, 1. The offending brother may admit the charge, confess his fault, and make full satisfaction. In this case "thou hast gained thy brother." And what a gain it is! "He that converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." It is an occasion of devout thanksgiving to God, and it must never be mentioned again. "If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him;" and there the affair ends. Or, 2. He may deny the act charged, while the injured brother has certain knowledge that he is guilty, though no witnesses by which to prove it. In this case, he adds the sin of lying to his first offence. What must be done?

It is obvious that the injured brother cannot proceed to take the second step enjoined in Matt. 18: for he has no "witnesses to take. Suppose he should take with him one or two brethren, and repeat the charge in their presence. The charge is again denied, and they ask for proof; but there are no witnesses. They must, of course, decide that the charge is not sustained. But now suppose that the real offender brings against the other the charge of defamation. These brethren are witnesses to the fact that he has charged him with an offence which he could not prove. And it required by the church to confess the crime of falsehood or suffer expulsion, he could not confess without telling actual falsehood. An innocent member might thus be excluded from the church through his own indiscretion, in departing from the law of evidence laid down in the Scriptures.

What, then, is the law of evidence? It is this: "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 witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. If a false witness rise up against any man, to testify against him that which is wrong, then both

the men between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days. And the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother, then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother; so shalt thou put away evil from among you. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you." Deut. 19: 15-20. A false witness is one who makes false charges, or charges which, however true, he cannot prove by "two or three witnesses." To this law our Saviour's directions in Matt. 18, conform. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." See also 2 Cor. 13: 1; 1 Tim. 5: 19; Heb. 10: 28.

But it is asked, what must the aggrieved brother do? He is required to forgive the offender "if he repent," but not otherwise. He does not repent, but adds lying to his other sin. Must he feel towards him, and treat him, as a brother in full fellowship? No, he cannot do that. He may rebuke him in secret, tell him that he is not forgiven, that he is regarded as an unjust man and a hypocrite, and there he must leave it, with the offender's conscience and his God. He must not turn his back on the Lord's table; if he does so, he makes himself a transgressor; for he should go there to commune with the Saviour and with the church. The settlement of difficulties between individual members has nothing to do with communion at the Lord's table. A difficulty of this kind is one for which the only remedy is prayer and patience; and if he will lay the case before God, and wait with the patience enjoined in the 37th Psalm, he will, in due time, see the offender brought to repentance, or his guilt made manifest to all.

If any are not satisfied with this course, they must take the consequences of pursuing a different one. If they imagine that God will sustain them in exposing sin, while they disregard his revealed law of evidence, let them listen to the salutary cautions which wisdom gives, as to the probable

consequences. "Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another; lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away." Prov. 25: 8 - 10. The church is bound, by the commandment of her Lord, to act only on the testimony of witnesses, and when she so acts and decides, common sense approves her decisions.

Or, 3, As another result of this private interview, the offender may admit the act charged, yet justify himself in it, and refuse to give satisfaction. He is willing that others should know what he has done. In this case, the way is open for calling in one or two more," who may, if necessary, act as witnesses; because, in addition to his own certain knowledge of the act which he considers an offence, he will have proof derived from the offender's own admission; and the case must be treated precisely as if there had been original witnesses of the fact.

This brings us to consider the case of a private or personal offence, of which the injured party not only has certain knowledge, but proof by witnesses, or by the admission of the offender. The first duty of the aggrieved member, in this case, also, is thus enjoined by the Savicur. "If thy brother shall trespass AGAINST THEE, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone." Here are four things to be noticed. 1. It is a case of personal injury, known to the injured party. 2. It is the injured party who is commanded to move in the matter. 3. He is to tell his grievance to his offending brother. 4. And to him alone. Beware, O church member, lest thou say, in thy wicked heart, 'I have proof against him, which will exclude him from the church, when known; let him come to me and confess.' Your Master has told you to go to him. He enacted this rule, not to excuse, or extenuate his guilt, but because he will not come to you - his sin has hardened his heart, and if you do not go to him, he may be lost forever. Before you go, pray that much of the mind that was in Christ Jesus, who, "while

we were yet enemies, died for us," may be in you. Here let it be borne in mind, that, although the injured brother has witnesses of his wrong, his first duty is a private one. He is not to begin by telling his complaints in church meeting, nor to the pastor, or deacons. If he does so, he should be met with a prompt reproof. His first duty in the case is a strictly private one, between him and his offending brother only. The reasons for this course are numerous. The injury may not be so great as he supposed, or he may find that a part of the blame belongs to himself. "He that is first in his own cause seemeth just, but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him." The offender may even now be sorry for it, and when he sees that one whom he has injured is tender of his reputation, and solicitous for his welfare, he may be so softened that reconciliation and love may be restored at once.

The object in going must not be to dispute, to criminate, nor to threaten, but to " gain" thy brother. You go to him in the spirit of love, state plainly and fully the wrong which you believe him to have done you, and then labor to convince him of his fault. It may appear to you much smaller when you hear his explanation. It may be that his conscience is already tender, and that a kind, faithful word from you would prepare the way for reconciliation. If the brother be ignorant, or disagreeable, it is still your duty to go to him. "Take heed," says the Saviour, "that ye despise not one of these little ones." Recollect he stooped much lower to save you. And he appeals to you, "If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go into the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray? And if he find it, verily I say unto you he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." If you have not the spirit of Christ in this thing, you are none of his.

Go then to your brother in private, not in a reproving, fault-finding manner. Think of your own infirmities and