former conversation with him, and to what he then said in his own defence, before they attempted to determine any thing. After this they would be better able to judge in what manner to proceed, "that, by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word might be established:" That whatever you have said, may have its full force, by the additional weight of their authority.

3. In order to this, may they not, 1. Briefly repeat what you spoke, and what he answered? 2. Enlarge upon, open, and confirm the reasons which you had given? 3. Give weight to your reproof, showing how just, how kind, and how seasonable it was? And, Lastly, Enforce the advices and persuasions which you had annexed to it? And these may likewise hereafter, if need should require, bear witness of what was spoken.

4. With regard to this, as well as the preceding rule, we may observe, that our Lord gives us no choice, leaves us no alternative, but expressly commands us to do this, and nothing else in the place of it. He likewise directs us when to do this. Neither sooner nor later. Namely, after we have taken the first, and before we have taken the third step. It is then, only, that we are authorized to relate the evil another has done, to those whom we desire to bear a part with us, in this great instance of brotherly love. But let us have a care how we relate it to any other person, till both these steps have been taken. If we neglect to take these, or if we take any others, what wonder if we are burdened still? For we are sinners against God, and against our neighbour. And, how fairly soever we may colour it, yet, if we have any conscience, our sin will find us out, and bring a burden upon our soul.

III. 1. That we may be thoroughly instructed in this weighty affair, our Lord has given us a still farther direction. "If he will not hear them," then, and not till then, "tell it to the Church." This is the third step. All the question is, How this word, "the Church," is here to be understood? But the very nature of the thing will determine this, beyond all reasonable doubt. You cannot tell it to the national Church, the whole body of men termed "the Church of England." Neither would it answer any Christian end, if you could this, therefore, is not the meaning of the word. Neither can you tell it to that whole body of people in England, with whom you have a more immediate connexion. Nor, indeed, would this answer any good end: the word, therefore, is not to be understood thus. It would not answer any valuable end, to tell the faults of every particular member to the Church, (if you would so term it,) the congregation or society united together in London. It remains that you tell it to the elder, or elders of the Church, to those who are overseers of that flock of Christ, to which you both belong, who watch over yours and his soul," as they that must give account." And this should be done, if it conveniently can, in the presence of the person concerned, and, though plainly, yet with all the tenderness and love, which the nature of the thing will admit. It properly belongs to their office, to determine concerning the behaviour of those

under their care, and to rebuke according to the demerit of the offence, with all authority. When, therefore, you have done this, you have done all which the word of God, or the law of love, requireth of you. You are not now partaker of his sin, but, if he perish, his blood is on his own head.

2. Here, also, let it be observed, that this, and no other, is the third step which we are to take; and that we are to take it in its order, after the other two; not before the second, much less the first; unless in some very particular circumstance. Indeed, in one case, the second step may coincide with this: they may be, in a manner, one and the same. The elder or elders of the Church, may be so connected with the offended brother, that they may set aside the necessity, and supply the place of the one or two witnesses; so that it may suffice to tell it to them, after you have told it to your brother, "between you and him alone."

3. When you have done this, you have delivered your own soul. "If he will not hear the church," if he persist in his sin, "let him be to thee as a heathen man and a publican." You are under no obligation to think of him any more: only when you commend him to God in prayer. You need not speak of him any more, but leave him to his own Master. Indeed, you still owe to him, as to all other heathens, earnest, tender good-will. You owe him courtesy, and, as occasion offers, all the offices of humanity. But have no friendship, no familiarity with him; no other intercourse than with an open heathen.

4. But if this be the rule by which Christians walk, which is the land where the Christians live? A few you may possibly find scattered up and down, who make a conscience of observing it. But how very few! How thinly scattered upon the face of the earth! And where is there any body of men, that universally walk thereby? Can we find them in Europe? Or, to go no farther, in Great Britain or Ireland? I fear not I fear we may search these kingdoms throughout, and yet search in vain. Alas, for the Christian world! Alas, for protestant, for reformed Christians! "O, who will rise up with me against the wicked?" "Who will take God's part" against the evil-speakers? Art" thou the man?" By the grace of God wilt thou be one, who will not be carried away by the torrent? Art thou fully determined, God being thy helper, from this very hour to set a watch, a continual "watch before thy mouth, and keep the door of thy lips?" From this hour wilt thou walk by this rule, "speaking evil of no man ?" If thou seest thy brother do evil, wilt thou "tell him of his fault between thee and him alone?" Afterwards "take one or two" witnesses, and then only "tell it to the Church?" If this be the full purpose of thy heart, then learn one lesson well, "Hear evil of no man :" If there were no hearers, there would be no speakers of evil. And is not (according to the vulgar proverb) the receiver as bad as the thief? If, then, any begin to speak evil in thy hearing, check him immediately. Refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he ever so sweetly: let him use ever so soft a manner, so mild an accent,

ever so many professions of good-will for him whom he is stabbing in the dark, whom he smiteth under the fifth rib. Resolutely refuse to hear, though the whisperer complain of being burdened till he speak. Burdened! Thou fool, dost thou travail with thy cursed secret as a woman travaileth with child? Go then, and be delivered of thy burden, in the way the Lord hath ordained. First, "Go, and tell thy brother of his fault between thee and him alone." Next, "take with thee one or two" common friends, and tell him in their presence. If neither of these steps take effect, then "tell it to the Church." But, at the peril of thy soul, tell it to no one else, either before or after, unless in that one exempt case, when it is absolutely needful to preserve the innocent. Why shouldst thou burden another as well as thyself, by making him a partaker of thy sin?

3. O, that all who bear the reproach of Christ, who are in derision called Methodists, would set an example to the Christian world, so called, at least in this one instance! Put ye away evil-speaking, talebearing, whispering: let none of them proceed out of your mouth. See that you "speak evil of no man;" of the absent, nothing but good. If you must be distinguished, whether ye will or not, let this be the distinguishing mark of a Methodist, "He censures no man behind his back: by this fruit ye may know him." What a blessed effect of this self-denial should we quickly feel in our hearts! How would our "peace flow as a river," when we thus "followed peace with all men !" How would the love of God abound in our own souls, while we thus confirmed our love to our brethren! And what an effect would it have on all that were united together in the name of the Lord Jesus! How would brotherly love continually increase, when this grand hinderance of it was removed! All the members of Christ's mystical body would then naturally care for each other! "If one member suffered, all would suffer with it;" "if one was honoured, all would rejoice with it;" and every one would love his brother "with a pure heart fervently." Nor is this all but what an effect might this have, even on the wild, unthinking world! How soon would they descry in us, what they could not find among all the thousands of their brethren, and cry, (as Julian, the apostate, to his heathen courtiers,) "See how these Christians love one another!" By this chiefly would God convince the world, and prepare them also for his kingdom: as we may easily learn from those remarkable words in our Lord's last, solemn prayer: "I pray for them who shall believe in me, that they may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,-that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." The Lord hasten the time! The Lord enable us thus to love one another, not only "in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth," even as Christ hath loved us!

SERMON LIII.

ON THE USE OF MONEY.

"I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations."-LUKE xvi. 8.

1. OUR Lord, having finished the beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son, which he had particularly addressed to those who murmured at his receiving publicans and sinners, adds another relation of a different kind, addressed rather to the children of God. "He said unto his disciples," (ver. 1,) not so much to the Scribes and Pharisees, to whom he had been speaking before,-" There was a certain rich man, who had a steward, and he was accused to him of wasting his goods. And calling him, he said, Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward," (ver. 2.) After reciting the method which the bad steward used to provide against the day of necessity, our Saviour adds, " His lord commended the unjust steward," namely, in this respect, That he used timely precaution, and subjoins this weighty reflection, "The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light," (ver. 8.) Those who seek no other portion than this world, are wiser (not absolutely; for they are, one and all, the veriest fools, the most egregious madmen under heaven, but "in their generation," in their own way; they are more consistent with themselves, they are truer to their acknowledged principles, they more steadily pursue their end,) "than the children of light," than they who see the light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ." Then follow the words above recited. "And I," the only-begotten Son of God, the Creator, Lord, and Possessor of heaven and earth, and all that is therein; the Judge of all, to whom ye are to "give an account of your stewardship," when ye "can be no longer stewards; I say unto you," learn in this respect, even of the unjust steward, "make yourselves friends," by wise, timely precaution, "of the mammon of unrighteousness. Mammon means riches or money. It is termed "the mammon of unrighteousness," because of the unrighteous manner wherein it is frequently procured, and wherein even that, which was honestly procured, is generally employed. "Make yourselves friends" of this, by doing all possible good, particularly to the children of God, "that when ye fail," when ye return to dust, when ye have no more place under the sun, those of them who are gone

before, "may receive you," may welcome you, "into everlasting habitations."

2. An excellent branch of Christian wisdom is here inculcated by our Lord on all his followers, namely, The right use of Money; a subject largely spoken of, after their manner, by men of the world; but not sufficiently considered by those whom God hath chosen out of the world. These, generally, do not consider, as the importance of the subject requires, the use of this excellent talent. Neither do they understand how to employ it to the greatest advantage; the introduction of which into the world is one admirable instance of the wise and gracious providence of God. It has, indeed, been the manner of poets, orators, and philosophers, in almost all ages and nations, to rail at this, as the grand corrupter of the world, the bane of virtue, the pest of human society. Hence, nothing so commonly heard as

Ferrum, ferroque nocentius aurum :

And gold, more mischievous than keenest steel.

Hence the lamentable complaint,

Effodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum.

Wealth is dug up, incentive to all ill.

Nay, one celebrated writer gravely exhorts his countrymen, in order to banish all vice at once, to "throw all their money into the sea :”

In mare proximum,
Summi materiem mali!

But is not all this mere empty rant? Is there any solid reason therein? By no means. For, let the world be as corrupt as it will, is gold or silver to blame? "The love of money," we know, "is the root of all evil :" but not the thing itself. The fault does not lie in the money, but in them that use it. It may be used ill: and what may not? But it may likewise be used well: it is full as applicable to the best, as to the worst uses. It is of unspeakable service to all civilized nations, in all the common affairs of life. It is a most compendious instrument of transacting all manner of business, and (if we use it according to Christian wisdom,) of doing all manner of good. It is true, were man in a state of innocence, or were all men "filled with the Holy Ghost," so that, like the infant church at Jerusalem, "no man counted any thing he had his own," but " distribution was made to every one as he had need;" the use of it would be superseded; as we cannot conceive there is any thing of the kind among the inhabitants of heaven. But, in the present state of mankind, it is an excellent gift of God, answering the noblest ends. In the hands of his children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked. It gives to the traveller and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of a husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We may be a defence for