divisions there will be, so long as the world stands. But how many of them would be extinguished at once, if the course recommended in these verses was tried.
In the second place, let us observe ivhat a clear argu- ment loe have in these verses for the exercise of discipline in a Christian congregation.
Our Lord commands disagreements between Christians, which cannot be otherwise settled, to be referred to the decision of the church or Christian assembly to which they belong. " Tell it,'' he says, " to the church.'' It is evident from this, that he intends every congregation of j)i'ofessing Christians to take cognizance of the moral conduct of its members, either by the action of the whole body collectively, or of heads and elders to whom its authority may be delegated. It is evident also that He intends every congregation to have the power of ex- cluding disobedient and refractory members from partici- pation in its ordinances. "If he refuse," he says, " to hear the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican." He says not a w^ord about temporal punishment, and civil disabilities. Spiritual penalties are the only penalty He permits the Church to inflict, and when rightly inflicted, they are not to be lightly re- garded. " Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven." Such appears to be the substance of our Lord's teaching about ecclesiastical discipline.
It is vain to deny that the whole subject is surrounded vv^ith difficulties. On no point has the influence of the world weighed so heavily on the action of Churches. On no point have Churches made so many mistakes — sometimes on the side of sleepy remissness, sometimes on
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the side of bliad severity. No doubt the power of ex- communication has been fearfully abused and perverted, and, as Quesnel says, " we ought to be more afraid of our sins than of all the excommunications in the world." Still it is impossible to deny, with such a passage as this before us, that church discipline is according to tlie mind of Christ, and when wisely exercised, is calculated to pro- mote a church's health and well-being. It can never be right that all sorts of people, however wicked and ungodly, should be allowed to come to the table of the Lord, no man letting or forbidding. It is the bounden duty of every Christian to use his influence to prevent such a state of things. A perfect communion can never be attained in this world, but purity should be the mark at which we aim. An increasingly high standard of qualification for full church-membership, will always be found one of the best evidences of a prosperous church.
Let us observe, in the last place, luliat gracious encour- agement Christ holds out to those loho meet together in His name. He says, " Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." That saying is a striking proof of our Lord's divinity. God alone can be in more places than one at the same time.
There is comfort in these words for all who love to meet together for religious purposes. At every assembly for public worship,— at every gathering for prayer and praise,— at every missionary meeting, — at every Bible reading, the King of kings is present, — Christ Himself attends. We may be often disheartened by the small number who are present on such occasions, compared to those who meet for worldly ends. We may sometimes
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