we know whether one from the dead was a devil or a credible messenger? and whether he said true or false ? Should he dwell with us as long as ministers, men would again despise and per- secute him. Should he come but once, it would not equal the daily solicitations of God's ministers. "
"Would not the rich man's guilty brethren accuse him of scandalizing and slandering the soul of their noble deceased brother, for telling them he was in hell, — and persecute him, if he was within their power? "
LUKE XVn. 1—4.
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come : out woe unto him, through whom they come !
2 It were better for him that a mill- stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves : If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him ; and ii he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven tunes in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent ; thou shalt forgive him.
We are taught for one thing in these verses, the great sinfulness of putting stumbling-blocks in the way of other men^s souls. The Lord Jesus says, "Woe unto him through, whom offences come! It vere better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little
ones."
When do men make others stumble P When do they cause " offences " to come P They do it, beyond doubt, whenever they persecute believers, or endeavour to deter them from serving Christ. — ^But this, unhappily, is not all. Professing Christians do it whenever they bring discredit on their religion by inconsistencies of temper, of word, or of deed. We do it whenever we make our Christianity unlovely in the eyes of the world, by conduct not in keeping with our profession. The world may. not