Let hb beware of attaching an excessive importance to ministers of religion because of their office. Orders and rank confer no exemption from error. The greatest heresies have been sown, and the greatest practical abuses introduced into the church by ordained men. Hespect is imdoubtedly due to high official position. Order and discipline ought not to be forgotten. The teaching and counsel of regularly appointed teachers ought not to be lightly refused.— :But there ar^ limits beyond which we must not go. We must never suffer the blind to lead us into the ditch. We must never allow modern chief priests and scribes to make us crucify Christ afresh. We must try all teachers by the unerring rule of the word of God. It matters little who says a thing in religion ; — ^but it matters greatly what it is that is said. Is it scriptural P Is it true? This is the only question. — "To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah viii. 20.)
We see, secondly, in these verses, how far men may fail after making a high profession. We read that the second step towards our Lord's crucifixion, was the treachery of one of the twelve apostles: "Then entered Satan into Judas Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve." These words are peculiarly awful. To be tempted by Satan is bad enough. To be sifted, buffeted, led captive by him is truly terrible. But when Satan " enters into a man," and dwells in him, the man becomes indeed a child of hell.
Judas Iscariot ought to be a standiAg beacon to the church of Christ. This man, be it remembered, was on^