Wesley Corpus

5. But is there no way to avoid the snare Unquestionably there is. Our blessed Lord has marked out a plain way for His followers, in the words above recited. None, who warily and steadily walk in this path, will ever fall into evil-speaking. This rule is either an infallible preventive, or a certain cure of it. In the preceding verses, our Lord had said, "Woe to the world, because of offences," -- unspeakable misery will arise in the world from this baleful fountain: (Offences are all things whereby anyone is turned out of, or hindered in, the ways of God.): "For it must be that offenses come," -- Such is the nature of things; such the wickedness, folly, and weakness of mankind: "But woe to that man," -- miserable is that man, "by whom the offense cometh." "Wherefore if thy hand, thy foot, thine eye, cause thee to offend," -- if the most dear enjoyment, the most beloved and useful person, turn thee out of or hinder thee in the way, "pluck it out," -- cut them off, and cast them from thee. But how can we avoid giving offense to some, and being offended at others Especially, suppose they are quite in the wrong, and we see it with our own eyes Our Lord here teaches us how: He lays down a sure method of avoiding offenses and evil-speaking together. "If thy brother shall sin against thee, go and tell him of his fault, between thee and him alone: If he will hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he will not hear them, tell it to the church: But if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican."