Now as to church censures I understand but two besides suspension, viz.
(1.) Withdrawing from a member that walks disorderly.
(2.) Casting out, or excommunicating such that are either guilty of notorious
or scandalous crimes, or heresy, etc. or of contemning the authority of
the church. Briefly to each of these.
1. Suspension is to be when a member falls under sin, and the church wants
time fully to hear the matter, and so can't withdraw from him, or cast him
out.
2. If any member walks disorderly, though not guilty of gross scandalous
sins, he or she, as soon as it is taken notice of, ought to be admonished,
and endeavors to be used to bring him to repentance: For we hear that there
are some which walk disorderly, not working at all, but are busybodies.
Such as meddle with matters that concern them not, it may be (instead of
following their trade of business) they go about from one members house
to another, telling or carrying of tales and stories of this brother, or
of that brother or sister, which perhaps may be true, or perhaps false,
and may be too to the reproach or scandal of some member or members, which,
if so notorious a crime, that without repentance they shall not ascend God's
holy hill. Backbiting is a diminishing our neighbours, or our brother's
good name, either by denying him his due praise, or by laying any thing
to his charge falsely or irregularly, or without sufficient cause or evidence,
thus our annotators. But this of disorderly walking does not amount to such
a crime, but evils not so notorious; Now them that are such, we command
and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and
eat their own bread. They must be admonished.
1. An admonition is a faithful endeavour to convict a person of a fault,
both as to matter of fact and circumstance; and this admonition must be
given first, if it be private, by a brother that knows or has knowledge
of the fault or evil of the person offending whether the elder, or members;
for any brother ought to admonish such with all care and faithfulness before
he proceeds farther. But if it be public, the church ought to send for the
offender, and the pastor must admonish him before all.
2. But if after all due endeavors used he is not reclaimed, but continues
a disorderly person, the church must withdraw from him: Now we command you
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every
brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition he received
from us. This is not a delivering up to Satan, excommunicating or dismembering
of the person; for this sort are still to be owned as members, though disorderly
ones, the Church must note him so as not to have communion or company with
him in that sense; yet count him not as an enemy, but exhort him as a brother:
if any man obey not our word, note that man: it appears that such who refuse
to adhere to what the pastor commands and exhorts to in the name of Christ,
are to be deemed disorderly persons, as such are who meet not with the church
when assembled together to worship God, or that neglect private or family
prayer, or neglect their attendance on the Lord's Supper, or to contribute
to the necessary charges of the church, or suffer any evils unreproved in
their children; all such may be looked upon as disorderly walkers, and ought
to be proceeded against according to this rule, or divulge the private resolves
of the church, as well as in many like cases.