If any member fall into any gross acts of sin, as swearing, lying, drunkeness,
fornication, covetousness, extortion, or the like, and it is known and publically
spread abroad to the great scandal and reproach of religion, and of the
holy name of God, his Church, and people; the said offender so charged,
the church must send one or two brethren to him to come before the congregation:
if he will not come, but doth slight and contemn the authority of the church,
that will bring farther guilt upon him, for which offence he incurs the
censure before mentioned. But if he doth appear, his charge is to be laid
before him, and the witnesses called; and after he has made his defense,
and said all he hath to say, and the congregation finds him guilty, then
the same censure is to pass upon him, to the end that he may be brought
to unfeigned repentance, and the name of God cleared; and some time must
be taken to make it appear that he hath true repentance, by the reformation
of his life and holy walking afterwards, before he be received again, and
the censure of the church in a solemn manner be taken off. Dr. Chauncy puts
this question, Question. "How is the church to proceed in case of open
and notorious scandal? The answer is, 'the matter of fact, as such, being
beyond all question; the church is to proceed immediately to censure, to
vindicate the honour of Christ and his church, and to manifest to the world
their just indignation against such notorious offenders, and wait for a
well-grounded and tried evidence of his true repentance under that ordinance
of Christ which is appointed to that end.'" Observe. It is the opinion
of the doctor, that though the person be penitent, yet because his sin is
open and scandalous, he ought to be cast out to vindicate the honour of
Christ and the church, as part of his just punishment (that being one reason
of the ordinance of excommunion) as well as to bring the person to thorough
repentance; and we are of his mind. Paul takes no notice of the case of
the incestuous person of his immediate repentance; or if he repent not,
then, etc. But says he, deliver such a one to Satan, etc. saith the Lord,
if her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven
days? Let her be shut from the camp seven days: (speaking of Miriam) and
after that let her be received in again.