Question. What is an admonition?
Answer. It is a faithful endeavour to convict a person of a fault both as
to matter of fact, and his duty thereupon, charging it on his conscience
in the name of the Lord Jesus with all wisdom and authority.
Question. What is a church admonition?
Answer. When an offending brother rejecting private admonition by one, or
by two or three persons, the complaint being brought to the church by elder,
the offending member is rebuked and exhorted in the name of the Lord Jesus
to due repentance; and if convicted, and he repents, the church forgives
him, otherwise casts him out, as I before shewed.
Question. May a church admit a member of another congregation to have communion
with them, without an orderly receiving of him as a member?
Answer. If the person is well known by some of the church, and that he is
an orderly member of a church of the same faith, he being occasionally cast
among them that they may admit him to transient communion for that time;
but if he abides in that town or city remote to the church to whom he belongs,
he ought to have his regular dismission, and so be delivered up to the care
and watch of the church where he desires to communicate.
Question. If an excommunicated person hath obtained of God true repentance,
and desires to be restored to the church, what is the manner of his reception?
Answer. Upon serious, solemn and public acknowledgement thereof before the
church, and due satisfaction according to the nature of his offence being
given, the elder solemnly proceeds and declares that in the name of the
Lord Jesus, that the sentence which A.B. was laid under (upon his unfeigned
repentance) is taken off and that he is received again as a member, etc.
To the praise and glory of God.
Question. How ought a pastor to be dealt withal, if he to the knowledge
of the church, or any member thereof, walketh disorderly, and unworthy to
his sacred office, and membership? Take the answer of another author here.
Answer. "Those members, to whom this is manifestly known, ought to
go to him privately, and unknown to any others, (and with the spirit of
meekness, in great humility) lay his evil before him, and entreat him as
a father, and not rebuke him as their equal, much less as their inferior;
and if they gain upon him, then to receive him into their former affections
and esteem, forever hiding it from all others. But if after all tender entreaties,
he prove refractory and obstinate, then to bring him before the church,
and there to deal with him; they having two or three witnesses in the face
of the church, to testify matter of fact against him to their personal knowledge."
"2. But before he be dealt with they must appoint one from among themselves,
qualified for the work of a pastor, to execute the church censure against
him, etc. Yet no doubt, the church may suspend him from communion, and exercising
of his office presently, upon his being fully convicted. But seeing in the
multitude of counsel there is safety, sure no church would so proceed without
the advise of the presbytery, or a sister-church at least."
Question. Suppose a member should think himself oppressed by the church;
or should be unjustly dealt with; either withdrawn from, or excommunicated,
has he no relief left then?
Answer. We believe he hath relief; and also, that there is no church infallible,
but may err in some points of faith, as well as in discipline. And the way
proposed, and agreed to, in a general assembly, held in London, 1692 of
elders, ministers and messengers of our churches, we approve of, which is
this; viz. The grieved or injured person may make his application to a sister
church for communion; and that church may send some brethren in their names,
to that congregation that have dealt with him, and they to see if they can
possibly restore him to his place; but if they cannot,then to report the
matter charged, with the proofs, to the church that sent them: and if that
congregation shall, after a full information, & etc. be persuaded the person
was not orderly dealt with, they may receive him into their communion.