The Communion of Saints, Chapter 22
CHAPT. XXII.
How the Communion of Saincts, may be purged of the evils that arise therin, by the power and censures of Christ: and how needful it is for the Saincts al, to look herevnto.
The Lord Iesus, who is the author of grace & salvation vntounto his people, is also the finisher of the same, and performer of his good work towards them; & as he ”…uod. 15. 25 26.sweetned with a tree, the bitter waters of Marah, wher also he made Israel an ordināce, promising that if they would hearken to his voice, he would free them frō al the diseases of Aegipt: so hath he set & shewed vsus in the gardein of his church, ‖Rev. …2. 2. Ezek. 47. 12.the tree of life, whose fruit is for meat, and leaves for medicine, to heal the nations with; that ther is no disease incurable to his obedient people, but in al their troubles, tentations, offences, fears, and other sowl-sicknesses; when they crie vntounto …, … *Psal. 107. 20sendeth his word & healeth … & delivereth them siō their graves of corruptiō. Most wholsome lawes ar left vntounto al churches, to redresse the evils that arise within thē; which being wisely handled and applied, by those whose tōgues ar also †Prov. 15. 2. 4.t…es of life; are more effectual then the balm †I…r. 8. 22.of Gilead, to recover the health of the daughter Siō, though Bables sore ‖Ier. 51. 8. 9.cannot be cured.
2. And first, the Saincts as they ar most neerly vnited togither in one body; so in the bowels of love and mercy, they ar to tender e… one his neighbour *L…vit. 19. 18.as himself, And seing al men hav their ‡Psal. 38. 4.burdē of syns and infirmities vponupon them▪ we ar exhorted to †Gal. 6. 2.bear one an others burden, and so fulfil the law of Christ. If occasions thē of offēce be offred by misspeakīg; we should remember, that he that synneth not in word is ”Iam. 3. 2.a perfect man and in many things, we sin all; & that therfore we take that which▪ is spoken▪ in the best part, bear hard words with meeknes of spirit, not rendring againe evil for evil, but with a *Prov. 15. …soft answer to put away wrath. If actiōs seem offensive, or begin to breed strife; love wil teach vsus▪ ‡1 Cor. 13. 4. …not to be provoked to anger, but with long sufferance to bear al things; and to seek by al gentlenes to compound the controversie, for it is a mans †Prov. 20. 3.honour to cease▪ from strife: therfore as Gods elect holy & beloved, we should ”Colos. 3. 12. 13forbear & forgiv one another, evē as Christ forgave vsus. Thus by loving and gentle demeanure, *Gen. 13. …. 9Abram stayed strife between Lo… and him; ‡Iudg. 8. 1. 2. 3.Gedeon, between the Ephramits & him; †1 Sam. 17. 28. 29. 30.David, betweē his soldiers: Moses sought to do y… like▪ ”1 Sam. 30. 2… 23. 24.between two Israelits: and we ought al in the love of Christ to labour thus to doe; for when offences arise, it shalbe out glory if we can passe them by, as Prov. 19. 11Solomon hath said.
3. But if the trespasse be such as we may not but insist vponupon, both for the honour of God who is offended, and sowl of the synner which is endangered, and o… own or neyghbours good, who ar endammaged therby: then … we bound to admonish the trespasser hereof, observing two rules, 1. Loving cariage as becometh brethren; 2. and secrecie, to cō cese the fault as much as we may. For the first, as al our things †1 Cor. 16. 14… be done in Love; so when a man … fallen by occasion into any fault, we are willed to restore him with 1 Gal. 6. 1.the spirit of meeknes, considering our selves least we also be tempted. For the second, we ar taught to *Prov. 25. 9.debate the matter with our neighbour himself, and not to discover the secret to another; but to tel him his fault ‡Mat. 18. 25.between vsus & him alone. And if by our reproof he do repent, then is he won or gayned, his sowl †Iam. 5. 20.saved from death, and we ar to ‖Luk, 17. 3. Eph. 4. 32.forgiv him in tendernes of hart, as God for Christs sake hath forgivē vsus; and in love we ought to cō cele his transgression and bury the same, not *Prov. 11. 13.discovering it to others, nor ‡Prov. 17. 9. & 16. 28.repeting it to himself; for such dealing makes division amōg principal freinds. But if he hear not our private admonitiō, then should we take with vsus †Mat. 18. 16.one or two, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be confirmed; and that so by ‖2 Cor. 13. 1. 2the second or third admonition, he may eyther be reclaimed, or not spared, but brought to further blame and censure. And if he wil not vouchsafe to hear thē, then ar we to tel it▪ *Mat. 18. 17.vntounto the Church. wher he may be rebuked of †1. Cor. 2. 6.many: and if he refuse to hear the church also, then is he by the ”1 Cor. 5. 4.power of Christ, which is given therunto for the judging of al *vers. 12.within the same, to be ‡vers. 13.cast out from among the Saincts when they ar assembled, & to be delivered vntounto †vers. 5.Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus; & whiles he remayneth in that impenitencie and excommunicate estate; al Christians ar to ”Rom. 16. 17. 1 Co. 5. 11. Ma…. 18. 17.avoyd him, & al communion with him, as the Iewes avoyded hethens and publicans.
4. The keeping of this rule, causeth much peace in the communiō of the Saincts; for by this orderly dealing with the partie all whispering, Backbiting, slandering, and calumniating one of another, are stayed; syns which reign in deed *Rom. 1. 29. 30.among the profane work lings, and hethens; but ar not †Psal. 15. 3. & 101. 57.sufferable in the citie of the Lord. By this, occasions of grief and contention ar cut off: for as †Prov. 26. 20.without wood, the fyre is quenched, so without a whisperer strife is silent. By this, eyther the synner is amended, wherat men & *Luk. 15. 9. 10Angels doe rejoyce; or the church atleast weise purged of the evil: for ‡Prov. 29. 1.he that hardneth his neck, when he is often rebuked, shal sodainly be broken off, and can not be cured; but the churches wound is cured hereby, as an other proverb sayth, †Prov. …2. 10Cast out the scorner, and strife shal go out: so contention & reproch shal cease.
5. But if the syn be openly cō mitted, then must the synner be rebuked †1 Ti…. 5. 20.openly, that others also may fear; or if it be of such a nature as tendeth to the seducing of men frō God, though he that entiseth be neer and dear vntounto vsus; we are forbidden to spare or keep him secret, for so may many be defiled by his privy suggestions; Or if any secret hypocritical practise be seen to impeach the truth of the Gospel or vpright walking therin; such ought in publick to be reproved, as ‖Galat. 2. 11. 12. 13. 14.Paul for the like fault, blamed Peter before al mē. Or if the crime be heighnous, bloody, & dāgerous to ye life of others, by treason or trecherie such mischief is both to be Act 23. 16 17. &c. 1. king 1. 11. 12. 13. &c.be… ed, prevented, and punished; and bloodshed so defileth the land, … it cannot be clensed *Num. 35. 33but by the blood of him that shed it: such therefore (sayth ‡Prov. 28. 17Solomon) shal flee to … grave, let them not stay him.
6. The foresayd censures of Christ for rebuke and excommunication, ar to be inflicted vponupon al the members of the church without †respect of persons, as for other “Iam. 2. 1.syns so specially for errors & heresies, & contentions against the true faith. For an heretick must be reiected ”Tit. 3. 10.after one and the second admonition; they that teach or receiv doctrines which they ought not, must, be ”Tit. 1. 11. 13rebuked sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, they that cause divisions and offences, contrarie to the doctrine learned, †Rom. 16. 17must be diligently marked and avoyded; and such disquieters of the church, to be ‖Gal 5. 12.cut off. Generally al *Luk 17. 3.synners & al ‡1 Thes. 5. 14vnruly persons, ar liable to the Saincts admonitions; and if any lust to be contentious, ”1 Cor. 11. 16the churches of God have no such custome; for the Lord is author †1 Cor. 14. 3…of peace in them al; neither may the wicked be suffred ‖Psal. 101. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13.to remayn in the cōmuniō of his people, but judgment *Ier. 21. 12.must be execued in the morning; neyther may any ‡Rom. 1. 31.favour evil doers; for he that iustifieth the wicked, him (sayth ”Prov. 24. …4 29.Solomon) shall the peoples curse, & the nations shal abhorr him, but to them that rebuke, that be plesant… & vponupon them shal come the blessing of good.
7. The causes why the Saincts must thus redresse the evils that arise among them, are these. First, for the glorie of God, who commanded this duty in his law ”Levit. 19. 17.play…y to rebuke our neighbour; that so vponupon warning and sight of his syn, *Lev. 4. 23▪ 28.he might bring his sacrifice & reconcile himself vntounto the Lord w… he had offended; which if he reg… ded not, but should doe oug… with a high hand, he then was sayd ‡Num. 15. 30 31.to blaspheme the Lord, and must be … off from among his people, because … despised the word of the Lord, … broke his cōmandement. God th… who is dishonoured by mens transgressions, wil again be glorified among them, eyther by their ”Ios. 7. 19.confession of, or †Lev. 10. 3. Ezek. 28. 22.punishment for the same. For his way is holy, the ‖Isa. 35. 8.polluted may not passe by it; they defile *Num. 19. 20 22. Lev. 2…. 2 3 15.his sanctuarie and holy things; therefore they must sanctifie themselves that draw neer vntounto him, for holines ”Psal. 93. 5.becometh his howse for ever.
8. Secondly, for the good of the synner himself, who by these admonitions rebukes and censures, is often-tymes bettered; especially if he be the Lords elect. For a prudent man when he is reprooved, †Prov. 19. 2…wil vnderstand knowledge, and a rebuke sinketh more into him, ‖Prov. 17. 10then a hundred stripes into a fool: the cēsures of the church ar for his *2 Cor. 2. 6.hūbling, & ”1 Cor. 5. 5.salvatiō of his spirit in the day of the Lord. We owe this therfore as a dutie of love vntounto our brethren, for their good; seing love ‡1 Pet. 4. 9.covereth a multitude of syns; & that is done, when †Iam. 5. 20.we convert the synner from going astray, and save his sowl from death. And hervpō it was, that God gave that Law of rebukes in these words, ‖Lev. 19. 17.Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy … thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neigh… & ”Or, bear not syn for him▪ as Lev. 2…. 9.suffer not syn vponupon him. For what greater hatred can ther be shewed, then to see and suffer our brothers sowl to perish? therfore Solomon was not afrayd to say, that *Prov. 27. 5.open rebuke was better then secret love. And David minding this did desire ‡Psal. 141. 5.th… the righteous might smite him▪ f… it should be a benefit; and r… him, for it should be a precious … which hewished might not fail… … being on his head. How ever then the wicked esteem of this heavenly ordinance, and hate those that rebuke them, for which cause Christ forbad ”Mat. 7. 6.to cast these holy thing… & pearles, to dogs & swine, which would but rent the giver; and Solomon, *Prov. 23. 9.to speak in the …ares of a fool, which would despise the wisdom of their words▪ yet he sayth▪ Prov. …. 8.rebuke … wise mā, & he wil love th…. And an other prophet sheweth, how men that by such wounds are drawen to amendment of life, will acknowledg & say, ”Zech. …3. 6.thus was I woūded in the howse of my friends. To verifie the proverb which teacheth, that howsoever the kisses of an enemy be pleasant, †Prov. 27. 6.the wounds of a lover are faithful.
9. A third cause of these censures, is the benefit of the church; that it may be kept from the contagion & corruptiō of synners, which is great and dangerous. For in asmuch as they ar al one body and brotherhood; the fault of a few, yea even of one, may be a snare vntounto the whol companie. This Israel felt of old, when for ‖Ios. 7. 1. 4.Achans syn the Lord chastised the whol congregation, yea told them they were *vers. 12.execrable, and sayd he would be with them no more, except they destroyed the excerable thing frō among them. And that correct… was a warning to the church a good while after, ”Ios 22. 11. …2. 16. 20.and made them for fear of the like again, severely to look to their brethrens actions, whē they seemed evil in their eyes, and to say vntounto them, if▪ *vers. 18.we rebel to day against the Lord, even to mor… he wil be wroth with at the congreg… ▪ tion of Israel. This also the Church of Corinth felt, whiles for the suffering ‡1 Cor. 5. 1. 2 &c.of one wicked man as l…ven among them, the whol lump of the congregation was so l…vened as the Apostle told them, ”vers. 6.their reioycing was not good, for that they kept the fest of their▪ passeover Christ, with such so w…even amōg them, wheras in the shadow thereof, the leven of material bread was forbid to be eaten Exod. 12. 19vponupon paine of cutting off from Israel. The whol Church is endangered when they neglect this duty; first, because whiles im▪ penitent synners are suffred, their example is on evil president, & an embold…ing of others, to do likewise: as even the hethens”Esth. 1. 16. 17. 18. could tel King Ahas…verosh, about Queen Vashties*Prov. 19. 25 offence; wheras if the scorner be smitten the foolish wil beware. And God who punisheth some, for an ‡Num. 26. 10 1 Cor. 10. 6.example to others, would also have his church to chasten evil doers, that ”Deut. 17. 13▪… Israel may hear & fear, & do no more presumptuously; because some wil not stick to †Prov. 1. 10. 11 & 7. 10. 13. 21.entise & perswade others vntounto their vices; especially ‖Prov. 9. 14. 15. &c.hereticks, which leven mens sowles with false doctrine, entangle the weak cōsciences, *Act. 20. 30.draw disciples after them▪ ‡Tit. 1. 11.subvert whol howses, and steal away the harts of the people as ”2 Sam. 1…. 6did Absalom; such therfore a… to be discovered & cast our, that al may know and beware of them. Needfully then the Apostle warneth to †1 Iob. 12. 1….let no root of bitternes spring vp & trouble vsus, least therby many be defiled; for de… flies ”Eccles. 10. 1.causeth to stink & patrify the orn… ment of the Ap…thecarre; scornful men (as the proverb *Prov. 2. 9. 8.sayth▪) bring the citie into a snare; and ‡Eccl. 9. 18.one synner destroyeth much good.
10. A fourth cause why the evil must be purged out of the church is to stopp the reproches of the world, and those without. For they take occasion by the syns of Gods people to Titus. 2. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 1.speak evil of them and of the truth and doctrine they professe; how much more wil & may they doe this, if ther be no rebuking and censuring of the synners: As God himself therfore hath a ca…e that his name ‖Ezek. 20. 9. 14. 22.should not be polluted before the hethen, by the punishment and destruction of vsus his people; so ought we again, to have our *1 Pet. 2. 12.conversation honest among them▪ that God may be glorified, & his name not ‡Rom. 2. 23. 24.blasphemed by our transgression of his law. And such as break out vntounto †1 Corin. 5. 1. &c.infamous vices, eyther speedily to repent & amend them, or to be cast out from the fellowship of God and his people; so shal the throne of Christ our king be stablished in justice, when the wicked are taken away before him, ‖Prov. 25. …. 5.as when the drosse is taken from the silver, ther procedeth a vessel for the finer.
11. This care of keeping the church clean and pure, the Lord hath required in al ages, by many lawes and rites, leading men herevnto. Himself first practised it, by *Gen 3. 9. 10. 11. &c.the rebuking and caling to repentance of our first parents that synned in paradise; and afterwards by *Gen. 4. 6. 7 11. 12. 14.admonishing, & excōmunicating Cain. The patriarchs Noah & Abraham, †Gen. 9. 24. 25. & 21. 9. 10. 12. 14. Gal. 4. 30.executed these judgemēts on their own children▪ when the height of their syn so deserved▪ So soon as the host of Israel was constituted† Num. 1. 2. 3. & 4. chapters. & ordered, God provided for their holynes & puritie in that order wherin he had set them, by causing al sorts of evil to be removed away. First he cōmanded that such as had corporal & ceremonial pollutions, as ‖Num. 5. vers. 2. 3.leprosies, or yssues, or wer defiled by the dead, should be put out of the host. After that for syns & trespasses, wherby both sowl & body were in deed defiled; he required *vers. 6. 7. 8.confession, restitutiō, & sacrifice. And lastly for the finding out and purging of secret syn, he ordeyned ‡vers. 12. 13.—30. 31.that severe Law of gealousy, wth the bitter curse bringing water, & dreadful, effects of the same; by al these teaching thē carefully to clense, both themselves and the congregation; which that they might the better mind, & observe, he afterwards enacted for the lighest, even the ceremonial vncleannes, that the man which purified not himself according vntounto the rites prescribed, should be ”Num. 19. 20.cut off from among the congregation, as having defiled the sanctuarie of the Lord: the like he did for al other †Num. 15. 27. 30. 31.presumptuous synners whosoever. And these Iawes were kept in Israel, executed ‖2 Chron. 23. 19. Ezra. 6. 21.among the people, even vponupon kings, who were *1 Sam. 13. 13. 14. & 15 19. 23. 26. 2 Chron. 26. 18 19. 20. 21.rebuked for their syns, and thrust out for their leprosies. Christ also and his Apostles have givē many rules, (as is before shewed) for clensing the churches of syn.
12. The keeping of which rules, belongeth to al the Saincts, as the commandement directed of old‡Num. 5. …. Levit 19. 17. to the children of Israel, & in the new testament to al the *Mat. 1…. 1… 1 Cor. 5.brethren and church, doth shew. It is a dutie of love, frō which no Christian can be exempted; to be performed by the word of God, which is given vntounto al, as a two edged sword, to execute vengeance and rebukes, to †Psal. 149. 5. 6. 7. 8.bind both Kings and Nobles, and execute on them the judgement written: this honour (sayth David) shalbe ‖vers. 9.to al the Saint. But chiefly this perteyneth to the ministers & watchmē of ye church, who having the word of reconciliation *2 Cor. 5. 19cōmitted vntounto them, & overseing the manners of ‡Act. 20. 28al the flock; must preach that word, †2 Tim. 4. 2be instant in season and out of season improve, rebuke, and exhort, with al long suffring and doctrine; they must hear ye word at Gods mouth, ‖Ezek. 3. 17. 18. &c.& give the people warning from him, admonishing them of their wicked wayes, els they shal die in their syns, and their blood shalbe required at those watchmēs hāds: they”Ezeeh. 44. 23. must teach the people the difference between the holy & profane, and cause them to discerne betwene the vnclean and the clean. These hav the keyes of the kingdōe of heaven, in more special manner †Mat. 16. 1…. Ioh. 20. 23.given vntounto them, for the binding and loosing of syns by the publick ministerie of the word: they ar to guide and goe before the people, as in other affayres, ‖1 Cor. 5. 3. 1 Tim. 1. ….so in administring the censures of the church. By such God of old did *Ier. 1. 10.pluck vp and root out, destroy and throw down, and againe build and plant; by such he ‡Hos. 6. ….cut down synners in Israel, and slew them by the words of his mouth: VntoUnto such the people ar to hearken, obey, ”Heb. 13. 17.and submit themselves; yet also to ‖Golos. 4. 17. Levit. 21. 8. 24.admonish them againe if need so require, and not suffer thēselves to be *1 Ioh. 2. 18. 26. 27.seduced by false doctrine, ‡2 Cor. 21. 20brought into bondage, devoured or smitten on the face; but stand fast in the faith and ‡…a… ▪ 5. 1.liberty of the Gospel, & whē any is cast out from among them, or againe received in, that it be the joynt actiō of the church assembled, as Mat. 18. 17. 18. 20. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 13. 2 Cor …. 7. 8. 10.Christ and his Apostle have given direction.
13. Thus ar the hurts of the daughter of Gods people to be healed by admonitions, exhortations, rebukes, denunciations, censures, and †Ezek. 16. 23woes; a more wholsom and pleasant balm, thē the sweet words of thē that crie I…. 6. 14.peace peace, when ther is no peace: for the blownes of the …nd serveth somtimes to *P…ov. 20. 30purge the evil, & the stripes within the bowels of the be…y. By such means the Saincts ar brought to a sight of their syns, which they doe away with ‡Iudg. 2 4. 5.tears and sacrifice; they †Ier. …6. …8. …9.fear the Lord and pray befor him, & he repenteth of the plague pronounced against them. Therfore ought al Gods servants, to love his rebukes and censures, sent by the hands of their brethren; to P…ov. 19. … ▪hear counsel & receiv instruction, that they may be wise in their later end: to be more carefull to bury the doung & syn of their sowles, in the grave of Christ by repētance, thē ye Israelits in their cāp to Deut. …3. 13 14.cover their excrements, for offending the Lord: to judge themselves *Ezek. 36. 38▪worthy to hav beē destroyed for their iniquities, & to crie with the Leper, ‡Lev. 13. 45.I am vnclean I am vnclean: to †Iam. 5. 16.acknowledge their faults one to another and pray one for another that they may be healed; for mercy is Prov. 28. 13.promised to them that confesse and forsake their syns, and is to be *1 Sam. 12. 20 22. 2 Sam. 12▪ 13.pronounced vntounto them in the name of the Lord; they ar to be ‡2 Cor. 2. 7.forgiven of their brethren and cōforted, least they be swallowed vp with overmuch heavines. Thus the ear Prov. 1…. 3….that hearkneth to the correction of life, shal lodge among the wise: but he that †Pro. 29. 1.hardneth his neck when he is rebuked, shall sodainly be destroyed & cannot be cured. Such therefore must more roughly be intreated, and Ier. 26. 4 5. 6.judgements denounced against them; & if they convert not, as in their Prov. 29. 6.trāsgression is their snare, and they are holden *Prov. 5. 22.with the cords of their own syn; so must they also by their brethren ‡Mat. 18. 18.be bound, and their syns Iohn. 20. 23.reteyned; and God in heaven wil confirm this censure against them. Then are they till they repent and humble themselves; †1 Cor. 5. 13. Ezra. 10. 8.put away and separated from among God… people, Rev. 22. 15.excluded the heavenly Ierusalē, regarded as strangers frō the cō mune wealth of Israel, as *Mat. 18. 17.hethens and publicans; & for despising correction, are almost brought ‡Prov. 5. 12. 14.into al evil, in the midds of the congregation and assemblie. And if they cō tinew stil to hate correction, they Prov. 15. …0.shal die, such judgments▪ hath the Lord appointed for †Pro. 19. 29.scorners, and stripes for the back of fooles. By this meanes the body of Christ is disburdened of noysom rotten members, the Ioh. 15. ….fruitlesse branches are taken away from the vine; the woman *Zach. 5. 8. 11.wickednes pressed down in her bushel, is lifted vp and caried away from Ierusalem to Babylon in the land of Shinar, her own proper place; the old leven being purged out, the congregation joyntly is a sweet & ‡1 Cor 5. 7.new lump, as the members severally ar vnlevened; and keep a holy and joyful feast vntounto the Lord; who now is turned Iosh. 7. 26. 11. 12.frō his fierce wrath which was kindled for the transgressors. Then he that is left in Sion, and remayneth in Ierusalem, may be caled holy, every one written vntounto life in Ierusalem, †Isa. 4. 3. 4.when the Lord hath washed the filthines of the daughters of Sion, and purged the blood of …e, rusalem out of the midds thereof, by the spirit of judgement, & by the spirit of burning.
The waies of the Lord ar righteo…, & the … shal walk in them; but the wicked shall f…l ther…n.
Hos. 14 10.