Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Of excommunication, and other cenſures.
THE cenſures of the church are appointed by Chriſt for the preventing, removing, and healing of offences in the church; for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren, for the deterring others from the like offences, for purging out the leaven which may infect the whole lump; for vindicating the honor of Chriſt, and of his church, and the holy profeſſion of the goſpel; and for preventing of the wrath of God, that may juſtly fall upon the church, if they ſhould ſuffer his covenant, and the ſeals thereof to be profaned by notorious and obſtinate offenders. 1 Tim. 5.20. Deut. 17.12, 13. Jude 5.19. Deut. 13.11. 1 Cor. 5.6. Rom. 2.24. Rev. 2.14, 15, 16, 20.
2. If an offence be private, (one brother offending another) the offender is to go and acknowledge his repentance for it unto his offended brother, who is then to forgive him; but if the offender neglect or refuſe to do it, the brother offended is to go and convince and admoniſh him of it, between themſelves privately: If thereupon the offender be brought to repent of his offence, the admoniſher hath won his brother; but if the offender hear not his brother, the brother offended is to take with him one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word may be eſtabliſhed, (whether the word of admonition, if the offender receive it; or the word of complaint, if he refuſe it;) for if he refuſe it, the offended brother is by the mouth of the elders to tell the church, and if he hear the church, and declare the ſame by penitent confeſſion, he is recovered and gained; and if the church diſcern him to be willing to hear, yet not fully convinced of his offence, as in caſe of hereſie, they are to diſpenſe to him a public admonition; which declaring the offender to lie under the public offence of the church, doth thereby withold or ſuſpend him from the holy fellowſhip of the Lord's ſupper, till his offence be removed by penitent confeſſion. If he ſtill continue oſtſtinate, they are to caſt him out by excommunication. Mat. 5.23, 24. Luke 17.3, 4. Mat. 18.15, 26, 17. Tit. 3.10.
3. But if the offence be more public at firſt, and of a more heinous and criminal nature, to wit, ſuch as are condemned by the light of nature, then the church, without ſuch gradual proceedings, is to caſt out the offender from their holy communion, for the further mortifying of his ſins, and the healing of his ſoul in the day of the Lord Jeſus. 1 Cor. 5.4, 5, 11.
4. In dealing with an offender, great care is to be taken, that we be neither over ſtrict or rigorous, nor too indulgent or remiſs; our proceeding herein, ought to be with a ſpirit of meckneſs, conſidering ourſelves, leaſt we alſo be tempted; and that the beſt of us have need of much forgiveneſs from the Lord. Yet the winning and healing of the offender's ſoul, being the end of theſe endeavors, we muſt not d…ub with untempered mortar, nor heal the wounds of our brethren ſligh…ly. On ſome have compaſſion, others ſave with fear. Gal. 6.1. Mat. 18.34, 35. Ezek. 13.10.
5. While the off…nder remains excommunicate, the church is to refrain all member-like communion with him in ſpiritual things, and alſo from all familiar communion with him in civil things, further than the neceſſity of natural, domeſtical or civil relations do require; and are therefore to forbear to eat and drink with him, that he may be aſhamed. Mat. 18.17. 1 Cor. 5.11. 2 Theſ. 3.6, 14.
6. Excommunication being a ſpiritual puniſhment, it doth not prejudice the excommunicate in, nor deprive him of his civil rights, and therefore toucheth not princes, nor other magiſtrates in point of their civil dignity or authority, and the excommunicate being but as a publican, and a heathen, (heathens being lawfully permitted to come to hear the word in church aſſemblies) we acknowledge therefore the like liberty of hearing the word may be permitted to p…ſons excommunicate, that is permitted unto heathen, And becauſe we are not without hope of his recovery, we are not to account him as an enemy, but to admoniſh him as a brother. 1 Cor. 14.24, 25. 2 Theſſ. 3.14.
7. If the Lord ſanctify the cenſure to the offender, ſo as by the grace of Chriſt he doth teſtify his repentance with humble confeſſion of his ſins, and judging of himſelf, giving glory unto God, the church is then to forgive him, and to comfort him, and to reſtore him to the wonted brotherly communion, which formerly he enjoyed with them, 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
8. The ſuffering of the prophane or ſcandalous livers to continue in fellowſhip, and partake in the ſacraments, is doubtleſs a great ſin in thoſe that have power in their hands to redreſs it, and do it not: Nevertheleſs, inaſmuch as Chriſt and his apoſtles in their times, and the prophets and the other godly in theirs, did lawfully partake of the Lord's commanded ordinances in the Jewiſh church, and neither taught nor practiſed ſeparation from the ſame, though unworthy ones were permitted therein, and inaſmuch as the faithful in the church of Corinth, wherein were many unwor…hy perſons and practices, are never commanded to abſent themſelves from the ſacraments, becauſe of the ſame; therefore the godly in like caſes are not preſently to ſeparate, Rev. 2.14, 15, 20. Mat. 23.3. Acts 3.1. 1 Cor. 6. and 15.12.
9. As ſeparation from ſuch a church wherein prophane and ſcandalous perſons are tolerated, is not preſently neceſſary; ſo for the members thereof, otherwiſe unworthy, hereupon to abſtain from communicating with ſuch a church in the participation of the ſacraments is unlawful. For as it were unreaſonable for an innocent perſon to be puniſhed for the faults of others, wherein he hath no hand, and whereunto he gave no conſent; ſo is it more unreaſonable, that a godly man ſhould neglect duty, and puniſh himſelf, in not coming for his portion in the bleſſing of the ſea…s, as he ought, becauſe others are ſuffered to come, th…t ought no…; eſpecially conſidering that himſelf doth neither conſent to their ſins, nor to their approaching to the ordinance in their ſin, nor to the neglect of others who ſhall put them away, and do not; but on the contrary, doth heartily mourn for theſe things, modeſtly and ſeaſonably ſtir up others to do their duty. If the church cannot be reformed, they may uſe their liberty, as is ſpecified, chap. 13. ſect. 4. But this all the godly are bound unto, even every one to do his endeavour, according to his power and place, that the unworthy m…y be duly proceeded againſt by the church, to whom this matter doth appertain, 2 Chron. 30.18. Gen. 18.25. Ezek. 9.4.