OF EXCOMMUNICATION. 163
The gathering of men into the church by conversion is the " turning of them from the power of Satan unto God," Acts xxvi. 18; a " de- livery from the power of darkness," — that is, the kingdom of Satan, — and a translation into the kingdom of Christ, Col. i. 13. Where- fore, after a man hath, by faith, and his conjunction unto a visible church, been translated into the kingdom of Christ, his just rejection out of it is the re-delivery of him into the visible kingdom of Satan ; Avhich is all tliat is here intended. And this is an act suited unto the end whereunto it is designed ; for a man hereby is not taken out of his own power and the conduct of his own mind, not acted or agi- tated by the devil, but is left unto the sedate consideration of his present state and condition. And this, if there be any spark of in- genuous grace left in him, will be effectually operative, by shame, grief, and fear, unto his humiliation, especially understanding that the design of Clnist and his church herein is only his repentance and restoration.
Here is, therefore, in this instance, an everlasting rule given unto the church in all ages, the ordinary occurrence of the like cases re- quiring an ordinary power for relief in them; without which the church cannot be preserved. That it is the duty of the church, en- joined unto it by the Lord Jesus Christ, and that necessary unto its glory, its own honour, and edification, to reject scandalous offenders out of its communion, is evidently declared in this place; and to sup- pose that to be the duty of the cliurcli which it hath no power and authority to discharge (seeing without them it cannot be discharged) is a wild imagination.
The duty of the church herein, with such other particular duties as suppose the institution hereof, are in many places directed and enjoined. It is so in that insisted on, 1 Cor. v. The foundation of the whole discourse and practice of the apostle there recorded lies in this, that churches ought to cut off from among them scandalous offenders, and that to the end they may preserve themselves pure; and that this they ought to do in the name of Christ, and by virtue of his authority, verses 2-5, 7. And this is the whole of that ex- communication which we plead for. The manner of its administra- tion we shall consider afterward. 2 Cor. ii. 6-8, the apostle com- mends the church for what they had done in the excommunication of the incestuous person, calling it a punishment inflicted on him by them, verse 6. He gives also an account of the effect of this sentence against him ; which was his humiliation and repentance, verse 7 : and hereon he gives direction for his restoration, by an act of the church forgiving him and confirming their love unto him. Men may fancy to themselves strange notions of excominunication, with reference unto its power, the residence of that power, its effects, extent, and ends ; and so either, on the one hand, erect it into an engine of arl)i-
164 TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
trary domination over the cliureh and all the members of it, or deny, on the other, that there is any such institution of Christ in force in his churches: but we can be taught nothing more plainly of the mind of Christ than that he hath given power unto his church to cast out of their communion obstinate, scandalous offenders, and to restore them again upon their repentance, enjoining it unto them as their duty. And it is an evidence of a woful degeneracy in churclies from their primitive institution, when the sentence is so administered as that it hath an effect by virtue of human laws or the outward concerns of men, but no influence on their consciences unto humilia- tion and repentance; which is the principal end of its appointment. The apostle treats of the same matter. Gal. v. 7-1 2. He speaks of those false teachers who opposed and overthrew, what lay in them, the fundamental doctrine of the gospel. These at that time were in great power and reputation in the churches of the Galatians, which they had corrupted with their false opinions, so that the apostle doth not directly enjoin their immediate excision; yet he declares what they did deserve, and what was the duty of the church towards them when freed from their delusions: Verse 1 2, " I would they were even cut off that trouble you." Men have exercised their minds in curious conjectures about the sense of these words, altogether in vain and needlessly. The curiosity of some of the best of the ancients, applying it unto a forcible eunuchism, is extremely fond. No other excision is intended but that which was /roj/i the church, and to be done by the church, in obedience unto the truth. Neither the sub- ject-matter treated of, the nature of the crime condemned, nor the state of the church or design of the apostle, will admit of any other exposition. 2 Thess. iii. 6, the apostle gives command unto the brethren of the church, and that " in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," to " witlidraw from every brother that walketh disorderly." What it is to " walk disorderly " he declares immediately, — namely, to live in an open disobedience unto any of the commands of Christ, and "not after the tradition which he received of us;" that is, the doctrine of the gospel which he had delivered unto them. This with- drawing is as unto church-communion ; which cannot be done but upon some act of the chui'ch depriving him of the right of it: for if every member of the church should be 'left unto his own judgment and practice herein, it woi;ld bring all things into confusion. And therefore, verse 14, he requires that a note be set on such a person by the church, — that is, a sentence be denounced against him, — be- fore the duty of withdrawing from him by the brethren be incum- bent on them. See to the same purpose Tit. iii. 10, 11; 1 Tim. v. 20; Rev. ii. 2, 14, 15, 20, 21.