4. The address being but once to be made, this is the only way to bind the guilty person, and that without delay, and to give him a sense of his sin, which it is supposed that before he had not.
5. It is our duty not to cast even persons that are excommunicated under new temptations. Now, he that is aggrieved with the sen- tence denounced against him, and supposeth himself injured (which whilst he doth so he cannot be humbled for his sin), if he suppose he hath no way of relief left unto him, — that is, that his case can no more come under advice or counsel, — he will be exposed unto temp- tations to irregular ways, and so cast off the yoke which he sup- poseth grievous and injurious.
Obj. 4. The pattern urged for this course of proceeding, Acts xv.^ concerneth only doctrines, and not the administration of censures, which was not then or there in question ; and therefore in the like case only may the like course be taken.
Ans. 1. The way of mutual counsel and advice amongst churches pleaded for is not built only upon that instance and example, as hath before been evinced. There are many more grounds of it, reasons
23 G OF THE ADMINISTRATION
for it, and directions about it, tlian what are or can be comprised in any one particular instance.
2. There is frequently, if not always, some doctrinal mistake in the bottom of all maladministration; for whereas the nature of the sin proceeded against, and the rule proceeded by, ought in the first place to be doctrinally and dogmatically stated, here usually is the beginning of the mistake and error of any church. This, therefore, falls confessedly under that example of Acts xv.
3. Though that assembly made a doctrinal determination of the things in difference, yet the formal reason of the consideration of those things was the offence that was given, and that the churches were troubled : so that the pattern is to be extended unto all things whereby the peace of the church is disturbed.
4. Maladministration may tend to the subversion of the church, and the ruin of the souls of men, no less than false doctrines; as suppose a church should admit known Arians or Socinians into their society, supposing they have liberty so to do, may not other churches both consider the fact, and, unless they alter their proceeding, with- hold communion from them? Instances innumerable of the same kind may be given.
Obj. 5. Churches have the sole power of admitting members into their society ; by virtue of which admission they are not only received into a participation of the privileges of the church in that particular society whereof they are members, but also into the communion of all other churches of Christ. Now, this is daily practised by churches, without any further inspection into their actions by others. Those admitted are received upon their testimony unto their admission. And why shall not churches have the same trust reposed in them as to the exclusion of any members from them, and expect that their testimony alone to the fact should satisfy for their exclusion from all other churches and their communion?
Ans. 1. The cases, indeed, are parallel, and the power of every church is no less for the exclusion of any of their members than for their admission, nor ought their testimony to be of less Aveight in the one [case] than in the other.
2. Ordinarily, and where there is no ground of further considera- tion, the actings of a church of Christ in both these cases are, and ought to be, granted and taken to be according unto rule, so that other churches do acquiesce as to their concernments in the judg- ment of all the several churches of their communion.
3. There may be mistakes in [the] admission as well as in the exclu- sion of members ; and some there are who do very much scruple com- plete communion with many churches principally upon this account, that they proceed not on right grounds in their admission of mem-
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Lers; and such cannot but grant that, on occasion, the grounds of their own admission may and ought to be questioned and examined.
4. No church hath such an absohite power in the admission of members, but that in cases of difficulty, and such as may in their determination one way or other give offence, they are bound to seek and to take the advice of other churches with whom they hold communion.
5. Suppose it be reported or intimated, by any of the ways that were before mentioned, that a church in communion with others had admitted into their society an Arian or Socinian, a seducer or a person of a flagitious life, given to corrupt the manners of others ; shall not the other churches of the same communion, to whom the matter is so reported or declared, and who are offended thfereat, re- quire an account of that church's proceeding therein, to know whether it be as it is reported or no? And is not that church so represented or reported of obliged to give a full and punctual account of their proceedings, and to receive advice thereupon? Let any consider the instances before given, the nature of the thing itself, the rule of the Scripture in such cases, and determine. The case is dii'ectly the same as to excommunication. " But if any man seem to be conten- tious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God," 1 Cor. xi. 16.