III. 1. That we may be throughly instructed in this weighty affair, our Lord has given us a still farther direction. _If he will not hear them_, then and not till then, _tell it to the church_. This is the third step. All the question is, How this word, _the church_, is here to be understood? But the very nature of the thing will determine this, beyond all reasonable doubt. You cannot tell it to _the national church_, the whole body of men termed _the church of England_. Neither would it answer any Christian end, if you could: this therefore is not the meaning of the word. Neither can you tell it to that whole body of people in _England_, with whom you have a more immediate connexion. Nor indeed would this answer any good end: the word therefore is not to be understood thus. It would not answer any valuable end, to tell the faults of every particular member, to _the church_ (if you would so term it) the congregation or _society_ united together in _London_. It remains that you tell it to the elder or elders of the church, to those who are overseers of that flock of Christ, to which you both belong, who watch over yours and his soul, _as they that must give account_. And this should be done, if it conveniently can, in the presence of the person concerned, and tho’ plainly, yet with all the tenderness and love, which the nature of the thing will admit. It properly belongs to their office, to determine concerning the behaviour of those under their care, and to _rebuke_ according to the demerit of the offence, _with all authority_. When therefore you have done this, you have done all which the word of God, or the law of love requireth of you. You are not now partaker of his sin, but if he perish, his blood is on his own head.
2. Here also let it be observed, that this, and no other, is the third step which we are to take: and that we are to take it in its order, after the other two; not before the second, much less the first; unless in some very particular circumstance. Indeed in one case, the second step may co-incide with this: they may be, in a manner, one and the same. The elder or elders of the church, may be so connected with the offending brother, that they may set aside the necessity, and supply the place of the _one or two_ witnesses. So that it may suffice to tell it to them, after you have told it to your brother, _between you and him alone_.
3. When you have done this, you have delivered your own soul. _If he will not hear the church_, if he persist in his sin, _let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican_. You are under no obligation to think of him any more: only when you commend him to God in prayer. You need not speak of him any more, but leave him to his own master. Indeed you still owe to him, as to all other Heathens, earnest, tender good-will. You owe him courtesy, and as occasion offers, all the offices of humanity. But have no friendship, no familiarity with him; no other intercourse than with an open Heathen.