which commanded all in any wiſe to rebuke their Neighbour, and not to ſuffer Sin up him, pretending that ic was their Duty, in ſome Caſes, to offend any Perſon by that Law. He here tellech them, That he would nor be fo underſtood, as if they might not tell Offenders of their Sins, for fear of offending them: this had been to have with-held Charity from their Souls, under a Pretence of Charity : Only in theſe Reproofs we muſt keep an Order; which Order he here preſcribes: 1. Doing it pri- vately, betwixt them and him alone. 2. If that had nor itseſe( then taking two or three with them. 3. If that alſo proved ine- fectual, then telling it to the Church, 4. If that he would nc hear the Church, then, Let him be to thee (faith Chriſt) « mn Heathen and a Publican, [_ If thy Brother treſpaſs again$ the: 1 By Brother here, he meaneth any Chriſtian, 3 Cox. s, 12 For what hath the Church to do to judge thoſe that are without? [ Offend againſt _—_ Some interpret this, of Offences done fo pri- vately, that none elſe knoweth them bur one ſingle Perſon. Bu: it 15 obſeR&ed, Thar then there needed no going to himz much leſs were there need of any Witneſſes, for they could prove nothing, Others therefore underſtand the Precept of private Injuries, which are in Man's Power to forgive, Luke 17. 3. Others think ſuch Injuries are primarily intended; but yer the Precepr is not to be reſtrained ro them, bur to be underſtood of all Offences, whe- ther againſt God, our felves, or our Neighbours; and chat our Saviour uſerh this term, again#t thee, only to diſtinguiſh the Of- fences he is here ſpeaking of, from publick Scandals; for 1 Tim, 5. 20. It appeareth to be the Will of God, that publick and open Sinners ſhould be rebuked before all, that others may fear, | The Rule therefore ſeemerh to be given concerning private Miſ- carriages; nor ſuch only as are done in the Sight or Hearing of a ſingle Perſon, bur ſuch as are not the Matter of p,blick Fame, nor openly committed before a Multicude; but being commit- red more fecretly, are come only ro the knowledge of ſome pat- ricular Perſon or Perſons, In ſuch Caſes it is the Will of God, not that we ſhould blazon and publiſh them, bur being certain that any Chriſtian hath ſo offended, ir is our Dury firſt t gt? him, and tell him of it ; that is, not only tell him what thou knoweſt, or haſt heard-in Matter of Fa, that he hath ſpoken or done, but ſhew him alſo the Sinfulneſs of ir. (If he ſp! hear thee, thou haſt gained thy Brother : ] Thar is, if he confct- ſeth the Sin, and be brought to a Sight of ir, a Sorrow for !t, and a Reſolution againſt ir for the time ro come, thou haſt gained the Soul of thy Brother. E..44 he will not hear thee : If he either denieth the Matter of Fa, that he did ſuch a thing, or (admirring that) ſtandeth to juſtifie rhe Fa, as what he might do; { Then take with thee one or two more, that in the Mouth of rw or three Witneſſes, every Word may be eſtabliſhed. ] One or W9 more, either ſuch as may be of more Authority with kim, wholc Words may probably be of more Weight than thine with hin, or who may witneſs the Matter of Fa&, if it be denied ; or # leaſt, wirnefs by charicable Admonition of him, and his Conti: macy, 1t he refuſerh ro hearken t5 thee, and ro repent, 4
reform. What was the Law of God in Civil and Judicial Caules, Deut. 19. 15. God would have obſerved in Ecclefiaſtical Cauſes: One Witneſs ſhall not riſe up againſt a Man fir any Iniquity, 1 fi any Sin, in any Sin that he finneth : at the Mouth of tw? Witreſſ:s 6r at the Buth of three Witneſſes ſhall the Matter te eft ablithe.. And fo the Words in Z7tthew ſhould be tranflared, OT ©: (eas underſtood : Every Word, that is, Every Matter be confirmec- [ 4nd if he ſhall negl:# to hzar them :] Either refuſe to !| peak wit them, or co ſuffer them to ſpeak with him, or heartiis a
ninety and nine which went not aſtray,
with his Ears; it he perſiſts go deny the Fatt, or to _
Chap. XVII
him alone: if he ſhall hear thee, * thou haſt gained PA
16 Bur if he will not hear zhee, zhentake with © thee one or two more, than in * the mouth of two or ,
17 And it he ſhall neglect to hear them, tell it ang unto the church : but if he neglect to hear the fit; church.let him be unto thee asan * heathen man, and **
*R Abs
courſe concerning avoiding Offences, that none might think tha 1 by the former Dodtrine he had made void the Law, Lev. 19, 17, 2 (gi
n Jap. . Fac (ail 11's icrt nc. C::u
”. 0EN;
Sv! ſtrat Chr by 1 ferc: Civil by tl a; [itt oitico te 7 it 151 to (1 v;4s- | &1d ta 4 prat Ocitcr tliis ( Juch | Jizhrel I, Bcc relatto Lavs V the Ch ceffary ſenſe, the Nev a Com Charch, publick meant, be torm [ 1 erily bo bound thote w time, tl ſome wh a Power ac this ty cular Chi Precepr, Diſputes, only to 1 Church, | not to ] cut of the ſon was fi whole C] that Peoy a juſtifiab to caſt on have Com1 wnt9 thee as a wile Per, Kow far t Communion ment, T ca a Civil C were Heath denied rhe Preach, I nor deny tc at the Pray times, anc much douly had mt fim preſent ac f Writ,
Þ 3 Ve bind on eq
Li
7 7 E © everyeſh
We met i ſcrved that b the Ufaze of True or Falſe think thar it ot Ni. Calvin 5 here 9 he « & tz Churc 5 added , Je
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fons, That Would confiry Readmiſſions Tue Repentar tt our Lorg CMMARICAtiNN © Zan an 43/3 &19 tlie firſt ec Would ratige + Ven them to 49 are juſtly arch tor N COmmicterh
Into the Kind, ns 1: caft i
t; L ere { v ve Lrallowe
Senie 151
wp. XV [.
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