bur in parte : that I may not overcharge you all f.
e The Particle [ if ] d-th nor here ſignifie any doubting or un- certainty (tor the Inceſtuous perſon, of whom the Apoſtle here, and in the following verſes, ſpeaks, had certainly ciuſed griet both to the Apoſtle, and alſo ro the Church whereot he was a Member, } ir is as much as althozgh; or the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in this torm, becauſe by his repentance his grief was much allayed, Bur how doth the Apoſtle 1az, That he had grieved him but 3n part. Some think he fſaich ſo, becauſe the Apoſtle*s griet for his ſin, was now turned into joy by his repentance: Others think, that thoſe words, in part, fignifie that ir was nor the whole Church that had grieved him, bur only a part of it, viz, thi: inceſtuous perſon, and thole who rook part with him. Ochers ſay, the Apo- {tle ſaith, is part, to ler us know, that It w.is not a grief ro him, ogy, but to ihem :Jio. Th- laſt would bid very fair tor the ſenſe of che place it the apoſtic had nor in his firſt Epiſtle, Chap. 5+ 2: ſaid, T».t ibey were puffid up, and had not mourned 3 ſo as I judge the ſecond mo;e like to be the lenſe of the &4poſtie, viz Thar It was no: the whole Church that had grieve him, bur a part of 1t olt- Iy : an:i therefore the next words are added, f That I may nt over- charge you all, thar is, that ! might nor load you all with chat 1m- Puratiun, as if you were all involved in it.
6 Siffiijent to ſuch a Man zs this * puniſhment g whis' wa mflited of many b.
2 This verſe makech it clear, that by any, v. 5. he meaneth the inceſtuous perion. mencioned in the firſt Epiſtle, Chap. s. whom he had ordered to be caſt our, and delivered to Satan; which (as appearerh trom this verſe) they had done, which is the puniſhment mem ioned in chis verie. They who think that the puniſhment here mentioned was not Excommunication, but another being delivered to Satan, and vexed by bim: x Beg a grave Queſtion, 2iz. Whctl er del ceving to Satan zu this place ſignifieth any more, than a caſting of the perſon out of Chriſts Kingdom on earth (which is his Church) and making him one of the World again, of which Satan is the God. 2 They leem not to confider, That if this Church had deli- wered him to S.itan, they could have done no more : So as the Apoſtle wouid nc have ſaid, ſufficieit 3s this puniſhment, when ir was the greareſt thar they could 1nfli&, Sore obje&t, Thar it 15 nor p:0- bable that che Apoſtle (had he been caſt out of the Communion of the Chu-h for ſo notorious a crime) would have given order for hi: being reſtored in ſo ſhort a time, as was thar berwixt his writing the fiſt, and this his ſecond Epiſtle. x. Some think, that he wa: as yet only under a ſuſpention, and che Church had nor pro- cceded to Excommunication : this Opinion is favoured by the G:ceb word kere uſed, which is 6hmpa, the gentleſt of all the words in uſe in that Language to expreſs puniſhment by, 2. Though in the times tollowing rhe Apoſtles, a longer rime was ſer aiter Excommunication, for teſtifying the repentance of Sin- ners roto: 1oufly ſcandalous, before rhe Church did again admit then into ter Fellowſhip; yer that jr was ſo 1n the Apoſtles, time, is more than appears. Pcfhbly ir might be fo ordered af- terwards, when, as the Church multiplied, ſo ſin more abounded ; and they might from many experiences of relapſes, be quickened to make ſuch Orders, 3. The Gitt of diſcerning Spirits was more uſua! in the Apoſtles times than afterward 3 fo that though in
fo lowing times, when the Apoſtles were dead, and the extraordi-
nary Gifr of difcern'ing Spirits was failed or abated, the Church bcing not ab'e any other way to judge of the truth of Sinners repentance chan from their changed lite and converſation, which a:ked time, might fer a lonper time for ſuch Penitents : yer there might nor be the ſame reaſon for the Apoſtles doing it.
irthicied, is a little diſputed 3 whether the Presbytery, or the Com-
m1mity? Their Opinion ſeemeth (to me) beſt, who think that the |
Othcers of the Church of Corinth heard and judged of matter of Fac, and reprrted it ro the Community 3 bur he was not caſt | our without the conſent ard approbation of the Community,
7 So that contrariwiſe, ye ozght rather to forgive
be {wallowed up with overmuch ſorrow k.
z Forgiveneſs in this piace doth not fignifie the taking qway, or remirring of the guilr of fin, (that is Gods work, nor mans) but remitcing of the puniſhneut, And this maketh that probable, Thar they had not as yer proceeded with this perſon ro Excom- qe ogpE only kept him (like a ſuſpe&ed Leper, without the
amp) out of Communion with the Church: Or if they had
IL CORINTHIANS.
om God, is in this made parcaker ſ*oring hin again to a full Communion with them; vLich ; 1h is
ſpeak ſmartly, or to chaſtiſe and puniſh others ;
—
- | Apoſtle) We are not ignorant of his devices, vonwuart : . 4 Not- ; withſtanding any thing that appears, there might be the diſtance | of 2 year or two betwixt Pals Writing theſe two Epiſtles. bh Who rheſe #21y were, by whom the Apoſile ſaith this puniſhment was
' we muſt have an Eye about us, and benear
aQually caſt him out, forgiving here can ſignifie nothing, bur mY
Cha
allo nce un
; the comforting which 1s here mentioned. & Ir is p/ajn from h c
3 his being drowned in his own tears. Though a ro , at this day, is fad enough, who are regularly caſt our of t : luch, ' Munion of any true Church of Chriſt, tor crimes which A tuch a puniſhment ; yer we muſt imagine jt much (adder Rk, Churches are multiplied, whole Cities and Nations are ney zed; and though a perſon be caſt our of a Church, yer my raken notice of, bur he may yer have converſe with a lo ans, &c, but there, the greater part of the City being Hey and che whole Countries of Achaia and Greece (conriguqus wh Th he had the leaſt ſenſe of Religion) could nor bur be deeyly affiie.. ro be 1n ſuch a caſe as none bur Heathens and projeſzq eu ers would keep him company, or have any intimacy with him ”"
8 Wherefore I beſeech you, that ye would Con-
firm your love towards him /.