The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

1 Cor. 5. Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed, might be taken away from among you: For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as though I were present, concerning him, that hath so done this deed; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together and my spirit; with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan.—V. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven— v. 11, 12, 13. With such a one no not to eat—Do ⟨p. 86⟩not ye judge them that are within?—Therefore p•• away from among your selves that wicked person.

1 Cor. 5. Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed, might be taken away from among you: For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have j•dged already as though I were present, concerning him, that hath so done this deed; in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, when ye are gathered together and my spirit; with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan.—V. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven— v. 11, 12, 13. With such a one no not to eat—Do ⟨p. 86⟩not ye judge them that are within?—Therefore p•• away from among your selves that wicked person.

By all this it is plain that the Church must exercise a regular course of justice, with every person that it shall reject: He must first be told pr• vately of his fault, and then before two or three; (unless, at least, the open notoriety make the private admonition needless) And then it must be told the Church: And the Church must with compassion, tenderness and patience, and yet with the authority of the Lord Jesus and the powerful evidence of truth, convince him and persuade him to repent: And he must not be rejected, till after all this, he obstinately refuse to hear the Church, that is, to Repent, as they exhort him.