b Matt. viii. Luke xvii.

Jas. v.

deposed.

b brotherly advertised, he acknowledge not his fault, and amend, he is to be The same rule is to be followed in like

causes with the rest that have charge in the Church.

THE ORDER OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL

DISCIPLINE.

The necessity As no city, town, house, or family can of Discipline. maintain their estate and prosper without policy and government; even so the Church of God, which requireth more purely to be governed than any city or family, cannot without spiritual policy and ecclesiastical discipline continue, increase, and flourish.

What Discipline is.

And as the word of God Ephes. v.

is the life and soul of this Church, so a godly order of discipline is as it were sinews in the body, which knit and join the members together with decent order and comeliness. It is a bridle to stay the wicked from their mischiefs: it is a spur to prick forward such as be slow and negligent: yea, and for all men it is the Father's rod, even in a readiness to chastise gently the faults committed, and to cause them afterward to live in more godly fear and reverence. Finally, it is an order left by God unto his Church, whereby men learn to frame their wills and doings according to the

law of God, by instructing and admonishing, yea, and by correcting and punishing all obstinate rebels and contemners of the same.

b

There are three causes chiefly which For what causes it ought to be should move the Church of God to the used. executing of discipline. First, that men of evil conversation be not numbered among God's childb Ephes. v. ren, to their Father's reproach, as if the Church of God were a sanctuary for naughty and vile persons. Secondly, that the good be not infected with accompanying the evil: which thing St. Paul foresaw, when he commanded the Corinthians to banish from among them the incestuous adulterer, saying, A little leaven maketh sour the whole lump of dough.

c 1 Cor. v. Gal. v.

Thirdly, that a man thus corrected or excommuni

d 2 Thes. iii. 1 Cor. v.

cated might be

ashamed of his fault, and so through repentance come to amendment: the which thing the Apostle calleth delivering to Satan, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord; meaning that he might be punished with excommunication, to the intent his soul should not perish for ever.

This censure, correction, or discipline, may rise either upon private or public occasion: private, as

if a man offend either in manners or doctrine against thee, to admonish him brotherly between e him and thee. If so be he stubbornly Matt. xviii.

Luke xvii.

Jas. v.

Levit. xix.

resist thy charitable advertisements, or else by continuance in his fault declare that he amendeth not, then, after he 2 Thes. iii. hath been the second time warned in presence of two or three witnesses, and continueth obstinately in his fault, he ought, as our Saviour Christ commandeth, to be disclosed and uttered to the Church, so that, according to public discipline, he either may be reformed, or else be punished as his fault requireth.

Touching private admonition, three things are to be observed. First, that the admonitions proceed of a godly zeal and conscience, rather seeking to win our brother than to slander him. Next, that we be assured, that his fault be reproveable by God's word. And finally, that we use such modesty and wisdom, that if we somewhat doubt of the matter whereof we admonish him, yet with godly exhortations he may be brought to the knowledge of his fault.

Besides private admonition, having great use to reform offenders in public discipline, the elder

ship hath power of Ecclesiastical censures, to be used according as the quality of the offence shall require. These censures are, admonition, suspension, excommunication: which, in all tender regard and godly zeal of preserving the members of Christ from infection of sin, they are to use if they perceive any evil in any man, either offensive in example, or slanderous in manners, or unworthy his profession. As for example; if there be any person disobedient, traiterous, seditious, or covetous, any adulterer, or fornicator, forsworn thief, briber, false witness bearer, blasphemer, drunkard, slanderer, usurer, or dissolute, any heresy or sect, as Papistical, Anabaptistical, and such like; briefly, whatsoever

f Ephes. v. it be that might f spot the Christian congregation, yea, rather, whatsoever is not to edification, ought not to escape either admonition or punishment.

And because it cometh to pass sometime in the Church of Christ, that when other remedies assayed profit nothing, they must proceed to the Apostolical rod and correction, which is, excommunication; it is ordained, that nothing be attempted in that behalf without the determination of the whole congregation. Wherein also they are to beware and take good heed,