32
or admonish him of it betweene themselves privately, If thereupon
the offender be brought to repent of his offence, the
Admonisher hath wonne his brother; But if the offender
heare not his brother, the brother offended is to take
wth him one or two more, that in the mouth of
2 or 3 witnesses every word may be established,
whether the word of Admonicion, if the offender receive
it, or the word of Complaint unto the church; if he
refuse it. For if he refuse it, the offended brother is by
the mouth of the Elders to tell the church. And if he
heare the church, & declare the same by penitent confession
of his offence, he is recovered & gained. And if the church
discover him to be willing to heare, yet not fully
convinced of his offence, as in case of Haresie(c), they
are to dispence to him a publike Admonicion: wch declaring
the offender to lye under the publike offence of the
church doth thereby wth hold or suspend him from
the fellowshippe of the Lords Supper, till his offence
be remooved by penitent confession. If he still continue
obstinate, they are to cast him out by Excommunicacion.
(a) math.5.23,24. luk.17.3,4. (b) math.18.15,16,17. (c) Tit.3.10,11
3
But in case the offence be more publike at first, and
of a more hainous & Criminall nature, to witt, such as
are condemned by ye light of nature, then ye church
wthout such graduall pceding is to cast out(a) the
offender from this holy communion, for the further mortifying of
his sinne and healing of his soule in the day of ye Lord
Jesus: (a) 1.Cor.5.1,4,5,11.
4
In dealing wth an offender great heed is to be taken
that we be neither overstrict or rigorous, nor too indulgent
or remisse. Our proceeding herein ought to be wth a spirit
of meeknesse, considering or selves lest we also be