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The Nature And End Of Excommunication
by Jonathan Edwards
Preached on the occasion of the excommunication of John Bridgman’s wife.
June, 1749
1 Corinthians 5:11, "But
now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is
called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a
railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to
eat."
THE apostle reproves the church at Corinth for not excommunicating an
offending person; and directs them speedily to cast him out from among
them; thus delivering him to Satan. He orders them to purge out such
scandalous persons, as the Jews were wont to purge leaven out of their
houses when they kept the Passover. In the text and two foregoing
verses, he more particularly explains their duty with respect to such
vicious persons, and enjoins it on them not to keep company with such.
But then shows the difference they ought to observe in their carriage
towards those who were vicious among the heathen, who had never joined
with the church, and towards those of the same vicious character who had
been their professed brethren; see verses 9-12. “I wrote unto you, not
to company with fornicators. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of
this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters,
for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto
you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or
an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.”
In the words of the text we may observe:
1. The duty enjoined: including the behavior required, negatively
expressed, not to keep company, and the manner or degree, no not to eat.
2. The object: a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer,
or a drunkard, or an extortioner. We are not to understand merely these
particular vices, but also any other gross sins, or visible wickedness.
It is evident, that the apostle here and in the context, intends that we
should exclude out of our company all those who are visibly wicked men.
For in the foregoing verses he expresses his meaning by this, that we
should purge out the old leaven. And explaining what he means by leaven,
he includes all visible wickedness; as in verse 8. “Therefore let us
keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice
and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Another thing by which the object of this behavior or dealing is
characterized, is that he be one that is called a brother, or one that
hath been a professed Christian, and a member of the church.
DOCTRINE
Those members of the visible Christian church who are become visibly
wicked, ought not to be tolerated in the church, but should be
excommunicated.
In handling this subject, I shall speak, (1.) Of the nature of
excommunication; (2.) Of the subject; and (3.) Of the ends of it.
I. I shall say something of the nature of excommunication. It is a
punishment executed in the name and according to the will of Christ,
whereby a person who hath heretofore enjoyed the privileges of a member
of the visible church of Christ is cast out of the church and delivered
unto Satan. It is a punishment inflicted; it is expressly called a
punishment by the apostle in 2 Cor. 2:6. Speaking of the excommunicated
Corinthian, he says, “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment.” For
though it be not designed by man for the destruction of the person, but
for his correction, and so is of the nature of a castigatory punishment,
at least so far as it is inflicted by men; yet it is in itself a great
and dreadful calamity, and the most severe punishment that Christ hath
appointed in the visible church. Although in it the church is to seek
only the good of the person and his recovery from sin — there appearing,
upon proper trial, no reason to hope for his recovery by gentler means —
yet it is at God’s sovereign disposal, whether it shall issue in his
humiliation and repentance, or in his dreadful and eternal destruction;
as it always doth issue in the one or the other. — In the definition of
excommunication now given, two things are chiefly worthy of
consideration; viz. Wherein this punishment consists, and by whom it is
inflicted.
First, I would show wherein this punishment consists; and it is
observable that there is in it something privative, and something
positive.
1. There is something privative in excommunication, which consists in
being deprived of a benefit heretofore enjoyed. This part of the
punishment, in the Jewish church, was called putting out of the
synagogue, John 16:2. The word synagogue is of the same signification as
the word church. So this punishment in the Christian church is called
casting out of the church. The apostle John, blaming Diotrephes for
inflicting this punishment without cause, says in 3 John 10. “He casteth
them out of the church.” It is sometimes expressed by the church’s
withdrawing from a member, 2 Thes. 3:6. “Now we command you, brethren,
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from
every brother that walketh disorderly.”
The privative part of excommunication consists in being cut off from the
enjoyment of the privileges of God’s visible people. The whole world of
mankind is divided into these two sorts: those that are God’s visible
people and those that are of the visible kingdom of Satan. Now it is a
great privilege to be within the visible church of Christ. On the other
hand, it is very doleful to be without this visible kingdom, to be cut
off from its privileges, treated as belonging to the visible kingdom of
Satan. For,
(1) They are cut off from being the objects of that charity of God’s
people which is due to Christian brethren. They are not indeed cut off
from all the charity of God’s people, for all men ought to be the
objects of their love. But I speak of the brotherly charity due to
visible saints. — Charity, as the apostle represents it, is the bond by
which the several members of the church of Christ are united together:
and therefore he calls it the bond of perfectness; Col. 3:14. “Put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” But when a person is justly
excommunicated, it is like a physician’s cutting off a diseased member
from the body; and then the bond which before united it to the body is
cut or broken. — A scandal is the same as a stumbling-block. And
therefore while the scandal remains, it obstructs the charity of others.
And if it finally remain after proper endeavors to remove it, then it
breaks their charity, and so the offender is cut off from the charitable
opinion and esteem of the church. It cannot any longer look upon him as
a Christian, and so rejects him. Therefore excommunication is called a
rejection, Tit. 3:10. “A man that is a heretic, after the first and
second admonition, reject.” This implies that the church disapproves the
person as a Christian. It cannot any longer charitably look upon him as
a saint, or fellow-worshipper of God, and can do no other than, on the
contrary, esteem him an enemy of God. And so [it] doth openly withdraw
its charity from him, ceasing to acknowledge him as a fellow-Christian,
any more than the heathens. He is also cut off from that honor which is
due to brethren and fellow-Christians. To be a visible Christian is an
honorable character; but excommunicated persons forfeit this honor.
Christians ought not to pay that honor and respect to them which they
pay to others; but should treat them as unworthy of such honor, that
they may be ashamed. Christ tells us, they should “be unto us as heathen
men and publicans,” (Mat. 18:17) which implies a withdrawing from them
that common respect which we pay to others. We ought to treat them so as
to let them plainly see that we do not count them worthy of it, to put
them to shame.
Much love and complacency is due to those whom we are obliged in charity
to receive as saints, because they are visible Christians. But this
complacency excommunicated persons forfeit. We should still wish well to
them, and seek their good. Excommunication itself is to be performed as
an act of benevolence. We should seek their good by it; and it is to be
used as a means of their eternal salvation. But complacency and delight
in them as visible Christians is to be withdrawn. And on the contrary,
they are to be the objects of displacency, as visibly and apparently
wicked. We are to cast them out as an unclean thing which defiles the
church of God. — In this sense the psalmist professes a hatred of those
who were the visible enemies of God. Psa. 139:21, 22. “Do I not hate
them, O lord, that hate thee? And am I not grieved with those that rise
up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred.” Not that he hated
them with a hatred of malice or ill-will, but with displacency and
abhorrence of their wickedness. In this respect we ought to be the
children of our Father who is in heaven, who, though he loves many
wicked men with a love of benevolence, yet cannot love them with a love
of complacency. Thus excommunicated persons are cut off from the charity
of the church.
(2) They are cut off also from the society which Christians have
together as brethren. Thus we are commanded to withdraw from such; 2
Thes. 3:6. To avoid them; Rom. 16:17. To have no company with them; 2
Thes. 3:14. And to treat them as heathens and publicans; Mat. 18:17. The
people of God are, as much as may be, to withdraw from them as to that
common society which is proper to subsist among Christians. — Not that
they should avoid speaking to them on any occasion. All manner and all
degrees of society are not forbidden; but all unnecessary society, or
such as is wont to be among those who delight in the company of each
other. We should not associate ourselves with them so as to make them
our companions. Yea, there ought to be such an avoiding of their company
as may show great dislike.
Particularly, we are forbidden such a degree of associating ourselves
with them, as there is in making them our guests at our tables, or in
being their guests at their tables; as is manifest in the text, where we
are commanded to have no company with them, no not to eat. That this
respects not eating with them at the Lord’s supper, but a common eating,
is evident by the words, that the eating here forbidden, is one of the
lowest degrees of keeping company, which are forbidden. Keep no company
with such a one, saith the apostle, no not to eat — as much as to say,
no not in so low a degree as to eat with him. But eating with him at the
Lord’s supper, is the very highest degree of visible Christian
communion. Who can suppose that the apostle meant this: Take heed and
have no company with a man, no not so much as in the highest degree of
communion that you can have? Besides, the apostle mentions this eating
as a way of keeping company which, however, they might hold with the
heathen. He tells them, not to keep company with fornicators. Then he
informs them, he means not with fornicators of this world, that is, the
heathens; but, saith he, “if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, etc. with such a one keep no company, no not to eat.” This
makes it most apparent, that the apostle doth not mean eating at the
Lord’s table; for so, they might not keep company with the heathens, any
more than with an excommunicated person. Here naturally arise two
questions.
QUEST. I. How far are the church to treat excommunicated persons as they
would those who never have been of the visible church? I answer, they
are to treat them as heathens, excepting in these two things, in which
there is a difference to be observed.
1. They are to have a greater concern for their welfare still, than if
they never had been brethren, and therefore ought to take more pains, by
admonitions and otherwise, to reclaim and save them, than they are
obliged to take towards those who have been always heathens. This seems
manifest by that of the apostle, 2 Thes. 3:14, 15. “And if any man obey
not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with
him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish
him as a brother.” The consideration that he hath been a brother
heretofore, and that we have not finally cast him off from that
relation, but that we are still hoping and using means for his recovery,
obliges us to concern ourselves more for the good of his soul than for
those with whom we never had any such connection; and so to pray for
him, and to take pains by admonishing him. — The very reason of the
thing shows the same. For this very ordinance of excommunication is used
for this end, that we may thereby obtain the good of the person
excommunicated. And surely we should be more concerned for the good of
those who have been our brethren, and who are now under the operation of
means used by us for their good, than for those with whom we never had
any special connection. Thus, there should be more of the love of
benevolence exercised towards persons excommunicated, than towards those
who never were members of the church. — But then,
2. On the other hand, as to what relates to the love of complacence,
they ought to be treated with greater displacency and disrespect than
the heathen. This is plain by the text and context. For the apostle
plainly doth not require of us to avoid the company of the heathen, or
the fornicators of the world, but expressly requires us to avoid the
company of any brother who shall be guilty of any of the vices pointed
out in the text, or any other like them. — This is also plain by the
reason of the thing. For those who have once been visible Christians and
have apostatized and cast off that visibility, deserve to be treated
with more abhorrence than those who have never made any pretensions to
Christianity. The sin of such, in apostatizing from their profession, is
more aggravated, than the sin of those who never made any profession.
They far more dishonor religion, and are much more abhorred of God.
Therefore when Christ says, Mat. 18:17. “Let him be unto thee as an
heathen man and a publican,” it is not meant that we should treat an
excommunicated brother as Christians ought to treat heathens and
publicans; for they might eat with them, as Christ himself did; and the
apostle gives leave to eat with such, 1 Cor. 10:27, and in the context
gives leave to keep company with such; yet forbids to eat with an
excommunicated person. — Christ’s meaning must be, that we should treat
an excommunicated person as the Jews were wont to treat the heathens and
publicans; and as the disciples had been always taught among the Jews,
and brought up, and used to treat them. They would by no means eat with
publicans and sinners. They would not eat with the Gentiles, or with the
Samaritans. Therefore Peter [dare] not eat with the Gentiles when the
Jews were present; Gal. 2:12.
QUEST. II. What kindness and respect may and ought to be shown to such
persons? — I answer, There are some things by which the members of the
church are obliged to show kindness to them; and these things are
chiefly, to pray for them, and to admonish them. — And the common duties
and offices of humanity ought to be performed towards them; such as
relieving them when they are sick, or under any other distress; allowing
them those benefits of human society, and that help, which are needful
for the support and defense of their lives and property. — The duties of
natural and civil relations are still to be performed towards them.
Excommunication doth not release children from the obligation of duty to
their parents, nor parents from parental affection and care toward their
children. Nor are husbands and wives released from the duties proper to
their relation. And so of all other less relations, whether natural,
domestic, or civil.
3. They are cut off from the fellowship of the Christian church. The
true notion of the visible church of Christ, is that part of mankind,
which, as his people, is united in upholding his appointed worship. And
the notion of a particular visible church of Christ, is a particular
society of worshippers, or of visible saints, united for the social
worship of God according to his institutions or ordinances. One great
and main privilege then, which the members of such a church enjoy, is
fellowship in the worship which God hath appointed in his church. But
they that are excommunicated are cut off from this privilege, they have
no fellowship, no communion with the people of God in any part of their
worship.
He who is the mouth of the worshipping congregation in offering up
public prayers, is the mouth only of the worshipping society. But the
excommunicated are cast out of that society. The church may and ought to
pray for such. But they cannot have fellowship with such in prayer. The
minister, when speaking in prayer, doth not speak in their name; he
speaks only in the name of the united society of visible saints or
worshippers. If the people of God were to put up prayers in their name,
it would imply a receiving of them into charity, or that they charitably
looked upon them as the servants or worshippers of God. But, as was
observed before, excommunicated persons are in this respect cast out of
the charity of the church, and it looks upon them as wicked men and
enemies of God, and treats them as such.
So when a congregation of visible saints joins in singing the praises of
God, as the psalmist says, Psa. 34:3. “Let us extol his name together;”
they do it only as joining with those who are, in their charitable
estimation, fellow-servants and fellow-worshippers of God. They do it
not as joining with heathens; nor do the people of God say to the open
enemies of God, remaining such, “Come let us extol his name together;”
but they say it to their brethren in God’s service. If we ought not to
join with excommunicated persons in familiar society, much less ought we
to hold fellowship with them in solemn worship, though they may be
present.
4. There are privileges of a more internal nature, which those who are
members of the visible church enjoy, from which excommunicated persons
are cut off. They being God’s covenant-people, are in the way of
covenant-blessings; and therefore have more encouragement to come to God
by prayer for any mercy they need. The visible church is the people
among whom God hath set his tabernacle, and among whom he is wont to
bestow his blessings. But the excommunicated are, in a sense, cast out
of God’s sight, into a land of banishment, as Cain was, though not
debarred from common means. Gen. 4:14, 16. They are not in the way of
those smiles of providence, those tokens of God’s favor, and that light
of God’s countenance, like those who are within. Nor, as they are cast
out from among God’s covenant people, have they the divine covenant to
plead, as the members of the church have. — Thus far I have considered
the privative part of the punishment of excommunication. — I now
proceed,
2. To the positive part, which is expressed by being delivered to Satan,
in verse 5. By which two things seem to be signified:
(1) A being delivered over to the calamities to which they are subject,
who belong to the visible kingdom of the devil. As they who are
excommunicated are thrust out from among the visible people of God; so
they are to be looked upon, in most respects at least, as being in the
miserable, deplorable circumstances in which those are who are under the
visible tyranny of the devil, as the heathens are. And in many respects,
they doubtless suffer the cruel tyranny of the devil, in a manner
agreeable to their condition, being cast out into his visible kingdom.
(2) It is reasonable to suppose that God is wont to make the devil the
instrument of those peculiar, severe chastisements which their apostasy
deserves. As they deserve more severe chastisement than the heathens,
and are delivered to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh. So we may
well suppose, either that God is wont to let Satan loose, sorely to
molest them outwardly or inwardly, and by such severe means to destroy
the flesh, and to humble them; or that he suffers the devil to take
possession of them dreadfully to harden them, and so to destroy them for
ever. For although what men are to aim at, is only the destruction of
the flesh, yet whether it shall prove the destruction of the flesh, or
the eternal and more dreadful destruction of themselves, is as God’s
sovereign disposal. — So much for the nature of excommunication.
Secondly, I come to show by whom the punishment is to be inflicted.
1. When it is regularly and duly inflicted, it is to be looked upon as
done by Christ himself. That is imported in the definition, that it is
according to his will, and to the directions of his word. And therefore
he is to be looked upon as principal in it, and we ought to esteem it as
really and truly from him, as if he were on earth personally inflicting
it.
2. As it is inflicted by men, it is only done ministerially. They do not
act of themselves in this, any more than in preaching the Word. When the
Word is preached, it is the word of Christ which is spoken, as the
preacher speaks in the name of Christ, as his ambassador. So when a
church excommunicates a member, the church acts in the name of Christ,
and by his authority, not by its own. It is governed by his will, not by
its own. Indeed it is only a particular application of the word of
Christ. — Therefore it is promised, that when it is duly done, it shall
be confirmed in heaven; i.e. Christ will confirm it, by acknowledging it
to be his own act. And he will, in his future providence, have regard to
what is done thus as done by himself. He will look on the person, and
treat him as cast out and delivered to Satan by himself; and if he
repent not, will for ever reject him: Mat. 18:18. “Verily I say unto
you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven.” John
20:23. “Whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” — I shall now,
as was proposed,
II. Endeavor to show who are the proper subjects of excommunication.
They are those members of the church who are now become visibly wicked;
for the very name and nature of the visible church show, that it is a
society of visible saints, or visibly holy persons. When any of these
visible saints become visibly wicked men, they ought to be cast out of
the church. Now, the members of the church become visibly wicked by
these two things:
First, by gross sin. Saints may be guilty of other sins, and very often
are, without throwing any just stumbling-block in the way of public
charity, or of the charity of their Christian brethren. The common
failures of humanity, and the daily short-comings of the best of men, do
not ordinarily obstruct the charity of their brethren. But when they
fall into any gross sin, this effect follows; for we naturally argue,
that he who hath committed some gross sin hath doubtless much more
practiced less and more secret sins; and so we doubt concerning the
soundness and sincerity of his heart. Therefore all those who commit any
gross sin, as they obstruct the charity of their brethren, are proper
subjects of discipline. And unless they confess their sin, and manifest
their repentance, are proper subjects of excommunication. — This leads
me to say,
Second, that the members of the church do especially become visibly
wicked, when they remain impenitent in their sins, after proper means
used to reclaim them. Merely being guilty of any gross sin, is a
stumbling-block to charity, unless repentance immediately succeed; but
especially when the guilty person remains obstinate and contumacious. In
such a case he is most clearly a visible wicked person, and therefore to
be dealt with as such; to be cast out into the wicked world, the kingdom
of Satan, where he appears to belong. — Nor is contumacy in gross sins
only a sufficient ground of excommunication. In the text the apostle
commands us to inflict this censure, not only on those who are guilty of
the gross sins of fornication, idolatry, and drunkenness, but also on
those who are guilty of covetousness, railing, and extortion, which, at
least in some degrees of them, are too generally esteemed no very
heinous crimes. And in Rom. 16:17, the same apostle commands the church
to excommunicate “them who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the
doctrine they had learned;” and in 2 Thes. 3:14, to excommunicate
everyone who should “not obey his word by that epistle.” Now, according
to these precepts, everyone who doth not observe the doctrine of the
apostles, and their word contained in their epistles, and so, by parity
of reason, the divine instructions contained in the other parts of
Scripture, is to be excommunicated, provided he continue impenitent and
contumacious. So that contumacy and impenitence in any real and manifest
sin whatsoever, deserve excommunication.
III. I come to speak of the ends of this ecclesiastical ensure. The
special ends of it are these three:
First, that the church may be kept pure, and the ordinances of God not
be defiled. This end is mentioned in the context, verse 6, etc. “Know ye
not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore
the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth.” — When the ordinances of God are defiled by the
toleration of wicked men in the church, God the Father, Jesus Christ the
head and founder of the church, the religion of the gospel, and the
church itself, are dishonored and exposed to contempt. — And that the
other members themselves may not be defiled, it is necessary that they
bear a testimony against sin, by censuring it whenever it appears among
them, especially in the grosser acts of wickedness. If they neglect so
to do, they contract guilt by the very neglect. And not only so, but
they expose themselves to learn the same vices which they tolerate in
others; for “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Hence that
earnest caution of the apostle, Heb. 12:15. “Looking diligently lest any
man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up,
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
Second, that others may be deterred from wickedness. As the neglect of
proper censure, with respect to visibly wicked church-members, tends to
lead and encourage others to commit the same wickedness. So the
infliction of proper censure tends to restrain others, not only from the
same wickedness, but from sin in general. This therefore is repeatedly
mentioned as one end of the punishments appointed to be inflicted by the
law of Moses, Deu. 13:11. “And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and
shall do no more such wickedness as this is among you.”
Third, that the persons themselves may be reclaimed, and that their
souls may be saved. When other more gentle means have been used in vain,
then it is the duty of the church to use this, which is more severe, in
order to bring them to conviction, shame, and humiliation. And that, by
being rejected and avoided by the church, and treated with disrespect,
they may be convinced how they deserve to be for ever disowned of God;
that by being delivered unto Satan, they may learn how they deserve
forever to be delivered up to him; that by his being made the instrument
of their chastisement, they may learn how they deserve to be tormented
by him, without any rest day or night, forever and ever. — This, with
the counsels and admonitions by which it is to be followed, is the last
mean that the church is to use, in order to reclaim those members which
are become visibly wicked. If this be ineffectual, what is next to be
expected is destruction without remedy.
APPLICATION
I shall apply this subject in a brief use of exhortation to this church,
to maintain strictly the proper discipline of the gospel in general, and
particularly that part of it which consists in excommunication. To this
end I shall just suggest to you the following motives.
1. That if you tolerate visible wickedness in your members, you will
greatly dishonor God, our Lord Jesus Christ, the religion which you
profess, the church in general, and yourselves in particular. As those
members of the church who practice wickedness, bring dishonor upon the
whole body, so do those who tolerate them in it. The language of it is,
that God doth not require holiness in his servants; that Christ doth not
require it in his disciples; that the religion of the gospel is not a
holy religion; that the church is not a body of holy servants of God;
and that this church, in particular, hath no regard to holiness or true
virtue.
2. Your own good loudly calls you to the same thing. From what hath been
already said, you see how liable you, as individuals, will be to catch
the contagion, which is easily communicated by reason of the natural
depravity, in a degree at least, remaining in the best of men. — Beside,
if strict discipline be maintained among you, it will not only tend to
prevent the spread of wickedness, but to make you more fruitful in
holiness. If you know that the eyes of your brethren observe all your
conduct, it will not only make you more guarded against sin, but more
careful “to maintain good works,” and to abound in “the fruits of the
Spirit.” Thus you will have more abundant joy and peace in believing.
3. The good of those who are without should be another motive. What the
apostle saith with reference to another subject, 1 Cor. 14:24, 25, is
perfectly applicable to the case before us: “But if all prophesy, and
there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced
of all, he is judged of all; and thus are the secrets of his heart made
manifest; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and
report that God is in you of a truth.” If strict discipline, and thereby
strict morals, were maintained in the church, it would in all
probability be one of the most powerful means of conviction and
conversion towards those who are without.
4. Benevolence towards your offending brethren themselves, calls upon
you to maintain discipline in all its parts. Surely, if we love our
brethren, it will grieve us to see them wandering from the path of truth
and duty; and in proportion as our compassion is moved, shall we be
disposed to use all proper means to reclaim and bring them back to the
right way. Now, the rules of discipline contained in the gospel are the
most proper, and best adapted to this end, that infinite wisdom itself
could devise. Even excommunication is instituted for this very end, the
destruction of the flesh, and the salvation of the spirit. If,
therefore, we have any love of benevolence to our offending and erring
brethren, it becomes us to manifest it, in executing strictly the rules
of gospel-discipline, and even excommunication itself, whenever it is
necessary.
5. But the absolute authority of Christ ought to be sufficient in this
case, if there were no other motive. Our text is only one of many
passages in the Scripture, wherein strict discipline is expressly
commanded, and peremptorily enjoined. Now, how can you be the true
disciples of Christ, if you live in the neglect of these plain positive
commands? “If ye love me,” saith Christ, “keep my commandments;” and,
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I have commanded you.” But, “he
that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings.” “And why call ye me Lord,
Lord, and do not the things which I say?” If you strictly follow the
rules of discipline instituted by Christ, you have reason to hope for
his blessing; for he is wont to bless his own institutions, and to smile
upon the means of grace which he hath appointed.
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