III. Church censures are necesary for the reckimftig

ind gaining of offending brethren ; for deterring of others "rom the lixe offencea ; for purging out of that leaven which night infect the whole lump ; for vindicating the honour >f Christ, and the holv profession of the gospel ; and for ireventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Jiurch, if they should suffer his covenant, and the seals there- )f, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders*.
IV^ For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of lie church are to proceed by admonition, suspension from he sacrament of tne Lord's Supper for a season, and by ex- X)mmunication from the churct, according to the nature of iie crime, and demerit of the person ^
CHAP.
oerer dioii iluk bind oo earth, hall be bocsd io heaves ; and what- oerer thou ahak bote oo earth, hall be looted in heavca Mai. ▼ill. 17. And if he diaO B^ect
hear tkeoi, tdl it imto the hnrch; but if he neglect to hear he church, let him be uzsto thee Is Bc heathen man, and a poblicao. "^er. 18. Verily I «»▼ imio yoc, (Vhatsoerer je shaO btod oo eafth, till be bound ta hearen ; and vrhat- oevrr ye thall kxMe oo earth, «ha]l
boied in hearen. John sz. 21. rhtn laid Jem to them again. Peace
onto 7«a: as my Father hath me, eren to tend I yon. Ver. 2. And whok he had laid this, e tn'eathed on them, %nA taith nnto l»eni. Receive ye the Holy Gbo« : ^er. 23. Who« loeTer mat ye remit, bey are remitted unto them; and hose soever sins ye retain^ ^ley re retained. 2 Cor. iL 6. ' » such a man is this hich wa
So that coouariwise, ye ovght ither to for give him, nsd corrfiort im, lest perhaps ancb an one rftvold t swalloired op with ovcr-m«ch arrow. Vsr. 6. Whcreiare I h^
•eech yoD, that ye would confim yoor lew towards him.
la w. ao. Them that an rtiMike befisM aU, that edten abo may Sat. MaL ym. 6. Oive not diat which is holy •otothe dofit, odtber cast ye jott pearls before nrioe, lest th^ tram- ple them imder their feet, and tmm again and rend yon. 1 TIbu i. 90^ CK whom is Hymcneos and ^W*— der; whom I have delivered matm Satjui, that they may kara not to blaspheme. [1 Cor. xi. 27. «» out,] With J»d«, Ver. 83. others save vnth Sug, p«iDiDg ti •at cf the fire; badi^ even dbe ; mf Ms spotted by die flesk
nr. di TbcsB. ▼. IS. ADd beseech yon, brethrcs, to d>em vrhxh bbonr amca^ yoa, aai are over yon in the Lardy and ad- yoo. 2 TbevL in. 6. Now miind jw, brethren, n cdb of ow Lord Jems doist, thst
gv.
ye wits brodwr
that waKetB disorderly, not after the tra^tioo vrhich he re- ceived of 1I& Ver. 14. And if any man obey not oar word by thin that ■an.Mdhavean
ten
The Confession of Fait L Chap. XXXI^
CHxVP. XXXI. Of Synods and Councils.
T[^OR tlie better government, and further edification of -*- the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councils \