But if any have caused grief
The aim of Church discipline
is in the last resort the restoration of the fallen.
The Church has, of course, an interest of its own to guard i it is bound to protest against all that is inconsistent with its character; it is bound to expel scandals. But the Church’s protest, its condemnation, its excommunication even, are not ends in themselves; they are means to that which is really an end in itself, a priceless good which justifies every extreme of moral severity, the winning again of the sinner through repentance. The judgment of the Church is the instrument of God’s love, and the moment it is accepted in the sinful soul it begins to work as a redemptive force. The humiliation it inflicts is that which God exalts; the sorrow, that which He comforts. But when a scandal comes to light in a Christian congregation, what is the significance of that movement of feeling which inevitably takes place? In how many has it the character of goodness and of severity, of condemnation and compassion, of love and fear, of pity and shame, the only character that has any virtue in it, to tell for the sinner’s recovery? If you ask nine people out of ten what a scandal is, they will tell you it is something that makes men talk; and the talk in nine cases out of ten will be malignant, affected, more interesting to the talkers than any story of virtue or piety--scandal itself, in short, far more truly than its theme. Does anybody imagine that gossip is one of the forces that awaken conscience, and work for the redemption of our fallen brethren? If this is all we can do, in the name of all that is Christian let us keep silence. Every word spoken about a brother’s sin, that is not prompted by a Christian conscience, that does not vibrate with the love of a Christian heart is itself a sin against the mercy and the judgment of Christ. (J. Denney, B. D.)
Sufficient unto such a man is this punishment.--
Christian punishment and absolution
I. The Christian idea of punishment includes in it--
1. The reformation of the offender (2 Corinthians 2:6). The ancient system of law sacrificed the individual to the society, and feeble philanthropy would sacrifice society to the individual, whereas Christianity would save both.
2. The purification of society. Sin committed with impunity corrupts the body of men to which the sinner belongs; and this purification is effected partly by example, and partly by removal of the evil. The discipline by which this removal was effected was excommunication, and at that time apostolic excommunication represented to the world God’s system of punishment.
3. The expression of righteous indignation. For there is a right feeling in human nature which we call resentment, although in the worst natures it becomes malice. It existed in Christ Himself. Mark what follows from this. Man is the image of God: so there is something in God which corresponds with that which we call resentment, stripped, of course, of all selfishness or fury. So we must not explain away those words of Scripture, “the wrath of God,” “God is angry with the wicked every day,” “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven.” These sayings contain a deep and an awful truth. If the wrath of God be only a figure, His love must be but a figure too.
II. The Christian idea of absolution. Forgiveness is one thing, absolution is another. Absolution is the authoritative declaration of forgiveness. When Christ said, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee,” He did not forgive him; he was forgiven already, but He declared his forgiveness. Now the case before us is a distinct instance of ecclesiastical absolution. St. Paul says, “I forgive.” This is absolution; man’s declaration of God’s forgiveness--man speaking in God’s stead.
1. Consider the use of absolution. It was to save from remorse, and is here considered as a “comfort.”
2. This absolution was representative--
(1) Of the forgiveness of God. St. Paul forgave the sinner “in the person,” that is in the stead “of Christ.” Thus, as the punishment of man is representative of the punishment and wrath of God, so the absolution of man is representative of the forgiveness of God.
(2) Of the Christian congregation: “for your sakes.” Every member, therefore, of that congregation was forgiving the sinner; it was his right to do so, and it was in his name that St. Paul spoke; nay, because each member had forgiven, St. Paul forgave. Absolution therefore is not a priestly prerogative. It belongs to man, and to the minister because he stands as the representative of purified humanity. Who does not know how the unforgivingness of society in branding men and women as outcasts makes their case hopeless? Men bind his sins--her crimes--on earth, and they remain bound. Now every man has this power individually. For years the thought of his deceit, and the dread of his brother, had weighed on Jacob’s heart, and when Esau forgave him, it was as if he “had seen the face of God.” When we treat the guilty with tenderness, hope rises in them towards God; their hearts say, “They love us; will not God forgive and love us too?” (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.--
Overmuch sorrow
I. When sorrow is overmuch. It is notorious that Overmuch sorrow for sin is not the ordinary case of the world,
1. When it is fed by a mistaken cause. If a man thinketh that a duty which is no duty, and then sorrow for omitting it, such sorrow is all too much, because it is undue, and caused by error. Many fearful Christians are troubled about food, clothes, thoughts, and words, thinking or fearing that all is sinful which is lawful, and that unavoidable infirmities are heinous sins.
2. When it hurteth and overwhelmeth nature itself, and destroyeth bodily health or understanding. God would not have us hurt our neighbour, nor have us destroy or hurt ourselves.
II. How overmuch sorrow doth swallow a man up.
1. It often overthrows the sober use of reason, so that a man’s judgment is corrupted by it. A man in anger, fear, or trouble thinks not of things as they are, but as his passions represent them.
2. It disableth a man to govern his thoughts, and ungoverned thoughts must needs be both sinful and very troublesome. You may almost as easily keep the leaves of trees in quietness and order in a blustering wind, as the thoughts of one in troubling passions.
3. It would swallow up faith itself, and greatly hindereth its exercise.
4. It yet more hindereth hope.
5. It swalloweth up all comfortable sense of the love of God, and thereby hindereth the soul from loving Him. And in this it is an adversary to the very life of holiness.
6. It is a false and injurious judge of all the word and works of God, and of all His mercies and corrections. Whatever such an one reads or hears, he thinks it all makes against him.
7. It is an enemy to thankfulness.
8. It is quite contrary to the joy in the Holy Ghost. Yea, and the peace in which God’s kingdom much consisteth.
9. It is much contrary to the very tenor of the gospel, which is glad tidings of pardon and everlasting joy.
10. It greatly advantageth Satan, whose design is to describe God to us as like himself, who is a malicious enemy.
11. It unfits men for all profitable meditation. The more they muse, the more they are overwhelmed. And it turneth prayer into mere complaint, instead of child-like, believing supplications.
12. It is a distemper which maketh all sufferings more heavy.
III. What are the causes of it?
1. With very many it arises from distemper or weakness of the body, and by it the soul is greatly disabled to any comfortable sense.
2. But usually other causes go before this disease of melancholy. And one of the most common is sinful impatience, a want of sufficient submission to the will of God.
3. The guilt of some wilful sin; when conscience is convinced, yet the sin is beloved and yet feared. God’s wrath doth terrify, yet not enough to lead to the overcoming of sin.
4. Ignorance and mistakes in matters which peace and comforts are concerned.
(1) Ignorance of the tenor of the gospel.
(2) Mistakes about the use of sorrow for sin, and about the nature of hardness of heart.
(3) Ignorance of ourselves, not knowing the sincerity which God hath given us.
(4) Failure to fetch comfort from bare probabilities, when we get not certainty.
(5) Ignorance of other men, many think, by our preaching and writing, that we are much better than we are.
(6) Unskilful teachers cause the perplexities of many.
IV. What is the cure?
1. Look not on the sinful part of your troubles, either as better or worse than indeed it is.
2. Give not way to a habit of peevish impatience.
3. Set yourselves more diligently than ever to overcome the inordinate love of the world.
4. If you are not satisfied that God alone, Christ alone, heaven alone, is enough for you, as matter of felicity and full content, go, study the case better, and you may be convinced.
5. Study better how great a sin it is to set our own wills and desires in a discontented opposition to the wisdom, will, and providence of God, and to make our wills, instead of His, as gods to ourselves.
6. Study well how great a duty it is wholly to trust God, and our blessed Redeemer, both with soul and body, and all we have.
7. If you would not be swallowed up with sorrow, swallow not the baits of sinful pleasure.
8. But if none of the fore-mentioned sins cause your sorrows, but they come from the mere perplexities of your mind, I will lay down your proper remedies, and that is, the cure of that ignorance and those errors which cause your troubles.
(1) Many are perplexed about controversies in religion. Directions:
(a) See that you be true to the light and law of nature, which all mankind is obliged to observe.
(b) As to God’s supernatural revelation, hold to God’s Word, the sacred Bible.
(c) Yet use with thankfulness the help of men for the understanding and obeying the Word of God.
(d) Take nothing as necessary to the being of Christianity, and to salvation which is not recorded in the Scripture, and hath not been held as necessary by all true Christians in every age and place.
(e) Maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, with all true Christians, as such, and live in love in the communion of saints.
(f) Never set a doubtful opinion against a certain truth or duty.
(g) Faithfully serve Christ as far as you have attained, and be true to all the truth that you know.
(2) If your trouble be about your sins, or want of grace, and spiritual state, digest well these counsels.
(a) God’s goodness is equal to His greatness.
(b) Christ hath come to save us.
(c). The condition of pardon and life is that we believe Him, and willingly accept of the mercy which He freely giveth us.
(d) The day of grace is never so past to any sinner but still he may have Christ and pardon if he will.
(3) But if melancholy have got head, there must be, beside what is said, some other and proper remedies used.
(a) Avoid your melancholy musings.
(b) Let those thoughts which you have be laid out on the most excellent things. The infinite goodness of God; the unmeasurable love of Christ; the unconceivable glory and joy which all the blessed have with Christ.
(c) When you pray, resolve to spend most of your time in thanksgiving and praising God.
9. If further the sorrow proceed from some bodily disorder, as it often doth, the physician must take the place of the preacher. This sorrow must be treated by medicine and diet. (R. Baxter.)