"than that which we have preached unto you, let him be "accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If "any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that 66 ye have received, let him be accursedb." How strongly here does the Apostle guard against admitting new doctrines, (subversive of the old,) through a common weakness incident to mankind, having men's persons in admiration, on account of their parts or learning, or their appearing goodness, sanctity, sobriety. Though "we or "an angel from heaven" should presume to do any such wicked thing, "let him be accursed;" words very expressive and poignant, in order to correct the weakness before mentioned; and another also near akin to it, the natural fondness many have for novelties. And I may further observe, that in such cases we have no concern at all with the virtues or good qualities of false teachers, be they ever so real or great: if they corrupt the faith in any gross instance, that is reason sufficient for refusing communion with them, though they were otherwise bright as angels. A consideration worth the noting, for the obviating some popular pretences on this head. I need not here enter into the dispute, whether the words åvádeμa 5w amount to a solemn curse, or are only a form of excommunicationc. If we take it in the first and most rigorous sense, it seems proper only to an Apostle or Prophet, thus solemnly to curse or bless in the name of the Lord. But as the Christian Church afterwards d often used the same form in their excommunications, the milder sense appears most probable. However that be, this solemn sentence of the Apostle amounts at least to a strict injunction or warning to all Christians, that they should not communicate with persons who corrupt the faith, (either by adding to it, or taking from it,) in any gross manner, which may be justly interpreted a subversion of the Gospel of Christ. Such at

b Gal. i. 7, 8, 9.

< See Buddæus, Eccles. Apostol. p. 808, 809.

See Suicer. Thesaurus in voc. àváðμa. Bingham's Antiq. of the Christian Church, lib. xvi. cap. 2, 8, 16, 17.

tempts are to be held in the utmost abhorrence, and the authors of them shunned as seducers and false Apostles. It cannot well be supposed, that less than this is implied in the words of the Apostle.

He goes on to say, speaking of the same persons in the same Epistle, "he that troubleth you shall bear his judg66 ment, whosoever he bee." "I would they were even cut "off that trouble youf." Which last words, I understand, with many judicious interpreters, of excommunication; and it is confirmed by what is said in the same place," a little "leaven leaveneth the whole lumps;" intimating the reason why the Apostle wished to have those false teachers cut off from the communion of Christians, viz. to prevent the contagion spreading farther. I am aware, that some very learned menh dislike the interpretation I have mentioned, but upon a very slender reason, as to me appears. They think the Apostle would not have wished for it only, but would have commanded it in virtue of his apostolical authority. It is true, he might have done it: but who knows for how many, or for what prudential reasons, he might forbear for a time, and be content at that juncture only to throw out a wish, in order to prepare the Galatians for it, and to incline them by slow and gentle methods to concur the more readily with it, when it should be absolutely necessary. It is not to be presumed, that excommunication, or a formal renouncing of communion, are things to be precipitated at all adventures, or that there may not often be good reasons for delay, that so an affair of the highest consequence may be conducted with the utmost prudence. I am of opinion, that besides the mischievous nature of the heresy itself, several other circumstances of time, place, and persons, ought to have their weight in consultations relating to Church discipline upon offenders. But I pass on.

Elsner in loc. p. 196. Buddæus, Eccles. Apostol. p. 808. Wolfius, Curæ Philolog. et Crit. vol. ii. p. 772.

St. Paul gives advice to Timothy, in the words here following; "These things teach and exhort. If any man teach "otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even "the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine "which is according to godliness; he is proud, &c."from such withdraw thyself." Perhaps the rendering and the sense would run better thus: If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, if he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doating about questions, &c. from such withdraw thyself. It is a disputable point, what particular sect or set of false teachers the Apostle here refers to, whether Judaizers or Gnostics, or others distinct from both. But one thing is plain, which is sufficient to our present purpose, that the Apostle exhorts Timothy to withdraw from them, and that in order either to discountenance their false doctrines, or to preserve himself and others from receiving contagion by them. To the same purpose is what the Apostle again says to Timothy:

"Shun profane and vain babblings: for they will in"crease unto more ungodliness. And their word will "eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenæus and "Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying "that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow "the faith of some." The heads and patrons of the heresy here mentioned, the Apostle had excommunicated before, delivering them over unto Satan, to stop their blaspheming m. They appear to have been persons who believed the Scriptures of the Old Testament, but misinterpreted them, allegorizing away the doctrine of the resurrection, resolving it all into figure and metaphor". The delivering over unto Satan seems to have been a form of ex

Vid. Vitringa, Observ. Sacr. lib. iv. cap. 9. p. 925. Buddæus Eccles. Apostol. p. 300.

communication, declaring the person reduced to the state of an heathen: and in the apostolical age, it was accompanied with supernatural or miraculous effects upon the bodies of the persons so delivered: though it may be supposed that such effects might last beyond the apostolic age, because other miraculous gifts certainly did so. I am well aware of the disputes which have been among persons of the best learning P, about the precise meaning of the phrase, whether it signified excommunication, or an appendage to it. I have chosen that interpretation which appears most probable. I must own, there is a notion which appears to run through the debates of several learned men on this head, and which I cannot well understand. They seem to take it for granted, that excommunication is a punishment of the soul. I easily conceive it to be a spiritual punishment, as not being a corporal one, and as inflicted by a spiritual, that is, ecclesiastical authority: but how it is properly a punishment of the soul, I apprehend not. Its design is salutary, and the effect also often salutary; so that it is rather medicinal than penal, with respect to the soul: but this by the way only. It would be too large a digression here, to consider that point in such a manner as it deserves to be considered.

I go on to other texts, and shall take one by the way, which though not precisely to the point I am upon, yet is not altogether foreign. "There are many unruly and vain "talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circum"cision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert "whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, "for filthy lucre's sake-rebuke them sharply, that "they may be sound in the faith." We may here observe the ardent zeal of the Apostle against false teachers,

1 Cor. v. 5. see commentators.

PA summary account of them may be seen in Wolfius's Curæ Philolog, et Crit. ad 1 Cor. v. 5. p. 367. or in Bingham's Eccles. Antiq. b. xvi. cap. 2. sect. 15.

See Bishop Potter's Church Government, p. 371, &c. Dr. Rogers's Review of a Discourse of the Visible &c. p. 392.

Tit. i. 10, 11, 13.

who corrupted the faith, and how great a stress he lays upon being sound in principles. But he does not give orders for excommunicating those deceivers directly, but to admonish them first, and that with some sharpness, in order to shame them, and silence them, and bring them back to the true faith. From all which one may collect these following considerations, which may be of some use to us: 1. That religion is not a personal thing, which every man may new model or alter for himself, without rebuke from his fellow Christians, or from the governors of the Church. It is the joint patrimony of the whole community, and every man more or less is accountable to his neighbour for any waste made in it. It is the common concern, and every one in his station and degree must give a helping hand to preserve it in its native purity. 2. That the teaching and propagating of false doctrines may subvert whole houses, and do a great deal of mischief: so that truth is not always a gainer by unrestrained liberties of that kind. 3. That sharp rebukes are very proper in such cases, and are no breaches of charity, but the truest instances of brotherly affection and love. 4. That admonitions and increpations should first be tried, even in case of great corruption in doctrine, rather than come to extremities at once: a rule expressly taught us in what I am next going to cite.

"A man that is an heretic, after the first and second "admonition, reject; knowing that he that is such is "subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." This text will deserve a more particular examination, containing much in it directly belonging to the point in hand. Wherefore I shall handle the several parts of it the more distinctly. 1. "A man that is an heretic." Here the first question is, who, or what is an heretic? To which I answer in the general, not every one that mistakes in judgment, though in matters of great importance, in points fundamental, but he that openly espouses such fundamen