It is one of the important effects of this mutual watch of the members, that it is a great preventive of church discipline. Most of the grosser sins committed by members, are preceded by lesser, but obvious departures from the ways of God; and if the unhappy wanderer had been affectionately admonished at the first stages of his delinquency, take the intemperate for example, it might have saved not only him from a grievous fall, but the church itself from the dishonor and grief of a case of discipline.

There is more hope of reclaiming a brother at the first stages of his sin, than when it is aggravated. He has then more character and conscience, and less infirmity and blindness; and the private labors of his brethren, which then are proper, are more winning, probably, than the open and formidable dealing which afterwards is necessary. Let alone till the church takes up his case, he is not unlikely to regard its formal procedure as an organized persecu

tion, a regular setting to work to effect his disgrace; which is a state of mind in the last degree unfavorable to his reformation. The case, at first curable, is become desperate before it is meddled with; and is so regarded, probably, both by the church and by him. Taken up late and reluctantly by the former, it is resisted, or sullenly submitted to, by the latter; and ends as both anticipate.

Our discipline, in too many instances, begins too late! too late for the claims of duty, and too late for the ends of discipline. The pledge of the members to watch over the offender has been culpably neglected; and this neglect, though it be no justification, or, perhaps, mitigation, of his sin, belongs to its history, and makes them accessory to a brother's ruin.

To conclude; I cannot but think that this duty of watchfulness and reproof, so necessary, so naturally unpleasant to discharge, so much neglected, is peculiarly

pleasing to God, and that it will be peculiarly rewarded. "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all;" and remember that you are bound to this, by Christ's command, and by your solemn covenant.

CHAPTER IV.

CHURCH DISCIPLINE.

THE ends of discipline in the church

are,

1. The reclaiming of such as fall into sin. "Restore such an one." "That the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Gal. vi. 1. 1 Cor. v. 5.

2. The preventing of sin in others. "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." 1 Tim. v. 20.

3. The purity of the church. "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 [profess to be] unleavened;" that is, cast out iniquity, that ye may be a pure society, as ye profess to be. "For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." 1 Cor. v. 6, 7; and iii. 17.

4. The character of the church and the honor of religion in the view of the world.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matt. v. 13.

ure.

5. The preventing the divine displeas"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." 1 Cor. xi. 29-32.

These ends of discipline show its importance. But of this I shall speak hereafter.

The means of discipline are private persuasion and reproof, admonition before the church, suspension, and exclusion from its communion. No other pains or penalties whatever, such as fines, penances, imprecations, (such as the Catholics use) and the like, are allowable. The New Testament knows nothing of them. The discipline it inculcates is wholly of a corrective and moral kind, and not punitive.