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QUESTION: How are those who are unruly to be dealt with?

ANSWER: In two ways: for they are to be corrected either privately or publicly.

Q.: How are they to be corrected in private?

A.: As Christ directs: Matthew 18:15 f.

Q.: Why are they to be thus corrected?

A.: Because, as may be seen in this passage, they have offended privately against us: and for the same reason, the same thing is to be observed in respect to other private offences, whether against God or against other men, for so justice itself suggests, and Christian charity requires.

Q.: How are they to be publicly corrected?

A.: Either by words or deeds.

Q.: In what manner by words?

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A.: In such a way as that they be publicly reproved by all in the ecclesia of Christ -- concerning which the Apostle writes in 1 Timothy 5:20 of elders who transgress; to others, who publicly or heavily offend, or refuse to attend to admonition, these words of the Apostle in 2 Corinthians 2:6 may with propriety be applied: "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many".

Q.: In what manner are they to be publicly corrected by deeds?

A.: By our shunning the society and conversation of such a person, and refusing to eat with him, though we do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother -- as long, that is, as he professedly acts as a brother and does not become the enemy of Truth and piety, or of believers -- or at least by shunning him in the holier fellowship of the Lord's table.

Q.: Where is anything written concerning the former mode of correction?

A.: In Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11, 13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14.

Q.: Where is anything written concerning the latter?

A.: Reason itself and the order of the ecclesia seem to require that those who in such things conduct themselves unworthily be not admitted at least to the holy supper of the Lord; notwithstanding they do not yet deserve to be kept from all fellowship and conversation with us: that, by such means a proper respect for the Lord's table may be preserved, while those persons may hasten their penitence by seeing themselves in some degree excommunicated.

Q.: What danger threatens such persons?

A.: It is this, that after being excluded from the ecclesia of Christ and subsequently from his Kingdom, there remains nothing for them but distruction.