II. Is there any necessity for ecclesiastical discipline and excommunication?

There can be no doubt but that all the prophets, as well as Christ and his apostles, have preached respecting the ministry of the word. And as ecclesiastical discipline has a necessary connection with the ministry of God’s word, there can be no doubt respecting this, since God himself and Christ, and the apostle Paul, have confirmed and established it both by precept and examples. And surely if no country or city can exist without discipline, laws and punishments, then certainly the church, which is the house of the living God also needs some form of government and discipline, although it differs widely from civil power or jurisdiction.

The discipline of the church is therefore necessary,

1. On account of the general command of God with respect to guarding against the profanation of the sacraments, both in the Old and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God would not allow wicked and obstinate offenders to be included among the number of his people, but required them to be excluded from their fellowship. Much less would he permit them to come to the sacraments of his church. “The soul that doeth aught presumptuously, (whether he be born in the land or a stranger,) the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken His commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off.” (Num. 15:30, 31.) God did indeed desire all to come to the passover, that is, all the members of his church but he did not regard the rebellious and obstinate as included in the number of those who were in covenant with him. Hence He commanded them to be excluded from his people. “The man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, even that man shall die; and thou shall put away the evil from Israel.” (Deut. 17:12.) From these two passages just quoted, it appears that God commanded such as were rebellious and wicked to be cut off from the Jewish commonwealth, and would not allow them to be received amongst the number of his people. Much less, therefore, would He allow them to be regarded as members of his visible church, and be admitted to her sacraments. It is true indeed, that the judicial law has been abolished, as well as the ceremonies which belonged to the Jewish dispensation; but that great distinction which was observed between the members of the Jewish church and others, has not been set aside.

There is in the prophecy of Isaiah, a whole sermon directed against the wicked who offer sacrifices unto God; nor did God desire that such persons should offer sacrifices unto him. Hence he does not desire that they should be admitted to the sacraments of his house. His language is, “Bring no more vain oblations,” &c. (Is. 1:13.) But it is said by way of objection, God desired, yea, also commanded all to celebrate the Passover. We reply that he did indeed command all those who were regarded as members of his people to observe the passover but not such as were rebellious, for he expressly commanded them to be excluded from the number of those who stood in covenant relations with Him. Isaiah detests the hypocritical offerings of those who are presumptuous enough to sacrifice unto God, whilst living in the habitual and willful indulgence of sin: “He that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol,” &c. (Is. 66:3.)

Jeremiah severely reproves those who had the boldness to come into the temple whilst they were still defiled with their sins. (Jer. 6:7, 10, 20.) Ezekiel declares that God will not be enquired of by those who go after strange gods, and then present themselves in his temple. (Ez. 20:31.) And, in the 20th verse of the same chapter, he says that those profane his sabbaths, and pollute his sanctuary, who come into his house defiled with their idols. The prophet Amos rejects the sacrifices and worship of wicked transgressors, saying, “I hate, I despise your feast-days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.” (Amos 5:21.) The prophet Haggai forbids (Hag. 2:13, 14) the unclean in soul to touch that which is holy, where he speaks of moral and ceremonial uncleanness. And in Prov. 15:8, it is declared that “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” In the New Testament, John admitted none to his baptism but such as confessed their sins and repented. “Bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” “Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Matt. 3:8; 5:24.) He, therefore, who does not first reconcile himself to his brother, should be forbidden the use of the sacraments. Christ commands that all submit themselves first to God, according to all his commandments, before they approach any of the sacraments for by the term altar, as here used, may be understood any of the sacraments. “Repent and be baptized every one of you.” “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest be baptized.” (Acts 2:37; 8:37.) Therefore, if thou dost not believe, it is not lawful. “The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God.” “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils.” “Whosoever shall eat unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:20, 21; 11:27.) The wicked, eating without faith and repentance, partake unworthily. Therefore they are guilty of the body of Christ. We ought not to take part in the sins of others: neither ought we to connive at of feign ignorance in regard to the destruction of any one. Hence we should not admit the wicked to the sacraments, lest they eat judgment to themselves.

2. On account of the special command of Christ and his Apostles, “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 18:15-19.) The Lord now will not permit his sacraments, which he instituted for the faithful alone, to be administered to publicans and heathen. And lest anyone should understand this command as spoken of private judgment it is expressly added, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, &c., which declaration cannot be understood in any other sense, than as referring to the public power of the keys. “I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” And “with such an one eat not. Therefore, put away from yourselves that wicked person.” “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” “Now we command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.” “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (1 Cor. 5:3, 4, 5, 11, 13. 2 Cor. 6:15. 2 Thes. 3:6, 14. 2 John 10:11.)

3. The power of the keys is necessary on account of the glory of God. For reproach is cast upon the name and cause of God, if all, including blasphemers and such as are notoriously wicked, are regarded as the children of God without any distinction, so as to confound the kingdom of God with that of Satan.

4. It is necessary in order that the sacraments may not be profaned, and that that may not be given to the wicked in the supper which is denied them in the word.

5. That the purity of doctrine and worship may be preserved.

6. For the safety of the church, which God will punish if it knowingly and willingly profane the sacraments, or permit them to be profaned.

7. For the salvation of sinners, in order that they, being frequently admonished, and put to shame, may be brought to repentance.

8. That scandals may be prevented in the church, and that those who are weak may not be corrupted by the bad examples of others. “Know ye not that a little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump.” (1 Cor. 5:6.)

9. That scandals may be prevented on the part of those who are out of the church, and that those who are not as yet members of the church, may not come into connection with it, until they repent of their sins.

10. That the name of God be not blasphemed and evil spoken of by others, and his covenant dishonored.

11. That punishment may be averted from the wicked; for if the ungodly are permitted to come to the sacraments of the church, they bring upon themselves the judgments of God. That this may not, therefore, come to pass, the church is bound to take such measures as will prevent them from coming to the holy sacraments.

12. Those who deny the true faith, and doctrine of Christ are to be excluded from the church, and from the use of the sacraments. The faithful are not to be confounded with those who are aliens from the church; as are those who are openly wicked, who are blasphemers, and who have fallen into such errors as Arianism, Mahometanisin, c. But all those who refuse to repent deny the true faith and doctrine of Christ: “They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him.” (1 Tit. 1:16.) And he that denies the true faith is worse than an infidel. Therefore, those who persevere in their wickedness and refuse to repent, are to be excluded from the church, and from the use of the sacraments.

13. The declaration of Christ, Matt. 7:6. ”Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine,” is also here in point. But those who persevere in their wickedness, casting reproach upon the church, and even upon God himself, are indeed dogs and swine; and are, therefore, not to be admitted to the sacraments. For if Christ declares this of his preached word, which was instituted for the converted, and un converted, or such as would yet be converted, much more is it true of his visible word, the sacraments, which were instituted for none, but those who are converted.

14. Avowed infidels, blasphemers, and such as are notoriously wicked, are not to be baptized; for none but such as believe with all their heart ought to be baptized. Hence Philip said to the Eunuch: “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest be baptized.” (Acts 8:37.) Nor did John baptize any but such as confessed their sins. Hence, if unbelievers and blasphemers ought not to be baptized, it follows that they must also be excluded from the church, and not be admitted to the Lord’s supper; for those who ought not to be baptized, ought not to be admitted to the supper, because that which excludes them from the one sacrament, excludes them also from the other.

15. Those who are not yet baptized are not to be admitted to the supper. But those who fall from, or live in willful neglect of their baptism to them baptism is no baptism according to the declaration of the apostle Paul: “If thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision,” that is, if thou persevere in thy transgression without repentance. (Rom. 2:25.) Therefore, those who fall from their baptism are not to be admitted to the Lord’s supper. To this someone may object and say: Therefore, those who fall from their baptism, are also to be rebaptized after their reception into the church. But we would reply, that reception into the church by baptism is valid in the case of all those who repent, and that without any repetition of the sign. And in as much as baptism is the sacrament or our reception into the church, those who fall from it are not in the church, and hence as long as they remain such they are not to be admitted to the church, nor to the Lord’s supper.

16. The sign of grace ought not to be granted unto those to whom the promise of grace does not belong; otherwise the church would act wickedly in admitting those whom God excludes, and would contradict itself. For it would absolve by the visible word those whom it would condemn by the preached word. But the promise of grace does not extend to blasphemers, and such as are openly wicked. Therefore, the sign of grace ought not to be granted unto them.

17. Lastly, the institution of the sacraments, or the condition to be observed on our part in coming to the sacraments, demands repentance and faith. Therefore, unbelievers and such as do not repent are not to be admitted to the sacraments. The force of this argument will be seen by stating it thus: Those are to be admitted to the sacraments who have repentance and faith. Therefore those who have not these qualifications arc not to be admitted.