2. Love will dictate the manner wherein they should proceed, according to the nature of the case. Nor can any one particular manner be prescribed for all cases. But perhaps in general one might advise, before they enter upon the thing itself, let them mildly and affectionately declare, that they have no anger or prejudice toward him, and that it is merely from a principle of good-will, that they now come, or at all concern themselves with his affairs. To make this the more apparent, they might then calmly attend, to your repetition of your former conversation with him, and to what he said in his own defence, before they attempted to determine any thing. After this they would be better able to judge, in what manner to proceed, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word might be established: that whatever you have said, may have its full force, by the additional weight of their authority.
3. In order to this, may they not 1. Briefly repeat what you spoke, and what he answered? 2. Inlarge upon, open and confirm the reasons which you had given? 3. Give weight to your reproof, shewing how just, how kind, and how seasonable it was: and lastly, inforce the advices and persuasions which you had annext to it? And these may likewise hereafter, if need should require, bear witness of what was spoken.
4. With regard to this, as well as the preceding rule we may observe, That our Lord gives us no choice, leaves us no alternative, but expresly commands us, to do this, and nothing else in the place of it. He likewise directs us, When to do this? Neither sooner, or later. Namely, after we have taken the first, and before we have taken the third step. It is then only that we are authorized to relate the evil another has done, to those whom we desire to bare a part with us, in this great instance of brotherly love. But let us have a care, how we relate it to any other person, till both these steps have been taken. If we neglect to take these, or if we take any others, what wonder if we are burdened still? For we are sinners against God and against our neighbour. And how fairly soever we may colour it, yet if we have any conscience, our sin will find us out, and bring a burden upon our soul.
III. 1. That we may be throughly instructed in this weighty affair, our Lord has given us a still farther direction. If he will not hear them, then and not till then, tell it to the church. This is the third step. All the question is, How this word, the church, is here to be understood? But the very nature of the thing will determine this, beyond all reasonable doubt. You cannot tell it to the national church, the whole body of men termed the church of England. Neither would it answer any Christian end, if you could: this therefore is not the meaning of the word. Neither can you tell it to that whole body of people in England, with whom you have a more immediate connexion. Nor indeed would this answer any good end: the word therefore is not to be understood thus. It would not answer any valuable end, to tell the faults of every particular member, to the church (if you would so term it) the congregation or society united together in London. It remains that you tell it to the elder or elders of the church, to those who are overseers of that flock of Christ, to which you both belong, who watch over yours and his soul, as they that must give account. And this should be done, if it conveniently can, in the presence of the person concerned, and tho’ plainly, yet with all the tenderness and love, which the nature of the thing will admit. It properly belongs to their office, to determine concerning the behaviour of those under their care, and to rebuke according to the demerit of the offence, with all authority. When therefore you have done this, you have done all which the word of God, or the law of love requireth of you. You are not now partaker of his sin, but if he perish, his blood is on his own head.
2. Here also let it be observed, that this, and no other, is the third step which we are to take: and that we are to take it in its order, after the other two; not before the second, much less the first; unless in some very particular circumstance. Indeed in one case, the second step may co-incide with this: they may be, in a manner, one and the same. The elder or elders of the church, may be so connected with the offending brother, that they may set aside the necessity, and supply the place of the one or two witnesses. So that it may suffice to tell it to them, after you have told it to your brother, between you and him alone.
3. When you have done this, you have delivered your own soul. If he will not hear the church, if he persist in his sin, let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican. You are under no obligation to think of him any more: only when you commend him to God in prayer. You need not speak of him any more, but leave him to his own master. Indeed you still owe to him, as to all other Heathens, earnest, tender good-will. You owe him courtesy, and as occasion offers, all the offices of humanity. But have no friendship, no familiarity with him; no other intercourse than with an open Heathen.
4. But if this be the rule by which Christians walk, which is the land where the Christians live? A few you may possibly find scattered up and down, who make a conscience of observing it. But how very few? How thinly scattered upon the face of the earth? And where is there any body of men, that universally walk thereby? Can we find them in Europe? Or, to go no farther, in Great Britain or Ireland? I fear not: I fear we may search these kingdoms throughout, and yet search in vain. Alas for the Christian world! Alas for Protestants, for reformed Christians! O who will rise up with me against the wicked? Who will take God’s part against the evil-speakers? Art thou the man? By the grace of God wilt thou be one, who art not carried away by the torrent? Art thou fully determined, God being thy helper, from this very hour, to set a watch, a continual watch before thy mouth, and keep the door of thy lips? From this hour wilt thou walk by this rule, speaking evil of no man? If thou seest thy brother do evil, wilt thou tell him of his fault between thee and him alone? Afterwards take one or two witnesses, and then only tell it to the church? If this be the full purpose of thy heart, then learn one lesson well. Hear evil of no man: if there were no hearers, there would be no speakers of evil. And is not (according to the vulgar proverb) the receiver as bad as the thief? If then any begin to speak evil in thy hearing, check him immediately. Refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so sweetly: let him use ever so soft a manner, so mild an accent, ever so many professions of good-will, for him whom he is stabbing in the dark, whom he smiteth under the fifth rib. Resolutely refuse to hear, tho’ the whisperer complain of being burdened till he speak. Burdened! Thou fool, dost thou travail with thy cursed secret, as a woman travaileth with child? Go then and be delivered of thy burden, in the way the Lord hath ordained. First, Go and tell thy brother of his fault, between thee and him alone. Next, Take with thee one or two common friends, and tell him in their presence. If neither of these steps take effect, then tell it to the church. But at the peril of thy soul, tell it to no one else, either before or after. Unless in that one exempt case, when it is absolutely needful, to preserve the innocent. Why shouldst thou burden another as well as thyself, by making him partaker of thy sin?
5. *O that all you who bear the reproach of Christ, who are in derision called Methodists, would set an example to the Christian world, so called, at least in this one instance! Put ye away evil-speaking, tale-bearing, whispering: let none of them proceed out of your mouth. See that you speak evil of no man; of the absent nothing but good. If ye must be distinguished, whether ye will or no, let this be the distinguishing mark of a Methodist, “He censures no man behind his back: by this fruit ye may know him.” What a blessed effect of this self-denial should we quickly feel in our hearts? How would our peace flow as a river, when we thus followed peace with all men? How would the love of God abound in our own souls, while we thus confirmed our love to our brethren? And what an effect would it have on all that were united together in the name of the Lord Jesus? How would brotherly love continually increase, when this grand hindrance of it was removed? All the members of Christ’s mystical body would then naturally care for each other? If one member suffered, all would suffer with it; if one was honoured, all would rejoice with it: and every one would love his brother with a pure heart fervently. Nor is this all: but what an effect might this have, even on the wild, unthinking world? How soon would they descry in us, what they could not find among all the thousands of their brethren, and cry (as Julian the apostate to his Heathen courtiers) “See how these Christians love one another!” By this chiefly would God convince the world, and prepare them also for his kingdom: as we may easily learn from those remarkable words in our Lord’s last, solemn prayer. I pray for them who will believe in me, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee—That the world may believe that thou hast sent me! The Lord hasten the time! The Lord enable us, thus to love one another, not only in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth, even as Christ hath loved us.