In the third place, I understand from the little note which you wrote subsequently, that you particularly desire to know my views as to what is to be done with persons who will not avoid those whom the church has excommunicated according to the Scriptures, and are not willing to confess to guilt in the matter. I am greatly astonished that this spirit also manifests itself; but I fear that he is different in his nature from what he pretends to be; for the avoidance is very much in the way of Satan, yet the apostle teaches that it is a good means to make the excommunicated ashamed, that is, to bring him to humility or repentance. 2 Thess. 3:14. But now I hear that the defect in regard to this avoiding lies chiefly, not with those that are avoided, but with those that should avoid. From this it is quite evident, that the reason why they will not avoid, lies with them, and not with those that are avoided, which also appears so to me, since I have noticed and feared that there was a covetous, self-seeking spirit with many, so that the mind was far more exercised in temporal business, traffic, and the like, than in godliness; yea, that they sought more to lay up treasures on earth, than in heaven. And this avoidance is often greatly in the way of this spirit, for it inconveniences him sometimes in his business; hence one begins to consider, whether this cannot be set aside, and this with Scripture; for this spirit is of such a nature, that he does not like to make himself known; but he seeks to cover himself with the cloak of righteousness. He is also not reproved much in the church, or if he is to be reproved, he must be called by another name; for he is sometimes reproved as a heretic, sometimes as a juggler, sometimes as an idolater. And this is the reason, that he can conceal himself so well, but yet manifests his nature in this wise; for wherever he goes he does not go to be idle. Hence the apostle writes: “The love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Tim. 6:10.
The apostle further writes: “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 from us.” 2 Thess. 3:6. And he further writes: “If any man obey not our word, signify that man by an epistle, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” 2 Thess. 3:14,15. With this the apostle indicates, that the church is as much bound, to have nothing to do with the disobedient, as she is bound to withdraw herself from such as walk disorderly, even though the word withdraw might be understood only with reference to excommunication; for as the church must withdraw herself, lest she should be leavened or defiled by such persons, so she must have nothing to do with them, that they may be ashamed. Again, the church defiles herself, when she does not avoid, since this is commanded and taught her by the apostle, for he taught this, that it should be done, as may be perceived in his epistle to the Corinthians; for he writes: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators.” 1 Cor. 5:9. From this it seems that he had written them before that time; but as they did not observe it, he explained it to them more fully, for he says; Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But I have written unto you, not to keep company with these. See, he says again: I have written unto you.
From this it can well be seen, that he repeats it, in order that they should observe it better, than they had done before; for they did also not observe excommunication, because they could not avoid; for where no excommunication is, there is also no avoidance, for avoidance springs from excommunication. Hence he reproved them as being puffed up, and that they did not mourn that such heinous deeds were committed among them; and determined concerning him that had done this deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when they were gathered together, with his spirit, and with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver him unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus. Hence it is evident from this, that for whatever excommunication is good, avoidance is also good, and that they serve the same purpose. For the apostle says, that he delivered him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that is, for the mortification of the flesh; and concerning avoidance he says: And have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Mark, for what this shame serves; for it serves a woman to wash herself when she is told that she is begrimed; a man, also, that is disrobed, does not want to be seen in his nakedness, for he is ashamed; hence, when some one comes that would see him, he immediately puts on his clothes, that he should not be seen in his nakedness. As Adam, when he knew that he was naked, he forthwith sought to cover himself, for he was ashamed; and he made an apron of fig leaves, to cover his shame. Now we must, according to the words of the apostle, avoid the excommunicated, that they may become ashamed; for if we withdraw ourselves from them, and avoid them, they have cause to consider why this is done, and through this considering to know their nakedness; and become ashamed before the Lord their God, against whom they have sinned, and are thus smitten in their conscience, so that in this condition they dare not appear before the Lord, and hence seek a means to cover their nakedness, but not with fig leaves, as did Adam, but with the skin of the Lamb Christ Jesus, who must be received through faith with a broken and contrite heart. As Adam, when he humbled himself, God put a coat of skins on him, to cover his nakedness. Thus, dear brother, excommunication and avoidance have the same purpose, and they are not contrary to each other; hence the apostle says: Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Admonition is not contrary to avoidance, for admonition serves to amendment, even as avoidance and excommunication serve to it. Hence the apostle does not prohibit it, but teaches that they are to be admonished as brethren; for all that is not contrary to them, namely, excommunication and avoidance, they do not prohibit; but where excommunication is, there must also be avoidance, for it proceeds from excommunication. Hence, when he wrote to the Corinthians, how they should deliver the fornicator to Satan, and purge out the old leaven, he also wrote to them: “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?” Mark, he says, judge; yet he had not written anything from which they might have understood, that the world should be excommunicated; but he had written that they should have no company with fornicators, and in order that they should not understand it with reference to the fornicators of the world, that one should have no company with them, he says: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous; for then must ye needs go out of the world. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? See, he calls it judging, that, as he said, one should have no company with them; although avoidance is not excommunication or the judgment itself, but it confirms the judgment; for when I say: You must have nothing to do with that man, I thereby declare that he is excommunicated, and all that avoid him show that he is judged. Hence he says: “Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
From this we can well perceive, that avoidance is as well founded in the Scriptures as excommunication; hence those who now reject avoidance, reject the Scriptures, since it is founded in the Scriptures. Therefore, they that will not avoid, sin, not against men, but against the Lord; hence the church may not tolerate such, who so sin against the Lord, and will not confess to guilt; for they are servants of the Lord, to punish all disobedience.
Now we perceive, in the first place from the words of Christ (Matt. 18:15), that if any one sins against his neighbor, by any transgression, he must be reconciled to his neighbor, or he cannot, after sufficient admonition, remain a brother, but he must be regarded as a heathen man or publican, who was excluded from the covenant of the Lord, and with whom the Jews would have no fellowship. John 4:9. And since they must be regarded as persons that are excluded from the covenant of the Lord, because they have only through weakness sinned against their neighbor, and will not confess to guilt; how much more shall they be regarded so who sin against the Lord, and transgress his doctrine—which is frequently done through heedlessness, or self-interest, or for the sake of friends or relatives—and yet will not become reconciled to the Lord?
In the second place Moses writes, that if any one touched a dead body, and would not wash himself the third and the seventh day, he was to be cut off. Yet the dead had to be touched, for they must be buried; and yet, if they would not wash themselves, they had to be cut off; and the priest might not defile himself with any dead person; he was not allowed to go to any dead, for he had the anointing oil on his head. Num. 19:11; Lev. 21:1; 8:12; Ex. 19:10. Hence, if they in Israel had to be so punished, who would not wash themselves with water, from a pollution which was caused by necessity, how shall they now be tolerated in the church, who without necessity, yea, often for the sake of gain, or through the prompting of flesh and blood, defile themselves with these dead, after they have been separated from the church, and yet will not wash themselves, or bear or confess their guilt? These people may not thus be tolerated, according to the view which I have from the Scriptures; and if they are allowed to go unreproved, it must be declared as a liberty, and then perhaps to-morrow already another will arise and demand the abolishment of excommunication, and will prove to you, that you have just as much power to maintain avoidance, as you have to maintain excommunication; and then you will be beaten with your own staff, and thus the hedge will be completely broken down, and the wild boars will run into the vineyard of the Lord, and root it up. Ps. 80:13; Is. 5:5. O dear brother, take heed; blow the trumpet on Mount Zion; let Israel hear the word of the Lord; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering. Joel 2:1; 2 Tim. 4:2.
With the simple that are led astray in understanding, deal in a fatherly, long-suffering manner, if God may haply yet enlighten them by his Spirit. Bind up the wounded; seek the erring; break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Is. 61:1; Luke 10:34; 15:4; Is 42:3. Always take heed unto yourselves, and to the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Acts 20:28. Hence feed the flock of Christ not by constraint, but willingly (1 Pet. 5:2), and remember that the apostle says: “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me. 1 Cor. 9:16,17. Hence he also says: “Though we might have used authority, as the apostles of Christ, we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children; so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 1 Thessalonians 2:6–8. And he said, that as a father admonishes his children, so he had exhorted, comforted, and charged them, that they should walk worthy of God. vs. 11, 12; Philip. 1:27; Col. 1:10.
Thus, my dear brother, take heed to your sheep, and tend to your flock with a ready mind, and, when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:4; Jas. 1:12. Thus, my dear brother, be watchful, and do the work of a true preacher; make full proof of thy ministry (2 Tim. 4:5) and say like the prophet: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” Is. 62:1. Be on your guard, and watch over their souls, as one that must give an account thereof. Heb. 13:17. If you see the sword coming, blow the trumpet, and warn the people in the name of the Lord, that the drowsy may awake, and the feeble knees make straight paths, and the hands which hang down be lifted up, and you be free of their blood. Hebrews 13:17; Ezek. 33:3; Heb. 12:12,13; Ezek. 3:19,21. To this end may the Lord grant you his grace, and strengthen you by his Spirit, that you may receive the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul. Amen.
I pray you, dear brother, receive my brief exhortation in good part, for it has been written out of love; and here you have my simple views with regard to avoidance, and briefly what is to be done with those who do not avoid, and will not confess to guilt. I should have written more fully concerning it, but there was no good opportunity. Herewith I will commend my dear and much beloved brother, whom I love with all my heart, and his dear wife, to the Lord and to the word of his grace. Pray the Lord for us. I thank you heartily for what you sent me; thank Peter very much in my name, this I ask of you. Written on the 17th and 18th of May by me, Jacob de Roore.
I wish that you would send a copy of this letter to one of the ministers at Armentiers, or to my wife for this is my desire. Dear brother Pouwel, if you desire anything further, and I have the time, I am at your service, though there is little to be obtained from me. Greet your ministers very much in my name, and all them that fear and love God, where it is convenient.