xviii. 17, 18, compared with Matt. xvi. 19, and John xx. 21, 23.  “An heretic, after once or twice admonition, reject,” Tit. iii. 10; i.e. excommunicate, till he repent—­Pisc. in loc. By the lawful judgment of the Church, to deliver the impenitent to Satan.—­Beza in loc. “Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme,” 1 Tim. i. 20.  The apostle’s scope in 1 Cor. v. is to press the church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person.  “Ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed may be taken from the midst of you.  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already as present judged him that thus wrought this thing.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus,” 1 Cor. v. 2-5.  “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  Purge out therefore the old leaven,” ver. 7.  “I wrote to you in an epistle, not to be mingled together with fornicators,” ver. 9, 11; and explaining what he meant by not being mingled together, saith, “If any named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or drunkard, or rapacious, with such an one not to eat together,” ver. 11.  “Therefore take away from among yourselves that wicked person,” ver. 13.

5.  Seasonable remitting, receiving, comforting, and authoritative confirming again in the communion of the Church those that are penitent.  “What things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,” Matt. xvi. 19, and xviii. 18.  “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them,” John xx. 23.  This loosing and remitting is not only doctrinal and declarative in the preaching of the word, but also juridical and authoritative in the administration of censures.  This is called, for distinction’s sake, absolution.  After the church of Corinth had excommunicated the incestuous person, and he thereupon had given sufficient testimony of his repentance, the apostle directs them to receive him into church communion again, saying, “Sufficient to such an one is that rebuke inflicted of many; so that contrariwise you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest such an one should be swallowed up of abundant sorrow.  Wherefore I beseech authoritatively to confirm love unto him:  for to this purpose also I have written unto you, that I may know the proof of you, if ye be obedient in all things,” 2 Cor. ii. 6-9.

CHAPTER VIII.

Of the End and Scope of this Government of the Church.