92SermonsofJonathanEdwards
observe in their carriage towards those who were vicious among the heathen, who had never joined with the church, and towards those of the same vicious character who had been their professed brethren; see verses 9-12. "I wrote unto you, not to company with fornicators. 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 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."
In the words of the text we may observe:
1. The duty enjoined: including the behavior required, negatively expressed, not to keep company, and the manner or degree, no not to eat.
2. The object: a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. We are not to understand merely these particular vices, but also any other gross sins, or visible wickedness. It is evident, that the apostle here and in the context, intends that we should exclude out of our company all those who are visibly wicked men. For in the foregoing verses he expresses his meaning by this, that we should purge out the old leaven. And explaining what he means by leaven, he includes all visible wickedness; as in verse 8. "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
Another thing by which the object of this behavior or dealing is characterized, is that he be one that is called a brother, or one that hath been a professed Christian, and a member of the church.
DOCTRINE
Those members of the visible Christian church who are become visibly wicked, ought not to be tolerated in the church, but should be