Church discipline

In these days of boasted liberality, it may appear captious to oppose 
with zeal the errors of men who have acquired a name in the Christian 
world. The mantle of charity, it will be said, ought to be thrown over 
mistakes that have resulted from a free and impartial investigation of 
truth, and if not wholly overlooked, they should be noticed with a slight 
expression of disapprobation. Such, however, was not the conduct of 
the Apostle Paul. He spared neither churches nor individuals, when 
the doctrines they maintained tended to the subversion of the Gospel ; 
and the zeal with which he resisted their errors was not inferior to that 
with which he encountered the open enemies of Christianity. He affirms 
that the doctrine introduced into the Galatian churches is another Gospel, 
and twice pronounces a curse against all by whom it was promulgated. 
Instead of complimenting the authors of this corruption of the Gospel as 
only abusing in a slight degree the liberty of free examination, he 
decides that they should be cut off as troublers of the churches. Let 
not Christians be more courteous in expressing their views of the guilt 
and danger of corrupting the Gospel, than faithful and compassionate to 
the people of Christ who may be injured by false doctrine. It is highly 
sinful to bandy compliments at the expense of truth. 

The awful responsibility of being accessory to the propagation of error 
is strongly expressed by the Apostle John. 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. If the imputation of Adam s sin and of Christ s righteous 
ness be doctrines contained in the word of God, commentaries that labour 
to expel them from that word must be grossly pestiferous books, which 
no Christian ought to recommend, but which, on the contrary, to the 
utmost of his power, it is his duty to oppose.