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As if the apostle had said, This incestuous person, who hath caused so much grief to me by his sin, has caused no little grief to you also, to the sounder part of you, even to all, but those who were partakers with him in his sin: he hath grieved me, but in part only; you, as well as myself, have been grieved by him, and afflicted for him.
Not only the ministers, but members of the church, are affected with, and afflicted for, the scandal of professor's sins. St. Paul grieved but in part for the incestuous person's sin, the sounder part of the church mourned with him.
Or, secondly, He hath grieved me, but in part, that I may not overcharge you. It is as much as if he had said, "The grief and sorrow which I have had for the sin and scandal of this notorious offender, I am far, very far, from charging upon the whole church; I dare not load you all with that imputation, as if you were involved in the guilt of it."
'Tis not only injurious, but very unjust, to cast the dirt of professors' sin upon the face of their profession, or to charge the guilt of a particular person's miscarriages upon the whole church or Christian society to which he doth belong. As religion justifies no man's faults, so no man's faults should condemn religion.