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The first exhortation here given, is, how they should carry themselves one towards another, upon supposition of their scandalous falling either into error, or into sin, namely, not with rigour and severity, but with mildness and lenity; If any be overtaken in a fault, &c.
Here note, 1. An evil supposed, namely, that the wisest, the holiest, and the best of men, may be overtaken in a fault, and surprised by a temptation: If any man be overtaken: implying that any man may be so: that sin, or that misery, which befalls some men, may befall others, any others, yea, all others; for all are partakers of the same frail nature, subject to the working of the same corruption, and liable to the danger of the same temptation.
Note, 2. The duty directed to, with relation to these persons, who trip and fall either into sin, or into error; Restore him, set him right, put him in joint again; a metaphor taken from bone-setters, who place dislocated bones, and set broken bones with great tenderness.
Those three things, which we say are necessary in a bone-setter, are absolutely needful in a repriver: namely, an eagle's eye, to discern where the fault lies; a lion's heart, to deal faithfully and freely with the faults; and a lady's hand to use them gently and tenderly.
Note, 3. The persons particularly named, who are and ought to manage this duty of brotherly reproof, Ye that are spiritual: you that are the governors of the church, say some; you that are endowed with spiritual gifts, say others; the prophets among you, who perform all spiritual offices for you, let them rebuke offenders.
Others, by spiritual, understand such as had received larger measures of the gifts and graces of the Spirit than others: Let such as are strong bear with the infirmities of the weak.
Note, 4. The manner how this duty of fraternal correction, or brotherly reproof, is and ought to be managed, namely, with patience and meekness, not with severity and roughness: Ye that are spiritual, restore him in the spirit of meekness; if the reproofs you give others be imbittered with your own passions, they will spit them out of their mouths; yea, spit them back upon your very faces.
Note, 5. The argument to excite to all this namely, the consideration of our own personal frailty, and great liableness to fall into temptation ourselves, Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Who knows what a feather the strongest saint and stoutest Christian may prove in the wind of temptation? Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall, and exercise great candour and Christian tenderness towards them that are fallen before him. Hodie mihi, cras tibi.
From the whole learn, 1. That fraternal correction, or brotherly reproof, is a great duty which Christians mutually owe one to another, when they either run into error, or fall into sin: If any of you be overtaken, restore him.
Learn, 2. That although it be the duty of private Christians to admonish and reprove one another, as being members one of another, yet those that are spiritual, Christ's ministers, the guides of his church, the stewards of his household, ought in special to look upon it as their obliged duty to reprove and rebuke with all long-suffering and gentleness.
Learn, 3. That rigour and severity, expressed towards the failings and escapes of others, will rather exasperate than reclaim them: we must deal as gently with a fallen brother as with a broken bone; if we do not temper our reproofs with meekness, they will certainly prove successless.
Learn, 4. That the holiest saint or most spiritual man here on earth, is within the reach of temptation, and may possibly fall himself; therefore he ought to treat a fallen brother with great tenderness and regard.