Against an elder receive not an accusation
A charge of any crime:
but before two or three witnesses;
good sufficient ones, who are capable of well attesting the fact:
a charge against a pastor of a church is not to be easily
received; it should not be listened to privately, unless it
clearly appears by such a number of witnesses; nor should it be
brought publicly before the church, until it is privately and
previously proved, by a sufficient number of credible witnesses,
that it is really fact. The sense is, not that judgment shall not
pass against him but by such a number of witnesses, or that the
evidence upon his trial shall consist of such a number; for this
is no other than what ought to be in the case of a private
member, and of every man, according to ( Deuteronomy
19:15 ) . But the sense is, that the affair of an elder shall
not be put upon a trial, much less sentence pass, until it has
been privately proved against him, by proper testimonies, beyond
all exception; only in such a case, should a church admit a
charge against its elder. The reason of this rule is, because of
his high office and the honour of the church, which is concerned
in his, as well as of religion; for it carries in it some degree
of scandal for such a person to be charged, even though he may be
cleared; as also because of his many enemies, who through envy,
malice, and the instigation of Satan, would be continually
pestering the church with charges, could they be easily admitted.