We regard this present confession as a restatement of the Eighteen Articles adopted at Dordrecht in the Netherlands in 1632 and of the other statements adopted by our church
That is interesting, the Dordrecht confession on the ban. compared to the new one. Seems to me that it isn't a restatement but a lessening of what the Dordrecht said.
XVI. Of the Ecclesiastical Ban, or Separation from the Church
We also believe in, and confess, a ban, separation, and Christian correction in the church, for
amendment, and not for destruction, in order to distinguish that which is pure from the impure:
namely, when any one, after he is enlightened, has accepted the knowledge of the truth, and been
incorporated into the communion of the saints, sins again unto death, either through willfulness,
or through presumption against God, or through some other cause, and falls into the unfruitful
works of darkness, thereby becoming separated from God, and forfeiting the kingdom of God,
that such a one, after the deed is manifest and sufficiently known to the church, may not remain
in the congregation of the righteous, but, as an offensive member and open sinner, shall and must
be separated, put away, reproved before, and purged out as leaven; and this for his amendment,
as an example, that others may fear, and to keep the church pure, by cleansing her from such
spots, lest, in default of this, the name of the Lord be blasphemed, the church dishonored, and
offense given to them that are without; and finally, that the sinner may not be condemned with
the world, but become convinced in his mind, and be moved to sorrow, repentance, and
reformation.
(Jer. 59:2; I Cor. 5:5, 13; I Tim. 5:20; I Cor. 5:6; II Cor. 10:8; 13:10).
Further, concerning brotherly reproof or admonition, as also the instruction of the erring it is
necessary to exercise all diligence and care, to watch over them and to admonish them with all
meekness, that they may be bettered, and to reprove, according as is proper, the stubborn who
remain obdurate; in short, the church must put away from her the wicked (either in doctrine or
life), and no other.
(Jas. 5:19; Titus 3:10; I Cor. 5:13). XVI. Of the Ecclesiastical Ban, or Separation from the Church
We also believe in, and confess, a ban, separation, and Christian correction in the church, for
amendment, and not for destruction, in order to distinguish that which is pure from the impure:
namely, when any one, after he is enlightened, has accepted the knowledge of the truth, and been
incorporated into the communion of the saints, sins again unto death, either through willfulness,
or through presumption against God, or through some other cause, and falls into the unfruitful
works of darkness, thereby becoming separated from God, and forfeiting the kingdom of God,
that such a one, after the deed is manifest and sufficiently known to the church, may not remain
in the congregation of the righteous, but, as an offensive member and open sinner, shall and must
be separated, put away, reproved before, and purged out as leaven; and this for his amendment,
as an example, that others may fear, and to keep the church pure, by cleansing her from such
spots, lest, in default of this, the name of the Lord be blasphemed, the church dishonored, and
offense given to them that are without; and finally, that the sinner may not be condemned with
the world, but become convinced in his mind, and be moved to sorrow, repentance, and
reformation.
(Jer. 59:2; I Cor. 5:5, 13; I Tim. 5:20; I Cor. 5:6; II Cor. 10:8; 13:10).
Further, concerning brotherly reproof or admonition, as also the instruction of the erring it is
necessary to exercise all diligence and care, to watch over them and to admonish them with all
meekness, that they may be bettered, and to reprove, according as is proper, the stubborn who
remain obdurate; in short, the church must put away from her the wicked (either in doctrine or
life), and no other.
(Jas. 5:19; Titus 3:10; I Cor. 5:13).
Concerning the withdrawing from, or shunning the separated, we believe and confess, that if any
one, either through his wicked life or perverted doctrine, has so far fallen that he is separated
from God, and, consequently, also separated and punished by the church, the same must,
according to the doctrine of Christ and His apostles, be shunned, without distinction, by all the
fellow members of the church, especially those to whom it is known, in eating, drinking, and
other similar intercourse, and no company be had with him that they may not become
contaminated by intercourse with him, nor made partakers of his sins; but that the sinner may be
made ashamed, pricked in his heart, and convicted in his conscience, unto his reformation. (I
Cor. 5:9-11; II Thess. 3:14).
Yet, in shunning as well as in reproving, such moderation and Christian discretion must be used,
that it may conduce, not to the destruction, but to the reformation of the sinner. For, if he is
needy, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, or in any other distress, we are in duty bound, necessity
requiring it, according to love and the doctrine of Christ and His apostles, to render him aid and
assistance; otherwise, shunning would in this case tend more to destruction than to reformation.
Therefore, we must not count them as enemies, but admonish them as brethren, that thereby they
may be brought to a knowledge of and to repentance and sorrow for their sins, so that they may
become reconciled to God, and consequently be received again into the church, and that love
may continue with them, according as is proper. (II Thess. 3:15).
Discipline
We believe that the Lord Jesus has given authority to His church to exercise discipline. The purposes of discipline are to lead each member to full stature in Christ, to restore to full fellowship the members who fall into sin, to clarify for all members the meaning of Christian discipleship, to promote the purity of the church, to warn the weak and immature of the serious character of sin and disobedience to God's Word, and to maintain the good name and witness of the church before the world. In this work the church employs public teaching, private counseling, intercessory prayer, earnest warning and rebuke, and sympathetic encouragement. If disobedience persists, the church may withhold the right to commune until the individual repents. And the church must, with a deep sense of loss, recognize that the one who goes on to full apostasy and spiritual ruin has severed his relation with Christ and His body. The standard in church discipline is the Word of God as interpreted by the brotherhood. The entire congregation should share in the work of discipline and seek earnestly to win the fallen member.
It seems to me that the 1963 confession is fairly different in the teaching on the ban/excommunication. I will read it further and comment on others I have thoughts on.