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CHAP. XXXI. Of Synods and Councils.

OR the better government and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are

commonly called Synods or Councils..

II. As magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers, and other fit perfons, to confult and advise with about matters of religion; so if magiftrates be open enemies to the church, the ministers of Chrift, of themselves, by virtue of their office, or they, with other fit persons upon delegation from their churches, may meet together in such affemblies.. III. It

obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. V. 15. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. I Cor. v. 4. In the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, V. 5. To deliver fuch an one unto Satan for the deftruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day ofthe Lord Jesus. V. 13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. Mat. xviii. 17. And if he shall neglect, to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican. Tit. iii. ro. A man that is an heretick, after the first and fecond admonition, reject.

I. Acts xv. 2. When, therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small diffenfion and difputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, thould go up to Jerufalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. V. 4. And when they were come to Jerufalem they were received of the church,

and of the apoftles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. V. 6. And the apostles and elders came together for to confider of this matter.

II. b Ifa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nurfing-fathers, and their queens thynurfing-mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the duft of thy feet, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. 1 Tim. ii. r. I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; V.2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. [2 Chron. xix. 8. to the end. 2 Chron. Chapters xxix. and xxx. throughout.] Mat. ii. 4. And, when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. V. g. And they said unto him, In Beth-lehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, Prov. xi. 74. Where no counsel is the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. «Αθς xv. 2, 4. See in letter V. 22. Then pleated it the apostles

and

III. It belongeth to synods and councils minifterially to

determine controverfies of faith, and cafes of conscience; rо fet down rules and directions for the better ordering of the publick worship of God, and government of his church; to receive complaints in cases of mal-adminiftration, and authoritatively to determine the fame: which decrees and determinations, if confonant to the word of God, are to be received with reverence and fubmiffion, not only for their agreement with the word, but also for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God, appointed thereunto in his word d.

IV. All fynods or councils fince the apostles' times, whcther general or particular, may err, and many have erred; therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith or practice, but to be used as an help in both..

V. Synods and councils are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is ecclefiaftical: and are not to intermeddle

with

and elders, with the whole church, as an heathen man, and a publi. to fend chofen men of their own can. V. 18. Verily I say unto you, company to Antioch, with Paul Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, and Barnabas; namely, Judas, fur-shall be bound in heaven; and

named Barfabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: V. 23. And wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles, and elders, and brethren, fend greet ing unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. V. 25. It seemed good unto us, being affembled with one accord, to fend chosen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.

III. dActs xv. 15, 19, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. [See in the Bible. Acts xvi. 4. And, as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerufalem. Mat. xviii. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee

whatsoever ye shall loofe on earth, shall be loofed in heaven. V. 19. Again I fay unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. V.20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

IV. Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner-ftone. Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than those in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the fcriptures daily whether those things were fo. I Cor. ii. 5. That your faith should not standi in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 2 Cor. i. 24. Not

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Chap. XXXII. with civil affairs, which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition, in cafes extraordinary; or by way of advice for fatisfaction of confcience, if they be there unto required by the civil magiftrate.

CHAP. XXXII. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead.

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HE bodies of men after death return to duft, and fee corruption; but their fouls, (which neither die nor fsleep,) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave theint. The fouls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the fouls

for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye ftand.

V. f Luke xii. 13. And one of the company faid unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. V. 14. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? John xviii. 36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my fervants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

I. Gen. iii. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; fer out of it wast thou taken: for duft thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. Acts xii. 36. For David, after he had ferved his own generation, by the will of God fell on fleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and faw corruption.

b Luke xxii. 43. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in

paradise. Eccl. xii. 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Heb. xii. 23. To the general affembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. 2 Cor. v. 1. For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. V. 6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilft we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: V.8. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Phil. i. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift; which is far better. With Acts iii. 21. Whom the heaven must receive, until the times of reftitution of all thin, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets fince the world

fouls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places, for fouls leparated from their bodies the scripture acknowledgeth none.

IL At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed, and all the dead shall be raised up with the felf-fame bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their fouls for ever .

III. The bodies of the unjust hall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unto honour, and be made conformable to his own glorious bodys. CHAP.

world began. And Eph. iv. 10. He that defcended is the fame also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

d Luke xvi. 23. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. V. 24. And he cried, and faid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me; and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool

my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. Acts i. 25. That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by tranfgreffion fell, that he might go to his own place. Jude, ver. 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlafting chains under darknefs, unto the judgment of the great day. V. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are fet forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire. I Pet. iii. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prifon.

II.1 Theff. iv. 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord. in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Cor. xv. 51. Behold, I fhew you a mystery; we shall not all fleep, but we shall all be changed, V. 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall found, and the dead shalf be raised incorruptible, and we

shall be changed.

f Job xix. 26. And though after myskins worms deftroy thisbody, yet in my flesh shall I fee God; V. 27. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be confumed within me. I Cor. xv. 42. So also is the refurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: V. 43. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power: V. 44. It is fown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

III. Acts xxiv. 15. And have hope towards God, which they themselves alfo allow, that there

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that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come, Lord Jefus, come quickly. Amen.

ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. V. 24. For we are faved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? V. 25. But if we hope for that we fee not, then do we with patience wait for it.

8 Mat. xxiv. 36, 42, 43, 44. [See in the Bible.] Mark xiii. 35. Watch ye, therefore, for ye know not when the mafter of the house cometh; at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the

V. 36.

morning. V. 36. Lest coming fuddenly, he find you fleeping. V. 37. And what I fay unto you, I fay unto all, Watch. Luke xii. 35. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding, that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Rev. xxii. 20. He which teftifieth these things faith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even fo come, Lord Jefus.

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