IV. For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the church are to proceed by admonition, fufpenfion from the facrament of the Lord's fupper for a season, and by excommunication from the church, according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the perfon".

I

yourselves from every brother
that walketh diforderly, and
not after the tradition which
And if any
he received of us.
man obey not our word by this
epiftle, note that man, and
have no company with him,
that he may be ashamed.
Cor. 5. 4, 5, 13. In the name
of our Lord Jefus Christ,
when ye are gathered toge-
ther, and my fpirit, with the
power of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, to deliver fuch an one
unto Satan, for the deftruc-
tion of the flesh, that the fpi-
rit may be faved in the day of
the Lord Jefus. Therefore put
away from among yourselves
that wicked perfon. Mat. 18.
17. Tit. 3. 10.

F

CHAP. XXXI.

Of Synods and Councils.

OR the better government and further edification of the church, there ought to be fuch affemblies as are commonly called fynods or councils: and it belongeth to the overfeers and other rulers of the particular churches, by virtue of their office, and the power which Christ hath given them for edification, and not for destruction, to appoint fuch affemblies"; and to convene together in them, as often as they fhall judge it expedient for the good of the church.

I. a Acts 15. 2, 4, 6. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no fmall diffention and difputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, fhould go up to Jerufalem, unto the apoftles and elders about this question.-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. And the apoftles and elders came together, for to confider of this

matter,

big chap. Acts.

c Acts 15. 22, 23, 25. Then pleafed it the apoftles and elders, with the whole church, to fend chofen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas namely, Judas furnamed Barfabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren-And they wrote letters by them after this manner, The apoftles, and elders, and brethren fend greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. It cemed good unto us, being affembled with one accord, to fend chofen men

II. It belongeth to fynods and councils, ministerially, to determine controverfies of faith, and cafes of confcience; to fet down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of his church; to receive complaints in cafes 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".

III. All fynods or councils fince the apostles' times, whether 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 ufed as an help in both".

IV. Synods and councils are to handle or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclefiaftical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs,

unto you with our beloved in Theffalonica in that they reBarnabas and Paul.

ceived the word with all readinefs of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether thofe things were fo. 1 Cor. 25. That your faith should not ftand in the wifdom of men, but in the power of God. 2 Cor. I. 24. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye ftand. Eph. 2. 20,

which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition, in cases extraordinary;. or by way of advice for fatisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magi-ftrate'.

CHA P. XXXII.

Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection from the Dead.

T

HE bodies of men, after death, return to duft, and see corruption; but their fouls, (which neither die nor fleep) having an immor

IV. f Luke 12. 13, 14. And one of the company faid unto him, Mafter, fpeak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he faid unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you? John 18. 36. Jefus anfwered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my fervants fight, that fhould not be delivered to the

Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence.

I. a Gen. 3. 19. In the fweat of thy face fhalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: for out of it wast thou taken for duft thou art, and unto duft fhalt thou return. Acts 13. 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.

I

tal fubfiftence, immediately return to God who gave them". them. 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 of the wicked are caft into hell, where they remain in torments, and utter darkness, referved to the judgment of the great day. Befides these two places for fouls feparated from their bodies, the fcripture acknowledgeth none.

II. At the last day, fuch as are found alive fhall not die, but be changed: And all the dead

b Luke 23. 43. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, To-day fhalt thou be with me in paradife. Eccles. 12. 7. Then fhall the duft return to the earth as it was: and the fpirit fhall return unto God who gave it.

c Heb. 12. 23. To the general affembly and church of the firft-born which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all,and to the fpirits of just men made perfect. Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a ftrait, betwixt two, having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift, which is far better. I John 3. 2. Beloved, now are we the fons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we fhall be: but we know, that when he fhall appear, we fhall be like him, for we fhall fee him as he is. 2 Cor, 5. I, 6, 8.

d Luke 16. 23, 24. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abra ham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom. 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. Jude verfe 6,7.

II. e 1 Theff. 4. 17. Then we which are alive and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and fo fhall we ever be with the Lord. I Cor. 15. 51, 52. Behold I fhew you a mystery; We fhall not all fleep, but we fhall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump, (for the trumpet shall found) and the