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Chapter XXXI.

OF SYNODS AND COUNCILS.

For the better government and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councils.a

II. The ministers of Christ, of themselves, and by virtue of their office; or they with other fit persons, upon delegation from their churches, have the exclusive right to appoint, adjourn, or dissolve such Synods or Councils : though, in extraordinary cases, it may be proper for magistrates to desire the calling of a Synod of ministers and other fit persons, to consult and advise with about matters of religion; and in such cases, it is the duty of churches to comply with their desire.b

which he received of us. And, if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet, count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, 13. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 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. 10. A man, that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.

I. a Acts xv. 2, 4, 6. When, therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. And the apostles and the elders came together for to consider of this matter.

II. b Acts xv. 2, 4, 22, 23, 25. (See in letter a.) Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas, sirnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. And they wrote letters by them after this manner, The apostles, and elders, and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul. Isa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers; they shall

III. It belongeth to Synods and Councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience; to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of his church; to receive complaints in cases of mal-administration, and authoritatively to determine the same which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission, 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.c

IV. All Synods or Councils, since 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 used as a help in both.d

V. Synods and Councils are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs, which concern the commonwealth,

bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust 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. 1, 2. I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Mat. ii. 4, 5. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet. Prov. xi. 14. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

III. c Acts xv. 15, 19, 24, 27 to 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 Jerusalem. Mat. xviii. 17 to 20. 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. Verily, Í say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bonnd in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say 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. For, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. IV. d Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 1 Cor. ii. 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 2 Cor. i. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Chapter XXXI.

OF SYNODS AND COUNCILS.

FOR the better government and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councils.a

II. The ministers of Christ, of themselves, and by virtue of their office; or they with other fit persons, upon delegation from their churches, have the exclusive right to appoint, adjourn, or dissolve such Synods or Councils : though, in extraordinary cases, it may be proper for magistrates to desire the calling of a Synod of ministers and other fit persons, to consult and advise with about matters of religion; and in such cases, it is the duty of churches to comply with their desire.b

which he received of us. And, if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet, count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, 13. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 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. 10. A man, that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.

I. a Acts xv. 2, 4, 6. When, therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. And the apostles and the elders came together for to consider of this matter.

II. b Acts xv. 2, 4, 22, 23, 25. (See in letter a.) Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas, sirnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. And they wrote letters by them after this manner, The apostles, and elders, and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul. Isa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers; they shall

III. It belongeth to Synods and Councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience; to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of his church; to receive complaints in cases of mal-administration, and authoritatively to determine the same: which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission, 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.c

IV. All Synods or Councils, since 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 used as a help in both.d

V. Synods and Councils are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is ecclesiastical and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs, which concern the commonwealth,

bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust 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. 1, 2. I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Mat. ii. 4, 5. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet. Prov. xi. 14. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

III. c Acts xv. 15, 19, 24, 27 to 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 Jerusalem. Mat. xviii. 17 to 20. 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. Verily, Í say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bonnd in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say 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. For, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. IV. d Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 1 Cor. ii. 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 2 Cor. i. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

unless by way of humble petition, in cases extraordinary; or by way of advice for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.e

Chapter XXXII.

OF THE STATE OF MEN AFTER DEATH, AND OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

THE bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption; but their souls, (which neither die nor sleep,) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls 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 souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judg

V. & Luke xii. 13, 14. And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 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 servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

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

b Luke xxiii. 43. And Jesus said 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.

c Heb. xii. 23. To the general assembly 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, 6, 7. For we know, that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 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 desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. With Acts iii. 21. Whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. And Eph. iv. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

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