III. Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren, for deterring of others from the like offences, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honour of Christ and the holy profession of the gospel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the church, if they should fuffer his covenant, and the feals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders c.. IV. For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the church are to proceed by admonition, fufpenfion from the sacrament of the Lord's fupper for a season, and by excomunication from the church, according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the perfon d. they are remitted unto them: and whose soever fins ye retain, they are retained. 2. Cor. ii. 6. Sufficient to fuch a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of mary. v. 7. So that contrariwise, ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch forrow. v. 8. Wherefore I beseech you, that you would confirm your love towards him. III. (1 Cor. v. ch. throughout.) r Tim. v. 20. Them that fin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear. Mat. vii. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast you your pearls before swine, left they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you. 1 Tim. i. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Şatan, that they may learn not to blafpheme. (1 Cor. xi. 27. to the end.) With Jude 23. And others fave with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garments spotted by the flesh... IV. dr Theff. v. 12. And we be CHAP. seech you, brethren, to know them L : F CHAP. XXXI. Of Synods and Councils. the OR the better government and further edification of church, there ought to be fuch assemblies as are commonly called fynods or councils a. 11. As magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers and other fit persons, to confult and advise with about matters of religionb: so, if magistrates be open enemies to the church, the ministers of Christ, of themselves, by virtue of their office; or they, with other fit persons upon delegation from their churches, may meet together in such assemblies c. III. It III. It belongeth to synods and councils, ministerially to the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Tit. jii. 10. A man that is an heretick, after the first and second admonition, reject. I. a Acts xv. 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small difsention and difputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, fhould go up to Jerufalem unto the apolles and elders about this queftion. v. 4. And when they were come to Jerufalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles 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 thy nurfing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of their feet, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they fhall not be ashamed that wait for me. 1 Tim. ii. 1. I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, 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. xxix. and xxx. chapters throughout.) Mat. ii. 4. And when he had gathered all the chiefpriets and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. v. 5. And they faid 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 counsellers there is fafety. Acts xv. 2, 4. (See in letter a.) v. 22. Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to fend chofen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas firnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. v. 23. And wrote letters by them after this manner, The apostles, and elders, and brethren send greeting unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. v. 25. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to fend chosen men unto you with our be determine controverfies of faith, and cafes of confcience; to 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-administration, and authoritatively to determine the same: 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 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 an help in bothe. 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, unless by way of humble petition, in cafes extraordinary; or by way of advice loved Barnabas and Paul. III. d Acts 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 who 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 as an heathen man and a publican. v. 18. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and 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 afk, it shall be done for them of my Father who 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. e Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus 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 scriptures daily, whether those things were fo. 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. V. f Luke advice for fatisfaction of confcience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magiftrate f. CHAP. XXXII. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Refurrection of the Dead. TH HE bodies of men, after death return to dust, and fee corruption a; but their fouls (which neither die nor fleep) having an immortal fubsistence, immediately return to God who gave themb. 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 bodiesc: and the fouls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in forments and utter darkness, referved to the judgment of the great 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 faid unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you? John xviii. 36. Jesus answered, Mykingdom 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. 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 ferved his own generation by the will of God, fell on fleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and faw 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.... 1 Heb. xii. 23. To the general assembly, and church of the first born 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 dissolved, 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 whilst we are at home in the body, we are abfent from the Lord. v. 8. We are con fident, 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 muit receive, until the times of great day d. Besides these two places for fouls separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth none. II. At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changede: and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-fame bodies, and none other, altho' with different qualities, which shall be united again to their fouls for ever f. III. The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just by his Spirit unto honour, and be made comformable unto his own glorious body g. restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, fince the world began. And Eph. iv. 10. He that deIcended, is the fame also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. Luke xvi. 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom. y. 24. And he cried, and faid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send 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 6. And the angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. v. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like man ner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are fet forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 1 Pet. iii. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prifon. CHAP. II. Theff. iv. 17. Then we who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the lord in the air: and fo shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Cor. xv. 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all skep, 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 shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. f Job xix. 26. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. v. 27. Whom I shall fee 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 sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a fpiritual body. III.g Actsxxiv. 15. And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a refurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. John. v. 28. L3 Marvel |