the Church, if they should suffer his covenant, and the seals 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, suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a season, and by excommunication from the Church, according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the person.d

CHAPTER XXXI.

OF SYNODS AND COUNCILS.

I. FOR the better government and further edification of the Church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils: a and it belongeth to the

III. See 1 Cor. v. 1 Tim. v. 20. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 1 Tim. i. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander: whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. Jude 23. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. See 1 Cor. xi. 27-34.

IV. d Matt. 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 a heathen man and a publican. 1 Thess. v. 12. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition 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 a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.-Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. See Tit. iii. 10.

1. 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

overseers 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 such assemblies; and to convene together in them, as often as they shall judge it expedient for the good of the Church.c

b

II. 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.d

III. 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.e

IV. Synods and councils are to handle or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to

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 elders came together for to consider of this matter. See Rev. ii. 1-6; Acts xx. 17, 28.

See Acts XV.

Acts xx. 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church. See Acts xv.

II. 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. See Acts xv. 15, 19, 24, 27-31; Matt. xviii. 17-19, 29.

III. 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. See Eph. ii. 20.

intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth, 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.

CHAPTER XXXII..

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

I. THE bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption; a 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: c

IV. 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. Matt. xxii. 21. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

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 shalt thou 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.

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.

Rev. vii. 4, 15. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.-Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 2 Cor. v. 1, 8. For we know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dis

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

II. 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 self-same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for ever.f

III. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unto honor, and be made conformable to his own glorious body. 9

solved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.-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. 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. Eph. iv. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. Rom. viii. 23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

d Luke xvi. 23, 24. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, 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. See Jude 6, 7.

II. 1 Thess. 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, 52. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Cor. xv. 42-44. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: It is sown 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 toward God, which they them

CHAPTER XXXIII.

OF THE LAST JUDGMENT.

с

I. GOD hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ,a to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged; but likewise all persons, that have lived upon earth, shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.d

selves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. John v. 28, 29. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. Phil. iii. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

I. a Acts xvii. 31. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

John v. 22, 27. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.-And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Jude 6. And the angels which 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. 2 Pet. ii. 4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.

d2 Cor. v. 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Eccl. xii. 14. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Rom. ii. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Rom. xiv. 10, 12. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.-So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Matt. xii. 36, 37. But I say unto