Imatges de pàgina
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impenitent, both by the word and cenfures; and to open it unto penitent finners, by the ministry of the gospel, and by abfolution from cenfures, as occasion shall require b.

III. Church cenfures are neceffary 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 profeffion of the gofpel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might juftly fall upon the church, if they should fuffer his covenant, and the feals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obftinate offenders c.

IV. For the better attaining of thefe ends, the officers of the church are to proceed by admonition, fufpenfion from the facrament of the Lords Supper for a feafon, and by excome munication from the church, according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the perfon d. CHAP.

II.b Mat. 16. 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou fhalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatfoever thou fhalt loofe on earth,fhall be loofed in heaven. Mat. 18. 17. And if he fhall 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, 1 fay unto you,whatsoever ye fhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye fhall loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven, John 20. 21. Then faid Jefus to them again, Peace be unto you; as my father hath fent me, even fo fend I you. 7. 22. And when he had faid this,he breathed on them, and faith unto them,receive ye the holy Gholt. v. 23. Whole foever fins ye remit,they are remitted unto them: and whole foever fins ye retain, they are retained. 2 Cor. 2. 6. Sufficient to fuch a man is this punishment which was inflic ted of many. 7.7. So that contrariwile, ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, left perhaps fuch a one should be fwallowed up

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withovermuchforrow,v.8. Wherefore I befeech you, that you would confirm your love towards him.

III. c(Cor.5. ch. throughout.) 1 Tim.5.20. Them that fin,rebuke before all, that others alío may fear. Mat.7.6.Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither caft ye your pearls before fwine, left they tramplethem under theirfeet, and turn againand rent you. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered untoSatan,that they may learn not to blafpheme. (1 Cor.11.27. to the end,) With Jude 23. And others fave with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the gar ments Ipotted by the flesh.

IV. Theff.5.12. And we be fecch you,brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord,and admonish you. 2 Theff, 3. 6, Now we com mand you,brethren,in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that ye withdraw yourfelves from everybrother that walketh diforderly, and notafter the tradition which he received of us. v. 14. And if any man obey hot our word by this epiftle, note that man, and have no company K 4

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CHAP. XXXI. Of fynods and councils.

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OR the better government and farther edification of the church,there ought to be fuch affemblies as are commonly called fynods or councils a.

II. As magiftrates may lawfully call a fynod of minifters and other fit perfons, to confult and advife with about matters of religion b; fo, if magiftrates be open enemies to the church, the minifters of Chrift, of themselves, by virtue of their office; or they, with other fit perfons upon delegation from their churches, may meet together in fuch affemblies c. III. It

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with him,that he may be ashamed. v. 15. Yet count him notas an enemy,butadmonish him as a brother. I Cor.5.4. In the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, when ye are gathered together, and my fpirit, with the power of our Lord Jefus Chrift,v. 5. To deliver fuch an one untosatan for the deftruction of the flesh, that the fpirit may be faved in the day of the ord Jefus. 13. But themthatarewithout, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselvesthat wicked perfon, Mat, 18.17.And if he fhallneglecttohear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church,let him be untothee asanheathen man and a publican. Tit.3.10. A man that is an heretick, after the first and fecond admonition, reject.

1. a Acts 15. 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had nofmall diffention anddifputation with them, they determinedthat Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, fhould go up to Jerufalem untothe apofiles and elders about this que tion.",4.And when heywerecome to Jerufalem,they were received of the church,and of the apoftles and elders;and they declaredall things thatGod had done with them.,6. And the Apostles and elders came together for to confider of this matter.

H.bla.49, 23, And kings fhall

be thy nurfing fathers, and their queens thy nurfing mothers: they fhall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth,and lick up the duft of thy feet, and thoufhalt know that I am the Lord; for they fhall not be ashamed that wait for me. Tim. 2.1.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 godlinefs and honefty (2Chron. 19.8. to the end.) (2Chron.29.& 30 chapters throughout.)Mat,2.4 And whenhe had gathered all the chief priests and fcribes of the people together, he demanded of them whereChrift thould be born.v.5.And they faid unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is writtenbytheprophet, Prov. 11 14.Where no counfelis, the people fall: but in the multitude of counfellers there is fafety,

c Acts 15, 2, 4, See in letter a.) v.22. Then pleafed it the apostles andelders, with the whole church,to fend chofen men of their owncompany to Antioch,with Paul & Bar nabas;namely, Judas firnamed Bar fabas,and Silas, chief men among the brethren; 23. And wrote lettersby them afterthismanner, The apostles, and elders, and brethren fend greeting unto the brethren

III. It belongeth to fynods and councils, minifterially 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-administration, and authoritatively to determine the fame: which decrees and determi nations, if confonant to the word of God, are to be received with reverence and fubmiffion, not only for their agreement with the word, but alfo for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God,appointed there unto in hisword d. IV. 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 used as an help in both e.

V. Synods and councils are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is ecclefiaftical: 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 for fatisfaction of con cience if they be thereun to required, by the civil magiftrate f. СНАР,

which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia.7.25.It feemed good unto us, being affembled with one accord, to fend chofen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.

III. d Acts 15. 15, 19,24,27,28, 29,30,31. (See in the Bible.) Acts 16.4.And asthey 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. 18.17.And if he thall 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 pub lican..18.Verily I lay unto you, Whatsoeverye fhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven:andwhat foever ye fhall loofe on earth,fhall be loofed in heaven. v 19. Again I fay unto you, that if two of you fhall agree on earth as touching a ny thing that they fhallak, it fhall be done for them of my Father which isin heaven, ". 20, For where two or three are gathered together

in my name, there am I in the midft of them."

IV. e Eph. 20. And are built u pon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himfelf being the chief corner-stone, Acts. 17.11.Thefe were more noblethan thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word withallreadiness of mind,& fearched the fcriptures daily,whethertholethings were fo, I Cor.2.5. That your faith should not ftand in the wildom of men, but in the power of God.2 Cor. 1.24, Not for that we have dominion o ver your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye stand.

V.f Luke 12.13, And one of the company faid unto him, Malter, fpeak to my brother,that he divide the inheritance with me .14. And he faid unto him, Man, who made me a judge,or a divider over you? John, 18. 36. Jefus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my fervants fight, that

CHAP. XXXII. Of the state of men after death, and of the refurrection of the dead..

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HE bodies of men, after death, return to duft, and fee corruption a; but their fouls (which neither die nor fleep) having an immortal subsistance, immediately return to God who gave them b, The fouls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holinefs,are received intothe highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies c: 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 d. Befides these two places for fouls feparated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.

I fhould not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdomnot from hence.

I.a Gen,3.19. In the fweat ofthy face fhalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: for out of it waft thou taken: for dust thou art,and to duft thou fhalt return. Acts. 13.36.For David,after he had fervedhisowngenerationbythewill of God,fell on fleep& was laid unto his fathers and faw corruption, b Luke23. 43. AndJefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee,To day fhalt thou be with me in paradife, Eccl. 12. 7. Then fhall the duft return to the earth as it was: and thefpiritfhall return untoGod who gave it,

c Heb, 12.23. To the general affembly, & church of the firft-born which are written in heaven, and to God the judge ofall, and to the fpirits of juft men made perfect. 2. Cor. 5. 1. For we know, that if Our earthly houfeof this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of God an houfe not made with hands,eternal in the heavens, v. 6. Therefore we arealwaysconfident, knowing that whilft we are athome in the body,weare abfent from the Lord. v. 8. We are confident, I fay and willingrather to be abfentfrom

II. At the body and to be present with the Lord.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. With Acts 3. 21.Whomtheheavenmult receive, until the times of restitution of all things,which God hath spoken by the mouthofall hisholy prophets, fince the world began. And Eph. 4. 10. He that defcended, is the fame alfo that afcended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

d Luke16. 23, And in hell he lift up his eyes,being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Laza rus in his bofom. v. 4. And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mery, on me, and fend Laza rus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water & coolmy tongue; for I am tormented in this flame,' Acts 1.25, That he may take part of this miniftry and apostleship, from which Judas by tranfgreffion fell, that he might go to his own place. Jude6. Andthe angels which kept not their firft eftate, but left their own habitation,he hath refervedineverlaftingchains underdarknefs,untothejudgment of thegreatday.v.7. Even as Sodom and Go-* morrah, and the cities about them

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.. II. At the last day, fuch as are found alive fhall not die, but be changed e; and all the dead shall be railed up with the felf-fame bodies, and none other, altho' with different quali ties, which fhall be united again to their Souls for ever f

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

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the last Judgment,

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OD hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jefus Chrift 3, to whom all power and ju gment is given of the Father b. In which day,

in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after ftrange flesh, are set forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 1 Pet, 3, 19. By which alfo he went and preached unto the fpirits in prison.

II. e Theff. 4. 17. Then we which are alive & 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. Cor. 15.51. Behold, I fhew you a mystery; we shall not all fleep,but weshall all be changed, v. 52. In a moment, in the twink ling of an eye, at the laft trump, for the trumpet fhall found, & the dead fhall be raised incorruptible, and we fhall be changed.

f Job 19. 26. And though after my fkin, worms destroy this body, yet in my fleth fhall I feeGod.v,27, Whom I shall fee for my felf, and mine eyes (hall behold, & not another; though my reins be confumed within me. Cor. 15.42.So al fo is the refurrection of the dead. It is fown in corruption,it is raifed in incorruption: 7.43. It is lown in difhonour, 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 fpiritual body,

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There is a natural body, and there 'is a fpiritual body.

III,g Acts24. 5. And have hope toward God,whichthey themselves alfo allow, that there fhall be a re furrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. ohm 5.28. Marvel not at this for thehour is coming. in the which all that are in the graves fhall hear his voice. v, 29. Andhall come forth,they thathave done good, unto the refurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the refurrectionof damnation, 1 Cor 15.43. (See in letter f.) Phil, 3. 21. Who fhall change our vile body,that it may be fathioned like unto his glorious body,according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself.

I. a Acts 17. 31. Because hehath appointed a day in thewhich hewill judgetheworldin righteousness,by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given affurance unto all men,in that he hath railed him from the dead.

bohn 22. For the Father judgeth no man; but hath com mitted all judgment unto the Son: 7, 27. And hath given him autho rity to execute judgment alfo, be, caule he is the Son of Man,

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