and it belongeth to the 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.

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".

and they declared all things that God had done with them.And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

Acts, chap. xv.

c Acts xv. 22, 23, 25. 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, surnamed 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 mer. unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.

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. Acts xv. 15, 19, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Mat. xviii. 17, 18, 19, 29

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III. All synods or councils since the apostles' of 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®.

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IV. 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 cases extraordinary; or by p way of advice for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate1.

CHAPTER XXXII.

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

THE bodies of men, after death, return to dust. and see corruption; but their souls, (which nei

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. Eph. ii. 20.

IV. f 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.

I. 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 Laken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Acts

ther 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 judgment of the great dayd. 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

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.

• 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. 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. 1 John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 2 Cor. v. 1, 6, 8.

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. Jude verses 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.

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.

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 conforinable to his own glorious body.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Of the last Judgment.

GOD hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christa,

1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. Behold, I shew 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.

f Job xix. 26, 27. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour, 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 themselves 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

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".

II. The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice in whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

b 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.

• 1 Cor. vi. 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? Jude verse 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.

d 2 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 whe ther 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. Mat. xii. 36, 37. But 1 say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

II. Rom. ix. 23. And that he might make known the