saith, And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch. Mark 13: 37.

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. John 18: 36.-When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 6: 15. He shall speak peace unto the heathen; and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. Tech. 9: 10.

Read farther: Not how and by what right and authority, believers shall rule and reign over unbelievers; but how the church of Christ shall manifest obedience and submission to the government:- Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Rom. 13: 5--7.-Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things which are God's. Matth. 22: 21.-Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. 1 Pet. 2: 18, 14.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. Tit. 3: 1.-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. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. 2: 1-4.-And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. Jer. 29: 7.

ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHTH.

OF CHURCH ORDER AND DISCIPLINE, IN EXCLUDING FROM THE CHURCH DISORDERLY AND OFFENSIVE MEMBERS, BY EXCOMMUNICATION; AND OF THEIR RECEPTION INTO THE CHURCH AGAIN ON EVIDENT REPENTANCE.

OF Christian church order and discipline, in excluding its disorderly and offensive members and again receiving the penitent, we believe and acknowledge, That in like manner as a

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house or a city could not stand and subsist withhout having walls, doors and gates, by which to exclude, expel and debar the evil, disorderly and offensive members, and to receive, retain and preserve the good: therefore hath Christ, for the support and preservation of his church, given to it, The keys of the kingdom of heaven, (Matth. 16: 19.) which is his word; thereby to govern the church, and determine and judge concerning all its members who walk contrary to sound doctrine, and being disobedient, disorderly and offensive to the church, by transgressing the commandments and ordinances of God which are prescribed in his word; that all such, accordingly, be separated and excluded from the community of the church and its privileges, for their amendment and recovery; and to preserve the church from being contaminated and leavened by their corrupt doctrine, and their unclean and unholy conversation, and thereby be made partakers with them of their evil deeds: and also, that others may fear to commit like evil deeds.

And like as the penalty which God commanded by Moses, to be inflicted or imposed on the transgressors-was imposed according to the enormity of the crime or transgression; so that he, who sinned and transgressed the commandments of the LORD in small matters, unwittingly, or through infirmity, was, by different offerings, and the intercession of the priest, reconciled to God again; where, on the other

hand, the open and daring offenders and transgressors of the law of God, could not, by these offerings and intercessions, be reconciled to God, but they had to die without mercy by the mouth of two or three witnesses:

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So Christ has also taught in the New Testa ment, to use the christian penalty for sin and transgression, according to the offence of the transgressor; but not to destroy men's lives, as was the case in Israel, by those whose crimes were punished by death, where the offenders were deprived of the offer of mercy and pardon on repentance and reformation. But when Christ came, not to destroy, but to save the souls of men, and to seek and to save that which was lost, he instituted and ordered these penalties, for the amendment and improvement of sinners: so that if any see his brother commit sin, so that it can be made appear that it is a sin, yet not so great that it has brought forth death in him, he shall, from christian love to his soul, tell him of his trespass between themselves alone, and by the word of God point out his sin to him, and thus convict and correct him; and if he hears this christian admonition he has gained his brother, and shall, out of fervent charity forgive him and conceal and cover his sin. (1 Pet. 4: 8.) But if he heareth not his brother, then to take with him one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established; and if he neglect to hear them, then to tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, then the church (of whom all the members are judges,) shall announce to him that they have retracted and renounced brotherhood and fellowship with him.

But if any have fallen, by having openly committed sins, which are evidently the works of the flesh, and the church perceives that they are thereby fallen from God and separated from him, and are under his wrath and displeasure; the church shall, in such cases, immediately, and without taking the above prescribed steps, announce to them retraction and renunciation of brotherhood and fellowship with them; and earnestly to impress on their minds a due sense of their fall, and directing them to implore God, by true repentance, for pardon, grace and remission of sins: and thereby be again restored, by grace, into the favour of God. And thus shall the church allow none to be in their communion, knowingly, who have by their sins separated themselves from God; neither shall they excommunicate any, except they have first separated themselves from God by their sins: moreover, none shall be received into the church again, under the promise of life and peace, unless they have been previously received into the favour of God, by true repentance and by faith.

Now, true repentance is of the following nature and property: 1. That the sinner manifest before God, remorse, regret and deep contrition