andsuchaone，St。PauladvisethTitusafterthefirstandsecondadmonition，toreject。Buttorejectinthisplaceisnottoexcommunicatetheman；buttogiveoveradmonishinghim，tolethimalone，tosetbydisputingwithhim，asonethatistobeconvincedonlybyhimself。ThesameApostlesaith，“Foolishandunlearnedquestionsavoid“：*4Thewordavoidinthisplace，andrejectintheformer，isthesameintheoriginal，paraitou，butfoolishquestionsmaybesetbywithoutexcommunication。Andagain，“Avoidfoolishquestions，：*5wheretheoriginalperiistasosetthembyisequivalenttotheformerword，reject。ThereisnootherplacethatcansomuchascolourablybedrawntocountenancethecastingoutoftheChurchfaithfulmen，suchasbelievedthefoundation，onlyforasingularsuperstructureoftheirown，proceedingperhapsfromagoodandpiousconscience。But，onthecontrary，allsuchplacesascommandavoidingsuchdisputesarewrittenforalessontopastors，suchasTimothyandTituswere，nottomakenewarticlesoffaithbydeterminingeverysmallcontroversy，whichobligementoaneedlessburdenofconscience，orprovokethemtobreaktheunionoftheChurch。WhichlessontheApostlesthemselvesobservedwell。St。
PeterandSt。Paul，thoughtheircontroversyweregreat，aswemayreadinGalatians，2。11，yettheydidnotcastoneanotheroutoftheChurch。Nevertheless，duringtheApostles’times，therewereotherpastorsthatobserveditnot；asDiotrepheswhocastoutoftheChurchsuchasSt。Johnhimselfthoughtfittobereceivedintoit，outofapridehetookinpre-eminence：*6soearlyitwasthatvaingloryandambitionhadfoundentranceintotheChurchofChrist。
Thatamanbeliabletoexcommunication，therebemanyconditionsrequisite；asfirst，thathebeamemberofsomecommonalty，thatistosay，ofsomelawfulassembly，thatistosay，ofsomeChristianChurchthathathpowertojudgeofthecauseforwhichheistobeexcommunicated。Forwherethereisnocommunity，therecanbenoexcommunication；norwherethereisnopowertojudge，cantherebeanypowertogivesentence。
FromhenceitfolloweththatoneChurchcannotbeexcommunicatedbyanother：foreithertheyhaveequalpowertoexcommunicateeachother，inwhichcaseexcommunicationisnotdiscipline，noranactofauthority，butschism，anddissolutionofcharity；oroneissosubordinatetotheotherasthattheybothhavebutonevoice，andthentheybebutoneChurch；andthepartexcommunicatedisnomoreaChurch，butadissolutenumberofindividualpersons。
Andbecausethesentenceofexcommunicationimportethanadvicenottokeepcompanynorsomuchastoeatwithhimthatisexcommunicate，ifasovereignprinceorassemblybeexcommunicate，thesentenceisofnoeffect。Forallsubjectsareboundtobeinthecompanyandpresenceoftheirownsovereign，whenherequirethit，bythelawofnature；norcantheylawfullyeitherexpelhimfromanyplaceofhisowndominion，whetherprofaneorholy；norgooutofhisdominionwithouthisleave；muchless，ifhecallthemtothathonour，refusetoeatwithhim。Andastootherprincesandstates，becausetheyarenotpartsofoneandthesamecongregation，theyneednotanyothersentencetokeepthemfromkeepingcompanywiththestateexcommunicate：fortheveryinstitution，asitunitethmanymenintoonecommunity，soitdissociatethonecommunityfromanother：sothatexcommunicationisnotneedfulforkeepingkingsandstatesasunder；norhasanyfurthereffectthanisinthenatureofpolicyitself，unlessitbetoinstigateprincestowarupononeanother。
NoristheexcommunicationofaChristiansubjectthatobeyeththelawsofhisownsovereign，whetherChristianorheathen，ofanyeffect。Forifhebelievethat“JesusistheChrist，hehaththeSpiritofGod，“*“andGoddwellethinhim，andheinGod。“*2ButhethathaththeSpiritofGod；hethatdwellethinGod；heinwhomGoddwelleth，canreceivenoharmbytheexcommunicationofmen。
Therefore，hethatbelievethJesustobetheChristisfreefromallthedangersthreatenedtopersonsexcommunicate。HethatbelievethitnotisnoChristian。ThereforeatrueandunfeignedChristianisnotliabletoexcommunication：norhealsothatisaprofessedChristian，tillhishypocrisyappearinhismanners；thatis，tillhisbehaviourbecontrarytothelawofhissovereign，whichistheruleofmanners，andwhichChristandhisApostleshavecommandedustobesubjectto。FortheChurchcannotjudgeofmannersbutbyexternalactions，whichactionscanneverbeunlawfulbutwhentheyareagainstthelawoftheCommonwealth。
Ifaman’sfather，ormother，ormasterbeexcommunicate，yetarenotthechildrenforbiddentokeepthemcompany，nortoeatwiththem；
forthatwere，forthemostpart，toobligethemnottoeatatall，forwantofmeanstogetfood；andtoauthorizethemtodisobeytheirparentsandmasters，contrarytothepreceptoftheApostles。
Insum，thepowerofexcommunicationcannotbeextendedfurtherthantotheendforwhichtheApostlesandpastorsoftheChurchhavetheircommissionfromourSaviour；whichisnottorulebycommandandcoercion，butbyteachinganddirectionofmeninthewayofsalvationintheworldtocome。Andasamasterinanysciencemayabandonhisscholarwhenheobstinatelyneglecteththepracticeofhisrules，butnotaccusehimofinjustice，becausehewasneverboundtoobeyhim：soateacherofChristiandoctrinemayabandonhisdisciplesthatobstinatelycontinueinanunchristianlife；buthecannotsaytheydohimwrong，becausetheyarenotobligedtoobeyhim：fortoateacherthatshallsocomplainmaybeappliedtheanswerofGodtoSamuelinthelikeplace，“Theyhavenotrejectedthee，butme。“*
Excommunicationtherefore，whenitwanteththeassistanceofthecivilpower，asitdothwhenaChristianstateorprinceisexcommunicatebyaforeignauthority，iswithouteffect，andconsequentlyoughttobewithoutterror。Thenameoffulmenexcommunicationisthatis，thethunderboltofexcommunicationproceededfromanimaginationoftheBishopofRome，whichfirstusedit，thathewaskingofkings，astheheathenmadeJupiterkingofthegods；andassignedhim，intheirpoemsandpictures，athunderboltwherewithtosubdueandpunishthegiantsthatshoulddaretodenyhispower：whichimaginationwasgroundedontwoerrors；one，thatthekingdomofChristisofthisworld，contrarytoourSaviour’sownwords，“Mykingdomisnotofthisworld“；*2theother，thatheisChrist’svicar，notonlyoverhisownsubjects，butoveralltheChristiansoftheworld；whereofthereisnogroundinScripture，andthecontraryshallbeprovedinitsdueplace。
St。PaulcomingtoThessalonica，wherewasasynagogueoftheJews，“ashismannerwas，wentinuntothem，andthreeSabbathdaysreasonedwiththemoutoftheScriptures，openingandalleging，thatChristmustneedshavesuffered，andrisenagainfromthedead；andthatthisJesuswhomhepreachedwastheChrist。“*TheScripturesherementionedweretheScripturesoftheJews，thatis，theOldTestament。
ThementowhomhewastoprovethatJesuswastheChrist，andrisenagainfromthedead，werealsoJews，anddidbelievealreadythattheywerethewordofGod。Hereupon，asitisinthefourthversesomeofthembelieved，and，asitisinthefifthverse，somebelievednot。
Whatwasthereason，whentheyallbelievedtheScripture，thattheydidnotallbelievealike，butthatsomeapproved，othersdisapproved，theinterpretationofSt。Paulthatcitedthem，andeveryoneinterpretedthemtohimself？Itwasthis：St。Paulcametothemwithoutanylegalcommission，andinthemannerofonethatwouldnotcommand，butpersuade；whichhemustneedsdo，eitherbymiracles，asMosesdidtotheIsraelitesinEgypt，thattheymightseehisauthorityinGod’sworks；orbyreasoningfromthealreadyreceivedScripture，thattheymightseethetruthofhisdoctrineinGod’sword。Butwhosoeverpersuadethbyreasoningfromprincipleswrittenmakethhimtowhomhespeakethjudge；bothofthemeaningofthoseprinciplesandalsooftheforceofhisinferencesuponthem。IftheseJewsofThessalonicawerenot，whoelsewasthejudgeofwhatSt。PaulallegedoutofScripture？IfSt。Paul，whatneededhetoquoteanyplacestoprovehisdoctrine？Ithadbeenenoughtohavesaid，“IfinditsoinScripture；thatistosay，inyourlaws，ofwhichIaminterpreter，assentbyChrist。“TheinterpreterthereforeoftheScripture，towhoseinterpretationtheJewsofThessalonicawereboundtostand，couldbenone：everyonemightbelieveornotbelieve，accordingastheallegationsseemedtohimselftobeagreeableornotagreeabletothemeaningoftheplacesalleged。Andgenerallyinallcasesoftheworldhethatpretendethanyproofmakethjudgeofhisproofhimtowhomheaddressethhisspeech。AndastothecaseoftheJewsinparticular，theywereboundbyexpresswordstoreceivethedeterminationofallhardquestionsfromthepriestsandjudgesofIsraelforthetimebeing。*2ButthisistobeunderstoodoftheJewsthatwereyetunconverted。
FortheconversionoftheGentiles，therewasnouseofallegingtheScriptures，whichtheybelievednot。TheApostlesthereforelabouredbyreasontoconfutetheiridolatry；andthatdone，topersuadethemtothefaithofChristbytheirtestimonyofhislifeandresurrection。SothattherecouldnotyetbeanycontroversyconcerningtheauthoritytointerpretScripture；seeingnomanwasobliged，duringhisinfidelity，tofollowanyman’sinterpretationofanyScriptureexcepthissovereign’sinterpretationofthelawsofhiscountry。
Letusnowconsidertheconversionitself，andseewhattherewasthereinthatcouldbecauseofsuchanobligation。MenwereconvertedtonootherthingthantothebeliefofthatwhichtheApostlespreached：andtheApostlespreachednothingbutthatJesuswastheChrist，thatistosay，theKingthatwastosavethemandreignoverthemeternallyintheworldtocome；andconsequentlythathewasnotdead，butrisenagainfromthedead，andgoneupintoheaven，andshouldcomeagainonedaytojudgetheworldwhichalsoshouldriseagaintobejudged，andrewardeverymanaccordingtohisworks。Noneofthempreachedthathimself，oranyotherApostle，wassuchaninterpreteroftheScriptureasallthatbecameChristiansoughttotaketheirinterpretationforlaw。Fortointerpretthelawsispartoftheadministrationofapresentkingdom，whichtheApostleshadnot。Theyprayedthen，andallotherpastorssince，“Letthykingdomcome“；andexhortedtheirconvertstoobeytheirthenethnicprinces。TheNewTestamentwasnotyetpublishedinonebody。Everyoftheevangelistswasinterpreterofhisowngospel，andeveryApostleofhisownepistle；andoftheOldTestamentourSaviourhimselfsaithtotheJews，“SearchtheScriptures；forinthemyethinktohaveeternallife，andtheyaretheythattestifyofme。“*Ifhehadnotmeanttheyshouldinterpretthem，hewouldnothavebiddenthemtakethencetheproofofhisbeingtheChrist：hewouldeitherhaveinterpretedthemhimself，orreferredthemtotheinterpretationofthepriests。
Whenadifficultyarose，theApostlesandeldersoftheChurchassembledthemselvestogether，anddeterminedwhatshouldbepreachedandtaught，andhowtheyshouldinterprettheScripturestothepeople，buttooknotfromthepeoplethelibertytoreadandinterpretthemtothemselves。TheApostlessentdiverseletterstotheChurches，andotherwritingsfortheirinstruction；whichhadbeeninvainiftheyhadnotallowedthemtointerpret，thatis，toconsiderthemeaningofthem。AndasitwasintheApostles’time，itmustbetillsuchtimeasthereshouldbepastorsthatcouldauthorizeaninterpreterwhoseinterpretationshouldgenerallybestoodto：butthatcouldnotbetillkingswerepastors，orpastorskings。
Therebetwosenseswhereinawritingmaybesaidtobecanonical：
forcanonsignifietharule；andaruleisapreceptbywhichamanisguidedanddirectedinanyactionwhatsoever。Suchprecepts，thoughgivenbyateachertohisdisciple，oracounsellortohisfriend，withoutpowertocompelhimtoobservethem，areneverthelesscanons，becausetheyarerules。Butwhentheyaregivenbyonewhomhethatreceiveththemisboundtoobey，thenarethosecanonsnotonlyrules，butlaws：thequestionthereforehereisofthepowertomaketheScriptures，whicharetherulesofChristianfaith，laws。
ThatpartoftheScripturewhichwasfirstlawwastheTenCommandments，writtenintwotablesofstoneanddeliveredbyGodHimselftoMoses，andbyMosesmadeknowntothepeople。BeforethattimetherewasnowrittenlawofGod，who，asyethavingnotchosenanypeopletobeHispeculiarkingdom，hadgivennolawtomen，butthelawofnature，thatistosay，thepreceptsofnaturalreason，writtenineveryman’sownheart。Ofthesetwotables，thefirstcontaineththelawofsovereignty：1。Thattheyshouldnotobeynorhonourthegodsofothernations，inthesewords，Nonhabebisdeosalienoscoramme；thatis，“Thoushaltnothaveforgods，thegodsthatothernationsworship，butonlyme“：wherebytheywereforbiddentoobeyorhonourastheirkingandgovernoranyotherGodthanHimthatspakeuntothembyMoses，andafterwardsbythehighpriest。2。Thatthey“shouldnotmakeanyimagetorepresentHim“；