n_, when it is used of
the judgment, act, or sentence of an assembly, ordinarily signifies an
authoritative judgment, or decree, as, "Why tempt ye God, to lay, or
impose, a yoke upon the neck of the disciples?" Acts xv. 10. Thus some in
the synod endeavored to carry the synod with themselves, authoritatively
to have imposed the ceremonies upon the churches; whom Peter thus
withstands. So, "They bind heavy burdens, and hard to be borne, and
impose them upon men's shoulders," Matt, xxiii. 4: and this laying on of
burdens by the Pharisees, was not by a bare doctrinal declaring, but by
an authoritative commanding, as seems by that, "teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men," Matt. xv. 9.

2. By the title or denomination given to the synodal results contained
in their letters sent to the brethren. They are styled, "The decrees
ordained, or judged," Acts xvi. 4. Here are plainly juridical
authoritative constitutions. For it is very observable,

That wheresoever the words translated _decree_ or _decrees_ are found in
the New Testament, thereby are denoted, laws, statutes, or decrees: as
"Decrees of Caesar," Acts xvii. 7: "A decree from Caesar," Luke ii. 1:
Moses' ceremonial law, "The hand-writing to ordinances," Col. ii. 14:
"The law of commandments in ordinances," Eph. ii. 15: and this word is
found used only in these five places in the whole New Testament: and the
Septuagint interpreters often use the word in the Old Testament to this
purpose; for _laws_, Dan. vi. 8; for _decrees_, Dan. ii. 13, and iii.
10, 29, and iv. 3, and vi. 9.

And the other word translated _ordained_, when applied to an assembly by
the Septuagint, is used for a judgment of authority, as, "And what was
decreed against her," Esth. ii. 1; and so a word derived from it,
signifies a _decree_, Dan. iv. 14, 21.

In this sense also the word is sometimes used in the New Testament, when
applied to assemblies; as, "Take ye him, and judge him according to your
law," John xviii. 31; "Whom we laid hold upon, and would have judged
according to our law," Acts xxiv. 6.

Now, if there be so much power and authority engraven upon these two
words severally, how strongly do they hold forth authority, when they
are applied to any thing jointly, as here to the synodal decisions!

3. By the consequent of these synodal proceedings, viz. the cheerful
submission of the churches thereunto. This appears both in the church of
Antioch, where the troubles first were rais