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 raised by the false teachers; where, “when the epistle” of the synod “was read, they rejoiced for the consolation,” Acts xv. 30, 31; and Judas and Silas exhorted and confirmed the brethren by word of mouth, according to the synod’s direction, ver. 32; and in other churches, to which Paul and Timothy delivered the “decrees ordained by the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem; and so were the churches confirmed in the faith, and abounded in number daily,” Acts xvi. 4, 5; whence we have these evidences of the churches’ submission to the synodal decrees:  1.  The decrees are counted by the churches a consolation. 2.  They were so welcome to them, that they rejoiced for the consolation.