of a lawful interpreter of Holy Scriptures, is the word of God. 18. That the authority of interpreting Scriptures, is the same with that of determining controversies of faith. 19. Divers significations of a Church. 20. What a Church is, to which we attribute rights, actions, and the like personal capacities. 21. A Christian city is the same with a Christian Church. 22. Many cities do not constitute one Church. 23. Who are ecclesiastical persons. 24. That the election of ecclesiastical persons belongs to the Church, their consecration to pastors. 25. That the power of remitting the sins of the penitent, and retaining those of the impenitent, belongs to the pastors; but that of judging concerning repentance belongs to the Church. 26. What excommunication is, and on whom it cannot pass. 27. That the interpretation of Scripture depends on the authority of the city. 28. That a Christian city ought to interpret Scriptures by ecclesiastical pastors. [Sidenote: The prophecies concerning Christ’s dignity.] 1. There are many clear prophecies extant in the Old Testament concerning our Saviour Jesus Christ, who was to restore the kingdom of _God_ by a new covenant; partly foretelling his regal _dignity_, partly his _humility and passion_. Among others concerning his dignity, these. God, blessing Abraham, makes him a promise of his son Isaac; and adds (Gen. xvii. 16): _And kings of people shall be of him._ Jacob blessing his son Judah (Gen. xlix. 10): _The sceptre_, quoth he, _shall not depart from Judah_. God to Moses (Deut. xviii. 18): _A prophet_, saith he, _will I raise them up from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him_. Isaiah (Isai. vii. 14): _The Lord himself shall give thee a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel._ The same prophet (Isaiah ix. 6): _Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace._ And again (Isaiah xi. 1-5): _There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots; the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him_, &c.; _He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor_, &c.; _And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked_. Furthermore in the same Isaiah (chapters li. to lxii.), there is almost nothing else contained but a description of the coming and the works of Christ. Jeremiah (Jerem. xxxi.