thus I doubt 1. WHether so much time should be spent in the publique Ordinances on the Sabbath day because that thereby some necessary duties of the Sabbath must needs be hindred as visitation of the sick and poore and family 2. Whether matters of offence should be publiquely handled either before the whole Church or strangers 3. Whether so much time should be spent in particular catechizing those that are admitted to the communion of the Church either men or women or that they should make long speeches or when they come publiquely to be admitted any should speak contradictorily or in recommendation of any unlesse before the Elders upon just occasion 4. Whether the censures of the Church should be ordered in publique before all the Church or strangers other then the denunciation of the censures and pronunciation of the solutions 5. Whether any of our Nation that is not extremely ignorant or scandalous should bee kept from the Communion or his children from Baptisme 6. That many thousands in this Countrey have forgotten the very principles of Religion which they were daily taught in England by set forms and Scriptures read as the Psalmes first and second Lesson the ten Commandments the Creeds and publique catechizings And although conceived Prayer be good and holy and so publike explications and applications of the Word and also necessary both in and out of season yet for the most part it may be feared they dull amaze confound discourage the weake and ignorant which are the most of men when they are in ordinary performed too tediously or with the neglect of the Word read and other premeditated formes inculcated and may tend to more ignorance and inconvenience then many good men are aware of 7. I doubt there hath been and is much neglect of endeavours to teach civilize and convert the Indian Nation that are about the Plantations 8. Whether by the received principles it bee possible to teach civilize or convert them or when they are converted to maintain Gods worship among them 9. That electorie courses will not long be safe here either in Church or Common-wealth 10. That the civill government is not so equally administred nor can be divers orders or by-laws considered 11. That unlesse these things be wisely and in time prevented many of your usefullest men will remove and scatter from you At Boston July 5. 1641. Certain Quaeres about Church government planting Churches and some other Experiments 1. WHether the people should cal the Minister or the Minister a gather the people 2. When a Church is gathered or planted should they not have care in b propagating other Churches in other places next them 3. Whether should not the first Church c visit the later Churches planted by them to see they keepe the faith and order as long as shee remains her selfe in purity of Doctrine and worship 4. How shall a Church propagate and visit other Churches shall they do it by their members ordinary Christians or by their Ministers d or Pastors shall they e intend such propagation or stay till by their numbers increasing they are necessitated to swarme or are persecuted abroad 5. If by their Pastors must there not bee more f Ministers then one in the first Church how else can any be spared to goe abroad about such works upon occasion 6. When they have planted other Churches must not the g first Church take care for the providing of Elders or Ministers for these new planted Churches and h ordain them and sometimes goe i or send some to teach them and uphold the worship of God among them 7. How can any preach unlesse he be k sent and how can he be sent unlesse by imposition of l hands of the Presbytery of the first Church 8. If so hath not the first Church and the Ministers therof Apostlolical m power in these things 9. But have all n Churches and Ministers this power are they able have they learned men enough to o water where they have planted If some should not be of the p Quorum as it were in ordinations and the like what order peace or unity can be expected 10. Againe if all Churches and Ministers have this power equally to exercise the work Apostolicall must they not all then goe or send abroad to convert the Indians and plant Churches and how can all be spared abroad Are all q Apostles all Euangelists where were the body if so 11. Will they not interfiere one upon another and trespasse upon one anothers r line rule or portion which blessed S. Paul condemned in those that entred into his labours 12. When any other s Church besides the t first hath power and ability to propagate and bring forth other Churches may she not doe well so to doe must she not in her fitting line observing peace and holding communion with the first as long as they remain in purity both of them and if a second why not a third and a fourth and so forth to a competent number 13. Whether the first and other Churches also having power and ability thus to propagate the Gospell and plant Churches may not be fitly called prime chief or principall seats of the Church or v chiefe Churches 14. Whether those Churches so gathered in one Kingdome Citie or Principality holding communion together may not be fitly in regard of their unity in Doctrine and worship called the Church of such a Nation or Province u City or Countrey 15. Whether is it probable that the first Church Christian that wee reade of to be at x Hierusalem was onely one congregation or but as many as could meete in one place had they not among them twelve Apostles besides Elders three thousand at once added what ever number there was besides and had they such a large Temple or meeting-houses at their command in those dayes 16. Whether the word Church bee not diversly taken in holy Scripture and sometimes for a civill or uncivill assembly or congression y Acts 19.40 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and when he had thus spoken he dismissed the assembly or Church 17. Whether anciently in England some small assemblyes were not called Churches as every presentative Rectory or Parsonage is called Ecclesia when others that were greater were not so called as no Vicaridge Donative or Chappel is called Ecclesia in our Law 18. Whether the Rector or Parson that is a Presbyter in a Church should being alone rule absolutely by himselfe without the concurrence advise or superiour power of the Evangelisticall z Pastor of the Church who had care in the plantation or erection of the Parsons Church 19. If not should the Vicar Donative Minister or Chaplain 20. But where they have used to rule more absolutely as in some peculiar jurisdictions in England why may they not with the peace and unity of the Church and by good
or how God hath beene dealing with them about their conversion which at Boston the man declareth usually standing the woman sitting And if they satisfie the Elders and the private assembly for divers of the Church both men and women meet there usually that they are true beleevers that they have beene wounded in their hearts for their originall sinne and actuall transgressions and can pitch upon some promise of free grace in the Scripture for the ground of their faith and that they finde their hearts drawne to beleeve in Christ Jesus for their justification and salvation and these in the ministerie of the Word reading or conference and that they know competently the summe of Christian faith And sometimes though they be not come to a full assurance of their good estate in Christ Then afterwards in covenient time in the publique assembly of the Church notice is given by one of the ruling Elders that such a man or woman by name desireth to enter into Church-fellowship with them and therefore if any know any thing or matter of offence against them for their unfitnesse to joyne with them such are required to bring notice thereof to the Elders else that any who know them or can say any thing for their fitnesse be ready to give testimony thereof when they shall be called forth before the whole Church If there be matter of offence it is first heard before the Elders and if the party satisfie them and the offended in private for private offences and promise to satisfie in publique for publique offences then upon another day one of the ruling Elders calleth forth the party by name in the publique assembly of the Church and before strangers and whomsoever present most commonly upon the Lords day after evening exercises and sometimes upon a week day when all the Church have notice to be present The party appearing in the midst of the Assembly or some convenient place the ruling Elder speaketh in this manner Brethren of this congregation this man or woman A. B. hath been heretofore propounded to you desiring to enter into Church-fellowship with us and we have not since that heard any thing from any of you to the contrary of the parties admittance but that we may goe on to receive him Therefore now if any of you know any thing against him why he may not be admitted you may yet speak Then after some silence he proceedeth Seeing no man speaketh to the contrary of his admission if any of you know any thing to speak for his receiving we desire you give testimony thereof to the Church as you were also formerly desired to be ready therewith and expresse your selves as briefly as you may and to as good hearing Whereupon sometimes men do speak to the contrary in case they have not heard of the propounding and so stay the party for that time also till this new offence be heard before the Elders so that sometimes there is a space of divers moneths between a parties first propounding and receiving and some are so bashfull as that they choose rather to goe without the Communion then undergoe such * publique confessions and tryals but that is held their fault But when none speaketh to the contrary then some one two or three or more of the Brethren speak their opinions of the party giving instances in some godlinesse and good conversation of his or some other recommendation is made and that they are willing if the Church thereto consent for their part to give him the right hand of fellowship Which done the Elder turneth his speech to the party to be admitted and requireth him or sometimes asketh him if he be willing to make knowne to the congregation the work of grace upon his soule and biddeth him as briefly and audibly to as good hearing as he can to doe the same Thereupon the party if it be a man speaketh himselfe but if it be a woman her confession made before the Elders in private is most usually in Boston Church read by the Pastor who registred the same At Salem the women speake themselves for the most part in the Church but of late it is said they doe this upon the week dayes there and nothing is done on Sunday but their entrance into Covenant The man in a solemne speech sometimes a quarter of an houre long shorter or longer declareth the work of grace in his soule to the same purpose as that before the Elders formerly mentioned Then the Elder requireth the party to make profession of his faith which also is done either by questions and answers if the party be weake or else in a solemne speech according to the summe and tenour of the Christian faith laid downe in the Scriptures defining faith and shewing how it is wrought by the Word and Spirit of God defining a Church to be a company of beleevers gathered out of the world by the Word preached and holy Spirit and knit together by an holy Covenant that there are in the Church remaining such and such officers and members as aforesaid That is to say Pastors and Teachers ruling Elders Deacons and Deaconesses or Widowes and such and such are their offices and duties in particular viz. the Pastor to exhort and besides to rule the Teacher to instruct in knowledge and likewise to rule the ruling Elder to assist Pastor and Teacher in ruling as the Levites were given to the Priests for helps and to see to whomsoever comming into or to goe forth of the Church by admonition or excommunication the Deacon to receive the contributions of the Church and faithfully to dispose the same the Deaconesses to shew mercie with chearfulnesse and to minister to the sick and poore brethren the members all to watch over and support one an other in brotherly love Notwithstanding there was a Sermon lately made by Master Cotton in October Anno 1640. upon 1 Cor. 11.19 touching heresies which was since commonly there called the Sermon of the twelve Articles wherein was declared that there are twelve Articles of Religion which maintained by any the Church may receive them and keepe fellowship with them but the ignorant of them after instruction and scandalous sins unrepented exclude from the fellowship of the Church The said Articles were to this effect First that there are three Persons in one God the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit Secondly that this God made and governs all the World and that he is a rewarder of the good and punisher of the evill Thirdly that this God alone is to be worshiped Fourthly this worship of God is instituted in his written Word not the precepts of men Fiftly that from the fall of Adam we have not so worshiped God but have all sinned and deprived our selves of the reward promised and therefore are under the curse by nature Sixthly that we are by nature utterly unable to rescue our selves from this curse Seventhly that
PLAIN DEALING OR NEVVES FROM New-England Vivat Rex Angliae Carolus Vivat Anglia Vivantque eorum Amici omnes A short view of NEW-ENGLANDS present Government both Ecclesiasticall and Civil compared with the anciently-received and established Government of ENGLAND in some materiall points fit for the gravest consideration in these times By THOMAS LECHFORD of Clements Inne in the County of Middlesex Gent. Levis est dolor qui capere consilium potest Et clepere sese Magna non latitant mala Sen. LONDON Printed by W. E. and I. G. for Nath Butter at the signe of the pyde Bull neere S. Austins gate 1642. TO THE READER EVery man is to approve himselfe and answer to God for his actions his conscience leads him to and next to good men as much as in him lyeth I have thus presumed to enter into publique for these reasons First because it is well knowne unto many that heretofore I suffered imprisonment and a kind of banishment out of this good Land for some acts construed to oppose and as tending to subvert Episcopacie and the setled Ecclesiasticall government of England therefore now I desired to purge my self of so great a scandall and wherein I have offended to intreat all my Superiours and others to impute it rather to my ignorance for the time then any wilfull stubbornnesse Secondly seeing that since my comming home I find that multitudes are corrupted with an opinion of the unlawfulnesse of the Church-government by Diocesan Bishops which opinion I beleeve is the root of much mischiefe having now had experience of divers governments I see not how I could with faithfulnesse to God my King and Countrey be any longer silent especially considering some of these late troubles occasioned among other sins I fear much through this evill opinion Happy shall I be if any be made wiser by my harmes I wish all men to take heed how they shake hands with the Church of God upon any such heedlesse grounds as I almost had done Thirdly that I might though unworthy in a fit season acquaint the learned and pious Divines of England with these my slender observations quaeres and experiments to the end they may come the better prepared upon any publique occasion for the consideration of such matters and so at length those good things that are shaken among us may be established and truth confirmed It is enough for me being a Student or Practiser at Law faithfully to put a Case which will be this Whether the Episcopall Government by Provinciall and Diocesan Bishops in number about 26. in England being if not of absolute Divine authority yet nearest and most like thereunto and most anciently here embraced is still safest to be continued Or a Presbyterian government being as is humbly conceived but of humane authority bringing in a numerous company of above 40000. Presbyters to have chiefe rule in the keyes in England be fit to be newly set up here a thing whereof we have had no experience and which moderate wise men think to be lesse consonant to the Divine patterne and may prove more intolerable then the said Episcopacie Or an independent government of every congregationall Church ruling it selfe which introduceth not onely one absolute Bishop in every Parish but in effect so many men so many Bishops according to New-Englands rule which in England would be Anarchie confusion I would entreat those that stand for this last mentioned manner of government to be pleased to consider 1. That the very terme of leading or ruling in the Church attributed to Elders forbids it for if all are Rulers who shall be ruled 2. The maine acts of Rule consist of receiving into the Church by Baptisme or otherwise and ejection out of the Church by censure binding and loosing now these are committed to the Apostles and their successors and not to all the members of the Church 3. All have not power to baptize therefore not to receive into the Church nor to cast out of the Church My brethren be not many masters saith S. Iames 3.1 The words of the wise are as goads and as nayles fastened by the masters of assemblies which are given from one Shepheard Eccles. 12.11 And whereas some may say that this power of ruling is but ministerially in the Officers and initiatively conclusively and virtually in the people If so what power ordinarily have the people to contradict the ministeriall works and acts of their Officers Must the whole Church try all those whom their Ministers convert abroad suppose among Indians before they may baptize them How can all the Church examine and try such All have not power warrant leisure pleasure ability for and in such works nor can all speake Indian language Doubtlesse the acts of rule by the Officers is the rule of the whole Church and so to be taken ordinarily without contradiction else there would be no end of jangling And thus taken the whole Church of Corinth by S. Pauls command sc. by their Ministers were to put away that wicked person and deliver him up to Satan 1 Cor. 5.13 and restore him and forgive him 2 Cor. 2. and so all the doubt on that Text is neer I think resolved Now that the government at New-England seemeth to make so many Church-members so many Bishops will be plaine by this ensuing Discourse for you shall here find that the Churches in the Bay governe each by all their members unanimously or else by the major part wherein every one hath equall vote and superspection with their Ministers and that in their Covenant it is expressed to be the duty of all the members to watch over one another And in time their Churches will be more corrupted then now they are they cannot as there is reason to feare avoid it possibly How can any now deny this to be Anarchie and confusion Nay say some we will keep out those that have not true grace But how can they certainly discerne that true grace and what measure God requireth Besides by this course they will it is to be feared in stead of propagating the Gospel spread heathenisme in stead of gaining to the Church lose from the Church for when the major part are unbaptized as in twenty years undoubtedly they will be by such a course continued what is like to become of it but that either they may goe among their fellow-heathens the Indians or rise up against the Church and break forth into many grievous distempers among themselves which God and the King forbid I pray And that you courteous Reader may perceive I have from time to time dealt cordially in these things by declaring them impartially to my friends as I received light I shall adde in the last place certaine passages out Letters sent by me into England to that purpose and conclude And I doe not this God knoweth as delighting to lay open the infirmities of these well-affected men many of them my friends but that it is necessary at this time for
Jesus Christ the eternall Sonne of God in fulnesse of time took upon him our nature and was made flesh for us and by his death and sufferings redeemed his elect from sin and death Eighthly that Christ Jesus and salvation by him is offered and given in the Gospell unto every one that beleeveth in his name and onely by such received Ninthly that no man can come unto Christ nor beleeve on him except the Father draw him by his Word and Spirit Tenthly whom the Lord draws to him by his Word and Spirit them he justifies freely by his grace and according to his truth not by works Eleventhly where the soule is justified it is also regenerate and sanctified Twelfthly this regeneration and sanctification is still imperfect in this life And unto all is added this generall Article That such as walke after this rule shall arise to everlasting life and those that walk otherwise shall arise to everlasting condemnation in the day of Judgement That the knowledge and beliefe of these are of the foundation of Religion But things touching the foundation of Churches as Baptisme Imposition of hands ignorance in these may hinder the measure of our reward in heaven not communion with the Church on earth Exceptions against the Apostles Creed were these That it is not of necessity to beleeve Christs descent into hell in any sense That it is not in that Creed contained that the Scripture is the onely rule of Gods worship nor doth it so directly set forth the point of Justification And also I remember Master Knolles now one of the Pastors at Watertowne when he first came to be admitted at Boston never made any mention in his profession of faith of any Officers of the Church in particular or their duties and yet was received The party having finished his Discourses of his confession and profession of his faith the Elder againe speaketh to the congregation Brethren of the congregation if what you have heard of from this party doe not satisfie you as to move you to give him the right hand of fellowship use your liberty and declare your mindes therein And then after some silence if none except against the parties expressions as often some members doe then the Elder proceedeth saying But if you are satisfied with that you have heard of and from him expresse your willingnesse and consent to receive him by your usuall signe which is erection and extention of the right hand This done sometimes they proceede to admit more members all after the same manner for the most part two three foure or five or more together as they have time spending sometimes almost a whole afternoone therein And then the Elder calleth all them that are to be admitted by name and rehearseth the covenant on their parts to them which they publiquely say they doe promise by the helpe of God to performe And then the Elder in the name of the Church promiseth the Churches part of the covenant to the new admitted members So they are received or admitted Then they may receive the Sacrament of the Lords supper with them and their children bee baptized but not before also till then they may not be free men of the Common-wealth but being received in the Church they may Sometimes the Master is admitted and not the servant e contra the husband is received and not the wife and on the contrary the child and not the parent Also all matters of publique offence are heard determined in publique before all the Church and strangers too in Boston not so in other places The party is called forth and the matter declared and testified by two witnesses then he is put to answer Which finished one of the ruling Elders asketh the * congregation if they are satisfied with the parties expressions If they are he requireth them to use their liberty and declare their satisfiednesse If not and that they hold the party worthy of admonition or excommunication that they witnesse their assent thereto by their silence If they be silent the sentence is denounced If it be for defaults in erroneous opinions onely the Teacher they say is to denounce the sentence If for matter of ill manners the Pastor denounceth it the ruling Elders doe not usually denounce any sentence But I have heard a Captaine delivered one to Satan in the Church at Dorchester in the absence of their Minister Ordinarily matter of offence is to be brought to the Elders in private they may not otherwise tell the * Church in ordinary matters and so it hath been declared in publique by the Pastors of Boston The admonished must in good manners abstain from the Communion and must goe on to satisfie the Church else Excommunication follows The excommunicate is held as an Heathen and Publican Yet it hath been declared at Boston in divers cases that children may eate with their parents excommunicate that an elected Magistrate excommunicate may hold his place but better another were chosen that an hereditary Magistrate though excommunicate is to be obeyed still in civill things that the excommunicate person may come and heare the Word and be present at Prayer so that he give not publique offence by taking up an eminent place in the Assembly But at New-haven alias Quinapeag where Master Davenport is Pastor the excommunicate is held out of the meeting at the doore if he will heare in frost snow and raine Most an-end in the Bay they use good moderation and forbearance in their censures Yet I have known a Gentlewoman excommunicate for some indiscreet words with some stifnesse maintained saying A brother and others she feared did conspire to arbitrate the price of Joyners worke of a chamber too high and endeavouring to bring the same into civill cognizance not proceeding to take two or three to convince the party and so to tell the Church though shee first told the party of it and this without her husband I feare she is not yet absolved I am sure she was not upon the third of August last when we loosed from Boston There hath been some difference about jurisdictions or cognizance of causes Some have held that in causes betweene brethren of the Church the matter should be first told the Church before they goe to the civill Magistrate because all causes in difference doe amount one way or other to a matter of offence and that all criminall matters concerning Church members should be first heard by the Church But these opinionists are held by the wiser sort not to know the dangerous issues and consequences of such tenets The Magistrates and Church-leaders labour for a just and equall correspondence in jurisdictions not to intrench one on the other neither the civill Magistrates to be exempt from Ecclesiasticall censure nor the Ministers from Civill whether Ecclesiasticall or Civillpower first begin to lay hold of a man the same to proceed not
it is of Acrius it is false and it is confusion The reformed Churches and Writers that held so had little experience of mission to convert plant Churches among Infidels That reformation goes too deep that tends to pulling downe of Cathedrall Churches and Bishops houses Should not Apostolick Bishops and the chiefest Ministers have houses to dwell in and Churches to recide and officiate in whither all the Churches of their Line may send and come together in Councel or Synod and so do nothing of great moment without their Bishop a Timothy or a Titus Again Baptisme is admission and initiation into the Church to whom Baptisme is commited viz. Apostles and Apostolick Ministers they have power of admission that is of loosing and consequently of binding excommunication or expulsion Where is now the peoples power in the keyes are they all Apostles and Apostolick Ministers what confusion is this who can yeeld to it knowingly I beseech you pardon my zeale and when you have considered all pity my condition and pray for me still Well I am assured that master Prynne master Burton would never yeeld to these things especially if they had experience of them It is good for us to see our errours and acknowledge them that we may obtain peace in the day of account Boston 13. Oct. 1640. To another SOrry and grieved we are at the heart to heare of the troublous estate and condition of our native countrey wee here also meete with our troubles and distresses in outward things and some in spirituall matters also Here wants a staple commodity to maintain cloathing to the Colony And for my own particular hitherto I have beene much distressed here by reason I cannot yet so clearely understand the Church proceedings as to yeeld to them there are therein so many difficult considerations that they have sometimes bred great confusion in my thoughts Never since I saw you have I received the Sacrament of the Lords supper I have disputed in writing though to my great hinderance in regard of outward things yet blessed be the Lord to my better satisfaction at the last I never intended openly to oppose the godlyhere in any thing I thought they mistooke but I was lately taken at advantage and brought before the Magistrates before whom giving a quiet and peaceable answer I was dismissed with favour and respect promised me by some of the chiefe for the future Our chiefe difference was about the foundation of the Church and Ministery and what rigid separations may tend unto what is to be feared in case the most of the people here should remaine unbaptized considerations which may trouble the wisest among us Rigid separations never did nor can propagate the Gospell of Christ they can do no good they have done hurt It is dangerous to found Church government on dark uncertain interpretations of Propheticall or other Scriptures foundations ought to be full of evidence demonstration Blessed be the Lord now some of the chiefe leaders of the Churches here hold the Churches in England true Churches and your Ministery lawfull though divers corruptions there may be among you yea some there bee of the chiefe among us that conceive the government by godly Bishops superintendent over others to be lawfull Churches are not perfect in this world We may not for every disagreement in opinion or for slender pretended corruptions separate from the Church separate so once and no end of separation From Boston in N. E. Decem. 19. 1640. To conclude SUppose there are foure sorts of Government which are used in Church as in Common-wealth Monarchicall absolute without Lawes which is tyrannie Monarchicall bounded by Lawes Aristocraticall and Democraticall Episcopall absolute which is Popish tyrannie Episcopall regulated by just Lawes Presbyterian and Congregationall Which of these will all men like and how long Some have well compared the humour of the people in this kind to a merry relation of an old man and his sonne passing through the streets of a City with one horse betweene them First the old man rode then the people found fault with his unkindnesse in that he did not cause his son to ride with him then the young man gets up too now the people say they are both unmercifull to the beast downe comes the old man then the young man is unmannerly to ride and his father walk on foot at last downe goes the young man also and leads the horse then they were both unwise to lead the horse and neither of them to ride Well but alter the inconstant vulgar will if so God grant it be for the better But then consider stories one alteration follows another some have altered sixe times before they were setled againe and ever the people have paid for it both money and bloud Concerning Church-government what the Presbyterian way is and how sutable for Englands Monarchie I leave to the pious experienced Divines to set forth and the Church and State thereof to judge And for the Congregationall independent government whereof I have had some experience give me leave instead of a better intelligencer thus to present to my deare countrey now in a time of neede my impartiall opinion in these confused papers And in brief-thus Although it had some small colour in Scripture and a great pretence of holinesse yet no sound ground in the Scripture Again if it be neither fit nor possible long to bee continued in New-England as not I alone but many more eye and eare witnesses doe know and the learned can and will judge undoubtedly it must needes be much more unfit and impossible to be brought into England or Ireland or any other populous Nation All which upon the whole I humbly submit unto the sacred judgment and determination of holy Church his royall Majesty and his Highnesses great and honourable Councel the high Court of PARLIAMENT Imprimatur Ioh Hansley FINIS How Churches are gathered there Their Church Covenant Election of their Church Officers Their ordinations The right hand of fellowship by messengers of Churches Some differ How members are received or added to the Church there The usuall termes whereupon Matters of offence how heard in private Dilatorie proceedings in admitting members * Whether Popish Auricular confession and these publique confessions be not extremes and whether some private Pastorall or Presbyteriall collation left at liberty upon cause and in case of trouble of conscience as in the Church of England is approved be not better then those extremes I leave to he wise and learned to judge Testimonials and Recommendations Publique confessions of parties to be received Their profession of faith Officers in the Church Their duties or offices Members duties A Sermon of twelve Articles of Religion Master Knolls how admitted Right hand of fellowship given to brethren The whole Church ruleth Their enterance into Covenant Severing in the family Offences how heard in publique The whole Church ruling and usurping the keyes * Whether a grave and judicious consistorie