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fiaftical. And that the particular Paftors & Churches, within the refpective Counties in this Government fhall be one Confociation (or more if they fhall judge meet) for the end aforefaid. Pfal. 122. 3, 4, 5 & 133. 1. Ecel 4. 9, 10 12. AB. 15. 2, 6, 22, 23. 1 Tim.4. *4. 1 Cor. 16. 1.

III. That all Cafes of Scandal, that fall out Within the Circuit of any of the aforefaid Confociations fhall be brought to a Council of the Elders & alfo Meffengers of the Churches, within the faid Circuit, . . the Churches of one Confociation, if they fee caufe to fend Meffengers, when there fhall be need of a Council for the Determination of them. 3Job ver. 9, 10. 1 Cor. 16. 1. Gal. 6. 1, 2. 2 Cor. 13. 2. A. 15. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 23.

IV. That according to the Common practice of our Churches nothing fhall be deemed an A&t or Judgment of any Council, which hath not the major part of the Elders prefent Concurring, and fuch a number of the Meffengers prefent, as makes the Majority of the Council: Provided that if, any fuck Church fhall not fee cause to fend any Meffengers to the Council, or the perfons Chofen by them fhall not attend; neither of these fhall be any obftruction to the Proceedings of the Council, Invalidate any of their Ats. Ats 15. 23. *4. 32, 33.

V. That when any Cafe is Orderly brought before any Council of the Churches it fhall there be heard & determined which (unless or derly removed from thence) fhall be a final. Iffue, and all parties therein Concerned shall fit down, and be determined thereby. And the Council fo hearing, and giving the Refult or final Iffue, in the faid cafe as aforesaid, shall fee their Determination, or Judgment duly executed and attended, in fuch way or manner, as hall in their Judgment be moft fuitable and agreeable to the Word of God. Al.15.1 Cor 5. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 6, 11. & 13. 2. Phil. 3. 15Rom. 14 2, 3.

VI. That, if any Paftor & Church doth obftinately refuse a due attendance & Conformity to the Determination of the Council, that hath the Cognizance of the Cafe, and Determineth it as above, after due patience used, they fhall be reputed guilty of Scandalous Contempt & dealt with as the Rule of God's Word in fuch café doth provide, and the Sentence of NonCommunion fhall be declared against fuch Paftor and Church. And the Churches are to approve of the faid Sentence, by with drawing from the Communion of the Pastor and, Church, which fo refused to behealed. Rom. 6. 17. Mat. 18. 15,16,17, by proportion Gel 2.11 to 14 2 Thef. 3-6, 14.

VII. That, in Cafe any difficulties fhall arife in any of the Churches in this Colony which cannot be Iffued without confiderable difquiet thatChurch, in which they arife (or that Minif ter, or Member aggrieved with them,) hall apply themselves to the Council of the Confociated Churches of the Circuit, to which the faid Church belongs, who,if they fee caufe fhalb thereupon convene, hear, and determine fuck cafes of difficulty, unless the matter bro't before them, fhall be judged fo great in the Nature of it,or fe doubtful in the Iffue,or of fuch general concern, that the faid council fhall judge beft that it be referred to a fuller council confifting of theCharches of the other Confociation within the fame County, (or of the next adjoyning confociation of another County, if there be not two confociatibes in the County, where the difficulty arifeth) who to gether with themfelves fhall hear, judge, determine, and finally Iffue fuch cafe according to the Word of God. Pro. 11. 14:1 Cor. 14 33. & 14. 24 by proportion.

VIII. That a particular Church, in which any difficulty doth arife, may if they fea caufe, call a Council of the confaciated Churches of the circuit, to which the faid Church belongs, before they proceed to fentence therein, but here is net the fame liberty to an offeading

Brother,

Brother, to call the faid Council, before the Church to which he belongs, proceed to Excommunication in the faid cafe, unless with the confent of the Church. 4. 15. 2. Mat. 18. 15, 16, 17.

IX. That all the churches of the respective confociations fhall chufe, if they fee caufe oneor two Members of each church, to Reprefent them, in the councils of the faid churches, as occafion may call for them, who fhail ftand in that capacity, till new be chofen for the fame fervice unless any church fhall incline to chufe their Meffengers a new, upon the convening of fuch councils. A. A. 15. 2. 4.

2 Cor. 8. 23.

X. That the Minifter or Minifters of the County Towns, and where there are no Ministers in fuch Towns, the two next Minifters to the faid Town fhall as foon as conveniently may be, appoint a time and place, for the Meeting of the Elders and Meffengers of the Churches in the faid County, in order to their forming themfelves into one or more confoci-ations, and notify the faid time and placé to. the Elders and Churches of that County who fhall attend at the fame, the Elders in their own perfons, and the Churches by their Meffengers if they fee cause to fend them. Which Elders and Meffengers fo. Affembled in coun

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cil, as alfo any other council hereby allowed of, fhall have power to adjourn themselves as need shall be, for the space of one year, after the beginning or firft Seffion of the faid council, and no longer. And that Minifter who was chofen at the laft Seffion of any council, to be moderator, fhall with the ad. vice and confent of two more Elders (or in cafe of the moderators death, any two Elders of the fame confociation) call another council within the circuit, when they fhall judge there is need thereof And all councils may preferibe Rules, as occafion may Require, and whatsoever they fall judge needful within their circuit, for the well performing, and or derly managing the feveral Acts, to be attended by them or matters that come under their cognizance. Phil. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 14. 40. Phil. 3. 15, 16. Rom. 14. 2, 3.

XI. That if any perfon or perføns orderly complained of to a council, or that are Witneffes to fuch complaints, (having regular Notification to appear) fhall refufe, or neglect fo to do, in the Place, and at the Time fpecifyed in the Warning given, except they or he give fome fatisfying Reafon thereof to the faid council, they fhall be judged guilty of Scandalous contempt. Col. 2. 5. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Thef. 5. 14.

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