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churches, as bewraying too much want of mercy & faithfulnesse

not to seeke to bing up ye breaches(e) and wounds of the

church, and brethren: and therefore the state of such a church

calleth aloud upon other churches to exercise a fuller act of

brotherly communion; to witt, By way of Admonicion. (a) Cant.8

8. (b) Act.15.2. (c) Act.15.6. (d) Act.15.22,23. (e) Ezek.34.3.

3

  A third way then of Communion of churches is by way of

Admonicion, to witt, in case any publike offence be found

in a church, wch they either discerne not, or are slow in

pceeding to use the meanes for the remooving & healing

of it. Paul had no authority over Peter, yet when he

saw Peter not walke wth a right foot, he publikely rebu=

ked him before the church(a). Though churches have

no more authority one over another, then one Apostle had

over another, yet as one Apostle might admonish another,

so may one church admonish another, and that wthout

usurpacion. In wch case, if the church wch lyeth under offence

do not hearken to the church wch doth admonish her, the

church is to acquaint other neighbor churches wth that offence

wch the offending church still lyeth under, togeather wth their

neglect of the brotherly Admonicion given to them. Where=

upon those other churches are to joyne in seconding the

Admonicion formerly given. And if still the offending

church continue in obstinacy and impenitence, they may

forbeare communion wth them; and are to pceed to make

use of the help of a Synod, or Councell of neighbor churches

walking orderly (if a greater can not conveniently be had)

for their conviction.  If they heare not the Synod, the

Synod having declared them to be obstinate, pticular

churches accepting and approoving the judgemt of the Synod,

are to declare the sentence of non=communion respectively

concerning them; and thereupon out of a religious care to

keepe their owne communion pure, they may justly withdraw

themselves from pticipacion wth them at the Lords Table,

& from such acts of holy communion, as the communion of churches

doth otherwise allow and require. Neverthelesse if any