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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