1675              139              (23

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Determine in this & in all other cases that concerne church affairs: yett

                                                        a

we Exclude not heerby the help of that great ordinance of councill when ther

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is need . : If M^r Shepard after a year or two that he was with us upon tryall

might leave us if he saw not meet to accept of o^r call without attending those

chargs in yo^r 3^d Quaery, Then the church might declare her not calling him

any farther, after that time Expired, without attending thos things you mention

They being in that case as free as hee.

 

    Wee have some Quæryes to propound alsoe touching irregular carriages

of yours in these transactions as we conceive. As

1    Whether if it be brotherly & Xstian carriage for brethren that dissent from y^e

churches voat to goe tell out of the church what they spake amongst themselves

(being by several of your selves urged to it) to any out off the church to the

defaming of your brethren & officer what in you say

2    Whether it was becoming brethren to confess your fault (In voating with the

church Januarÿ 74) to M^r Shepard as he affirmed before wittness; and

never speak word to yo^r officer that you might have oppertunity to Express 

before the church the grounds of your repenting of your own act

3    Whether it be Regular for the minor part of the church or any of them to

incorrage a minister to goe on to preach the word when the major part have

declared by their voat that they call him noe longer to that work.

4    Whether it savours not of faction or schisme to gather together a great many

names of such as have nothing to doe to set to y^r names to your quæryes : ffor

    1. Several of them have removed their dwellings out of Town, & therefore

      have noe power to vöt in church affaires heer

    2 Several of these names brethren (whose names one of you have subscribed to

       your quæries) not onely some removed but others yet dwelling amongst us, were

       not at y^e church meetings, when the church acted about M^r Shepard, & ther

       fore is it not disorderly for the minor part of the church to call for their

       hands afterward

     3. One of these brethren viz B^r Mighell was under censure when the matter

       of M^r Shepards joyning with the church was in hand, & therfore what ground

       for his hand to the first Quæry, or to calling a councill about it

       Alsoe another B^r viz John Watson was under censure all the while these

       matters were in hand about M^r Shepard, both as to his joyning & the voat

       for his dissisting to preach heer, & was absent yea removed out of Town with

       his family when the voat was confirmed June 18 (75) & therfore we cannot

       but wonder at your actings to put in his hand, Especially this being added that

       he gave noe leave to your setting to his hand, noe knew not off it as he has

 owned before several

       4 Another brother whose hand you have set to viz Deacon Tenny gave noe

       leave to set to his hand nor knew not of it w^ch practice of yours you can

       not be ignorant what it iustly might be tearmed: to be sure such unfaythfull

       ness becomes not the house of God

       5 we inquire whether you had liberty from B^r Remington & Brother Austin

       to set to their names, which if you hadd we farther inquire whether you

       may according to Rule set to their names to make up your number they being

       removed

       6 The premises considerd we inquire whether any more then twelve are to be

       look^t at as voating contrary to the major part of the church, noe more be

       ing absent when the last voat passed that dissented, Excepting B^r Austin

                                                                      who