90)         156              1677

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2. The inconveniancyes of admitting such as live in other Towns for y^e grounds

before mentioned page 87.

Answ this has bin several times considered by ye church & will be considered as to

admission of all that live near us but for Children of the Church we cannot

                                         ano

deny to admitt y^m living neer to us tho in other Towns bounds, and as for y^e

person in question the Church ingaged (notw^thstanding his habitation was out of our

                                                             in

bounds) the[y] voted that he should joyne heer if he continued his desire of it

                                                                       was

3. The party propounded has partaken with us in all Gods ordinances & y^rfore it an ear

nest for his joyning untill o^r church be better united we feare ther may be some

singular Ends to in it yet to inlarg our differences

Answ: Tho he has partaken with us at y^e lords table yet not soe capable to be watcht

over nor to attend such dutyes as Church members by covenant are obliged to besides

it is not accounted orderly by the Churches that such as comunicate constantly w^th a

church (being members of other churches[)] should continue in y^t way long with out

joyning w^th y^e church they soe communicate with now y^e party propounded has lived

by us since he removed from Lynne church   years[61] soe y^t it is time being

dismissed thence to joyne with us w^th whom he constantly joynes in y^e worship of god

especially the church having soe long since agreed to grant his desire of joyning

with us & noe just ground appearing to hinder the performance of o^r promise

& for sinister Ends that y^e officer & church has in it, as is feared Especially such

a wicked end as to inlarg o^r differences it becomes them y^t set ther hands to

such speeches to consider what Paul ses 1 Cor 13 5 charity behaves not itself

unseemly it thinks noe ill

4 The devil o^r adversary being cunning would be glad to se any bone of contention

cast in amongst that soe o^r contentions & omisions which are already too great

must be inlarged & o^r love one to another abated, now we ought to live & con

tinue in love one w^th another

Answ oh that y^e subscribers [---] would doe as y^ei say its they who by their irregu

lar carriages several of y^m that have made devisions & raysed contentions amo

=ngst us w^thout cause as the church dos judg

And wheras its added it has not bin practised in o^r church but if two or 3

have bin dissatisfied y^e church in such cases has forborn

To this was answered y^t if one dissented we ought not to proceed in case y^r

was ground suffitient for his dissent, but on y^e other side tis known that some

has bin admitted [-] when Several has not held up their hand but have sub

mitted to y^e vote of y^e body of the Church, & in case 6 or 7 dissent w^thout

just ground, when y^e reasons of dissent have bin answered to y^e satisfaction

of y^e body of y^e church in y^t case the Church is not to be hindered in going

 w^th

on y^e work of god for y^e dissent of a few, but such are rather to be dealt

with all as offendors after due means used for y^r conviction. M^r Hooker

survey part 3 cap 1. page 6. M^r Cotton way cap 5 sect 3. page 95[62]

Object Caleb Bointon lived in y^e Town when he was admitted

Answ. he onely for a few dayse or weeks came to a garison house in the time

of great danger for by y^e Indians & Neh might have done the same

not to say alsoe that he shall not be admitted except he live in the Town

an answer that has waight enough in it for Such a cavil

5 The church of Ipswich shuld be consulted with whether they be wiling he should

ioyn w^th us he being one of their Town

Answ: 1 we need not ask leave of any church to admitt the children of our church

to comunion w^th us if they dwell soe neer us as to be capable to attend the