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    con-rowley

    86)     152                    1677.

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    Churches peace As to his breach of ye 8th comand he sas he was noe transgressor

    after he had complemented that he would submitt to my better judgmt And was

    noe transgressor because he was informed that ye church mett about yt they had

    nothing to doe in wthout the Toun

    1 when ye officer that calls the meeting not declaring what it was about

    is not inquired of is it orderly for any brethren to gather by reports what

    they mett about we had other things in hand besides yt he was informed of

    as to call upon the church to remember their solemn covenant to reform those

    Evills amongst us that the councill had mentioned as procurers of gods

    judgments One of wch was to send their children to catechism wch Mr Nelsõ

    had as much cause to put in mind of as any member in ye church who has

    not sent his children at all this year & much neglected it in former years

    2 They mett to consider amongst ymselves (as they may lawfully at any time doe)

    what stipend may be meet to allow their minister and soe comend it to ye

    whole Town wch accordingly they did; If they had known that the law

    did not allow them to determine any such matter alone yet they might con

    =ferr of it & signify their minds about it what they for their own parts did

    think was meet, whether the Town accepted of their judgmt or noe

    Again if 2 or 3 did alleadg that they thought ther was a law that did

    strengthen in what they judged was meet to be allowed yet what can be

    made of this amongst brethren yea or by any Impartiall man mistake

    of them that sayd they thought yr was a law that did allow the church

    to determin in such a case ; Its most evident that not one of ye church

    much less ye whole had any designe to to deprive the toun of their liberty

    to act in a matter yt did concern them, ffor as soon as upon search in

    the law book they understood ther was noe such law they reported

    to the Toun & expressed what they had judged meet to be allowed desiring yr

    concurrance therin ; but how the churches judgmt therin was slighted &

    O how resolved to allow but single maintenance for double labour it was too

    apparent

    ffinally let the church censure & judg whether any member can refuse to

    come to a church meeting when called by ye officer though what they meet

                                 not

    about is a matter that concerns them alone to deal in; thers need of every

                                  ^

    member of the body to prevent the wrong or hurt of ye body as well as

    to be otherwise helpfull to ye body If he had bin yr he might have shown

    yr was noe law that would countenance the church to determin such

    a matter alone which none present could affirm tho many doubted of

    it & if he had bin present it is not doubted but he would have shown his

    thoughts as well as others what incorragemt was meet (the times con

    sidered) to allow his minister & soe have it propounded to the Town for

    their concurrance

    But wheras he Church adds if every man of ye church had done as he did it

    had bin better for church & Town; it is highly to reflect upon the officer

    calling the church together & upon ye churches doing well in obeying

    which is not onely to rebell against gods order hims but to incorrage

    Every brother in the church soe to doe.

    To ye 2 about the breach of ye 9th comand he chargeth ye Church Excusing

    4 or 5 as joyning with him in ye same act of calling Mr Shepard to prech

    which is falty the body of the Church have not broaken yr agreemt yei

    submitted to by ye councills advise in calling Mr Shepard to preach the

    whole church agreeing to noe such thing but almost ye whole church being

                                a

    against it much less had they hand in joyning as he did wth The Town in

    such an act contrary to the known Rule of the Country hither