In Cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of Doctrine, or in Administrations, wherein either the Churches in general are Concerned, or any one Church in their Peace, Union and Edification, or any Member or Members of any Church are injured, or by any proceeding in Censures, not agreeable to Truth and Order, it is according to the Mind of Christ, that many Churches holding Communion together, do by their Messengers Meet in a Synod or Council, to Consider and give their Advice on, or about the matter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concerned. Howbeit, these Synods so assembled are not Entrusted with any Church Power, properly so called, or with any Jurisdiction over the Churches themselves, to Exercise any Censures, either over any Churches or Persons, or to impose their determination on the Churches or Officers. Besides these occasional Synods or Councils, there are not Instituted by CHRIST any Stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches, or their Officers in Lesser or ⟨p. v⟩Greater Assemblies, nor are there any Synods appointed by CHRIST in a way of Subordination to one another. There were in this Savoy Convention the Messengers of an hundred and twenty Congregational Churches, among whom Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, and Mr. Nigh were Principal. The large and Judicious Preface to that result, was Written partly by Dr. Goodwin, and partly by Mr. Nigh. Eighteen Pages of it are Dr. Goodwins, the rest is Mr. Nyes. That which Concerns the Order of the Churches was Dr. Owen's Composure. It may be some Readers will be gratified with this Information, and so far as I understand, I am the only Person now Living that had the knowledge of these Particulars. Sed haec obiter. With the Congregational Brethren in England, agrees our New-England Platform of Church Discipline, which declares that it belongs not to Synods, or Councils to Exercise Church Censures, nor any act of Church Authority, or Jurisdiction. But if a Council shall take upon them to suspend a Considerable Number of Persons, belonging to a particular Church, where CHRIST has given them no Authority, do they not Exercise Jurisdiction? If a Council has power to suspend which is Excommunicatio Minor, they have power to deliver to Satan, which is Excommunicatio Major.
In Cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of Doctrine, or in Administrations, wherein either the Churches in general are Concerned, or any one Church in their Peace, Union and Edification, or any Member or Members of any Church are injured, or by any proceeding in Censures, not agreeable to Truth and Order, it is according to the Mind of Christ, that many Churches holding Communion together, do by their Messengers Meet in a Synod or Council, to Consider and give their Advice on, or about the matter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concerned. Howbeit, these Synods so assembled are not Entrusted with any Church Power, properly so called, or with any Jurisdiction over the Churches themselves, to Exercise any Censures, either over any Churches or Persons, or to impose their determination on the Churches or Officers. Besides these occasional Synods or Councils, there are not Instituted by CHRIST any Stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches, or their Officers in Lesser or ⟨p. v⟩Greater Assemblies, nor are there any Synods appointed by CHRIST in a way of Subordination to one another. There were in this Savoy Convention the Messengers of an hundred and twenty Congregational Churches, among whom Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, and Mr. Nye were Principal. The large and Judicious Preface to that result, was Written partly by Dr. Goodwin, and partly by Mr. Nye. Eighteen Pages of it are Dr. Goodwins, the rest is Mr. Nyes. That which Concerns the Order of the Churches was Dr. Owins Composure. It may be some Readers will be gratified with this Information, and so far as I understand, I am the only Person now Living that had the knowledge of these Particulars. Sed haec obiter. With the Congregational Brethren in England, agrees our New-England Platform of Church Discipline, which declares that it belongs not to Synods, or Councils to Exercise Church Censures, nor any act of Church Authority, or Jurisdiction. But if a Council shall take upon them to suspend a Considerable Number of Persons, belonging to a particular Church, where CHRIST has given them no Authority, do they not Exercise Jurisdiction? If a Council has power to suspend which is Excommunicatio Minor, they have power to deliver to Satan, which is Excommunicatio Major.
