That as every Christian congregation¹ has power and commandment to elect and ordain their own ministry according to the rules prescribed, and² while they shall faithfully execute their office, to have them in superabundant love for their work sake, to provide for them, to honor them and reverence them, according to the dignity of the office they execute. So have they also³ power and commandment when any such default, either in their life, doctrine, or administration breaks out, as by the rule of the Word debarred them from, or deprived them of their ministry, by due order to depose them from the ministry they exercised; yea if the case so require, and they remain obstinate and impenitent, orderly to cut them off by excommunication.

1. Numbers 8:9–10; Acts 3:22, 25; 6:3, 5–6; 14:23; 15:2; 2 Corinthians 8:19; 1 Timothy 3:10; 4:14; 5:22 ↩︎
2. 1 Corinthians 9; Galatians 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13; 1 Timothy 5:3, 17; Hebrews 13:17 ↩︎
3. Ezekiel 44:12–13; Matthew 18:17; Romans 16:17; Philippians 3:2, 18–19; 1 Timothy 3:10; 5:22; 6:3, 5 ↩︎