That¹ Christ has given this power to receive in or to cut off any member, to the whole body together of every Christian congregation, and not to any one member apart, or to more members sequestered from the whole, or to any other congregation to do it for them: yet that² each congregation ought to use the best help they can here unto, and the most meet member they have to pronounce the same in their public assembly.

1. Leviticus 20:4–5; 24:14; Numbers 5:3; Deuteronomy 13:9; Psalm 122:3; Matthew 18:17; Acts 1:47; Romans 16:2; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 2 Corinthians 2:6–8 ↩︎
2. Acts 15; 1 Corinthians 3:4–5, 21–23; 12:20 ↩︎