"This Court having seriously considered the great Divisions that arise amongst us about matters of Church Government, for the Honour of God, welfare of the Churches, and preservation of the publick peace 80 greatly hazarded.

" Do Declare ; That whereas the Congregational Churches in these parts for the general ' of their Profession and practice have hitherto been approved ; We can do no less than approve and countenance the same to be without disturbance until better light in an orderly way doth appear.

" But yet forasmuch as sundry persons of worth for

> So in the original.

prudence and piety amongst us are otherwise perswaded (whose welfare and peaceable satisfaction we desire to accommodate; this Court doth Declare; That all such persons, being so approved according to Law, as Orthodox and Sound in the Fundamentals of Christian Religion, may have allowance in their perswasion and Profession in Church ways or Assemblies without disturbance. . . .

" It is further ordered ; That wheresoever the Ministry of the Word is established according to the order of the Gospel throughout this Colony, every person shall duely resort and attend thereunto respectively upon the Lord's day, and upon such publick Fast dayes and dayes of thanksgiving, as are to be generally kept by the appointment of Authority. And if any person within this Jurisdiction, shall without just and necessary cause, withdraw himself from hearing the publick Ministry of the Word, after due means of conviction used, he shall forfeit for his absence from every such meeting _/?t;e shillings. . . .