First, in 1635 it was enacted, [Footnote: 1635-6, March 3.] "Forasmuch as
it hath bene found by sad experience, that much trouble and disturbance
hath happened both to the church & civill state by the officers & members
of some churches, which have bene gathered ... in an vndue manner ... it
is ... ordered that ... this Court doeth not, nor will hereafter, approue
of any such companyes of men as shall henceforthe ioyne in any pretended
way of church fellowshipp, without they shall first acquainte the
magistrates, & the elders of the greater parte of the churches in this
jurisdiction, with their intenctions, and have their approbaction herein.
And ffurther, it is ordered, that noe person, being a member of any
churche which shall hereafter be gathered without the approbaction of the
magistrates, & the greater parte of the said churches, shallbe admitted to
the ffreedome of this commonwealthe." [Footnote: _Mass. Rec._ i. 168.]

In 1648 all the elders met in a synod at Cambridge; they adopted the
Westminster Confession of Faith and an elaborate "Platform of Church
Discipline," the last clause of which is as follows: "If any church ...
shall grow schismatical, rending itself from the communion of other
churches, or shall walk incorrigibly and obstinately in any corrupt way of
their own contrary to the rule of the word; in such case the magistrate,
... is to put forth his coercive power, as the matter shall require."
[Footnote: _Magnalia_, bk. 5, ch. xvii. Section 9.]

In 1658 the General Court declared: "Whereas it is the duty of the
Christian magistrate to take care the people be fed with wholesome & sound
doctrine, & in this houre of temptation, ... it is therefore ordered, that
henceforth no person shall ... preach to any company of people, whither in
church society or not, or be ordeyned to the office of a teaching elder,
where any two organnick churches, councill of state, or Generall Court
shall declare theire dissatisfaction thereat, either in refference to