Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

The Speeches on these Occasions, are now usually Concise and Short. But formerly, they were sometimes Ample and Copious. Yea, several such Speeches have been preserved in our Printed Monuments.

That this Action may be illustrated, here shall be one Instance given of such more extended Speeches; and the rather because of some Illustrations upon the Affairs of the Churches contained in it.

The Churches of New-England, tho' in their Congregational Constitution, they do the most nearly of any answer the Primitive, (which are now proved for to have been such beyond all Contestation,) yet from the very Beginning have renounced the Name of Independent; and have justly and wisely declared against such an Independency, as would leave them Unrelated to each other, and Unconcerned in each others Interests. Every particular Church is to consider it self as a part of the Catholic, and owes a Duty to the whole Visible Church of our Lord in the World. […] Church therefore are Consociated for mutual •munion, and mutual Assistance, and have so much Dependence on one another, that in Things of a more General Importance, and in such Things as may Affect the Vicinity, they abhor to Act alone. Upon that Passage in the Epistle to the Romans, The Churches of Christ salute you, I remember, that not only our great Calvin observes, The Holy Spirit would mutuo Amoris nexu devincire, bind the Churches of the Lord fast to one another in the Bonds of Love: But also Grotius himself ⟨p. 34⟩has this Note, The Communion to be maintained between particular Churches, is here intimated and animated. One special and singular Occasion for this Communion of Churches, is when a Pastor is ordained in any of them; one for whom the Acknowledgements, due to such an one, are expected from All the Churches in the Neighbourhood. In Pursuance of this Intention, the Delegates of the Neighbouring Churches which were addressed for their Countenance to the present Action, have commanded the unworthiest of their Number, in their Name, to express their Fellowship, with this Church of the Lord, on the acceptable Occasion that is now before us. It is not enough to bear me out in the Action which I am now called unto, That there is the same Action done, among our Brethren in the Reformed Churches of Europe; They are Scriptural Precepts or Patterns, from which we are to fetch our Warrant for what we do. And, O Churches of the Lord, Your Beauty and Safety will be in keeping forever close to such a Warrant in all your Administrations! 'Tis in the sacred Scriptures that we find the Ministers of GOD, giving the Right Hand of Fellowship to one another, owning their Fellowship in the Service of our Saviour, when they perceived the Grace that was given to them.