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

The Churches of New-England, are encouraged in such Usages, by the Discipline of the French Protestants, whereof it was an Article, That when any one for his necessary Affairs was forced to Travel, Recommendatory Letters to the next Church, were to be Asked and Granted. And the Synod of Sardis, A. C. 347. Established the the Use of such Letters in the Churches of those Early Days. In the Primitive Churches they were called, Literae Communicatoriae. Tertullian calls them, Literas Pacis: And the Greek Churches called them, Systatic Epistles. That famous Dutchman, Hornbeck, does commend the ⟨p. 140⟩Churches of New-England, for the Use of such Letters. And unto that Question, Whether such Letters are not requisite in the Translation of Members from one Church unto another? the Incomparable Voetius answers, Ita habet ordo Ecclesiasticus, et laudabili more obtinet in Ecclesiis Belgicis. Church Order does require them; and the Dutch Churches do observe them.

Inasmuch as many Church-Members, when they have Removed unto other Churches, without a Prospect of a Return, have been too Negligent in seeking for an Explicit and Orderly Translation, it is a Practice taken up, That the Churches Desire and Entrust their Pastors to send unto such Persons the Dismission which they should have asked for, and oblige them therewith to join themselves in the most regular Manner to the Churches, with which they have now a fixed Abode; and let them know, it will be an Offence, if they do, without a very valid Reason, delay to do it.

He that has these Letters of Dismission, is yet Actually a Member of the Church that gives them, until he be actually joined unto another; capable of a Voting with it, and liable to the Censures of it. But being thus furnished with Letters, like those written of old, on the behalf of Apollos to the Disciples of Achaia, Exhorting them to receive him; or like these written for Marcus to the Colossians; or, like those for Phoebe to the Romans; he carries them to the Pastor of the Church where he now resides; and the Pastor propounds to the Church the Desire of this Person: Whereupon, if no Objection occur, he reads unto the Church