N02341:372
Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…
Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in the churches of New-England. : With interspersed and instructive reflections on the discipline of the primitive churches. : [Seven lines from Ezekiel]
Boston: printed for S. Gerrish, 1726
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
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 ⟨p. 141⟩the Letters of Dismission, and puts them upon signifying their Willingness to receive the Person thus dismissed unto their Communion, by lifting up their Hands. This being done, he repeats unto the Person, the Substance of the Church-Covenant, and upon his Consent thereunto, he declares the Promise of the Church to acknowledge him with all Christian Regards in their Sacred Fellowship.
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 Ph•be to the Remans; 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