3. To receive the Members of another Church without the Approbation of that Church to which they do belong, is the way to make difference in Churches, and to set them one against another Thus that Learned man. Granting of Letters Testimonial was practised in the Churches in Guernsey whe• first Reformed: Their Ecclesiastical Discipline was the Composure of the famous Thomas Cartwright (as the Ministers in that Island assured me, when I had my Conversation amongst them many years since) Now one Article of their Discipline is, That there shall not he received to the Lords Supper any one of other Parishes without Good Testimony from his Pastor, or of two of the Elders where there is no Minister. ⟨p. 112⟩Although it is true, that no Church ought to be made a P•ison, It is nevertheless a Sin for any Church Member to leave that Church where the Providence of God has set him without just cause. It is a Violation of his Church Covenant. The removal of a Member from a Church does tend to the weakening of that Church If one may depart without just reason, why not an other, and a third, and ten, twenty, and more, until the Church is in a manner dissolved. And therefore 'tis rational that if Members of Churches desire to remove their Relation to another Church, they should acquaint their own Church with their desires, and the reason thereof that so if they are justifiable, they may have a Loving Dismission, but if otherwise that they may be Convinced of their Error, and desist from their purpose. It is no sign of Wisdom for a man so to abound in his own sense, as not to ask the Advice of others (the Church especially to which he is related) •n a matter of such moment Prov. 11.14 & 12.15. Letters of Dismission are requisite that so it may be known that his departure is not offensive. By the Letters in Controversy nothing else is intended, but Letters Testimonial from some Church of Christ, or the Elders thereof, Concerning some of their Communion removing from them to another People, be it for lesser or longer Time. The sorts of these Letters are diverse according to the Occasions ⟨p. 113⟩of the person for whom they are written. It is only for distinction sake that some are called Letters of Dismission, others Letters of Recommendation.
3. To receive the Members of another Church without the Approbation of that Church to which they do belong, is the way to make difference in Churches, and to set them one against another Thus that Learned man. Granting of Letters Testimonial was pr•ctised in the Churches in Guernsey whe• first Reformed: Their Ecclesiastical Discipline was the Composure of the famous Thomas Cartwright (as the Ministers in that Island assured me, when I had my Conversation amongst them many years since) Now one Article of their Discipline is, That there shall not he received to the Lords Supper any one of other Parishes without Good Testimony from his Pastor, or of two of the Elders where there is no Minister. ⟨p. 112⟩Although it is true, that no Church ought to be made a P•ison, It is nevertheless a Sin for any Church Member to leave that Church where the Providence of God has set him without just cause. It is a Violation of his Church Covenant. The removal of a Member from a Church does tend to the weakning of that Church If one may depart without just reason, why not an other, and a third, and ten, twenty, and more, until the Church is in a manner dissolved. And therefore 'tis rational that if Members of Churches desire to remove their Relation to another Church, they should acquaint their own Church with their desires, and the reason thereof that so if they are justifiable, they may have a Loving Dismission, but if otherwise that they may be Convinced of their Error, and desist from their purpose. It is no sign of Wisdom for a man so to abound in his own sense, as not to ask the Advice of others (the Church especially to which he is related) •n a matter of such moment Prov. 11.14 & 12.15. Letters of Dismission are requisite that so it may be known that his departure is not offensive. By the Letters in Controversy nothing else is intended, but Letters Testimonial from some Church of Christ, or the Elders thereof, Concerning some of their Communion removing from them to another People, be it for lesser or longer Time. The sorts of these Letters are diverse according to the Occasions ⟨p. 113⟩of the person for whom they are written. It is only for distinction sake that some are called Letters of Dismission, others Letters of Recommendation.
