Gospel order revived being an answer to a book lately set forth by ... Increase Mather ... entituled, The order of the gospel, &c ... / by sundry ministers of the gospel in New England.

Q. 14. Is the Practice of the Churches of New-England in granting Letters of Dismission or Recommendation from one Church to another, ac∣cording to Scripture, and the Example of other Churches?

The Reverend Author refers to many Scriptures to prove the Af∣firmative, but not one of them reaches the Question, or proves •••• dismission for this end, soil to take a person off from being a Mem∣ber of one Church, to be made a Member of another. The Epistles or Letters he refers to, are all Apo••ta••••cal or Ministerial; not the Let∣ters of one Church to another, some only excepted, which is men∣tioned as writ by the Brethren; but Apol••••, on whole behalf they wrote, was not a Member of their Church; nor do they write to those in Achaia to receive him as a Member, but rather as a Minister, or as a Christian of eminence and singular goodness.

Indeed there may be a good use of Letters of Recommendation, and especially among strangers and where a Member removes from one Church to another, a mutual satisfaction may be laboured after.

But we cannot but think such Letters frivilous, when in the same Town, and at two streets distance, a Person known over all the Town for an exemplary Conversation, prefers anothers Ministry. Civility will constrain such persons to acquaint then Ministers of their pur∣poses, and the same Christian Civility obliges such a Minister to ac∣quaint the other Pastor (if need be) to whose Ministry they repair, that they have carried themselves well in his Communion, and that he hopes they may prove blessings in all other.

But as for the Brethren, We need not go to them, to make a second Speech, now to ask leave to with-draw, and to render an ac∣count to every impertinent Talker who thinks the man Married to him, and that his bed is broke into, or that there's no just reason for a divorce.

Moreover, some people are forever dissatisfied; neither con∣veniencies of Habitation, liking the others Ministry, profiting under it, or dislike of some Customs and Practices which he would willingly be rid of the light of, can satisfy. And what must the grieved person do further in this case? Why, truly he has done his duty, and may hear and communicate, where God and his own sober Conscience directs him. No•• ought any Minister of Christ, to reject his claim to the Lords Table with him.

To say no more, our Reverend Author having in a former Treatise proved that persons baptized are thereby subjects of Discipline, We think they all ought to be accountable to the Society where they are; there persons being dismissed by the Providence of God, whether they have letters of dismission or not. Else by their principles, an ordained Minister in London, formerly of Communion with a Church in Boston, being called to Office in a particular Church, and having accepted the Pastoral Care thereof, must first send over a Pacquet to New-England for a Letter of dismission. And don't you think he would be well imployed?