Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of church members their removal from one church to another, and of recommendation and diſmiſſion.
CHURCH members may not remove or depart from the church, and ſo one from another as they pleaſe, nor without juſt and weighty cauſe, but ought to live and dwell together, foraſmuch as they are commanded not to forſake the aſſembling themſelves together. Such departure tends to the diſſolution and ruin of the body, as the pulling of ſtones and pieces of timber from the building, and of members from the natural body tends to the deſtruction of the whole. Heb. 10.25.
2. It is therefore the duty of church-members in ſuch times and places where council may be had, to conſult with the church whereof they are members about their removal, that accordingly they having their approbation, may be encouraged or otherwiſe deſiſt. They who are joined with conſent, ſhould not depart without conſent, except forced thereunto. Pro. 11.16.
3. If a member's departure be manifeſtly unſafe and ſinful, the church may not conſent thereunto; for in ſo doing, they ſhould not act in faith, and ſhould partake with him in his ſin. If the caſe be doubtful, and the perſon not to be perſwaded, it ſeemeth beſt to leave the matter unto God, and not forcibly to detain him. Rom. 14.23. 1 Tim. 5.22. Acts 21.14.
4. Juſt reaſons for a member's removal of himſelf from the church, are, 1. If a man cannot continue without partaking in ſin. 2. In caſe of perſonal perſecution; ſo Paul departed from the diſciples at Damaſcus. Alſo in caſe of general perſecution, when all are ſcattered. 5. In caſe of real, and not only pretended want of competent ſubſiſtence, a door being opened for better ſupply in another place, together with the means of ſpiritual edification. In theſe or like caſes, a member may lawfully remove, and the church, cannot lawfully detain him. Eph. 5.11. Acts 9.25, 29, 30. and 8.1. Neh. 13.20.
5. To ſeperate from a church, either out of contempt of their holy fellowſhip, or out of covetouſneſs, or for greater enlargements, with juſt grief to the church; or out of ſchiſm, or want of love, and out of a ſpirit of contention, in reſpect of ſome unkindneſs, or ſome evil only conceived, or indeed in the church, which might and ſhould be tolerated and healed with a ſpirit of meekneſs, and of which evil the church is not yet convinced (tho' perhaps himſelf be) nor admoniſhed; for theſe or the like reaſons to withdraw from public communion in word, or ſeals, or cenſures, is unlawful and ſinful. 2 Tim. 4.10. Rom. 16.17. Judge 5.19. Eph. 4.2, 3. Col. 3.13. Gal. 6.1, 2.
6. Such members as have orderly removed their habitation, ought to join themſelves unto the church in order where they do inhabit, if it may be; otherwiſe, they can neither perform the duties, nor receive the privileges of members. Such an example tolerated in ſome, is apt to corrupt others, which if many ſhould follow, would threaten the diſſolution and confuſion of churches, contrary to the ſcripture. Iſa. 56.8. Acts 9.26. 1 Cor. 14.33.
7. Order requires that a member thus removing, have letters teſtimonial, and of diſmiſſion from the church whereof he yet is, unto the church whereunto he deſireth to be joined, leſt the church ſhould be deluded; that the church may receive him in the faith, and not be corrupted by receiving deceivers, and falſe brethren, until the perſon diſmiſſed be received into another church, he ceaſeth not by his letters or diſmiſſion to be a member of the church whereof he was, the church cannot make a member no member, but by excommunication. Acts 18.27.
8. If a member be called to remove only for a time, where a church is, letters of recommendation are requiſite, and ſufficient for communion with that church, in the ordinances, and in their watch; as Phoebe, a ſervant of the church at Cenchrea, had letters written for her to the church at Rome, that ſhe might be received as becometh ſaints. Rom. 16.1, 2. 2 Cor. 3, 1.
9. Such letters of recommendation and diſmiſſion were written for Apollos, for Marcus to the Coloſſians; for Phoebe to the Romans, for ſundry others to other churches. And the apoſtle telleth us, that ſome perſons, not ſufficiently known otherwiſe, have ſpecial need of ſuch letters, though he for his part had no need thereof. The uſe of them is to be a benefit and help to the party for whom they are written, and for the furthering of his receiving amongſt the ſaints in the place whereto he goeth, and the due ſatisfaction of them in their receiving of him. Acts 18.27. Col. 4.10. Rom. 16.1. 2 Cor. 3.1.