Ratio Discipline: Or, The Constitution of the Congregational Churches

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Shirley and Hyde, 1829 - 324 pages

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Table des matières

Characteristics of a true church
30
Sentiments of the Primitive and of foreign churches
31
Concluding remarks
32
CHAPTER II
33
No immutable form prescribed to the visible church 15 Varieties of form and sects 16 Foundation or authorities of the Congregational system
35
Fundamental principles of the Congregationalists
36
Remarks on the preceding general principles
39
Facts on the origin of Congregational churches 20 Of the name Independents sometimes given
41
Origin and Import of the name Congregationalists 22 Views of Congregationalists in respect to the primitive churches
43
CHAPTER III
46
GATHERING OF CHURCHES 24 Duty of Christians to enter into a church state
49
Qualifications of church members 25
51
Testimonies of Congregational writers on this subject
53
Numbers requisite for a church gathering
54
Of articles of belief
56
Of the covenant and grounds of the same
57
Covenants authorized by scripture
58
Of the public religious exercises
64
Forms of church articles and covenants
66
CHAPTER IV
69
Church officers recognized in the scriptures 38 Number of officers in Congregational churches Ruling Elders
72
Further remarks on the office of Ruling Elders
73
Office of Deacons
75
Duties of Deacons
76
Further remarks on the duties of Deacons
77
Induction of Deacons into office
79
Office of Minister or Pastor 45 Distinction of Ministers or Elders into Teaching or Pas toral 46 Duties of a Minister Note On the mode of Preaching
80
Duties of a Pastor further considered 48 Of committees of laymen for religious purposes
87
Duties of the brotherhood
88
CHAPTER V
89
Of the character of those who are to be admitted 51 Claims or right of such to admission
90
Statements of personal religious experience
92
Grounds or reasons of the foregoing practice
94
Examination of persons coming from other churches
96
Of admissions in reference to the right of voting
97
Treatment and right of the excommunicate
98
Restoration of the offender on repentance
99
CHAPTER VI
100
External call or call from the church 1
101
Church precedence in the call of a pastor and grounds of
102
The precedence of the church in the pastoral call a Natural Right
103
Founded also on scripture authority and example
104
Necessary to the maintenance of purity in the ministry
105
The church has no coercive power over the Parish
106
The concurrent action of the two a matter of agreement
108
Of the support of the minister 67 Form of the call or invitation CHAPTER VII
109
ORDINATION OF THE PASTOR 68 Of the necessity and authority of ordination
111
Of the meaning and comparative importance of ordi nation
112
Remarks on the early practice of the churches
113
Reasons for calling the neighboring churches to the Council
116
Of the admission of laymembers or delegates sent 74 Preparatory proceedings of the Council
117
Further proceedings of the Council
118
Ordaining Prayer 77 Import of the imposition of hands
120
Of the object and manner of the Charge
121
Of giving the Right Hand of Fellowship
123
Spirit of the Hand of Fellowship and closing services 81 Installation of a minister
124
Accountability of delegates and ministers to the churches
125
Of the members of a Council substituting others in their stead
126
Of inviting others to sit as members who are not cho sen by the churches
127
CHAPTER VIII
128
Of ordaining for distant churches at the invitation of the same
129
Ordination of Missionaries to the heathen
130
Certain early instances of missionary ordination
131
This practice a security to the heathen themselves 90 Its consistency with the churchs right of election
132
Historical facts illustrative of the practice
133
Formation of the Council 93 Councils proceedings and Religious exercises
134
CHAPTER IX
135
94 Design or object of church censures
136
Of suspension and excommunication when the offence is private
137
Of refusing to attend the sacrament with scandalous persons
141
Form of suspension from Mathers Disciplinæ
142
Form of excommunication from the same
143
CHAPTER X
145
Of sinful and of doubtful cases of departure 107 Just or sufficient reasons of removal
146
Persons dismissed are to receive Letters of Dismissal
147
Of letters of recommendation without dismissing
148
CHAPTER XI
149
Objects of pastoral associations
151
General or State associations 113 Objects and religious exercises of General associations
152
Relation of clerical associations to the rights of the churches
153
CHAPTER XII
154
Imperfect arrangements on this subject 118 117 Associations authorized to license preachers
155
Of the examination previous to licensing 119 Length of time for which licenses are granted
157
Form of the license 121 Of annulling or revoking licenses
158
CHAPTER XIII
159
Treatises or authorities on this subject
160
Of the calling and the nature of the Council 130 Proceedings of the Dismissing Council
164
Recommendation of pastors regularly dismissed
165
CHAPTER XIV
166
The minister amenable to his church
167
Ancient testimonies on this subject
179
Of those who have the right of calling Councils 149 Obligation of the churches to regard Letters Missive
180
Of the feelings with which Councils should be sum moned
181
Principles on which Councils are to decide 152 Of the weight due to the Advice of Councils
182
Advice of Councils in matters merely prudential 154 Advice in matters of Conscience
184
CHAPTER XVI
185
Occasions of calling mutual councils 156 Practice in selecting the council and letter missive 157 Mutual councils representative of all the churches 15...
187
Of the authority or powers of consociations
188
Administration of baptisim in private
189
Historical remarks on consociations
190
Objections to permanent or consociated councils
191
Objections to councils which are not permanent
192
Of the progress and improvement of the Congregational system
193
CHAPTER XVII
194
An Exparte allowable only on the refusal of a Mutual council
196
Proceedings of Exparte councils 170 Further proceedings of the same 171 Proceedings of the Exparte council in relation to the church
197
Object and necessity of Exparte councils
199
The necessity of them superseded by consociations
200
CHAPTER XVIII
201
Of the members of synods and the calling of the same
202
On the authorship of the Cambridge Platform
203
Synodical decisions persuasive or advisory CHAPTER XIX
205
DISCIPLINE OF WHOLE CHURCHES
206
Congregational churches may dicipline each other 180 Method of discipline laid down in the Platform
207
CHAPTER XX
208
Significancy and subjects of baptism 183 Method of proceeding at baptisms
209
Mode of applying water in baptism
210
Administration of adult baptism
211
Relation of adult baptism to church membership 187 Of the agent or administrator in baptism
212
Infant baptism
215
Relation of baptized children to the church
217
Of the baptism of adopted children
218
Duties of particular churches to their baptized children
219
Custom in respect to ministerial exchanges
220
HALFWAY COVENANT 194 Members and engagements entered into
221
Of private religious meetings
222
Origin of the practice of half way covenanting 196 Further remarks on the same subject
223
Form of the renewal of covenant
224
Early opposition to the system of halfway covenanting 198 Doings of the synod of 1662 on this subject
225
Views of the objectors to the synods articles
227
Prevalence results and abandonment of the system
228
CHAPTER XXII
229
Qualifications of those to be admitted
230
Admission to the eucharist compared with admission to baptism
231
Mode of administering the Lords supper
232
Right of a pastor to administer it in other churches 206 Frequency of this ordinance 207 Duty of the church to those who refuse to attend the Lords s...
235
This sacrament administered to members of other sects
236
CHAPTER XXIII
237
Early views of Congregationalists on Conferences
240
Cottons plan or proposition for conferences 212
241
Recent attempts to establish Conferences
243
Method of organizing Conferences
244
Meetings and religious exercises
245
CHAPTER XXIV
246
Form and ceremonies of worship
247
PART SECOND CONFESSION OF FAITH
253
Of the holy Scripture
259
Of God and of the Holy Trinity
262
Of Gods Eternal Decree
264
Of Creation
265
Of Providence
266
Of the fall of man of sin and of the punishment thereof
268
Of Gods covenant with man
269
Of Christ the Mediator
270
Of FreeWill
272
Of Effectual Calling
273
Of Justification
274
Of Adoption XIII Of Sanctification
276
Of Saving Faith
277
Of Repentance unto life and salvation
278
Of Good Works
279
Of the Perseverance of the Saints
281
Of the Assurance of grace and salvation
282
Of the Law of God
284
Of the Gospel and of the extent of the grace thereof
286
Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
287
Of Religious Worship and of the Sabbath Day
288
Of lawful oaths and vows
290
Of the Civil Magistrate
292
Of Marriage XXVI Of the Church
293
Of the Communion of Saints
295
Of the Sacraments
296
Of Baptism
297
Of the Lords Supper
298
Of the state of man after death and of the resurrection of the dead
300
Of the Last Judgment
301
I Congregational and Presbyterian Heads of Agreement II
303
Saybrook Articles
311
Legal Rights of Churches and Parishes
317

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