Ratio Discipline: Or, The Constitution of the Congregational Churches - Thomas Cogswell Upham - Βιβλία Google

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CONTENTS,

ORIGIN OF CHURCHES.

§ 1. General nature of a church,

2. Reasons tending to the introduction of a church state,

Light of nature in reference to this subject,

4. Of an objection sometimes made,

5. Of man as a religious being,

6. Of man as a social being,

7. Social religious worship deduced from the light of

8. Of the need of Revelation,

9. Authority, &c. for a church state in the New Tes-

General internal constitution of a church,

11. Characteristics of a true church,

12. Concluding remarks, &c.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.

Of the visible and invisible church,

14. No immutable form prescribed to the visible church,

Varieties of form and sects,

16. Foundation or authorities of the Congregational system,

17. Fundamental principles of the Congregationalists,

18. Remarks on the preceding general principles,

19. Facts on the origin of Congregational churches,

20. Of the name, Independents, sometimes given,

21. Origin and Import of the name, Congregationalists,

22. Views of Congregationalists in respect to the primitive

23. Of the churches immediately after the Apostolic age.

GATHERING OF CHURCHES.

24. Duty of Christians to enter into a church state,

Qualifications of church members,

26. Testimonies of Congregational writers on this subject,

27. Numbers requisite for a church gathering,

28. Of articles of belief,

29. Of the covenant and grounds of the same,

30. Covenants authorized by scripture,

31. Sentiments of the Primitive and of foreign churches,

Method of Proceeding; day of Prayer, &c.

33. Assistance from the neighboring churches,

NOTE. Forin of a letter missive,

34. Of the public religious exercises,

§ 36. Need of officers in the Church shown from the light of

NOTE. Writings, &c. of Mr. John Cotton,

37. Church officers recognized in the scriptures,

38. Number of officers in Congregational churches. Ruling

39. Further remarks on the office of Ruling Elders,

40. Office of Deacons,

41. Duties of Deacons,

Further remarks on the duties of Deacons,

Induction of Deacons into office,

Office of Minister or Pastor,

45. Distinction of Ministers or Elders into Teaching or Pas-

46. Duties of a Minister,

Note. On the mode of Preaching,

Duties of a Pastor further considered,

Of committees of laymen for religious purposes,

Duties of the brotherhood.

ADMISSION OF MEMBERS.

§ 50. Of the character of those who are to be admitted,

51. Claims or right of such to admission,

52. Statements of personal religious experience,

53. Grounds or reasons of the foregoing practice,

54. Examination of persons coming from other churches,

55. Of admissions in reference to the right of voting,

56. Propounding and the concluding ceremony of admitting.

CHOICE AND CALL OF A PASTOR.

§ 57. Of the internal or personal call of a minister,

External call or call from the church,

Church precedence in the call of a pastor, and

60. The precedence of the church in the pastoral call a

61. Founded also on scripture authority and example,

62. Necessary to the maintenance of purity in the ministry,

63. The church has no coercive power over the Parish,

Grounds of the reference of the choice to the Parish or

65. The concurrent action of the two a matter of agreement,

Of the support of the minister,

67. Form of the call or invitation.

ORDINATION OF THE PASTOR.

Of the necessity and authority of ordination,

69. Of the meaning and comparative importance of ordi-

70. Remarks on the early practice of the churches,

71. Ordaining councils the representatives of the churches,
NOTE. Form of Letter Missive,

72. Reasons for calling the neighboring churches to the

73. Of the admission of lay-members or delegates sent,

74. Preparatory proceedings of the Council,

75. Further proceedings of the Council,

76. Ordaining Prayer,

77. Import of the imposition of hands,

78. Of the object and manner of the Charge,

79. Of giving the Right Hand of Fellowship,

80. Spirit of the Hand of Fellowship and closing services,

81. Installation of a minister,

82. Accountability of delegates and ministers to the

83. Of the members of a Council substituting others in

84. Of inviting others to sit as members, who are not cho-

sen by the churches.

ORDINATION OF MISSIONARIES.

§35. Occasions and need of Missionary ordination,

86. Of ordaining for distant churches at the invitation of the

Ordination of Missionaries to the heathen,

88. Certain early instances of missionary ordination,

89. This practice a security to the heathen themselves,

90. Its consistency with the church's right of election,

91. Historical facts illustrative of the practice,

92. Formation of the Council,

Council's proceedings and Religious exercises.

OF CHURCH CENSURES AND EXCOMMUNICATION

$94. Design or object of church censures,

95. Of suspension and excommunication when the offence

96. Punishment of public and known offences,

NOTE. On the duty of pastors in respect to public

97. Of the proper spirit or temper in dealing with offenders,

98. Treatment and right of the excommunicate,

99. Restoration of the offender on repentance,

100. Of immediate separation from corrupt or scandalous

101. Of refusing to attend the sacrament with scandalous

102. Form of suspension, from Mather's Disciplinæ,

103. Form of excommunication, from the same.

TRANSFERENCE OF RELATIONSHIP.

$104. Nature and obligation of the church covenant,

105. The church to be consulted in cases of proposed re-

106. Of sinful and of doubtful cases of departure,

107. Just or sufficient reasons of removal,

Persons dismissed are to receive Letters of Dismissal,

109. Of letters of recommendation without dismissing.

PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS.

110. Origin of pastoral associations,

111. Objects of pastoral associations,

112. General or State associations,

113. Objects and religious exercises of General associations,

114. Relation of clerical associations to the rights of the

OF LICENSING TO PREACH.

§ 115. Early views of the churches in respect to preachers,

116. Imperfect arrangements on this subject,

117. Associations authorized to license preachers,

Of the examination previous to licensing,

119. Length of time for which licenses are granted,

120. Form of the license,

121. Of annulling or revoking licenses,

REMOVAL OF MINISTERS.

$122. Early Congregational views of ministerial removals,

123. Treatises or authorities on this subject,

1st class of cases, justifying a minister's removal,

125. 2d class of cases, authorizing removal,

Other occasions, authorising a minister's departure,

127. Advice of a Council necessary in the removal of a

Testimonies in favor of the preceding principle,

Of the calling, and the nature of the Council,

130. Proceedings of the Dismissing Council,

131. Recommendation of pastors regularly dismissed.

DISCIPLINING AND DEPOSING OF A MINISTER.

Of the necessity of some means of disciplining ministers,

The minister amenable to his church,

Evidence of such accountability from the scriptures,

NOTE. On the practice of the primitive churches,

135. Methods or process of disciplining a minister,

136. Further considerations on this subject,

137. Advice of Council in the discipline of a pastor,

138. Proceedings and results of the Council,

139. Of the testimony adduced against a pastor,

Of the deposed minister's relation to the church,

Subordinate means of pastoral discipline,

142. Duty of neighboring churches in the case of neglecting

143. Further proceedings of such churches in the above case.

144. Acts of communion according to the Syned of 1662,

145. Of the obligation of churches to seek advice,

146. Of the persons composing Councils,

Ancient testimonies on this subject,

Of those who have the right of calling Councils,

149. Obligation of the churches to regard Letters Missive,

150. Of the feelings with which Councils should be sum-

151. Principles on which Councils are to decide,

152. Of the weight due to the Advice of Councils,

153. Advice of Councils in matters merely prudential,

154. Advice in matters of Conscience.

MUTUAL COUNCILS.

§ 155. Occasions of calling mutual councils,

156. Practice in selecting the council and letter missive,

157. Mutual councils representative of all the churches,

158. Mutual councils are ultimate tribunals,

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