Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

Name: Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…
Author: Cotton Mather

Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in the churches of New-England. : With interspersed and instructive reflections on the discipline of the primitive churches. : [Seven lines from Ezekiel]

Cotton Mather 1663–1728Boston: printed for S. Gerrish, 1726

[2], iv, 10, 207, [5] p. ; 18 cm. (8vo) · 57k words · Evans 2775

Title page typeset from the transcription.

We Proceed unto the Methods and Customs, IN THE CHURCHES OF New-Eng… › Article 5: ARTICLE V. The Administration of the Holy Supper.

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

[ Earlier:231–246 of 557

:231p. 87–88

In the Renowned Churches of Bohemia, there was before every Celebration of the Communion, an Examen Conscientiarum, wherein the Pastor examined the People, How they profited by the Means of Grace? And it is credibly Affirmed, That Luther, when he saw the Discipline of those Churches declared, ^†He was very sorry that the other ⟨p. 88⟩Churches of the Reformation had been so Remiss in Admissions to the Communion. But in the Churches of New-England, the Pastors do, only once for all, Examine the Spirits of the People, with pertinent Questions, before they Grant them an Admission into the State of Communicants. And herein they have not been very far from the Opinion of Chrysostom, who explaining, Holy Things for Holy Men; (A Sentence often made Use of in the Primitive Churches) has these Words, If any one be not Holy, let him have no Access. And freedom from Wickedness does not make one Holy, but the Presence of the Spirit, and plenty of Good Works. I would have them not only free from Dirt, but also to be White, and Fair, and Beautiful.

†Confitebatur dolorem suum, quod ab ipsis reflorescentis Evangelii primordiis, quosvis absque Discrimine ad Coenam Dominicam admisisset, quodque Disciplinam Fratrum Disciplinae similem apud suos non Constituisser.

:232p. 88–89

In very many of the Churches, the Answers of the Examined Person to some such Questions as those, are taken in Writing by the Pastor from the Mouth of the Person; [or a Brief Relation of the Desires to live unto GOD which are now working in hi•. Heart, and of the Means and Ways wherewith such Desires have been enkindled in him;] or else 'tis brought ready written, by the Candidate of the Communion; and unto it there is added, either a Confession of Faith, of the Persons own composing, or a briefer Intimation of what publicly received Confession or Catechism, he chooses to acknowledge as containing the Principles of Religion, he would adhere unto. This Instrument the Pastor communicates unto Church, on some Convenient Opportunities: But sometimes he reports to the Brethren the Minutes

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