Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…
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
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.
§ 3. When a Person has been Excommunicated, the Faithful do continue unto him, the general Offices of Humanity; nor does he suffer for it any civil Penalties: Only this, that such an one is ⟨p. 156⟩rarely chosen by the People to any public Employments. But yet they withhold from him, their Familiarity; and act according to the Apostolical Rule of, Avoiding them; which in Cyprian's time, was thus understood, Contumaces et Deum non timentes, et ab Ecclesia in totum recedentes, nemo comitetur.
§ 3. When a Person has been Excommunicated, the Faithful do continue unto him, the general Offices of Humanity; nor does he suffer for it any civil Penalties: Only this, that such an one is ⟨p. 156⟩rarely chosen by the People to any publick Employments. But yet they withold from him, their Familiarity; and act according to the Apostolical Rule of, Avoiding them; which in Cyprian's time, was thus understood, Contumaces et Deum non timentes, et ab Ecclesia in totum recedentes, nemo comitetur.
In this Repentance, the Churches of New-England require not all the Ceremonies mentioned by Tertullian, A lying in Sackcloth and Ashes, having a squalid Body and a dejected Soul; Fasting, Praying, Weeping, Groaning, and Roaring Night and Day, and throwing themselves at the Feet of the Elders, and kneeling before the Faithful, begging their Prayers and their Pardon; But yet they require the Essence and Substance of what is mentioned in the Letters of the Ministers to Cyprian;
In Sum, Humility, Modesty, Patience, Petition, Tears, with Reformation, are expected in the Penitent; and none of those Vanities or Levities which are mentioned by Cyprian, in his Book, De Lapsu, as Confutations of a professed Repentance, are to be indulged with them. There's no such Complete and Legal Time of Satisfaction limited in the Churches of New-England,
⟨p. 157⟩
as the rigider among the Ancients called, The Time of Penance, which with an arbitrary Severity they sometimes imposed. But wherever there are seen Rational Demonstrations of Repentance in an Excommunicate, the Pastor soon brings him to the Church, [For the Repenting and the Absolving of the Fallen, is in these Churches, as it was required in Austin's Time,
Let him not refuse to express his Repentance, even before all the People: Or as that of Natalius, mentioned by Eusebius, when he melted the whole Church into the Tears of Compassion for him,] who upon the View thereof do Vote the Restoration of the Penitent, (with an uplifted Hand;) and the Pastor pronounces him restored; with solemn Charges unto him, to walk worthy of the Divine Goodness;— whereto he adds Prayers, and Praises, and Speeches that may suit the Grateful Occasion. And thus the Person is as Jerome speaks,
Restored in the Presence of the whole Church, with Pastor and People together weeping over him.
In this Repentance, the Churches of New-England require not all the Ceremonies mentioned by Tertullian, A lying in Sackcloth and Ashes, having a squalid Body and a dejected Soul; Fasting, Praying, Weeping, Groaning, and Roaring Night and Day, and throwing themselves at the Feet of the Elders, and kneeling before the Faithful, begging their Prayers and their Pardon; But yet they require the Essence and Substance of what is mentioned in the Letters of the Ministers to Cyprian; *In Sum, Humility, Modesty, Patience, Petition, Tears, with Reformation, are expected in the Penitent; and none of those Vanities or Levities which are mentioned by Cyprian, in his Book, De Lapsu, as Confutations of a professed Repentance, are to be indulged with them. There's no such Compleat and Legal Time of Satisfaction limited in the Churches of New-England, ⟨p. 157⟩as the rigider among the Ancients called, The Time of Penance, which with an arbitrary Severity they sometimes imposed. But wherever there are seen Rational Demonstrations of Repentance in an Excommunicate, the Pastor soon brings him to the Church, [For the Repenting and the Absolving of the Fallen, is in these Churches, as it was required in Austin's Time, *Let him not refuse to express his Repentance, even before all the People: Or as that of Natalius, mentioned by Eusebius, when he melted the whole Church into the Tears of Compassion for him,] who upon the View thereof do Vote the Restoration of the Penitent, (with an uplifted Hand;) and the Pastor pronounces him restored; with solemn Charges unto him, to walk worthy of the Divine Goodness;— whereto he adds Prayers, and Praises, and Speeches that may suit the Grateful Occasion. And thus the Person is as Jerom speaks, 3Restored in the Presence of the whole Church, with Pastor and People together weeping over him.
*[Pulsent sane fores sed non utique confringant: Castrorum Caelestium excubent portis, sed armati Modestia, qua intelligant se desertores suisse. Resumant precum suarum Tubam: Sed non q• Bellicum clangant. Multum illis proficiet Petitio Modesta, Postulatio verecunda, Humilitas necessaria, Patientia non otiosa Mittant Legatos pro suis Doloribus, Lacrymas; Advocatione fungantur ex intimo pectore prolati Gemitus, delorent probantes commiss• Criminis, •t […];][Pulsent sane fores sed non utique confringant: Castrorum Caelestium excubent portis, sed armati Modestia, qua intelligant se desertores suisse. Resumant precum suarum Tubam: Sed non q• Bellicum clangant. Multum illis proficiet Petitio Modesta, Postulatio verecunda, Humilitas necessaria, Patientia non otiosa Mittant Legatos pro suis Doloribus, Lacrymas; Advocatione fungantur ex intimo pectore prolati Gemitus, delorent probantes commiss• Criminis, •t 〈…〉;]
*[In Notiti• Multorum, vel etiam totius Plebis agere Penitentiam non recuset;]
3[† Episcopo et omni Populo collacrymantibus, Receptus, sub oculis omnis Ecclesiae, ad Communionem]
Some in Danger (and Absence) by Sickness, have been released from their Censure, upon the Report of the Pastor, and certain Brethren, made unto the Church, of a Repentance well expressed in them.
§. 1. THE Case may be so that a Person may be oppressed by unjust Passion and Prejudice, and have a Censure unjustly passed upon him. In this Case, the Churches of New-England, have a Remedy for Oppression, that is to say, A COUNCIL; the Methods whereof are now to be declared.
Tho' the Churches of New-England have been called Independents, they have not yet arrived unto the Degree of Independency, which was challenged in the Days of Austin; Habet omnis Episcopus pro licentiâ Potestatis et Libertatis suae Arbitrium proprium; Judicari ab alio non potest, quomodo nec ipse Judicure; sed expectemus universi Judicium Christi, qui solus habet de actu nostro Judicandi potestatem.
The Person aggrieved applies himself to the Pastor, and by him to the Church, with humble Remonstrances of the Hardships which he apprehends used upon him; desiring them to Review his Case: And if this don't obtain, then to accommodate him in calling a Council of Neighbour Churches, (chosen with mutual Satisfaction,) to judge of the Proceedings.
He writes Letters, to what Churches in the Neighbourhood he pleases; briefly declaring, That he apprehends himself to suffer by an Administration that needs to be more thoroughly enquired into; and entreating the Pastors, with the Delegates of the Churches to whom he now makes his Address, to come to the Place, and at the Time, that are specified in the Letters, and consider the Case, whereof a full Representation shall then and there be laid before them; and give their Advice, which he hopes will be with all Sincerity and Humility hearkened to.
If the Church think it advisable for them to have their Share in choosing and calling the Council, the Letters then go in their Name, (signed by the Pastor) and are of the like Importance.
If the Church think it adviseable for them to have their Share in chusing and calling the Council, the Letters then go in their Name, (signed by the Pastor) and are of the like Importance.
The Pastors of the Churches (to whom an aggrieved Person has (under the neglect of the Church to do any thing for the Relief of his Distress) made his Complaints, do not rashly at once read his Letters to their Churches: But having informed themselves as throughly as they can of the Case, they signify unto the Pastor of the Church complained of, what they have received, and ask him to let them know whether the Difficulty cannot be removed, without their coming to them as a Council; or whether they have any just Objection to make against their coming to them. For the management of these Preliminaries, the Pastors either have an Interview, or else by Messengers hold such a Communication with one another, as is needful to their Concurrence in the Action.
If after all, the Pastors are apprehensive that their further Proceeding may be necessary, they proceed then to read their Letters to the Churches; who thereupon choose their Delegates for a Council.
If after all, the Pastors are apprehensive that their further Proceeding may be necessary, they proceed then to read their Letters to the Churches; who thereupon chuse their Delegates for a Council.
In Choosing of the Delegates, the Pastor usually Nominates the Persons whom he would commend unto the Choice of the Church, and then says unto the Church, If there are any others, whom you will please to nominate on this Occasion, you have and know your Liberty.
In Chusing of the Delegates, the Pastor usually Nominates the Persons whom he would commend unto the Choice of the Church, and then says unto the Church, If there are any others, whom you will please to nominate on this Occasion, you have and know your Liberty.
When 'tis only an Aggrieved Party, that has addressed for a Council, the Pastors do by the Letters to the Pastor of the Church complained of, signify Where and When their coming is to be looked for.
The Council coming or the Spot, first choose their Moderator, and use […] other necessary Preliminaries; Whereupon •hey proceed unto as public an Hearing as they they can have, [namely in the Meeting-House,] of the things that are to come under their Examination; The Moderator ever beginning with Solemn Supplications.
The Council coming or the Spot, first chuse their Moderator, and use 〈…〉 other necessary Praeliminaries; Whereupon •hey proceed unto as publick an Hearing as they they can have, [namely in the Meeting-House,] of the things that are to come under their Examination; The Moderator ever beginning with Solemn Supplications.
