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 9: ARTICLE IX. Of COUNCILS upon Emergencies.

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:458–473 of 557

:458p. 170–171

§. 4. The Councils in the Churches of New-England, rarely meet with Contradictions from the Churches, whose Cases have been laid before them. One Method of Prudence used for the ⟨p. 171⟩Prevention of such Things has been this; That the Councils having exhibited their Decisions, do not presently Dissolve, but Adjourn themselves for some Time [certain or uncertain] to see, Whether their Advice be attended or no. The New English Councils have been generally so regularly composed, and in so good a Temper, that there has been in them very little Occasion for the old Complaint, Omne Concilium parit Bellum; or for such a Story as that of Curcellaeus, Experientiam docere nullas unquam Controversias de Religione inter Christiancs exortas, Auctoritate Synodali foeliciter terminatas fuisse.

:459p. 171

Nevertheless, there have been formerly some Cases wherein it has been sound necessary to call New Councils, for further Deliberations upon Things, which the First had not sufficiently and successfully determined.

:460p. 171–172

There are many Circumstantials in Church-Order, wherein the Churches do leave one another so Free, that the Councils never find it worth the while to infringe that Freedom; and they see no Inconvenience in that Indulgence, which the old African Synod in their Letter to the more imposing Stephen pleaded for; ^†That Pastors may without Offence to their Neighbours, or any ⟨p. 172⟩Breach upon Concord, have some things proper to themselves; in which they shall owe no Account of their Administration, but unto the Lord.

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