POLITY
A Collection of Historic Baptist Documents
Edited by Mark Dever
Copyright ©2001 Center for Church Reform
All rights reserved.
Reproduction or use of any portion of this publication by any mechanical, electronic, or other means is prohibited without written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 00-110552
ISBN: 0-970125-21-6
Copyeditors: Greg Gilbert and Shannon Mitchell
Cover Design/Page Composition: Bellerophon Productions
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee
Printed by: Sheridan Books
Printed in the United States of America
A Collection of Historic Baptist Documents
Polity
Biblical Arguments on How to Conduct Church Life
Edited by
Mark Dever
Church order and the ceremonial of religion, are less important than a new heart; and in the view of some, any laborious investigation of questions respecting them may appear to be needless and unprofitable. But we know, from the Holy Scriptures, that Christ gave commands on these subjects, and we cannot refuse to obey. Love prompts our obedience; and love prompts also the search which may be necessary to ascertain his will. Let us, therefore, prosecute the investigations which are before us, with a fervent prayer, that the Holy Spirit, who guides into all truth, may assist us to learn the will of him whom we supremely love and adore.
John Leadley Dagg
Contents & Introduction
Editors Preface, Mark Dever……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….ix
I. Introductory Essays
“The Noble Task: The Pastor as Preacher
and Practitioner of the Marks of the Church”…………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Mark Dever
“The Church: Baptists and Their Churches
in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries”………………………………………………………………………………………………….19
Greg Wills
“Discipline: The Missing Mark”…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..43
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
II. Historical Reprints
BENJAMIN KEACH 59
The Glory of a True Church
and its Discipline Displayed (1697)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………63
BENJAMIN GRIFFITH 93
A Short Treatise Concerning a True
and Orderly Gospel Church (1743)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….95
CHARLESTON ASSOCIATION 113
Summary of Church Discipline (1774)………………………………………………………………………………………………………..115
SAMUEL JONES 135
A Treatise of Church Discipline
and a Directory (1798)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………137
W. B. JOHNSON 159
The Gospel Developed (1846)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………161
JOSEPH S. BAKER 247
Church Discipline (1847)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..249
J. L. REYNOLDS 293
Church Polity or The Kingdom of Christ (1849)…………………………………………………………………………………………..295
P. H. MELL 405
Corrective Church Discipline (1860)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..409
ELEAZER SAVAGE 477
Manual of Church Discipline (1863)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..479
WILLIAM WILLIAMS 525
Apostolical Church Polity (1874)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….527
Person Index…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….553
Subject Index……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………559
Scripture Index…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………571
