This book sets forth the Congregational discipline of the New England churches, as laid out in The Cambridge Platform and The Saybrook Platform. The Cambridge Platform touches upon: the form of church government; - the nature of the church catholic and particular - the visible church - the church covenant - church power, officers, elders, and deacons - election and ordination - admission, recommendation, and excommunication of members - multi-church communion, synods, and the magistrate's power in matters ecclesiastical. The Saybrook Platform touches upon: churches and church members - the ministry, censures, and communion of churches - deacons and ruling elders - occasional meeting of ministers - demeanor toward the magistrate - confession of faith - duty toward them not in communion. Finally, the book closes with a chapter excerpt from The Marrow of Sacred Divinity , by William Ames: Of the Church Instituted.