A34674:294
The Covenant of Grace
The covenant of grace discovering the great work of a sinners reconciliation to God / by John Cotton ... ; whereunto are added Certain queries tending to accommodation [sic] between the Presbyterian and Congregational churches ; also a discussion of the civill magistrates power in matters of religion ; by the same author.The covenant of grace discovering the great work of a sinners reconciliation to God / by John Cotton ... ; whereunto are added Certain queries tending to accommodadation [sic] between the Presbyterian and Congregationall churches ; also a discussion of the civill magistrates power in matters of religion ; by the same author.
London: printed by M.S. for Francis Eglesfield and John Allen, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
The 4. Query.
The 4. Querie.
For the Healing of which defects; were it not much to be wished that the Members of Presbyterian Churches, did once publicly profess their Faith and Repentance before their partaking of the Lords Table? (as John Baptists Disciples did before their Baptism, and as Members of Congregational Churches do before their Admission:) that so None such as were ignorant or scandalous might be admitted to the Lords Table till they were duly approved to be Men of knowledge, sound in the Faith, and blameless in conversation? And further also, whether would it not much conduce to a more full and clear acceptance of their Administrations, If their Elders in the Classis did put forth no Authoritative Act, touching the Members of other Churches, but consultative only; nor touching their own, but (upon hearing the advice of Fellow Elders in difficult cases) to proceed each one with the Cognizance and Consent of his own Church at home respectively?
For the Healing of which defects; were it not much to be wished that the Members of Presbyterian Churches, did once publickly professe their Faith and Repentance before their partaking of the Lords Table? (as John Baptists Disciples did before their Baptisme, and as Members of Congregationall Churches doe before their Admission:) that so None such as were ignorant or scandalous might be admitted to the Lords Table till they were duely approved to be Men of knowledge, sound in the Faith, and blamelesse in conversation? And further also, whether would it not much conduce to a more full and cleere acceptance of their Administrations, If their Elders in the Classis did put forth no Authoritative Act, touching the Members of other Churches, but consultative onely; nor touching their owne, but (upon hearing the advice of Fellow Elders in difficult cases) to proceede each one with the Cognizance and Consent of his owne Church at home respectively?