A34674:352
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.
The Result of the Disputations of the Synod, or Assembly, at Cambri… › Part › Question 1
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.
But this doth not hinder the Magistrate from that use of his coercive power, in matters commanded or forbidden in the first Table, no more then it doth hinder him from the like power in matters of the second Table; none being ignorant what perplexing intricacies there are in these as well as in the former; as conscientious Magistrates find by daily experience; yet such as object this will not deny this power in the latter, and why then in ⟨p. 11⟩the former; the objection proveth the difficulty of his knowing of Gods mind in his place, and if it had been objected against Church-Officers power in Churches, or the power of Parents and Masters in their families, it would have proved the same; but it follows not, its difficult for a man in authority to know the utmost of his duty in his place, therefore its not necessary for him to do his duty in his place.
But this doth not hinder the Magistrate from that use of his coercive power, in matters commanded or forbidden in the first Table, no more then it doth hinder him from the like power in matters of the second Table; none being ignorant what perplexing intricacies there are in these as well as in the former; as conscientious Magistrates finde by dayly experience; yet such as object this will not deny this power in the latter, and why then in ⟨p. 11⟩the former; the objection proveth the difficulty of his knowing of Gods minde in his place, and if it had been objected against Church-Officers power in Churches, or the power of Parents and Masters in their families, it would have proved the same; but it followes not, its difficult for a man in authority to know the utmost of his duty in his place, therefore its not necessary for him to doe his duty in his place.
They which inaugurated Joash to be King, 2 Chron. 23.11. they put upon him the testimony (as the Hebrew words used to be expounded) to show that it was his duty as a King not only to know the testimony or book of Gods Law, but authoritatively to establish what was written in it.