A34674:356
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.
10. That thereby conscientious men especially, will come to suffer, because Magistrates may think things commanded or forbidden of God, and accordingly ratify them by their authority, which God did never command or forbid, when as the question is not concerning Magistrates enjoining what they think, but what is the mind of God; nor can the pressing of the mind of God commanding what he requireth, and forbidding the contrary, be any just or proper cause of suffering to men truly conscientious.
10. That thereby conscientious men especially, will come to suffer, because Magistrates may think things commanded or forbidden of God, and accordingly ratifie them by their authority, which God did never command or forbid, when as the question is not concerning Magistrates enjoyning what they thinke, but what is the minde of God; nor can the pressing of the minde of God commanding what he requieth, and forbidding the contrary, be any just or proper cause of suffering to men truly conscientious.
The Magistrate may indeed through mistake command or forbid things, respecting not only the first but the second Table. But this doth not deprive civill Magistracy therefore of coercive power, as not in matters of the second, so neither of the first Table; but in this case Christians must be content to suffer in either, albeit withal the Magistrate do break his rule.
The Magistrate may indeed through mistake command or forbid things, respecting not onely the first but the second Table. But this doth not deprive civill Magistracy therefore of coercive power, as not in matters of the second, so neither of the first Table; but in this case Christians must be content to suffer in either, albeit withall the Magistrate doe breake his rule.