A34674:359
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.
12. That thence are caused all the wars in Christendom at this day; when it is evident that the pressing men to obey the will and word of God in matters either of the second or fi•st Table, is not of it self any cause of war, but the lusts rather of such as abuse their power contrary to the Word.
12. That thence are caused all the warres in Christendome at this day; when it is evident that the pressing men to obey the will and word of God in matters either of the second or fi•st Table, is not of it selfe any cause of warre, but the lusts rather of such as abuse their power contrary to the Word.
By this already spoken we have seen the ruin of twelve of our opposites Castles in the air, imaginarily framed to withstand the civil Magistrates coercive power in matters of Religion.
By this already spoken we have seen the ruine of twelve of our opposites Castles in the ayre, imaginarily framed to withstand the civil Magistrates coercive power in matters of Religion.
Let us now in the next place consider at the object of this coercive power of the Magistrate, which in the state of the ⟨p. 15⟩question we call the (outward man) the things wh ch the civill Magistrate, as such, doth command or forbid, he commandeth or forbiddeth with immediate respect to the outward man. The Magistrate as a Magistrate looketh immediately at the external acts of the body, and not at the internal acts of the soul, its his property as a civill Ruler to attend only the duties and sins which appear in the walk of the outward man. Thus Calvin, Beza, Chemnitius, Gerard, and other Protestant Divines generally.