A34674:365
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.
Answ. We say no: because these appertain to the inward man and soul of man, to attend so far as they are inward, but if we speak of any outward profession of these, so far he may command as to profess the faith by coming to hear the Word, and to repent by public fasting and prayer. And if Princes have no power in such external things, then have they no power instrumentally to remove the wrath of God from their Kingdoms by general humiliations.
Answ. We say no: because these appertaine to the inward man and soule of man, to attend so farre as they are inward, but if we speake of any outward profession of these, so farre he may command as to professe the faith by comming to heare the Word, and to repent by publick fasting and prayer. And if Princes have no power in such externall things, then have they no power instrumentally to remove the wrath of God from their Kingdomes by generall humiliations.
Briefly now of the manner and means of the exercise of this power, included in that phrase [civilly] we say not ecclesiastically, as if he might put forth his power in a Church way, & by Church-weapons or censures, but civilly or in ⟨p. 17⟩a civill way or by civill censures or punishments.
Whence also other objections are answered, as that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual; and that Paul showeth a way of redressing all offences, 1 Cor. 5.5. 2 Tim. 2.25. and Faith comes by hearing, and not by whipping: when these places rather intend and show a Church way of healing Church offences: and do no more exclude a Political way of healing offences in a Christian Common-wealth, than an Economical way of redressing disorders in the Family; so the other place showeth a spiritual means of drawing men to the Faith; so that neither are pertinent to the case of the Civill power, acting civilly; nor doth this Assertion, That the Magistrate is to be a terror to all evil works, (applying the same to evil works forbidden in the first Table) any more exclude the use of Church-discipline therein: then it doth in matters of the second Table, if applied thereunto; for the Church may proceed in her way to censure Ecclesiastically one and the same thing, whether it be against the