A34674:512
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.
1 Because the Magistrate is Custos utriusque Tabulae, i. e. Charged with the custody of both Tables; That he is keeper of the second Table is granted, that he is keeper of the former, is sufficiently proved in the first Question.
2 From the recorded and approved examples of godly Kings in the Scriptures: David, 1 Chron. 23.2. Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 29.4. Josiah, 2 Kin. 23.1,2.
3 From the nature of such great Assemblies: Though Synodical Assembling be spiritual, yet mere assembling of a multitude together (which a Synodical Assembly presupposeth) is a Civil act, and therefore cannot in good policy be suffered without the consent of the Magistrate.
3 From the nature of such great Assemblies: Though Synodicall Assembling be spirituall, yet meer assembling of a multitude together (which a Synodicall Assembly presupposeth) is a Civil act, and therefore cannot in good policy be suffered without the consent of the Magistrate.
4 From the necessary (though not ⟨p. 68⟩essential) requisites to the being of a Synod, as place, time, manner of meeting, peace, all which need the consent of the Magistrate in case of violent disturbance: the Churches as such, having no civill power to defend them, cannot but want the assistance of the Magistrate, that they may meet and transact the matters of the Synod in safety and quietness.
4 From the necessary (though not ⟨p. 68⟩essentiall) requisites to the being of a Synod, as place, time, manner of meeting, peace, all which need the consent of the Magistrate in case of violent disturbance: the Churches as such, having no civill power to defend them, cannot but want the assistance of the Magistrate, that they may meet and transact the matters of the Synod in safety and quietnesse.
5 From the proportion that the Magistrates Con-coactive or calling power of a Synod, holds with his confirmation of the conclusions of the Synod; the same reason that warrants his confirming power for the better strengthening the observation of the conclusions of the Synod, warrants his calling power for the better being of the Synod.
1 From that famous example, Acts 15. where the Synod meets, and site, without the call of Civil Authority; there being then no Christian Magistrate.
2 Because the power of the constitution of Synods, as properly such, firstly resideth with, ariseth from, and lastly returneth to particular Churches.
3 Because the power of the Magistrate tends not to the being, but to the better being of Synods; and added thereunto is accumulative, not privative (i. e.) it adds strength to it, but takes not any power from it: Hence a Synod may in ease be without ⟨p. 70⟩any consent of the Magistrate, but cannot be without some consent, explicit or implicit, of the Churches.
3 Because the power of the Magistrate tends not to the being, but to the better being of Synods; and added thereunto is accumulative, not privative (i. e.) it adds strength to it, but takes not any power from it: Hence a Synod may in ease be without ⟨p. 70⟩any consent of the Magistrate, but cannot be without some consent, explicite or implicite, of the Churches.
4 Because the Lord Jesus hath invested the Churches with sufficient Ecclesiastical power in the best Ecclesiastical manner, to attain their Ecclesiastical end, which yet were not, if they had not power of themselves by joint consent to call a Synod.
4 Because the Lord Jesus hath invested the Churches with sufficient Ecclesiasticall power in the best Ecclesiasticall manner, to attaine their Ecclesiasticall end, which yet were not, if they had not power of themselves by joynt consent to call a Synod.
Query 1 In what case may the Magistrate proceed to call a Synod without the consent of the Churches?
Querie 1 In what case may the Magistrate proceed to call a Synod without the consent of the Churches?
Answ. The Magistrate in case the Churches be defective, and not to be prevailed with, for the performance of their duty, (just cause so requiring) may call a Synod, and the Churches ought to yield obedience thereunto.
But notwithstanding the refusal, he may proceed to call an Assembly, and that for the same end that a Synod meets for, namely, to consider of, and clear the truth from the Scriptures, in weighty matters of Religion: But such an Assembly called and gathered without the consent of the Churches, is not properly that which is usually understood by a Synod, for though it be in the power of the Magistrate to Call, yet it is not in his power to Constitute a Synod, without at least the implicit consent of the Churches: Because Church-Messengers, who necessarily presuppose an explicit (which order calls for) or implicit consent of the Churches, are essential to a Synod.
But notwithstanding the refusall, he may proceed to call an Assembly, and that for the same end that a Synod meetes for, namely, to consider of, and clear the truth from the Scriptures, in weighty matters of Religion: But such an Assembly called and gathered without the consent of the Churches, is not properly that which is usually understood by a Synod, for though it be in the power of the Magistrate to Call, yet it is not in his power to Constitute a Synod, without at least the implicite consent of the Churches: Because Church-Messengers, who necessarily presuppose an explicite (which order calls for) or implicite consent of the Churches, are essentiall to a Synod.
