But 2d. They have not only rejected the renovations of
the covenants by our ancestors 1638 and 1640; but even when they
pretended to follow the renovation of the covenant, 1580 and 1581, they
have kept out and perverted almost the whole of the national covenants,
as was already observed; particularly in their new bond, they have cast
away the civil part of the covenants altogether. For what reason they do
so, is indeed hard to say. True, they allege it would be a blending of
civil and religious matters together; and that it is not proper (or
competent for them, as a church judicatory) to meddle in these matters
that are of a civil nature. But seeing infinite wisdom has not judged it
a (sinful) blending of civil and religious concerns together, to deliver
the duties both civil and religious in one and the same moral law unto
mankind; it is difficult to conceive, how the people of God their
binding themselves in a covenant of duties to the conscientious
performance of all the duties God required of them in his word, whether
civil or religious, according to their respective or immediate objects,
can be reputed a blending of them together; or that this has the
remotest tendency to destroy that distinction which God in his revealed
will has stated between what is immediately civil in its nature, and
what is properly religious.
Pages:
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326