A92147:1037
A treatise of civil policy
A treatise of civil policy: being a resolution of forty three questions concerning prerogative, right and privilege, in reference to the supreme prince and the people. / By Samuel Rutherford professor of divinity of St Andrews in Scotland.A treatise of civil policy: being a resolution of forty three questions concerning prerogative, right and priviledge, in reference to the supream prince and the people. / By Samuel Rutherford professor of divintiy of St Andrews in Scotland.
London, : Printed and are to be sold by Simon Miller at the Star in St Pauls Church-yard near the West end., 1657 i.e. 1656
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.
4. Others think it lawful in the case that my brother seek my help only, other ways I have no calling thereunto: to which opinion, I cannot universally subscribe, it is holden both by reason, and the soundest divines, that to rebuke my brother of sin is (actus misericordiae, & charitatis,) an act of mercy and charity to his soul,1 yet I hold I am obliged to rebuke him by Gods law. Levit. 19. 17. otherwise I hate him. 1 Thes. 5. 14. Col. 4. 17. Math. 18. 15. Nor can I think in reason, that my duty of love to my brother, doth not oblige me but upon dependency on his free consent, but as I am to help my neighbours ox out of a ditch, though my neighbour know not, and so I have only his implicit and virtual consent, so is the case here. I go not farther in this case of conscience, if a neighbour nation be jealous of our help, and in an hostile way should oppose us in helping, (which blessed be the Lord, the honourable houses of the Parliament of England hath not done, though Malignant spirits tempted them to such a course,) what in that case we should owe to the afflicted members of Christs body, is a case may be determined easily.
4. Others think it lawfull in the case that my brother seek my help only, other wayes I have no calling thereunto: to which opinion, I cannot universally subscribe, it is holden both by reason, and the soundest divines, that to rebuke my brother of sinne is (actus misericordiae, & charitatis,) an act of mercy and charity to his soul,1 yet I hold I am obliged to rebuke him by Gods law. Levit. 19. 17. otherwise I hate him. 1 Thes. 5. 14. Col. 4. 17.