A92147:1123
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.
It is then reason that the King swear an oath. 4. That the Kings oath is but a ceremony to please the people, and that because he is king, and king by birth; therefore he sweareth, and is crowned, is in question, and denied. No man is borne a king, as no man ⟨p. 404⟩is borne a subject, and because the people maketh him King, therefore he is to swear. The council of Toledo saith, non antea conscendat regiam sedem quam juret. 2 An oath is a religious obligation, no arbitrary ceremony. 3. He may swear in his cabinet chamber, not covenanting with the people, as David and Jehoash did. 4. So he1 maketh promises that he may be King, not because he is King, it were ridiculous, he should promise or swear to be a just King, because he is a just King, and by the same reason the estates swear the oath of loyalty to the new King, not that they may be loyal in all time coming, but because they are loyal Subjects already, for if the one half of the covenant on the Kings part be a ceremony of indulgence, not of necessity, by the same reason, the other half of the covenant must be a ceremony of indulgence also to the people.
It is then reason that the King sweare an oath. 4. That the Kings oath is but a ceremonie to please the people, and that because he is king, and king by birth; therefore he sweareth, and is crowned, is in question, and denyed. No man is borne a king, as no man ⟨p. 404⟩is borne a subject, and because the people maketh him King, therefore he is to swear. The councel of Toledo saith, non antea conscendat regiam sedem quam iuret. 2 An oath is a religious obligation, no arbitrary ceremony. 3. He may swear in his cabinet chamber, not covenanting with the people, as David and Iehoash did. 4. So he1 maketh promises that he may be King, not because he is King, it were ridiculous, he should promise or swear to be a just King, because he is a just King, and by the same reason the estates swear the oath of loyalty to the new King, not that they may be loyall in all time coming, but because they are loyall Subjects already, for if the one half of the covenant on the Kings part be a ceremony of indulgence, not of necessity, by the same reason, the other half of the covenant must be a ceremony of indulgence also to the people.