A92147:1166
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.
Ans. The P. Prelate knoweth not all things, the two Jesuits, Bellarmine and Suarez are produced only, as if they were all Jesuits; and Suarez saith, De prim. po. l. 3. n. 4. Donationem absolutam semel valid factam revocari non posse, neque in totum, neque ex parce, maxime quando onerosa fuit. If the people once give their power to the King, they cannot resume it without cause, and laying down ⟨p. 417⟩the grounds of Suarez and other Jesuits, that our Religion is Heresy, they do soundly collect this consequence, That no King can be Lord of the consciences of their subjects, to compel them to an Heretical Religion. We teach that the King of Spain hath no power over the consciences of Protestant Subjects, to force them to Idolatry, and that their souls are not his subjects, but only their persons, and in the Lord. 2. It is no great crime, that if a King degenerate in a Tyranny, or if the Royal Line fail, that we think the people have liberty to change Monarchy into Aristocracy, aut contra. Jesuits deny that the people can make this change without the Popes consent. We judge neither the great Bishop the Pope, nor the little Popes ought to have hand in making Kings.
Ans. The P. Prelate knoweth not all things, the two Iesuites, Bellarmine and Suarez are produced only, as if they were all Iesuites; and Suarez saith, De prim. po. l. 3. n. 4. Donationem absolutam semel valide factam revocari non posse, neque in totum, neque ex parce, maxime quando onerosa fuit. If the people once give their power to the King, they cannot resume it without cause, and laying downe ⟨p. 417⟩the grounds of Suarez and other Iesuites, that our Religion is Heresie, they doe soundly collect this consequence, That no King can be Lord of the consciences of their subjects, to compell them to an Hereticall Religion. We teach that the King of Spaine hath no power over the consciences of Protestant Subjects, to force them to Idolatry, and that their soules are not his subjects, but only their persons, and in the Lord. 2. It is no great crime, that if a King degenerate in a Tyranny, or if the Royall Line faile, that we thinke the people have liberty to change Monarchy into Aristocracy, aut contra. Iesuites deny that the people can make this change without the Popes consent. We judge neither the great Bishop the Pope, nor the little Popes ought to have hand in making Kings.