A92147:1273
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.
And to the end I may make good, that nothing is here taught, in this Treatise, but the very Doctrine of the Church of Scotland, I desire that the Reader may take notice of the larger Confession of the Church of Scotland, printed with the Syntagme and body of the Confessions, at Geneva, anno MDCXII. and authorized by King James the 6. and the three Estates in Parliament; and printed in our Acts of Parliament, Parl. 15. K. James 6. An. 1567. Amongst good works of the Second Table, saith our Confession, art. 14. are these: To honour Father, Mother, Princes, Rulers, and superior Powers: To love them, to support them, yea to obey their Charge, (not repugning to the commandment of God) to save the lives of innocents, to repress Tyranny, to defend the oppressed, to keep our bodies clean and holy, &c. The contrary whereof is, To disobey or resist any that God hath placed in Authority, (while they pass not over the bounds of their office) to murder, or to consent thereunto, to bear hatred, or to let innocent blood be shed, if we may withstand it, &c. Now the Confession citeth in the margin, Ephes. 6. 1. 7. and Ezek. 22. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. where it is evident, by the name of Father and Mother, ⟨p. 441⟩all inferiors Judges as well as the King, and especially the Princes, Rulers, and Lords of Parliament are understood. 2. Ezek. 22. The bloody City is to be judged, because they relieved not the oppressed out of the hand of bloody Princes, v. 6. who every one of them were to their power to shed innocent blood. 3. To resist superior powers, and so the Estates of Parliament, as the Cavaliers of Scotland do, is resistance forbidden, Romans 1•. 1. the place is also cited in the confession. And the Confession expoundeth the place, Romans 13. according to the interpretation of all sound Expounders; as is evident in these words, Art. 24. And therefore we confess and avouch, that such as resist the supreme power, doing that thing which appertaineth to his charge, do resist Gods ordinance, and therefore cannot be guiltless. And further we affirm, that whosoever denieth unto them aide, their counsel and comfort, while as the Princes and Rulers vigilantly travel in execution of their Office, that the same men deny their help, support and counsel to God, who by the presence of his Lieutenant craves it of them. From which words we have clear: