A92147:1279
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 To save the lives of innocents, to repress Tyranny, to defend the oppressed, are by our confession good works, well pleasing to God, and so is this a good work, not to suffer innocent blood to be shed, if we •ay withstand it. Hence it is clear as the Sun, that our confession according to the Word of God, to which King Charles did swear at his Coronation, doth oblige and tie us in the presence of God, and his holy Angels to rise in Arms, to save the innocent, to repress Tyranny, to defend the oppressed. When the King induced by ill counsel sent Armies by Sea and Land, to kill and destroy the whole Kingdom who should refuse such a Service-book, as they could not in conscience receive, except they would disobey God, renounce the confession of Faith, which the King and they had sworn unto, and prove perfidious Apostates to Christ and his Church, what could we do, and that the same Confession, considering our bonds to our dear Brethren in England, layeth bonds on us, to this as a good work also, not to suffer their innocent blood to be shed, but to defend them; when they against all Law of God, of men, of State, of Nations, are destroyed and killed. For my part, I judge, it had been a guiltiness of blood upon Scotland, if we had not helped them, and risen in Arms to defend our selves, and our innocent brethren against bloody Cavaliers. Add to this what is in the 24. Article of the same Confession.
4 To save the lives of innocents, to represse Tyranny, to defend the oppressed, are by our confession good workes, well pleasing to God, and so is this a good worke, not to suffer innocent blood to be shed, if we •ay withstand it. Hence it is cleare as the Sunne, that our confession according to the Word of God, to which King Charles did sweare at his Coronation, doth oblige and tye us in the presence of God, and his holy Angels to rise in Armes, to save the innocent, to represse Tyranny, to defend the oppressed. When the King induced by ill counsell sent Armies by Sea and Land, to kill and destroy the whole Kingdome who should refuse such a Service-booke, as they could not in conscience receive, except they would disobey God, renounce the confession of Faith, which the King and they had sworne unto, and prove perfidious Apostates to Christ and his Church, what could we doe, and that the same Confession, considering our bonds to our deare Brethren in England, layeth bonds on us, to this as a good worke also, not to suffer their innocent blood to be shed, but to defend them; when they against all Law of God, of men, of State, of Nations, are destroyed and killed. For my part, I judge, it had been a guiltinesse of blood upon Scotland, if we had not helped them, and risen in Armes to defend our selves, and our innocent brethren against bloody Cavaliers. Adde to this what is in the 24. Article of the same Confession.