A92147:1280
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.
We confess—whosoever goeth about to take away, or to confound the whole state of Civill Polity▪ now lon• established; we affirm the same men, not only to be enemies to mankind, but also wickedly to fight ⟨p. 443⟩against Gods Will. But these who have taken Arms against the Estates of Scotland, and the Princes and Rulers of the Land, have laboured to take away Parliaments, and the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, ergo &c.
We confesse—whosoever goeth about to take away, or to confound the whole state of Civill Polity▪ now lon• established; we affirme the same men, not only to be enemies to mankind, but also wickedly to fight ⟨p. 443⟩against Gods Will. But these who have taken Armes against the Estates of Scotland, and the Princes and Rulers of the Land, have laboured to take away Parliaments, and the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome, ergo &c.
The Confession addeth, 16. We farther confess and acknowledge, that such persons as are placed in authority, are to be loved, honoured, feared, and holden in most reverent estimation; because that they are Lieutenants of God, in whose Sessions God himself doth sit and Judge: yea even the Judges and Princes themselves, to whom by God is given the sword, to the praise and defence of good men, and to revenge and punish all open malefactors. Ergo the Parliament, and Princes, and Rulers of the Land are Gods Lieutenants on earth, no less then the King by our Confession of Faith, and those who resist them, resist the ordinance of God. Royalists say, They are but the Deputies of the King, and when they do contrary to his Royal Will, they may be resisted, yea and killed, for in so far they are private men, though they are to be honoured as Judges, when they act according to the Kings Will whose Deputies they are But I answer