A92147:1283
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.
2. Royalists cannot endure the former distinction as it is applied to the King, but they receive it with both hands, as it is applied to inferior Judges; and yet certain it is, that it is as ordinary for a King being a sinful man, to act sometimes as the Lieutenant of God, and sometimes as an erring and misinformed man, no less then the inferior Judge acteth sometimes according to the Kings will and Law, and sometimes according to his own private way; and if we are to obey the inferior Judge as the Deputy of the King, what shall become of his Person, when Cavaliers may kill him at some Edge-hill? for so they mock this distinction, as applied to the King in regard of his Person, and of his Royal Office; and for this point our Confession citeth in the Margin. Rom. 13. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Psal. 82. 1. which places do clearly prove: 1. That inferior Magistrates are: 1. Gods ordinances. 2. Gods on earth, Psal. 82. 3. Such as bear the Lords sword. 4. That they are not only (as the Confession saith) appointed for Civill ⟨p. 444⟩policy, but also for maintenance of true Religion, and for suppressing of idolatry and superstition. Then it is evident, to resist inferior Magistrates, is to resist God himself, and to labour to throw the sword out of Gods hands. 5, Our Confession useth the same Scriptures cited by Junius Brutus, to wit, Ezek. 22. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and Jer. 22. 3. where we are, no less then the Jews, commanded to execute judgement and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hands of the oppressor. For both the Law of God, and the Civill Law saith, Qui non impedit homicidium, quum potest, is homicidii reus est. I will cast in a word of other Confessions, lest we seem to be Jesuits alone.
2. Royalists cannot indure the former distinction as it is applyed to the King, but they receive it with both hands, as it is applyed to inferiour Iudges; and yet certaine it is, that it is as ordinary for a King being a sinfull man, to act sometimes as the Lieutenant of God, and sometimes as an erring and misinformed man, no lesse then the inferiour Iudge acteth sometimes according to the Kings will and Law, and sometimes according to his owne private way; and if we are to obey the inferiour Iudge as the Deputy of the King, what shall become of his Person, when Cavaliers may kill him at some Edge-hill? for so they mock this distinction, as applyed to the King in regard of his Person, and of his Royall Office; and for this point our Confession citeth in the Margin.