A92147:166
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.
3. A King is said to be from God, by particular designation, as he appointed Saul by name for the crown of Israel. Of this hereafter.
4. The Kingly or Royal office is from God by divine institution 1and not by naked approbation: for first, we may well prove Aaron's Priesthood to be of divine institution, because God doth appoint the Priests qualification from his family, bodily perfections, and his charge. And we take the Pastor to be by divine law and Gods institution, because the Holy Ghost, 1 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. describeth his qualification, so may we say that the Royal power is by divine institution, because God mouldeth him, Deut. 17. 15. Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose, one from amongst thy brethren, &c. Rom. 2 13. There is no power but of God, the powers that be, are ordained of God. 3. That power must be ordained of God as his own ordinance, to which we owe subjection, for conscience, and not only for fear of punishment: but every power is such, Rom. 13. 4. To resist the Kingly power, is to resist God. 5. He is the Minister of God for our good. 6. He beareth the sword of God to take vengeance upon ill-doers. 7. The Lord expressly saith, 1 Pet. 2. 17. Fear God, honour the King, v. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as supreme, 14. or unto governors, as unto those that are sent by him, &c. Tit. 3. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers: and so the fifth Commandment layeth obedience to the King on us, no less then to our parents. Whence I conceive that power to be of God, to which by the moral law of God, we owe perpetual subjection and obedience. 8. Kings and all Magistrates are Gods, and Gods deputies and lieutenants upon earth,