A92147:190
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.
The first way, Sovereignty is not from God. The second way, Sovereignty is conferred on Kings immediately, though some created act of Election, succession, conquests intervene, the interposed act containeth not in it power to confer Sovereignty; as in Baptism, Regeneration, if there be nothing repugnant in the suscipient, is conferred, not by water, but immediately by God. In sacred Orders designation is from men, power to supernatur all acts from God: election, succession, conquests remotely and improperly constitute a King. To say in the third sense that sovereignty is immediately from God, by approbation or confirmation only, is against Scripture, Prov. 8. 15. Psa. 82. 8. Joh. 19. then the people say; you are Gods, your power is from below. And Pauls, (ordained of God) is (approved and confirmed only of God) the power of designation, or application of the person to royalty is from man; the power of conferring royal power, or of applying the person to royal power is from God. A mans hand may apply a faggot to the fire, the fire only maketh the faggot to burn.
The first way, Soveraignty is not from God. The second way, Soveraignty is conferred on Kings immediatly, though some created act of Election, succesion, conquests intervene, the interposed act containeth not in it power to conferre Soveraignty; as in Baptisme, Regeneration, if there be nothing repugnant in the suscipient, is conferred, not by water, but immediatly by God. In sacred Orders designation is from men, power to supernatur all acts from God: election, succession, conquests remotely and improperly constitute a King. To say in the third sence that soveraignty is immediatly from God, by approbation or confirmation onely, is against Scripture, Prov. 8. 15. Psa. 82. 8. Ioh. 19. then the people say; you are Gods, your power is from below. And Pauls, (ordained of God) is (approved and confirmed onely of God) the power of designation, or application of the person to royalty is from man; the power of conferring royall power, or of applying the person to royall power is from God. A mans hand may apply a faggot to the fire, the fire onely maketh the faggot to burne.