A92147:218
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.
That the peoples approbation of a King is not necessary▪ is Bellarmines and Papists saying, and that the people chose their Ministers in the Apostolic Church, not by a necessity of a divine Commandment, but to conciliate love betwixt Pastor and people. Papists hold that if the Pope make a popish King the head and King of Britain against the peoples will, yet is he their King. 8. David was then King all the time that Saul persecuted him; he sinned truly in not discharging the duty of a King, only because he wanted a ceremony, the peoples approbation, which the Prelate saith is required to the solemnity and pomp, not to the necessity and truth, and essence of a formal King. So the Kings Coronation Oath, and the peoples Oath must be Ceremonies; and because the Prelate is perjured himself, therefore perjury is but a ceremony also. 9. The enthronization of Bishops is like the Kinging of the Pope; the Apostles must spare Thrones, while they come to Heaven, ⟨p. 34⟩Luk. 22. 29, 30. the P. Prelates with their head the Pope must be enthroned. 10. The hereditary King he maketh a King before his Coronation, and his Acts are as valid before as after his Coronation; it might cost him his head to say that the Prince of Wales is now no less King of Britain, and his Acts, Acts of Kingly Royalty, no less1 then our Sovereign is King of Britain, if Laws and Parliaments had their own vigour from royal Authority. 11. I allow that Kings be as high as God hath placed them, but that God said of all Kings, I will make him my first borne, &c. Psalm 89. 26, 27. which is true of Solomon as the Type, 2 Sam, 7. 1 Chro. 17. 22. 2 Sam. 7. 12. and fulfilled of Christ, and by the Holy Ghost spoken of him, Heb. 1. 5, 6. is blasphemous; for God said not to Nero, Julian, Diocletian, Belshazzar, Evilmerodach, who were lawful Kings. I will make him my first borne; and that any of these blasphemous Idolatrous Princes should cry to God, he is my Father, my God, &c. is Divinity well beseeming an excommunicated Prelate. Of the Kings dignity above the Kingdom I speak not now; the Prelate pulled it in by the hair, but hereafter we shall hear of it.