A92147:231
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.
P. Prelate. 6. To whom can it be due to give the Kingly office, but to him only who is able to give the indument and ability for the office? now God only and immediately giveth ability to be a King, as the Sacramental anointing proveth, Josh. 3. 10. Othniel is the first Judge after Joshua; and it is said, And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and ⟨p. 41⟩and he judged Israel; the like is said of Saul and David. Ans. God gave royal endowments immediately, ergo he immediately now maketh the King. It followeth not, for the species of government is not that which formally constituteth a King, for then Nero, Caligula, Julian should not have been Kings, and those who come to the Crown by conquest and blood, are essentially Kings, as the Prelate saith; but be all these Othniels, upon whom the spirit of the Lord cometh? then they are not essentially Kings who are babes and children, and foolish and destitute of the royal endowments, but it is one thing to have a royal gift, and another thing to be formally called to the Kingdom, David had royal gifts after Samuel anointed him, but if you make him King, before Sauls death, Saul was both a traitor all the time that he persecuted David, and so no King, and also King and Gods anointed, as David acknowledgeth him; and therefore that spirit that came on David, and Saul, maketh nothing against the peoples election of a King, as the Spirit of God is given to Pastors under the new Testament, as Christ promised; but it will not follow that the designation of the man who is to be Pastor, should not be from the Church and from men, as the Prelate denieth that either the constitution or designation of the King is from the people, but from God only. 2. I believe the infusion of the spirit of God upon the Judges will not prove that Kings are now both constituted and designed of God solely, only, and immediately;
P. Prelate. 6. To whom can it be due to give the Kingly office, but to him only who is able to give the indument and abilitie for the office? now God only and immediately giveth abilitie to be a King, as the Sacramentall anointing proveth, Josh. 3. 10. Othniel is the first Judge after Joshua; and it is said, And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and ⟨p. 41⟩