A92147:254
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.
Answ. I am not to follow the Prelates order every way, though God willing, I shall reach him in the fore-going Chapters. Nor purpose I to answer his treasonable railing against his own Nation, and the Judges of the Land, whom God hath set over this seditious excommunicated Apostate. He layeth to us frequently the Jesuits1 Tenets, when as he is known himself to be a Papist: In this Argument he faith, Abim•lech did reign only three years, well near Anti-Christs reign: Is not this the basis, and the mother principle of Popery, That the Pope is not the Antichrist? for the Pope hath continued many ages. 1. He is not an individual man, but a race of men, but the Antichrist, saith Bellarmine, Stapleton, Becanus, and the nation of Jesuits, and Poplings, shall be one individual man, a born Jaw, and shall reign only three years and a half. But 1. The Argument from success, proveth nothing, except the Prelate prove2 their bad success to be from this, because they were chosen of the people. When as Saul chosen of God, and most of the Kings of Israel and Judah, who undeniably, had Gods cal•ing to the Crown, were not blessed of God, and their Government was a ruin to •oth people and Religion, as the people were removed to all the Kingdoms of the earth, for the sins of Manasseh, Jere. 15. 4. Was therefore Manasseh not lawfully called to the Crown? 2. For his instance of Kings unlawfully called to the Crown, he bringeth us, whole two, and telleth us, that he doubteth as many learned men do, Whether Jeroboam was a King by permission only, or by a commission from God. 3. Abimelech was cursed, because he wanted Gods calling to the throne, for then Israel had no King, but Judges extraordinarily raised up by God, and God did not raise him at all, only he came to the throne by blood, and carnal reasons moving the men of Shechem to advance him: The Argument presupposeth, that the whole lawful calling of a King, is the voices of the people; This we never taught, though the Prelate make conquest a just title to a Crown, and it is but a title of blood and rapine. 4. Abimelech was not the first King, but only a Judge; all our Divines with the ⟨p. 56⟩