A92147:351
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.
Hence our second Argument. He who is made a minister of God, 1not simply, but for the good of the subject; and so he take heed to walk in Gods law as a King, and govern according to Gods will, he is in so far only made King by God, as he fulfilleth the condition; and in so far as he is a minister for evil to the subject, and ruleth not according to that which the book of the Law commandeth him as King, in so far he is not by God appointed King and Ruler, and so must be made a King by God conditionally: But so hath God made Kings and Rulers, Rom. 13. 4. 2 Chron. 6. 16. Ps. 89. 30, 31. 2 Sam. 7. 12. 1 Chron. 28. 7, 8, 9. This argument is not brought to prove that Jeroboam or Saul leave off to be Kings, when they fail in some part of the condition; or as if they were not Gods Vicegerents to be obeyed in things lawful, after they have gone on in wicked courses: For, the People consenting to make Saul King, they give him the Crown, pro hac vice, at his entry, absolutely: there is no condition required in him before they make him King, but only that he covenant with them to rule according to Gods law: The conditions to be performed, are consequent, and posterior to his actual coronation, and his sitting on the Throne. But the argument presupposing that which the Lords word teacheth, to wit, that the Lord and the people giveth a crown by one and the same action; for God formally maketh David a King by the Princes and Elders of Israels ⟨p. 103⟩choosing of him to be their King at Hebron; and therefore seeing the people maketh him a King covenant-wise, and conditionally, so he rule according to Gods Law, and the people resigning their power to him for their safety, and for a peaceable and godly life under him, and not to destroy them, and tyrannize over them; it is certain God giveth a King that same way, by that same very act of the people; and if the King tyrannize, I cannot say it is beside the intention of God making a King, not yet beside his intention as a just punisher of their transgressions; for to me as I conceive, nothing either good or evil falleth out beside the intention of him, who doeth all things according to the pleasure of his Will;