A92147:358
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.
2. When the people appointeth any to be their King, the voice of Nature expoundeth their deed, though there be no vocal or written covenant; For that fact of making a King, is a moral lawful act warranted by the word of God, Deut. 17. 15, 16. Rom. 13. 1. 2. and the law of Nature: and therefore they having made such a man their King, they have given him power to be their father, feeder, healer, protector; and so must only have made him King conditionally, so he be a father, a feeder, and tutor. Now if this deed of making a King, must be exponed to be an investing with an absolute, and not a conditional power; this fact shall be contrary to Scripture, and to the law of Nature: for if they have given him Royal power1 absolutely, and without any condition, they must have given to him power to be a father, protector, tutor, and to be a tyrant, a murderer, a bloody lion to waste and destroy the people of God.
2. When the people appointeth any to be their King, the voyce of Nature exponeth their deed, though there be no vocall or written covenant; For that fact of making a King, is a morall lawfull act warranted by the word of God, Deut. 17. 15, 16. Rom. 13. 1. 2. and the law of Nature: and therefore they having made such a man their King, they have given him power to be their father, feeder, healer, protector; and so must only have made him King conditionally, so he be a father, a feeder, and tutor. Now if this deed of making a King, must be exponed to be an investing with an absolute, and not a conditionall power; this fact shall be contrary to Scripture, and to the law of Nature: for if they have given him Royall power1 absolutely, and without any condition, they must have given to him power to be a father, protector, tutor, and to be a tyrant, a murtherer, a bloody lyon to waste and destroy the people of God.
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