A92147:416
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.
Ans. I say not that Israel made the Royal dignity of Kings:1 God, Deut. 17. instituted that himself: but the Royalist must give us an act of God going before an act of the peoples making David King at Hebron, by which David of no King is made formally a King: and then another act of the People, approving only and consenting to that act of God, whereby David is made formally of no King to be a King. This Royalists shall never instruct, for there be only two acts of God here; 1. Gods act of anointing David by the hand of Samuel; and 2. Gods act of making David King at Hebron: and a third they shall never give. But the former is not that by which David was essentially and formally changed from the state ⟨p. 128⟩of a private subject, and no King, into the state of a public Judge and supreme Lord and King, for (as I have proved) after this act of anointing of David King, he was designed only and set apart to be King in the Lords •it time; and after this anointing, he was no more formally a King then Doeg or Nabal were Kings, but a subject who called Saul the Lords anointed and King, and obeyed Saul as another subject doth his King: but it is certain God by no other act made David King at Hebron, then by Israels act of free electing him to be King and leader of the Lords people, as God by no other act sendeth down rain on the earth, but by Gods melting the clouds, and causing rain to fall on the earth: and therefore to say Israel made David King at Hebron, that is, Israel approved only and consented to a prior act of Gods making David King, is all one as to say Saul prophesied, that is, Saul consented to a prior act of the Spirit of God who prophesied: and Peter preached, Act. 2. that is, Peter approved and consented to the Holy Ghosts act of preaching. Which to say, is childish.
Ans. I say not that Israel made the Royall dignitie of Kings:1 God, Deut. 17. instituted that himselfe: but the Royalist must give us an act of God going before an act of the peoples making David King at Hebron, by which David of no King is made formally a King: and then another act of the People, approving only and consenting to that act of God, whereby David is made formally of no King to be a King. This Royalists shall never instruct, for there be only two acts of God here; 1. Gods act of annointing David by the hand of Samuel; and 2. Gods act of making David King at Hebron: and a third they shall never give. But the former is not that by which David was essentially and formally changed from the state