A92147:668
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. The Prelate lieth, when he maketh us to reason from the safety of the Subject to the destruction of the King. Ferne, Barclay, Grotius, taught the hungry Scholar to reason so. Where read he this? The People must be saved; That is the Supreme law: Ergo, destroy the King. The Devil and the Prelate both, shall not fasten this on us. But thus we reason: When the man who is the King, endeavoureth not the end of his Royal place, but, through bad counsel, the subversion of Laws, Religion, and bondage of the Kingdom; The free Estates are to join with him for that end of Safety, according as God hath made them heads of Tribes, and Princes of the people: And if the King refuse to join with them, and will not do his duty; I see not how they are in conscience liberated, before God, from doing their part.
2. The Prelate lyeth, when he maketh us to reason from the safetie of the Subject to the destruction of the King. Ferne, Barclay, Grotius, taught the hungry Scholler to reason so. Where read he this? The People must be saved; That is the Supreme law: Ergo, destroy the King. The Devill and the Prelate both, shall not fasten this on us. But thus we reason: When the man who is the King, endeavoreth not the end of his Royall place, but, through bad counsell, the subversion of Lawes, Religion, and bondage of the Kingdome; The free Estates are to joyne with him for that end of Safetie, according as God hath made them heads of Tribes, and Princes of the people: And if the King refuse to joyne with them, and will not doe his dutie; I see not how they are in conscience liberated, before God, from doing their part.
3. If the P. Prelate call resisting the King by lawful defensive wars, the destruction of the Head; He speaketh with the mouth of one excommunicated, and delivered up to Satan.
3. If the P. Prelate call resisting the King by lawfull defensive wars, the destruction of the Head; He speaketh with the mouth of one excommunicated, and delivered up to Sathan.