A92147:881
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.
can be a power to which we submit our selves on earth, as next unto God, without controlment. 5. That passive obedience falleth formally under no commandment of God, I prove thus: All obedience liable to a divine commandment, doth commend morally the performer of obedience, as having a will conformed to Gods moral Law, and deformity betwixt the will of him who performeth not obedience, involveth the non-obedient in wrath and guiltiness. But non-passive subjection to the sword of the Judge doth not morally commend him that suffereth not punishment, for no man is formally a sinner against a moral law, because he suffereth not the ill of punishment; nor is he morally good, or to be commended, because he suffereth ill of punishment, but because he doth the ill of sin. And all evil of punishment unjustly inflicted hath Gods voluntas beneplaciti, the instrumental and hidden decree of God, which ordereth both good and ill, Ephes. 1. 11. for its rule and cause, and hath not Gods will of approbation called, voluntas signi, for its rule, both is contrary to that will; I am sure Epiphanius li. 1. tom. 3. heres. 40. Basilius in Psal. 32. Nazianzen Orat. ad subd. & imper at. Hilar. li. ad Constant. August. citeth these words, and saith the same. If then passive subjection be not commanded, non-subjection passive cannot be forbidden, and this text, Rom. 13. and 1 Pet. 2. cannot a whit help the bad cause of Royalists; All then must be reduced to some action of resisting, arguments for passive subjection though there were ship-fulls of them, they cannot help us.
can be a power to which we submit our selves on earth, as next unto God, without controlment. 5. That passive obedience falleth formally under no commandement of God, I prove thus: All obedience lyable to a divine commandement, doth commend morally the performer of obedience, as having a will conformed to Gods morall Law, and deformity betwixt the will of him who performeth not obedience, involveth the non-obedient in wrath and guiltinesse. But non-passive subjection to the sword of the Judge doth not morally commend him that suffereth not punishment, for no man is formally a sinner against a morall law, because he suffereth not the ill of punishment; nor is he morally good, or to be commended, because hee suffereth ill of punishment, but because he doth the ill of sin. And all evil of punishment ujustly inflicted hath Gods voluntas beneplaciti, the instrumentall and hidden decree of God, which ordereth both good and ill,