A92147:890
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.
But it may be asked, if no passive subjection at all be commanded as due to Superiors? Rom. 13. Answ. None properly so called, that is, purely passive, only weare for fear of the sword to do our duty. 2. We are to suffer ill of punishment of Tyrants, ex hypothesi, that they inflict that ill on us, some other way, and in some other notion then we are to suffer ill of equals, for we are to suffer of equals not for any paternal authority that they have over us, as certainly we are to suffer ill inflicted by Superiors. I demand of Royalists, if Tyrants inflicting evil of punishment upon Subjects unjustly, be powers ordained of God. 2. If to resist a power in Tyrannical acts be to resist God. 3. Since we are not to yield active obedience to all the commandments of Superiors, whether they be good, or ill, by virtue of this place, Rom. 13. how is it that we may not deny passive subjection to all the Acts of violence exercised whether of injustice, whether in these Acts of violence, wherein the Prince in actu ex cito, and formally punisheth not in Gods stead, or in these wherein he punisheth Tyrannically in no formal or actual subordination to God we owe passive subjection: I desire an answer to these.
But it may be asked, if no passive subjection at all be commanded as due to Superiours? Rom. 13. Answ. None properly so called, that is, purely passive, onely weare for feare of the sword to doe our duety. 2. We are to suffer ill of punishment of Tyrants, ex hypothesi, that they inflict that ill on us, some other way, and in some other notion then we are to suffer ill of equals, for we are to suffer of equals not for any paternall authority that they have over us, as certainly wee are to suffer ill inflicted by Superiours. I demand of Royalists, if Tyrants inflicting evill of punishment upon Subjects unjustly, be powers ordained of God. 2. If to resist a power in Tyrannicall acts be to resist God. 3. Since wee are not to yield active obedience to all the commandements of Superiours, whether they be good, or ill, by vertue of this place, Rom. 13. how is it that we may not deny passive subjection to all the Acts of violence exercised whether of injustice, whether in these Acts of violence, wherein the Prince in actu ex cito, and formally punisheth not in Gods stead, or in these wherein he punishth Tyrannically in no formall or actuall subordination to God we owe passive subjection: I desire an answer to these.