A92147:991
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.
Object. 16. If self-defence, and that by taking up Arms against the King, be an unlawful duty, how is it that you have no practise, no precept, no promise for it in all the word of God? 1. You have no practise; Ahab sold himself to do evil, he was an Idolater, and killed the Prophets; and his Queen a bloody Idolatress, stirred him up to great wickedness: Elijah had as great power with the people as you have, yet he never stirred up the people to take Arms against the King. Why did God at this time rather use an extraordinary means of saving his Church? Arnisaeus de autho. Princ. c. 8. but Elijah only fled. Nebuchadnezzar, Ahab, Manasseh, Julian were Tyrants and Idolaters, the people never raised an Army against them. B. Williams of Osserie, p. 21. Deut. 14. If brother, son, daughter, wife or friend entice thee to follow strange gods, kill them, not a word of the father▪ Children1 are to love Fathers, not to kill them. Christ (saith John P. P.) in the cradle, taught by practise to flee from Herod; and all Christs ⟨p. 364⟩acts and sufferings are full of mysteries, and our instructions: He might have had legions of Angels to defend him, but would rather work a miracle, in curing Malchus ear, as use the sword against Caesar. If Sectaries give us a new Creed, it will concern them near with expunging Christs descent into hell, and the communion of Saints, to raze out this, He suffered under Pontius Pilate—My resolution is (for this sin of yours) to dissolve in tears and Prayers, and with my Master say daily and hourly, Father forgive them, &c. Christ thought it an uncouth spirit, to call for fire from heaven to burn the Samaritans, because they refused him lodging. 2. The Prophets cried out against Idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, &c. and all sins; never against the sin of neglect, and murderous omission to defend Church and Religion against a tyrannous King. 3. No promise is made to such a rebellious insurrection in Gods word.
Object. 16. If self-defence, and that by taking up Armes against the King, be an unlawfull duty, how is it that you have no practise, no precept, no promise for it in all the word of God? 1. You have no practise; Ahab sold himselfe to do evill, he was an Idolater, and killed the Prophets; and his Queene a bloody Idolatresse, stirred him up to great wickednesse: Elias had as great power with the people as you have, yet hee never stirred up the people to take Armes against the King. Why did God at this time rather use an extraordinary meanes of saving his Church? Arnisaeus de autho. Princ. c. 8. but Elias only fled. Nebuchadnezer, Ahab, Manassah, Julian were Tyrants and Idolaters, the people never raised an Armie against them. B. Williams of Osserie, p. 21.