A92147:993
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.
poor seven thousand (of which many no doubt were women, aged, weak, young) to rise in Arms against Ahab and all Israel, except God had given a positive and extraordinary Commandment, and with all miraculous courage and strength in war against the whole1 Land; and God worketh not always by miracles to save his Church, and therefore the natural mandate of self-preservation in that case doth no more oblige a few weak ones to lawful resistance, then it obliged one Martyr to rise against a persecuting Nero and all his forces. Arnisaeus should remember we are not to tie our Lord to miracles.
poore seven thousand (of which many no doubt were women, aged, weake, young) to rise in Armes against Ahab and all Israel, except God had given a positive and extraordinary Commandement, and with all miraculous courage and strength in war against the whole1 Land; and God worketh not alwayes by miracles to save his Church, and therefore the naturall mandate of self-preservation in that case doth no more oblige a few weake ones to lawfull resistance, then it obliged one Martyre to rise against a persecuting Nero and all his forces. Arnisaeus should remember wee are not to tye our Lord to miracles.
- 1Nota.
2. Elijah did not only flee, but denounced wrath against the King, and Cavaliers, who joined with them in Idolatry, and when God gave opportunity, he showed himself, and stirred the people up to kill Baals Jesuits and seducing idolaters, when the Idolatrous King refused to do it, and Elijah with his own hand took them not, but all Israel being gathered together, 1 King. 18. 19. The Princes and Judges did apprehend them, ver. 40. which is a warrant, when the King refuseth to draw the sword of justice against armed Papists, that other judges are to do it. 2. For Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah from the Lord, expressly forbade to fight against him, show us the like for no defending our selves against bloody Papists and Irish cutthroats: for that example may as well prove (if it be a binding law to us) that our King should not raise his Subjects, to fight against a Spanish Armada, and a foreign Prince; for before ever Nebuchadnezzar subdued the Kingdom of Judah