abstract: Concerning monarchy, compared with other forms.—How royalty is an issue of Nature.—And how magistrates, as magistrates, be natural.—How absoluteness is not a ray of God's majesty.—And resistance not unlawful, because Christ and his apostles used it not in some cases.—Coronation is no ceremony.—Men may limit the power that they gave not.—The commonwealth not a pupil or minor properly.—Subjects not more obnoxious to a king than clients, vassals, children, to their superiors.—If subjection passive be natural.—Whether king Uzziah was dethroned.—Idiots and children not complete kings, children are kings in destination only.—Denial of passive subjection in things unlawful, not dishonourable to the king, more than denial of active obedience in the same things.—The king may not make away or sell any part of his dominions.—People may in some cases without the king.—How, and in what meaning subjects are to pay the king's debts.—Subsidies the kingdom's due, rather than the king's.—How the seas, ports, forts, castles, militia, magazine, are the king's, and how they are the kingdom's.

Skip Navigation

by Rev. Samuel Rutherford

General Results of the former doctrine, in some few corollaries, or straying questions, fallen off the roadway, answered briefly.

Quest. 1.

Whether all governments be but broken governments and deviations from monarchy.

Ans.

1. It is denied: there is no less somewhat of God's authority in government by many, or some of the choicest of the people, than in monarchy; nor can we judge any ordinance of man unlawful, for we are to be subject to all for the Lord's sake. (1 Pet. ii. 13; Tit. iii. 1; 1 Tim. ii. 1-3.)
2. Though monarchy should seem the rule of all other governments, in regard of resemblance of the Supreme Monarch of all, yet it is not the moral rule from which, if other governments shall err, they are to be judged sinful deviations.

Quest. 2.

Whether royalty is an immediate issue and spring of nature.

Ans.

No; for a man, fallen in sin, knowing naturally he hath need of a law and a government, could have, by reason, devised governors, one or more; and the supervenient institution of God, coming upon this ordinance, doth more fully assure us, that God, for man's good, hath appointed governors; but, if we consult with nature, many judges and governors, to fallen nature, seem nearer of blood to nature than one only; for two, because of man's weakness, are better than one. Now, nature seemeth to me not to teach that only one sinful man should be the sole and only ruler of a whole kingdom; God, in his word, ever joined with the supreme ruler many rulers, who, as touching the esseence of a judge, (which is, to rule for God,) were all equally judges: some reserved acts, or a longer cubit of power in regard of extent, being due to the king.

Quest. 1.

Ans.

back to top