Absorb it. Imbibe it. The Anglish hated Rutherford for this book. It was burned by the public hangman. It was a declaration of war against tyranny. It applies the sovereignty of God to Politics. If God is ultimately sovereign, it follows that the State is not. The state's sovereignty finds meaning only in terms of God's sovereignty.

It is a clear exposition of the Rule of Law in society. In other words, just laws must be obeyed. There is a Law above the law. This king is subject to it.

Case study.
Charles I conspired to murder. THat is a capital crime. Is Chalres under the law? If yes, then he is to be executed. If no, then he has been placed on the same level as God.

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

David was not executed for his murder and adultery. How does your understanding account for that?

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Scott Roberts
Ruling Elder, Lakeside Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Southlake, Texas

Were there two witnesses?

Deut. 17:5-7
5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.

Deut. 19:15-21

15 One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, 17 the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, 19 then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

{might call for a thread split...congrats on the book purchases!}

[Edited on 1-30-2006 by crhoades]

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Chris Rhoades -33
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church (PCA) Nashville, TN-Under Care

Vera theologia non theoretica, sed practica est; Finis siquidem eius agere est hoc est vitam vivere deiformem. - Martin Bucer
""True theology is not theoretical, but practical. The end of it is living, that is to live a godly life."

For the moment I am just summarizing Rutherford and those Puritans who brought Charles I to justice. I have defended my views elsewhere.

Ditto to Chris.

Follow-up clarification...are you questioning the use of punishment in the case study - ie capital punishment for murder or bringing up the question holding kings accountable to law in general, or a third thing that I can't think of right now...

Did Rutherford address David?

Yes. Rutherford responded to the objections of the Prelatic party that David was not punished by men for his crimes and said that the sanhedrin's failure to punish David is not a binding precedent that frees rulers from being above the law. His answer to the objection is found here.

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

I'm not sure, ie could be wrong, but I don't think Rutherford, along with most of the Scots at the time, would have agreed with the case study.

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
• Naphtali Press: Presbyterian & Reformed Books
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The Regulative Principle: Samuel Miller gives a succinct statement of this principle when he writes that since the Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference.”

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Sure. I was just pointing out that the case study (which actually happened) was consistent with the belief that there was a law above the law and kings were subject to it.

I believe Rutherford and the rest of the covenanters were opposed to the regicide committed by the English Usurper.

[Edited on 1-31-2006 by Peter]

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*Peter Gray* Elkins Park RPCNA

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. " Mk 9:24
"The greatest thing we can desire, next to the glory of God, is our own salvation; and the sweetest thing we can desire is the assurance of our salvation. In this life we cannot get higher than to be assured of that which in the next life is to be enjoyed. All saints shall enjoy a heaven when they leave this earth; some saints enjoy a heaven while they are here on earth." Joseph Caryl

Yep. Never have found the quote but supposedly Dabney bristled at comparisons of Cromwell to Stonewall Jackson and said the former died like a dog instead of a Christian like the latter.