On ruling authorities

Rulers are tutors to Christ’s bairns that are minors. Therefore let rulers get all their own, for pride against them stots ( rebounds) off them upon God; and when their laws are unjust we owe to them an upholding of the Majesty, dignity, credit, and honour which God has given them… seeing we are willed to honour the king. So all comes to this, that troublers of the peace of the kirk or Commonwealth condemned, and discrediting authority in the very act of refusing obedience to the unjust decrees, is unlawful. Again, the patience of an ass in any man that has a conscience is unlawful. [Samuel Rutherford]