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'''Samuel Rutherford''' (1601-1661) was a Scottish [[Puritan]] minister who defended the doctrine of grace.  He was an advocate of limited government at a time when there was a struggle between the British Parliament and the king for power.

'''Samuel Rutherford''' (1601-1661) was a Scottish [[Puritan]] minister who defended the doctrine of grace, a key tenet of Calvinism.  He was an advocate of limited government at a time when there was a struggle between the British Parliament and the king for power.

He published "Lex, Rex" ("The Law, the King") to argue for limitations on a divine right of kings.<ref>http://www.ccel.org/r/rutherford/</ref>  This idea became a foundation for [[Rule of Law]] in Anglo-American jurisprudence.

He published "Lex, Rex" ("The Law, the King") to argue for limitations on a divine right of kings.<ref>http://www.ccel.org/r/rutherford/</ref>  The title was a play on the phrase -- and a refutation of it -- known as "Rex Lex," which was the accepted view that the king ''is'' the law. 

 

Rutherford's idea became a foundation for [[Rule of Law]] in Anglo-American jurisprudence.

When power was restored to the king around 1660, Rutherford was charged with treason, which is punishable by death.  He refused to respond to a summons and died of natural causes soon afterward.

When power was restored to the king around 1660, Rutherford was charged with treason, which is punishable by death.  He refused to respond to a summons and died of natural causes soon afterward.