Originally titled “Killing No Murder” and published in 1657, The Righteous Sword Against Tyranny explores justified treason against any tyrant of any age. It clearly lays out the duty of any God-fearing person: What should you do living under a tyrant? What is your duty under a would-be tyrant?

What is a Christian’s duty when faced with tyranny? That question lies at the heart of this once-forbidden 17th-century tract, written during England’s struggle over the limits of lawful authority and the right to resist unjust rulers.

The Righteous Sword Against Tyranny argues that government exists by covenant for the good of the governed — and that when rulers break that trust and destroy liberty, obedience to God may require resistance to men. The author’s reasoning, drawn from Scripture, natural law, and the moral duties of conscience, later echoed in the thought of the American founders.

98 pages

Physical copies are also available from Barnes & Nobles, here.