A57975:250
Lex, Rex
Lex, rex The law and the prince : a dispute for the just prerogative of king and people : containing the reasons and causes of the most necessary defensive wars of the kingdom of Scotland and of their expedition for the aid and help of their dear brethren of England : in which their innocency is asserted and a full answer is given to a seditious pamphlet entitled Sacro-sancta regum majestas, or, The sacred and royal prerogative of Christian kings, under the name of J. A. but penned by Jo. Maxwell the excommunicate P. Prelate. : with a scriptural confutation of the ruinous grounds of W. Barclay, H. Grotius, H. Arnisœus, Ant. de Domi P. Bishop of Spalata, and of other late anti-magistratical royalists, as the author of Ossorianum, D. Fern, E. Symmons, the doctors of Aberdeen, &c. : in XLIV questions.Lex, rex The law and the prince : a dispute for the just prerogative of king and people : containing the reasons and causes of the most necessary defensive wars of the kingdom of Scotland and of their expedition for the ayd and help of their dear brethren of England : in which their innocency is asserted and a full answer is given to a seditious pamphlet intituled Sacro-sancta regum majestas, or, The sacred and royall prerogative of Christian kings, under the name of J. A. but penned by Jo. Maxwell the excommunicate P. Prelat. : with a scripturall confutation of the ruinous grounds of W. Barclay, H. Grotius, H. Arnisœus, Ant. de Domi P. Bishop of Spalata, and of other late anti-magistratical royalists, as the author of Ossorianum, D. Fern, E. Symmons, the doctors of Aberdeen, &c. : in XLIV questions.
London: printed for John Field, 1644London: printed for Iohn Field, 1644
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Spalato. Let us grant (saith he) that a society shall refuse to have a Governor over them, shall they be for that free? in no sort: 1but there be many ways by which a people may be compelled to admit a governor; for then no man might rule over a Community against their will. But nature hath otherwise disposed, ut quod singuli nollent, universi vellent, that which every one will not have, a Community naturally desireth. And the P. Prelate saith, God is no less the author of Order, then he is the author of Being; for the Lord who createth all, 2conserveth all; and without government all humane societies should be dissolved and go to ruin: Then government must be natural, and not depend upon a voluntary & arbitrary constitution of men. In nature, the lifeless creatures inferior give a tacit consent & silent obedience to their superior, and the superior have a powerful influence on the inferior. In the subordination of creatures, we ascend from one superior to another, till at last we come to one supreme, which by the way pleadeth for the excellency of Monarchy. Amongst Angels there is an order: how can it then be supposed that God hath left it to the simple consent of man to establish a heraldry of sub & supra, of one above another, which neither nature nor the Gospel doth warrant? To leave it thus arbitrary▪ that upon this supposed principle, Mankind may be without government at all, is vain; which paradox cannot be maintained. In nature God hath ⟨p. 66⟩established a superiority inherent in superior creatures, which is no ways derived from the inferior by communication, in what proportion it will, and resumable upon such exigents as the inferior listeth: therefore neither hath God left to the multitude, the community, the collective, the representative or virtual body, to derive from it self, and communicate sovereignty, whether in one or few, or more, in that measure and proportion pleaseth them, which they resume at pleasure.
Spalato. Let us grant (saith he) that a societie shall refuse to have a Governour over them, shall they be for that free? in no sort: 1