A92147:1092
A treatise of civil policy
A treatise of civil policy: being a resolution of forty three questions concerning prerogative, right and privilege, in reference to the supreme prince and the people. / By Samuel Rutherford professor of divinity of St Andrews in Scotland.A treatise of civil policy: being a resolution of forty three questions concerning prerogative, right and priviledge, in reference to the supream prince and the people. / By Samuel Rutherford professor of divintiy of St Andrews in Scotland.
London, : Printed and are to be sold by Simon Miller at the Star in St Pauls Church-yard near the West end., 1657 i.e. 1656
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.
2. They were hereditary, judges not so.
3. They were made and chosen by the people, Deut. 17. 14. 15. 1 Sam. 10. 17, 18, 19, 20. 2 Sam. 5. 1, 2, 3. as were the Kings of the nations, and the first King (though a King be the lawful ordinance of God) was sought from God in a sinful imitation of the nations, 1 Sam. 8. 19, 20. and therefore were not of Gods peculiar election, as the judges, and so they were wicked men, and many of them, yea all for the most part, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and their law, [Greek or Hebrew] their manner and custom was to oppress the people, and so were their inferior judges little Tyrants, and lesser Lyons, Leopards, evening Wolves. Ezech. 22. 27. Mic. 3. 1, 2, 3. Esa. 3. 14, 15. And the Kings and inferior judges are onely distinguished, de facto, that the King was a more Catholic oppressor, and the old Lyon, and so had more art and power to catch the prey then the inferior judges who were but whelps, and had less power, but all were oppressors (some few excepted, and Samuel speaketh of that which Saul was to be, de facto, not de jure, and the most part of the Kings after him) and this Tyranny is well called jus regis, the manner of the King, and not the manner of the judges, because it had not been the practice, custom and [Greek or Hebrew] of the believing judges, before Sauls Reign, and while God was his peoples King, 1 Sam. 8. 7. to oppress. 3. We grant that all other inferior judges after the people cast off Gods government, and in imitation of the nations, would have a King, were also lesser Tyrants, as the King was a greater