A92147:1176
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.
Ans. 1. Who speaketh so the P. Prelate cannot name. That Sovereign power is primarily and naturally in the multitude. Virtually (it may be) Sovereignty is in the multitude, but primarily and naturally, as heat is in the fire, light in the Sun; I think the P. Prelate dreamed it, no man said it but himself: for what attribute is naturally in a Subject, I conceive may directly and naturally be predicated thereof. Now the P. Prelate hath taught us of a very natural predication. (Our Dreadful and Sovereign Lord the multitude commandeth this and this.)
Ans. 1. Who speaketh so the P. Prelate cannot name. That Soveraigne power is primarily and naturally in the multitude. Vertually (it may be) Soveraignty is in the multitude, but primarily and naturally, as heat is in the fire, light in the Sun; I thinke the P. Prelate dreamed it, no man said it but himselfe: for what attribute is naturally in a Subject, I conceive may directly and naturally be predicated thereof. Now the P. Prelate hath taught us of a very naturall predication. (Our Dreadful and Soveraign Lord the multitude commandeth this and this.)
2. This is no more a reason for a Monarchy, then for a Democracy, for we can reap the fruits of no government, except we submit to it.
2. This is no more a reason for a Monarchy, then for a Democracy, for we can reape the fruites of no government, except we submit to it.
3. We must submit in Monarchy (saith he) to some possible and accidental inconveniences. Here be soft words, but is subversion of ⟨p. 420⟩Religion, Laws, and Liberties of Church and State, introducing of Popery, Arminianism, of Idolatry, Altar-worship, the Mass proved by a learned Treatise, The Canterburian self conviction, printed the 3. edit. an 1641. never answered, couched under the name of inconveniency? The pardoning of the innocent blood of hundreds of thousand Protestants in Ireland, the killing of many thousands, Nobles, Barons, Commons, by the hands of Papists in Arms against the Law of the Land, the making of England a field of blood, the obtruding of an Idolatrous Service-Book, with Armies of men, by Sea and Land, to block up the Kingdom of Scotland. are all these inconveniences only?