A92147:1347
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.
Quest. 1. Whether all Governments be but broken Governments, and deviations from Monarchy?] Answ. It is denied; There is no less somewhat of Gods authority in Government, by many, or some of the choicest of the People, than in Monarchy: nor can we judge any Ordinance of Man unlawful: for we are to be subject to all, for the Lords sake, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. 2. Though Monarchy should seem the rule of all other Governments, in regard of resemblance of the supreme Monarch of all: Yet is it not the moral rule, from which, if other Governments shall err, they are to be judged sinful deviations.
QUest. 1. Whether all Governments be but broken Governments, and deviations from Monarchie?] Answ. It is denyed; There is no lesse somewhat of Gods authoritie in Government, by many, or some of the choisest of the People, than in Monarchie: nor can we judge any Ordinance of Man unlawfull: for we are to be subject to all, for the Lords sake, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. 2. Though Monarchie should seeme the rule of all other Governments, in regard of resemblance of the supreme Monarch of all: Yet is it not the morall rule, from which, if other Governments shall erre, they are to be judged sinfull deviations.
Quest. 2. Whether is Royalty an immediate issue and spring of Nature?]1 Answ. No; For man, fallen in sin, knowing naturally he hath need of a Law and a Government, could have, by reason, devised Governors, one or moe; and the supervenient institution of God, coming upon this Ordinance, doth more fully assure us, that God, for mans good, hath appointed Governors: but if we consult with Nature, many Judges and Governors, to fallen Nature, seem nearer of blood, to Nature, then one only: for two, because of mans weakness, are better then one. Now Nature seemeth, to me, not to teach, that one only sinful man should be the sole and only Ruler