A92147:175
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. The Royal power is three ways in the people; 1. Radically1 and virtually, as in the first subject. 2. Collativè vel communicativè, by way of free donation, they giving it to this man, not to this man that he may •ule over them. 3. Limitatè; They giving it so, as these three acts remain with the people; 1. That they may measure ou•, by ounce weights, so much Royal power, and no more, and no less. 2. So as they m•y l•••, […], and set banks, and marches to the •xccrc••. 3. That ••y give it ou•, conditionatè, upon this, and this condition that t••y take again to themselves what they gave ou•, upon condition, •• ••• condition be violated: The first I conceive is clear, 1. […] •• every ••ing creature have radically in them a power of […] •o defend themselves from violence, as we see Lyons have […], so•• 2beasts have horns, some claws; men being reasonable creatures, united in society, must have power in a more reasonable and honourable way to put this power of warding off violence, in the hands of one or moe Rulers, to defend themselves by Magistrates. 2. If all men be borne, as concerning civill power, alike; (for no man cometh out of the womb with a Diadem on his head, or a Sceptre in his hand) and yet men united in a society may give crown and sceptre to this man, and not to this man; then this power was in this united society, but it was not in them formally, for they should then all have been one King, and so both above and superior, and below and inferior to themselves, which we cannot say: therefore this power must have been virtually in them, because neither man, nor community of men can give that which they neither have formally, nor virtually in them. 3. Royalists cannot deny, but Cities have power to choose and create inferior Magistrates, ergo, many Cities united have power to create an higher Ruler; for Royal power is but the united and superlative power of inferior Judges, in one greater Judge, whom they call a King.