A92147:235
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. I never heard any shadow of reason while now, and yet1 (because the lie hath a latitude) here is but a shadow, which the Prelate stole from M. Antonius de Dominis Archiepisc. Spalatensis, and I may say confidently, this Plagiarius hath not one line in his book which is not stolen; and for the present Spalato his argument is but spilt, and the nerves cut from it, while it is both bleeding and famed. Let the Reader compare them, and I pawn my credit he hath ignorantly clipped Spalato: But I answer, 1. Sovereignty is a beam and ray (as Spalato saith) of divine majesty, and is not either ⟨p. 43⟩formally or virtually in the people. So he. It is false, that it is not virtually in the people: for there be two things in the Judge, either inferior or supreme (for the argument holdeth in the majesty of a Parliament, as we shall hear) 1. The gift or grace of Governing (the Arminian Prelate will offend at this.) 2. The Authority of governing: 1. The gift is supernatural, and is not in man naturally, and so not in the King; for he is physically but a mortal man, and this is a gift received; for Solomon asked it by prayer from God. There is a capacity passive in all individual men for it: as for the official authority it self, it is virtually in all, in whom any of gods image is remaining, since the fall, as is clear; as may be gathered from, Gen. 1. 28. yea, the Father, the Master, the Judge, have it by Gods institution in some measure, over son, servant, and subject, though it be more in the supreme Ruler▪ and for our purpose, it is not requisite that authoritative majesty should be in all. (What is in the Father and Husband, I hope to clear) I mean, it needeth not to be formally in all, and so all are born alike and equal: But he who is a Papist, a Socinian, an Arminian, and therefore delivered to Satan by his mother Church, must be the Sectary, for we are where this Prelate left us, maintainers of the Protestant Religion, continued in the Confession of Faith, and National Covenant of Scotland, when this Demas forsook us, and embraced the World. 2. Though not on single man in Israel be a Judge, or King by nature, nor have in them formally any ray of Royalty, or of Magistratical Authority; yet it followeth not, that Israel Parliamentarily convened, hath no such authority, as to make Saul King in