A92147:248
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.
that there is an innate fear and reverence in the hearts of all men naturally, even in Heathen toward their Sovereign; yea as we have a natural moral active power to love our Parents and superiors (though it be not Evangelically, or legally in Gods Court, good) and so to obey their commandments, only we are averse to penal Laws of superiors; but this proveth no way, that we have only by nature, a passive capacity to government; for Heathens have by instinct of nature both made Laws morally good, submitted to them, set Kings and Judges over them; which clearly proveth that men have an active power of Government by nature. ⟨p. 52⟩4. yea, what difference maketh the Prelate betwixt men and beasts, for beasts have a capacity to be governed, even Lyons and Tigers; but here is the matter, if men have any natural power of Government, the P. Prelate would have it with his brethren Jesuits and Arminians to be not natural, but done by the help of universal grace, for so do they confound nature and grace. But it is certain our power to submit to Rulers and Kings as to rectors, and guides and fathers, is natural, to submit to Tyrants in doing ills of sin, is natural, but in suffering ills of punishment its not natural. 5. No man can give that which he hath not, is true, but that people have no power to make their Governors, is that which is in question, and denied by us. 6. This argument doth prove that people hath no power to appoint Aristocratical Rulers more then Kings, and so the Aristocratical and Democratical Rulers are all inviolable and sacred, as the King. 2. by this the people may not resume their freedom if they turn tyrants and oppressors; this the Prelate shall deny, for he averreth, p. 96. out of Augustine, that the people may without sin change a corrupt Democracy into a Monarchy.
that there is an innate feare and reverence in the hearts of all men naturally, even in Heathen toward their Severaign; yea as we have a naturall morall active power to love our Parents and superiours (though it be not Evangelically, or legally in Gods Court, good) and so to obey their commandements, only we are averse to penall Lawes of superiours; but this proveth no way, that we have only by nature, a passive capacity to government; for Heathens have by instinct of nature both made Lawes morally good, submitted to them, set Kings and Iudges over them; which clearely proveth that men have an active power of Government by nature. ⟨p. 52⟩