A92147:331
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.
and the Scripture cleareth to us, that a King is made by the free consent of the people, Deut. 17. 15. and so not by nature. 7. What is from the womb, and1 so natural, is eternal, and agreeth to all societies of men: but a Monarchy agreeth not to all societies of men; for many hundred years de facto, there was not a King, till Nimrods time, the world being governed by families, and till Moses his time we find no institution for Kings, Gen. 7. and the numerous multiplication of mankind did occasion Monarchies, otherwise Fatherly government being the first, and measure of the rest, must be the best; for it is better that my father govern me, then that a stranger govern me; and therefore the Lord forbade his people to set a stranger over themselves to be their King. The P. Prelate contendeth for the contrary. Every 2man (saith he) is borne subject to his father, of whom immediately he hath his existence in nature: and if his Father be the subject of another, he is borne the subject of his fathers superior. Answ. But the consequence is weak, every man is borne under natural subjection to his father, ergo he is borne naturally under civill subjection to his ⟨p. 94⟩fathers superior or King, it followeth not; yea because his father was borne only by nature subject to his own father, ergo he was subject to a Prince or King only by accident, and by the free constitution of men who freely choose politic government, whereas there is no government natural, but fatherly or martial, and therefore the contradictory consequence is true.
and the Scripture cleareth to us, that a King is made by the free consent of the people, Deut. 17. 15. and so not by nature. 7. What is from the wombe, and1 so naturall, is eternall, and agreeth to all societies of men: but a Monarchie agreeth not to all societies of men; for many hundred years de facto, there was not a King, till Nimrods time, the world being governed by families, and till Moses his time we find no institution for Kings,