A92147:370
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.
IT is true, Aristotle Polit. l. 3. c. 11. saith, That the Kingly power1 is a fatherly power; and Justin. Novell 12. c. 2. Pater quamvis legum contemptor, quamvis impius sit, tamen pater est. But I do not believe that, as Royalists say, that the Kingly power is essentially and univocally that same with a paternal or fatherly power; or that Adam as a father, was as a father and King, and that suppose Adam should live in Noah's days, that by divine institution and without consent of the Kingdoms and communities on earth, Adam hoc ipso, and for no other reason but because he was a father, should also be the universal King, and Monarch of the whole world; or suppose Adam were living to this day; that all Kings that hath been since, and now are, held their Crowns of him, and had no more Kingly power then inferior Judges in Scotland have under our sovereign King Charles, for so all that hath been, and now are lawful Kings should be unjust usurpers; for if fatherly power be the first and native power of commanding, it is against nature that a Monarch who is not my father by generation, should take that power from me, and be a King over both me and my children.
IT is true, Aristotle Polit. l. 3. c. 11. saith, That the Kingly power1 is a fatherly power; and Iustin. Novell 12. c. 2. Pater quamvis legum contemptor, quamvis impius sit, tamen pater est. But I doe not beleeve that, as Royalists say, that the Kingly power is essentially and univocally that same with a paternall or fatherly power; or that Adam as a father, was as a father and King, and that suppose Adam should live in Noahs daies, that by divine institution and without consent of the Kingdomes and communities on earth, Adam hoc ipso, and for no other reason but because he was a father, should also be the universall King, and Monarch of the whole world; or suppose Adam were living to this day; that all Kings that hath been since, and now are, held their Crownes of him, and had no more Kingly power then inferiour Iudges in Scotland have under our soveraigne King Charles, for so all that hath been, and now are lawfull Kings should be unjust usurpers; for if fatherly power be the first and native power of commanding, it is against nature that a Monarch who is not my father by generation, should take that power from me, and be a King over both me and my children.