A92147:408
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.
But this is 1. a begging of the question, every comparison halteth, no community but it is Major in this, that it can appoint its own1 Tutors, and though it cannot be without all Rulers, yet it may well be without this or that Prince and Ruler, and therefore may resume its power, which it gave conditionally to the Ruler for its own safety and good, and in so far as this condition is violated, and power turned to the destruction of the Common-wealth, it is to be esteemed as not given; and though the people be not a politic Judge in their own cause, yet in case of manifest oppression, nature can teach them to oppose defensive violence against offensive: a community in its politic body is also above any Ruler, and may judge what is manifestly destructive to it self.
But this is 1. a begging of the question, every comparison halteth, no community but it is Major in this, that it can appoint its owne1 Tutors, and though it cannot be without all Rulers, yet it may well be without this or that Prince and Ruler, and therefore may resume its power, which it gave conditionally to the Ruler for its owne safety and good, and in so farre as this condition is violated, and power turned to the destruction of the Common-wealth, it is to be esteemed as not given; and though the people be not a politique Iudge in their owne cause, yet in case of manifest oppression, nature can teach them to oppose defensive violence against offensive: a community in its politique body is also above any Ruler, and may judge what is manifestly destructive to it selfe.
- 1A free Community no pupil or minor.A free Community no pupill or minor.
Obj. The Pupil hath not power to appoint his own Tutor, nor doth he give power to him, so neither doth the people give it to the King. Ans. The Pupil hath not indeed a formal power to make a Tutor, but he hath virtually a legal power in his father, who appointeth a Tutor for his son, and the people have virtually all Royal power in them, as in a sort of immortal and eternal fountain, and may create to themselves many Kings.