A92147:457
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.
Arnisaeus▪ a more learned Jurist and Divine then the P. Prelate, answereth the other Maxim, The end is worthier then the mean leading1 to the end, because it is ordained for the end. These means, saith he, which refer their whole nature to the end, and have all their excellency from the end, and have excellency from no other thing but from the end, are less excellent then the end; that is true, such an end as medicine is for health. And Hugo Grotius, l. 1. c. 3. n. 8. Those means which are only for the end, & for the good of the end, and are not for their own good, also are of less excellency, and inferior to the end. But so the assumption is false. But those means which beside their relation to the end, have an excellency of nature in themselves, are not always inferior to the end. The Disciple, as he is instituted, is inferior to the Master; but as he is the son of a Prince, he is above the Master. But by this reason, the shepherd should be inferior to brute beasts, to sheep. And the master of the family is for the family, and referreth all that he hath for the entertaining of the family: but it followeth not therefore the family is above him. The form is for the action, therefore the action is ⟨p. 150⟩more excellent then the form, and an accident then the subject or substance? And Grotius saith, Every government is not for the good of another, but some for its own good, as the government of a master over the servant, and the husband over the wife.
Arnisaeus▪ a more learned Iurist and Divine then the P. Prelate, answereth the other Maxime, The end is worthier then the meane leading1 to the end, because it is ordained for the end. These meanes, saith he, which referre their whole nature to the end, and have all their excellencie from the end, and have excellencie from no other thing but from the end, are lesse excellent then the end; that is true, such an end as medicine is for health. And Hugo Grotius, l. 1. c. 3. n. 8. Those meanes which are only for the end, & for the good of the end, and are not for their own good, also are of lesse excellencie, and inferior to the end. But so the assumption is false. But those meanes which beside their relation to the end, have an excellencie of nature in themselves, are not alwayes inferior to the end. The Disciple, as he is instituted, is inferior to the Master; but as he is the sonne of a Prince, he is above the Master. But by this reason, the shepherd should be inferior to bruit beasts, to sheep. And the master of the familie is for the familie, and referreth all that he hath for the entertaining of the familie: but it followeth not therefore the familie is above him. The forme is for the action, therefore the action is