A92147:494
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.
Master Symmont, The King is by the Grace of God, the inferior 1Judge is Judge by the grace of the King, even as the man is the image of God, and the woman the mans image▪ Ans. This distinction is neither true in Law, nor conscience; not in Law, for it distinguisheth not betwixt Ministros regis, & ministros regni. The servants of the King are his domestics, the Judges are Ministri regni, non regis; the Ministers and Judges of the Kingdom, not of the King. The King doth not show grace, as he is a man, in making such a man a Judge, but Justice as a King, by a Royal Power received from the people, and by an Act of Justice, he makes Judges of deserving men, he should neither for favour, nor bribes make any Judge in the Land. 2. It is the grace of God that men are to be advanced2 from a private condition to be inferiors Judges, as Royal Dignity is a free gift of God, 1 Sam. 2. 7. The Lord bringeth low, and lifteth up, Ps. 75. 7. God pu•t•th down one, and seteth up another. Court flatterers take from God, and give to Kings; but to be a Judge inferior, is no less an immediate favour of God, then to be King; though the one be a greater favour then the other. Magis honos, and Major honos are to be considered.
Master Symmont, The King is by the Grace of God, the inferiour 1Iudge is Iudge by the grace of the King, even as the man is the image of God, and the woman the mans image▪ Ans. This distinction is neither true in Law, nor conscience; not in Law, for it distinguisheth not betwixt Ministros regis, & ministros regni. The servants of the King are his domesticks, the Iudges are Ministri regni, non regis; the Ministers and Iudges of the Kingdome, not of the King. The King doth not show grace, as he is a man, in making such a man a Iudge, but Iustice as a King, by a Royall Power received from the people, and by an Act of Iustice, he makes Iudges of deserving men, he should neither for favour, nor bribes make any Iudge in the Land. 2. It is the grace of God that men are to be advanced