A92147:506
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.
Assert. 1. These Ordines Regni, the States, have been in famous Nations: so there were fathers of families, and Princes of Tribes amongst the Jews: The Ephori amongst the Lacedaemonians, Polyb. hist. l. 6. The Senate amongst the Romans: The forum Superbiense amongst the Arragonians: The Parliaments, in Scotland, England, France, Spain. 2 Sam. 3. 17. Abner communed with the Elders of Israel, to bring the King home. And there were Elders in Israel, both in the time of the Judges, and in the time of the Kings; who did not only give advice and counsel to the Judges and Kings, but also were Judges, no less then the Kings, and Judges; which I shall make good by these places: Deut. 21. 19. The rebellious Son is1 brought to the Elders of the City, who had power of life and death, and caused to stone him. Deut. 22. 18. The Elders of the City shall take that man, and chastise him. Josh. 20. 4. But beside the Elders of every City, there were the Elders of Israel, and the Princes, who had also judicial power of life and death, as the Judges and King had. Josh. 22. 30. Even when Joshua was Judge in Israel, the Princes of the Congregation, and heads of the Thousands of Israel, did judicially cognosce whether the Children of Reuben, of Gad, and of half the tribe of Manasseh, were apostates from God, and the Religion of Israel. 2 Sam. 5. 3. All the Elders of Israel made David King at Hebron: and Num. 11. They are appointed by God not to be the advisers only and helpers of Moses, but, v. 14, 17. to bear a part of the burden of ruling and governing the people, that Moses might be eased. Jeremiah is accused, c. 26. 10. upon his life, before the Princes, ⟨p. 173⟩