A92147:543
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.
Argum. 5. A power contrary to justice. 2. To peace and the1 good of the people. 3. That looketh to no law as a rule, and so is unreasonable, and forbidden by the Law of God, and the Civill Law, L. 15. filius de condit. Instit. cannot be a lawful power, and cannot constitute a lawful Judge; but an absolute and unlimited power is such: How can the Judge be the Minister of God for good to the people, Rom. 13. 4? If he have such a power as a King given him of God to destroy and waste the people?
Argum. 5. A power contrary to justice. 2. To peace and the1 good of the people. 3. That looketh to no law as a rule, and so is unreasonable, and forbidden by the Law of God, and the Civill Law, L. 15. filius de condit. Instit. cannot be a lawfull power, and cannot constitute a lawfull Iudge; but an absolute and unlimited power is such: How can the Iudge be the Minister of God for good to the people, Rom. 13. 4? If he have such a power as a King given him of God to destroy and waste the people?
- 1Argum. 5. Against absolute Princes. An absolute Prince against justice, peace, reason, law, &c.
Argum. 6. An absolute power is contrary to nature, and so unlawful;1 for it maketh the people give away the natural power of defending their life against illegal and cruel violence, and maketh a man who hath need to be ruled and lawed by nature, above all rule and law; and one who by nature can sin against his brethren,2