A92147:633
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.
Ans. They supplicate, ex decentia, of decency and convenience for his place; as a City doth supplicate a Lord Major: but they supplicate not ex debito, of obligation, as beggars seek alms: then should they be cyphers. 2. When a Subject oppressed, supplicateth his Sovereign for justice; the King is obliged by office to give justice: And to hear the oppressed, is not an act of grace and mercy, as to give alms, though it should proceed from mercy in the Prince, Psal. 72. 13. but an act of Royal debt.
Ans. They supplicate, ex decentia, of decencie and conveniencie for his place; as a Citie doth supplicate a Lord Major: but they supplicate not ex debito, of obligation, as beggars seeke almes: then should they be cyphers. 2. When a Subject oppressed, supplicateth his Soveraigne for justice; the King is obliged by office to give justice: And to heare the oppressed, is not an act of grace and mercie, as to give almes, though it should proceed from mercie in the Prince, Psal. 72. 13. but an act of Royall debt.
3. The P. Prelate objecteth: The most you claim to Parliaments,1 is a coordinate power, which in law and reason run in equal terms, In Law, par in parem non habet imperium; an equal cannot judge an equal, much less may an inferior usurpeto judge a superior. Our Lord knew, gratiâ visionis, the woman taken in adultery, to be guilty; bat he would not sentence her: to teach us, not improbably, not to be both Judge and Witness. The Parliament are Judges, accusers, and witnesses against the King in their own cause, against the Imperial laws.
3. The P. Prelate objecteth: The most you claime to Parliaments,1 is a coordinate power, which in law and reason run in equall tearmes, In Law, par in parem non habet imperium; an equall cannot judge an equall, much lesse may an inferiour usurpeto judge a superiour. Our Lord knew, gratiâ visionis, the woman taken in adulterie, to be guilty; bat he would not scntence her: to teach us, not improbably, not to be both Judge and Witnesse. The Parliament are Judges, accusers, and witnesses against the King in their owne cause, against the Imperiall lawes.