A92147:660
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.
1. Originally: Because, if the People be the first Author, Fountain,1 and Efficient, under God, of Law and King, then their own safety must be principally sought, and their safety must be far above the King, as the safety of a Cause, especially of an universal Cause, such as is the People, must be more then the safety of one, as Aristotle saith, l. 3. polit. alias l. 5. [Greek or Hebrew]. The part cannot be more excellent then the whole: nor the effect above the cause.
1. Originally: Because, if the People be the first Author, Fountaine,1 and Efficient, under God, of Law and King, then their own safetie must be principally sought, and their safetie must be farre above the King, as the safetie of a Cause, especially of an universall Cause, such as is the People, must be more then the safetie of one, as Aristotle saith, l. 3. polit. alias l. 5. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. The part cannot be more excellent then the whole: nor the effect above the cause.
- 1Reasons why the Peoples safety, is the Sovereigns Law.Reasons why the Peoples safetie, is the Soveraignes Law.
2. Finaliter. This Supreme law must stand; for if all Law, Policy, Magistrates and Power be referred to the peoples good, as the end, Rom. 13. 4. and to their quiet and peaceable life in godliness and honesty: then must this Law stand, as of more worth then the King, as the end is of more worth then the means leading to the end; for the end is the measure and rule of the goodness of the mean▪ and, finis ultimus in influxu est potentissimus. The King is good, because he conduceth much for the safety of the People; Ergo, the safety of the people must be better.