A92147:805
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.
2. If the Lord say not to the King only, but also to other inferior Judges, Be wise, understand, and the cause that you know not, search out; then the King is not the only interpreter of the Law. But the Lord saith not to the King only, but to other Judges also, Be wise, understand, and the cause that you know not search out, ergo the King is not the sole Law-giver. The Major is clear from Ps. 2. 10. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth. So are commands and rebukes for unjust judgement given to others then to Kings, Ps. 82. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Ps. 58. 1, 2. Isaiah 1. 17, 23 25, 26. Isaiah 3. 14. see Job. 29. 12, 13, 14, 15. c. 31. v. 21. 22.
2. If the Lord say not to the King only, but also to other inferiour Iudges, Be wise, understand, and the cause that you know not, search out; then the King is not the only interpreter of the Law. But the Lord saith not to the King only, but to other Iudges also, Be wise, understand, and the cause that you know not search out, ergo the King is not the sole Law-giver. The Major is cleare from Ps. 2. 10. Be wise now therefore, O yee Kings, be instructed yee Iudges of the earth. So are commands and rebukes for unjust judgement given to others then to Kings, Ps. 82. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Ps. 58. 1, 2. Esay 1. 17, 23 25, 26. Esay 3. 14. see Iob. 29. 12, 13, 14, 15. c. 31. v. 21. 22.
3, The King is either the sole interpreter of Law, in respect, he is to follow the Law as his Rule, and so he is a ministerial interpreter of the Law, or he is an interpreter of the Law according to that super-dominion of absolute power, that he hath above the Law. If the former be holden, then it is clear that the King is not the only interpreter, for all Judges, as they are Judges, have a ministerial power to expone the Law by the Law: but the second is the sense of Royalists.