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Title:  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.
Author: Rutherford, Samuel, 1600?-1661.
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those same acts, when they choose one to be their King and supreame Governour, and when they set up an Aristocraticall Government, and choose many, or more then one, to be their Governours▪ for the formall object of one or many Governours is Iustice and Religion, as they are to be advanced. 2. The forme and manner of their op∣peration is, brachio seculari, by a coactive power, and by the sword. 3. The formall acts of King and many Iudges in Aristocracy, are these same, the defending of the poore and needy from violence, the conservation of a Community in a peaceable and a godly life,The same ob∣ligation of con∣science that ly∣eth on the King in all things, lyeth on the inferi∣our Iudge. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Iob 29. 12, 13. Esay 1. 17. 4. These same Lawes of God that regulateth the King in all His Acts of Royall Govern∣ment, and tyeth and obligeth his conscience, as the Lords Deputy to execute Iudgement for God, and not in the stead of men, in Gods Court of Heaven, doth in like manner tye, and oblige the conscience of Aristocraticall Iudges, and all inferiour Iudges, as is cleare and evident by these places, 1 Tim. 2. 2. not only Kings, but all in authority are obliged to procure that their subjects leade a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlinesse and honesty. All in conscience are obliged, Deut. 1. 16. to judge righte∣ously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with them. 17. Neither are they to respect persons in judgement, but are to heare the small as well as the great, nor to be affraid of the face of men, the judgement administred by all, is Gods. 2. Chro. 19. 6. All are obliged to feare God, Deut. 17. 19. 20. to keepe the words of the Law, not to be lifted up in heart above their brethren, Esay 1. 17. Ier. 22. 2, 3. Let any man show me a difference according to Gods Word, but in the extention that what the King is to doe as a King in all the Kingdome, and whole Dominions, (if God give to him many) as he gave to David and Solomon, and Ioshua, that the inferiour Iudges are to doe in such and such Circuits, and limited places, and I quit the cause, so as the inferiour Iudges are little Kings, and the King a great and delated Iudge, as a compressed hand or fist, and the hand stretched out in fingers and thumbe, are one hand, so here. 4. God owneth inferiour Iudges as a congregation of Gods, Ps. 82. 1. 2. for that God sitteth in a congregation or Senate of Kings or Mo∣narches I shall not beleeve, till I see Royalists shew to me a Common∣wealth of Monarches convening in one Iudicature; all are equally called Gods, Ioh. 10. 35. Exod. 22. 8. if for any cause, but because all Iudges even inferiour are the immediate Deputies of the King of 0