A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
[37] Grotius de Imper. Sum. Potest. c. i. p. 7, 8. Sunt qui objiciant
reges quædam imperare non posse, nisi consensus ordinum accesserit:
sed hi non vident quibus in locis id juris est, ibi summum imperium
non esse penes reges, sed aut penes ordines, aut certe penes id
corpus, quod rex et juncti constituunt, ut Bodinus, Suarezius,
Victoria, aliique, aliunde demonstrarunt: certum summum imperium
totum, et aliquid imperare non posse, ideo tantum quod alter vetet
aut intercedat, plane sunt ἀσύστατα.
[38] So foolish and bad is the multitude too often, that it made
Aristippus hold it as probable, that a wise man should not endanger
himself for his country, because wisdom is not to be cast away for
the commodity of fools. Laert. in Aristip. But a wise man must be
wise for others, and not only for himself.
[39] It was one of the Roman laws of the twelve tables, Vendendi
filium patri potestas esto. But this law rather giveth the father
that power, than declareth it to be naturally in him. Nature alloweth
him no other selling of him, than what is for his child's own good.
[40] So p. 23. The same error of the original of power hath Acosta,
1. ii. c. 2. p. 208. with many other Jesuits and papists.
[41] Bishop Andrews in Tortur. Tort. p. 385. Actuus homo non
distinguit inter formam, atque authoritatem regiminis; forma de
hominibus esse potest: de cœlo semper est authoritas. An rex sit
supra leges, Vid. Seb. Fox. lib. ii. de Instit. Reg.
[42] Dion Cass. saith, that when Euphates the philosopher would kill
himself, Veniam dederat ei Adrianus citra ignominiam et infamiam, ut
cicutam tum propter senectutem, tum etiam propter gravem morbum,
bibere possit. In vita Adrian.
[43] Against the people's being the givers of power, by conjoining
all their own in one, in church or state, see Mr. D. Cawdry's Review
of Mr. Hooker's Survey, p. 154, &c.
[44] So lib. viii. p. 211, 218, 220.
[45] Lib. viii. p. 195. Trita in scholis, neminem sibi imperare
posse; neminem sibi legem posse dicere, a qua mutata voluntate
nequeat recedere: summum ejus esse imperium qui ordinario jure
derogare valeat. Et quibus evincitur jus summæ potestatis non
limitari per legem positivum. Hinc et Augustinus dixit imperatorem
non esse subjectum legibus suis.--Grotius de Imp. p. 149, 150.
[46] Hanc video sapientissimorum fuisse sententiam. Legem nec hominum
ingeniis excogitatam, nec scitum aliquod esse populorum; sed æternum
quiddam, quod universum mundum regeret, imperandi prohibendique
sapientia. Cicero de Leg.
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