Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Editor's introduction
- A note on the text
- Bibliographical guide
- Biographical notes
- Principal dates
- Politica Sacra et Civilis
- Epistle to the reader
- Dedicatory poem
- The arguments of the several chapters
- 1 Of government in general, and the original thereof
- 2 Of government in general, and of a community civil
- 3 Of an ecclesiastical community
- 4 Of a commonwealth in general, and power civil
- 5 Of the manner how civil power is acquired
- 6 Of power ecclesiastical
- 7 Of the manner of acquiring ecclesiastical power
- 8 Of the disposition of power civil, and the several forms of government
- 9 Of the disposition of ecclesiastical power: and first, whether it be due unto the bishop of Rome
- 10 Whether the civil state have any good title to the Power of the Keys
- 11 Whether episcopacy be the primary subject of the Power of the Keys
- 12 Whether presbytery or presbyters be the primary subject of the Power of the Keys
- 13 That the government of the church is not purely democratical, but like that of a free state, wherein the power is in the whole, not in any part, which is the author's judgement
- 14 Of the extent of a particular church
- 15 Of subjection in general, and the subjects of a civil state
- 16 Of subjects in an ecclesiastical polity
- Index
- Title in the series
Dedicatory poem
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Editor's introduction
- A note on the text
- Bibliographical guide
- Biographical notes
- Principal dates
- Politica Sacra et Civilis
- Epistle to the reader
- Dedicatory poem
- The arguments of the several chapters
- 1 Of government in general, and the original thereof
- 2 Of government in general, and of a community civil
- 3 Of an ecclesiastical community
- 4 Of a commonwealth in general, and power civil
- 5 Of the manner how civil power is acquired
- 6 Of power ecclesiastical
- 7 Of the manner of acquiring ecclesiastical power
- 8 Of the disposition of power civil, and the several forms of government
- 9 Of the disposition of ecclesiastical power: and first, whether it be due unto the bishop of Rome
- 10 Whether the civil state have any good title to the Power of the Keys
- 11 Whether episcopacy be the primary subject of the Power of the Keys
- 12 Whether presbytery or presbyters be the primary subject of the Power of the Keys
- 13 That the government of the church is not purely democratical, but like that of a free state, wherein the power is in the whole, not in any part, which is the author's judgement
- 14 Of the extent of a particular church
- 15 Of subjection in general, and the subjects of a civil state
- 16 Of subjects in an ecclesiastical polity
- Index
- Title in the series
Summary
Which author's work lends system to the ancient art of ruling,
And gives endurance to the sceptre's sway?
His simply written page has taught great nations,
Giving peace to peoples and to princes, trust.
Public office is defined by the exertions of the private hand;
Behold how one man labours at the public weal,
So well he settles kingdoms, it seems he might have ruled,
Oh how much greater than his station he was!
Houses built upon this concisely written page stand firm,
Nor would such states easily falter at that juncture
When the monarch is removed.
For this page gives laws to peoples and strength to law;
It arms you, Themis, who alone should punish wrong;
You, Regulus, would fear nothing and be no longer feared,
For the power to harm you or to be harmed is now erased.
This page would have succoured infant Rome,
Sufficient for Numa without Egeria's counsel.
And had Sparta, ruled by stern Lycurgus, gleaned wisdom from this same page
She would have stood for as many centuries as she lasted days.
Nor, I tell you, Parthenope, would the fickle masses
So often have changed masters in so few years;
Nor would the infamous Angle so selfishly have defiled the calendar,
Wandering in a thousand aimless alterations.
How well, Lawson, so apt an heir to such a lustrous name,
Do you make laws from your own disinterested wit. […]
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- Information
- Lawson: Politica sacra et civilis , pp. 6 - 7Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1993