Page:Antidote against the infectious contagion of popery and tyranny.pdf/8

 the Dowry natural to them, whether could they alſo bind their Poſterity down thereto, without the actual Conſent? And if not, certainly it was not only an irrational Surrender of all their own Rights and inſlaving their poſterity, but an irreligious Contempt of Providence, refusing and anticipating its Determination in ſuch a Caſe, whereto their poſterity could therefore pay no Regard. And admitting more over, with the Author of a late Calm Addreſs, that the Pretender hath really an indeſeaſible Right to the Kingdoms; let us take a View of the Superſtructure that by all Popiſh Monarchs hath been built upon this Foundation: Have they not looked upon the Crown right as their Property ſo abſolutely, as to be poſſeſed and enjoyed by them, not for the Peoples Good at the chief End, but for their own; and upon Parliaments and Laws, in ſo far as they reſtrained their Power, as ſo many Incroachments upon their Property, and conſequently void and null? And, if this Hypotheſis is granted, doth it not hence follow alſo that the moſt valuable Intereſts of the Subject depend on the Pleaſure of the Prince, and that Subjects have no Right to inſiſt upon Terms with him, but muſt yield paſſive Obedience unto his pleaſure be what it will: and if he confers Honours, Profits and Advantages upon any, that they muſt look upon them, not as what they have any Right to, bot merely as Acts of Grace and Favour, reſumable at Pleaſure? Now, let the moſt bigotted Jacobites amongſt us ſuppoſe themſelves Subjects in ſuch Circumſtances, and tell honeſtly whether they could then rationally reckon upon their Liberty and Property with the ſame Freedom that they may now do, and if they would not then merit rather the Name of Slaves than Subjects. If after all it ſhall be ſaid, That by our Conſtitution the Law is above the King; Yet, by the Principles of our hereditary-right Men, the Law cannot be execute without the King and ſo our Kings may tyrannize at Pleaſure. And if they grant that the Law may be execute without the King, yea again him, which it both hath