Page:Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission.djvu/55

 for their protector and guardian: Nor would they have any reaon to mourn, if ome HERCULES hould appear ubmiion hould be paid to them: but, on the contrary, that they hould be totally dicarded; and the authority which they were before veted with, tranferred to others, who may exercie it more to thoe good purpoes for which it is given.—Nor is this principle, that reitance to the higher powers, is, in ome extraordinary caes, jutifiable, o liable to abue, as many perons eem to apprehend it. For although there will be always ome petulant, querulous men, in every tate—men of factious, turbulent and carping dipoitions,—glad to lay hold of any trifle to jutify and legitimate their caballing againt their rulers, and other editious practices; yet there are, comparatively peaking, but few men of this contemptible character. It does not appear but that mankind, in general, have a dipoition to be as ubmiive and paive and tame under government as they ought to be.—Witnes a great, if not the greatet, part of the known world, who are now groaning, but not murmuring, under the heavy yoke of tyranny! While thoe who govern, do it with any tolerable degree of moderation and jutice, and, in any good meaure act up to their office and character, by being public benefactors; the people will generally be eay and peaceable; and be rather inclined to flatter and adore, than to inult and reit, them. Nor was there ever any general complaint againt any adminitration, which lated long, but what there was good reaon for. Till people find themelves greatly abued and oppreed by their governors, they are not apt to complain; and whenever they do, in fact, find themelves thus abued and oppreed, they mut be tupid not to complain. To ay that ubjects in general are not proper judges when their governors oppres them, and play the tyrant; and when they defend their rights, adminiter jutice impartially, and promote the public welfare, is as great treaon as ever man uttered;—'tis treaon,—not againt one ingle man, but the tate—againt the whole body politic;—'tis treaon againt mankind;—'tis treaon againt common ene;—'tis treaon againt God. And this impious principle lays the foundation for jutifying all the tyranny and oppreion that ever any prince was guilty of. The people know for what end they et up, and maintain, their governors; and they are the proper judges when they execute their trut as they ought to do it;—when their prince exercies an equitable and paternal authority over them;—when from a prince and common father, he exalts himelf into a tyrant—when from ubjects and children, he degrades them into the clas of laves;—plunders them, makes them his prey, and unnaturally ports himelf with their lives and fortunes.