SER M.is to execute and defend them. A lasting LiVI. berty is founded upon Laws; and is the refult of a good Conftitution of Government, as Health is of a right Conftitution of Body. In this alfo like Health; that it is valued moft by Those who who have known the Taste of it, under the first Apprehenfion, or Senfe, of the want of it; but little prized by thoughtless Men, under a fecure and unfhaken Enjoyment: whilft Slavery, like Sickness, to Those who never tasted it, feems nothing; and to Thofe who have been oppreffed long enough to forget what Liberty is, becomes the more tolerable, as a Bodily Indifpofition doth to fuch as know not, or defpair of, a better State. But is it not very unaccountable, that Blessings fhould be undervalued by weak Men, for that Security which fhould recommend them; nay, that Curfes should be invited down from Heaven in the room of them? That, when the Inconveniences of Abfolute Mornarchy made Men first fly to Laws for Refuge, they fhould ever fly back again from what they must acknowledge their Happiness; and call for that Abfolute Power to difpenfe with thefe Laws, which thefe Laws were purpofely defigned, and instituted, to controll and confine. But thus it is even at this Day, after the Experience of so many Ages; even amongst our felves, after so grate

ful

ful and pleafing a Taste of the Bleffings of a SE R M. Legal Conftitution; even under the most uncor- VI. rupt, unblameable Administration of Justice

and Equity, that ever any Nation was blessed with. But, to return,

6. St. Paul's Behaviour fhould, methinks, upon fecond Confideration, make fome Perfons a little more cautious of affirming Abfolute Monarchy, invested with a Power above all the Encroachments of written Laws, to be the only Form agreeable to the Will of God; nay,

if

you can hear it without smiling, the most beneficial to the Subject. For let any one tell me, whether upon this Principle it had not been the Duty of St. Paul to have taken the Opportunity offered him of owning the fuperior Power of the Magiftrate; of acknowledging the little ufe of Laws to Human Society; and of fhewing the Chriftian Religion to be a great Friend, tho' not to the lawless Confufion of the Multitude, yet to the lawless Power of the Magiftrate. This had been a noble piece of Service, not only to Truth, but to Human Society; according to fome: And 1 presume St. Paul knew the Will, and the plain Revelation, of God, as well at leaft as any Modern Chriftian; and would gladly have suffered a few Stripes, in order to bear Testimony to so important a Part of God's Law. Nor need He

VI.

SER M. have doubted this way to have turned the Anger of the Magiftrates into Favour, and a kind Regard both to himself, and his Profeffion. But He appears to have been a Stranger to all this: And his Zeal for the Laws fhews that He thought both the Will of God, and the Good of Society, to require another Scheme than that of an Unlimited Executive Power.

Thus have I laid before you a true Account of the Behaviour and Notions of that Apostle, in favour of the Rights of Subjects, who hath been long, and often, represented by many, as the greateft Afferter of an unlimited Authority in the Executive Power. And tho' I have been treating of Civil and Secular Concerns, yet, I hope, I may be fafe under the Patronage of St. Paul's Example, and of thofe Scriptures which gave us this Account of his Conduct and Behaviour, as of fomething not unuseful to Men and Chriftians. Nor is it a fmall Satisfaction to speak upon this Subject before those who understand the Value and Importance of wholefome Laws; and know how to fcorn all the Homage or Respect of Men, but what results from an unbiaffed, and uninterrupted, Adminiftration of Justice.

And now, if St. Paul fhewed fo great a Respect to the written Laws of that State under which He lived; if He thought it worth

his

VI.

his while (whofe grand Affair was to propa-sER M. gate a New Religion, and the Belief of a Future State) to concern himself fo much with this World, as to infift upon his Rights and Privileges, as He was a Subject, and to fhew no ordinary Regard to them; if He thought it the Happiness of a Kingdom to have fuch Privileges as are fit for Subjects, fettled by Law, and an Happiness not to be fhaken at the Will of the Executive Power; if He thought that Subjects might judge concerning the Invasion of the Privileges, and were not brought into Being to fubmit to every thing impofed upon them: Let us learn from fo great an Example, to value our own Happiness in that Legal Establishment under which we live, and live fo as to enjoy Life. His Example bids us plainly stand fast in our Liberty fupported by Laws. Let this move us more than the fallacious Difputations of Those who are continually declaiming against this Happiness, and endeavouring to perfuade us to change it for another fort of Government; arguing the Benefit of this to ourfelves, and the Right of it in others. And, left we should not be moved to a Change, the Argument is fometimes turned; and we are to be informed that our whole Notion of Liberty, is a mistaken Chimera, and Nonfenfe: That, K 2 whereas

SER M. Whereas we think that we have Laws to govern VI: us, it is only the Will of the Executive which

rules; that, whereas we think these Laws are made by the Confent and Authority of the Representatives of the People, it is no fuch thing; that it is the Prince only who Enacts; that no others have any fhare in the Legislature; that it hath all the Treason possible in it, to say that the Parliament hath a co-ordinate Power in Legislation; that our Conftitution abhors co-ordinate Legislative Powers; that our Conftitution is one Sovereign, whofe Supremacy is indivifible, and both the Legislative and Executive are in it, notwithstanding that all our Laws are faid to be enacted not only by the Prince, but by the Authority of the Lords and Commons, in the fame Sentence; and confequently, that the Executive, being the only Legislative, can difpenfe, annul, deftroy Laws as it pleaseth; that the People, without Diftinction, are the Sons of Belial, a Company of Vafals, that live and fubfift by the Conceffion of their Master only, and the like. Pofitions, which I would not mention, but that they are exposed to Light, and propagated with Heat, every Day: Tho' I hope not with fuch Force, as to difengage our Affections from an Happiness, without which, I know not whether it had not been as well for us to