Political Pamphlets | Page 8

for the sake of religion, to enjoy it
within yourselves, without the liberty of a public exercise, till a
Parliament had allowed it; but since that could not be, and that the
articles of some amongst you have made use of the well-meant zeal of
the generality to draw them into this mistake, I am so far from blaming
you with that sharpness, which perhaps the matter in strictness would
bear, that I am ready to err on the side of the more gentle construction.
There is a great difference between enjoying quietly the advantages of
an act irregularly done by others, and the going about to support it
against the laws in being. The law is so sacred that no trespass against
it is to be defended; yet frailties may in some measure be excused when
they cannot be justified. The desire of enjoying liberty, from which
men have been so long restrained, may be a temptation that their reason
is not at all times able to resist. If in such a case some objections are
leapt over, indifferent men will be more inclined to lament the occasion
than to fall too hard upon the fault, whilst it is covered with the apology
of a good intention. But where, to rescue yourselves from the severity
of one law, you give a blow to all the laws, by which your religion and
liberty are to be protected; and instead of silently receiving the benefit
of this indulgence, you set up for advocates to support it, you become
voluntary aggressors, and look like counsel retained by the prerogative
against your old friend Magna Charta, who hath done nothing to
deserve her falling thus under your displeasure.
If the case then should be, that the price expected from you for this
liberty is giving up your right in the laws, sure you will think twice
before you go any further in such a losing bargain. After giving thanks

for the breach of one law, you lose the right of complaining of the
breach of all the rest; you will not very well know how to defend
yourselves when you are pressed; and having given up the question
when it was for your advantage, you cannot recall it when it shall be to
your prejudice. If you will set up at one time a power to help you,
which at another time, by parity of reason, shall be made use of to
destroy you, you will neither be pitied nor relieved against a mischief
which you draw upon yourselves by being so unreasonably thankful. It
is like calling in auxiliaries to help, who are strong enough to subdue
you. In such a case your complaints will come too late to be heard, and
your sufferings will raise mirth instead of compassion.
If you think, for your excuse, to expound your thanks, so as to restrain
them to this particular case; others, for their ends, will extend them
further: and in these differing interpretations, that which is backed by
authority will be the most likely to prevail; especially when, by the
advantage you have given them, they have in truth the better of the
argument, and that the inferences from your own concessions are very
strong and express against you. This is so far from being a groundless
supposition, that there was a late instance of it in the last session of
Parliament, in the House of Lords, where the first thanks, though things
of course, were interpreted to be the approbation of the King's whole
speech, and a restraint from the further examination of any part of it,
though never so much disliked; and it was with difficulty obtained, not
to be excluded from the liberty of objecting to this mighty prerogative
of dispensing, merely by this innocent and usual piece of good manners,
by which no such thing could possibly be intended.
This showeth that some bounds are to be put to your good breeding,
and that the Constitution of England is too valuable a thing to be
ventured upon a compliment. Now that you have for some time enjoyed
the benefit of the end, it is time for you to look into the danger of the
means. The same reason that made you desirous to get liberty must
make you solicitous to preserve it, so that the next thought will
naturally be, not to engage yourself beyond retreat; and to agree so far
with the principles of all religion, as not to rely upon a death-bed
repentance.

There are certain periods of time, which being once past, make all
cautions ineffectual, and all remedies desperate. Our understandings are
apt to be hurried on by the first heats, which, if not restrained in time,
do not give us leave to look back till it