A brief examination and consideration of the unsound princples upon which the armies plea (lately committed to publick view) is grounded wherein the repentance of those army-men and the conversion of all other persons from the error of their ways who have (in what capacity so-ever) acted by the said principles is most earnestly desired and specially aimed at / by a friend to the truth.

* 1.1That the Essential End of all Kings, Rulers, Lawes and Governments is the Common peace, justice, and safety of the people.

This principle may be true, but can be nothing to those mens purpose that seek to justifie the utter dissolution of the whole Civil Government thereby. There is not a Government in any Nation in the world, but in some usa∣ges, Customes, Offices, Officers, Lawes or administrati∣ons may be apparently obnoxious to some obliquities and deviations from the true End of Government: Shall ther∣fore the Government it self be blamed? Shall it wholly be dissolved? Shall private persons do it? Or shall it be lawful for those (in what capacity soever) to seek the sub∣version of it that have sworn to maintain it? Any vio∣lent change in a Government brings more and greater evils with it, than can ever be removed by it; and perhaps, the same that were complained of in a far greater measure, and with lesse hope of remedy. The total dissolution of a Government (that not reserved that is most essential to it,) infers an Universal Parity, leaving none in more just authority than other. And it must needs be so. For, (the only known Legal Government once dissolved,) what should such just authority in any over others be grounded on? What then have any to do in setting up a new Government more than others? And why have not others a better right to re-enforce the old, than any can ever have to erect a new? Nothing can here make a dif∣ference, but meer force and violence; than which, no∣thing in the world is more directly opposite to what is

truly just. And, it would be remembred, That, violence is never of any long continuance; but Turnings, and Over∣turnings will have their certain revolutions, till Force shall cease, and Justice come in place, whose inseparable act it is, to restore to every one his right.

If the common peace, justice, and the safety of the people be the End of Government, then is Government the Means to that End; which no Government can ever be, if it be not just: And no new Government ever can be such. And the Change of an ancient Government in any Original and Fundamental part, is the erecting of a New one. And for this cause it is, that the Wisdom of God in Solomon commands us to fear the Lord and the King, and forbids to meddle with them that are given to change: to wit, because the change of a settled and an∣cient Government (especially, without an universal con∣sent, as well of the Governours, as of the governed,) is necessarily unjust: (besides the most unjust Subversion of the great End, the common peace, and safety of the people, in the effecting of it.) For, though other Forms of Go∣vernment be just in themselves, yet none can be just in this or any other Nation, but that which is established upon the only proper foundations of justice in it: and what are those, but the fundamental Lawes, Rights, Customes and Possessions that have ever inviolably and immutably con∣tinued in it, (which have no other foundation beside or be∣yond themselves, and which all particular Lawes and San∣ctions are established upon;) For, if these be not the un∣questionable Rules and Measures of Justice in this Nation, it can never come to be agreed on what Justice is, or what is just. Hence it is, that, since the violent casting down of these foundations, (that is, de facto,) people talke of Justice at all aventure; making no Law Divine or Hu∣mane, but their own self will or fansie the only measure of what they call just.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The tenth.