SECT. XXX. A Monarchy cannot be well regulated, unless the Powers of the Monarch are limited by Law.
OUr Author's next step is not only to reject Popular Governments, but all such Monarchies as are not absolute: for if the King, says he, admits the People to be his Companions, he leaves to be a King. This is the language of French Lackeys, Valet de Chambre's, Tay∣lors, and others like them in Wisdom, Learning and Policy, who when they fly to England for sear of a well-deserved Gally, Gibet, or Wheel, are ready to say, Il faut que le Roy soit absolu, autrement il n'est point Roy. And finding no better men to agree with Filmer in this sublime Philosophy, I may be pardoned if I do not follow them, till I am convinced in these ensuing points.
1. It seems absurd to speak of Kings admitting the Nobility or People to part of the Government: for tho there may be, and are Na∣tions without Kings, yet no man can conceive a King without a Peo∣ple. These must necessarily have all the power originally in them∣selves; and tho Kings may and often have a power of granting Ho∣nors, Immunities, and Privileges to private Men or Corporations, he dos it only out of the publick Stock, which he is entrusted to distri∣bute; but can give nothing to the people, who give to him all that he can rightly have.
2. 'Tis strange that he who frequently cites Aristotle and Plato, should unluckily acknowledg such only to be Kings as they call Ty∣rants, and deny the name of King to those, who in their opinion are the only Kings.
3. I cannot understand why the Scripture should call those Kings whose Powers were limited, if they only are Kings who are absolute; or why Moses did appoint that the power of Kings in Israel should be limited (if they resolved to have them) if that limitation destroy'd the being of a King.
4. Nor, lastly, how he knows that in the Kingdoms which have a shew of Popularity, the Power is wholly in the King.
The first point was proved when we examined the beginning of Monarchies, and found it impossible that there could be any thing of justice in them, unless they were established by the common consent of those who were to live under them; or that they could make any such establishment, unless the right and power were in them.