216 The Duty and Reafon likewife to praife God for them : And then I !hall conclude all with a brief Application ofthis whole Difcourfe to the Solemn Occafion of this D9. Fall, I thatl begin with the Benefits and Advantages of Government mention'd in the Text, namely, thefe Two. t. That by it we are fecured in our Civil Rights and Iuterefts, in the quiet and peaceable Poffeflionof what is our own. Without Government there could be no filch thing as Property in any thing beyond our own Perlons ; for nothing but Law can make Property, and Laws . are the Effect of Government and Authority : Nay, without Government, we live no fecurity of our Perfons and Lives, much lefs of any thing that be- longs to us, and is at prefent inour Poffeffion. Were we ilof protected by Laws (which are the Effect of Government) we could have no fefety, no quiet enjoy- ment of any thing ; but every Man mutt be perpetually upon his guard againtt all the World, and expofed to continual Violence and Injuries from thofe, who are too many, and too prong for him ; fo that all our quiet and fecurity from Fear and Danger, from the Fraud and Oppreffion of thofe who are more Crafty and Powerful than our felves, from endlefs Confufions and Diftraftions, and from a State of perpetual Feud and.War with all Mankind, is entirely due and owing to Civil Government. And this alone is fo unfpeakable a Benefit, that without it, Men, of all Crea- tures, would be the the inoft Miferable ; becaufe all that Wit and Sagacity, all that Cunning and Contrivance, which Mankind hash above the Bruit Créatures would but enable them to do fo much the more Mifchief to one another, and to devife and find out more Powerful and Effeftual Means and Inftruments to harm and deftroy one another. In Ihort, that we live, and that we live well, in any tolerable Condition either of Safety or Plenty, and that we are able to call any thing our own for one Day, or for one hour ; that we' are not in perpetual Terrour and Apprehenfion of mortal Dangers, and that we are at any time free from the Invafon of what we at prefent poffefs, by the fraud and force of others, is folely the Effeet of this great Blefl'ing, and Divine, Appointment of Government, to preferve the peace of Humane Society, and bywife and wholfome Laws, to tye up Mens Hands from mutual Injuries and Violence. Upon this all the Comfort and all the Security of Humane Laws does depend. From hence it comes to pafs, (that as the Scrip- ture expreffeth. it) We may fit down every man under his own Vine, and un- der his own Fig-tree, and that there fhall be none to make us afraid. So that if Security is neceffary to the Comfort and Happinefs of Mankind ; then Govern- ment is fo too : For without this, the Societies of Men would prefently dif -' folve and fall in . pieces, and all things would run into Confufion and Dif- order. 2. Another great Benefit which may reafonably be expected from Government (tho'it does Always fohappen) is, that Men are protected by it, in the. free Exercife and Practice of Religion and Virtue. Therefore we lhould pray for Kings, and for all that are inauthority, (fays the Apoftle) that we may lead quiet and peace- able lives in all godlinefs and honey ; that is, in the Practice of Piety and De- votion towards God ; of Sobriety and Temperance in regard to our felves; and of Juftice and Charity toward all Men. It's true indeed, (and fo the Apoftles and firft Chriftians found it by experi- ence) that the Edge andAuthority of Laws may be, and fometimes is turned upon the true Religion, and the . fincere Profefiors of it : But even then, tho' Good Men may receive great harms and injuries from Perfecuting `Princes and Governors ; (as the Primitive Chriftians did from feveral of the Roman Emperors) yet then it fo happens, that Good Men have force confiderable Benefit and Pro - teftion from the Civil Government and Laws, being for the .moft part preferved from the fury and rage of the Multitude ; fo that tho' particular Perfons undergo the Tryal of Cruel Sufferings, yet much greater, Numbers do efcape and aré preferved. And
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