A NEW ESSAY ON CIVIL POWER IN THINGS SACRED: OR, An Enquiry after an Established Religion, consistent with the Just Liberties of Mankind, and practicable under every Form of Civil Government. SixCTION I. Of the Nature and Ends of Civil Government, with the several kinds of it, and its extent to Religion. I. THE design of civil government is to secure the persons, the properties, the just liberty and peace of mankind from the invasions and the injuries of their neighbours: Whereas if there were no such thing as government amongst men, the stronger would often make inroads upon the peace and pos- sessions, the liberties and the lives of those that were weaker; and universal confusion and disorder, mischiefs, murders, and ten thousand miseries would overspread the face of the earth. II. In order to this general good, viz. the preservationof the persons of men with their peace and possessions, mankind have been led by the principles of reason and self-preservation to join themselves in distinct civil societies ; wherein as by a compact, expressed or implied, every single person is concerned in the welfare and safety of all the rest, and all engage their assistance to defend any of the rest when their peace or posses- sions are ,invaded : so that by this means every single member of the society has the wisdom and strength of the whole engaged for his security and defence. III. To attain this end most happily, different societies have chosen different forms of government, as they thought most con- ducive to obtain it. 1. Some have deemed it proper to be governed by a single person, and have ventured to put the authority and power of making and executing laws for guarding their per- sons and properties, and for avenging their injuries, into the hands of a single person ; and have obliged themselvesto assist and support him in the due exercise of this authority. This is called kingly government or. monarchy : And where this kingly
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