Sec. 165. And therefore he that will
look into the history of England, will find, that prerogative was
always largest in the hands of our wisest and best princes;
because the people, observing the whole tendency of their actions
to be the public good, contested not what was done without law to
that end: or, if any human frailty or mistake (for princes are
but men, made as others) appeared in some small declinations from
that end; yet 'twas visible, the main of their conduct tended to
nothing but the care of the public. The people therefore,
finding reason to be satisfied with these princes, whenever they
acted without, or contrary to the letter of the law, acquiesced
in what they did, and, without the least complaint, let them
inlarge their prerogative as they pleased, judging rightly, that
they did nothing herein to the prejudice of their laws, since
they acted conformable to the foundation and end of all laws, the
public good.
Sec. 166. Such god-like princes indeed had some title to
arbitrary power by that argument, that would prove absolute
monarchy the best government, as that which God himself governs
the universe by; because such kings partake of his wisdom and
goodness. Upon this is founded that saying, That the reigns of
good princes have been always most dangerous to the liberties of
their people: for when their successors, managing the government
with different thoughts, would draw the actions of those good
rulers into precedent, and make them the standard of their
prerogative, as if what had been done only for the good of the
people was a right in them to do, for the harm of the people, if
they so pleased; it has often occasioned contest, and sometimes
public disorders, before the people could recover their original
right, and get that to be declared not to be prerogative, which
truly was never so; since it is impossible that any body in the
society should ever have a right to do the people harm; though it
be very possible, and reasonable, that the people should not go
about to set any bounds to the prerogative of those kings, or
rulers, who themselves transgressed not the bounds of the public
good: for prerogative is nothing but the power of doing public
good without a rule.
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