TWO TREATISES O F Government: In the Former, The Falfe Principles and Foundation O F Sir Robert Filmer, And His FOLLOWERS, ARE De Montagne. Detected and Overthrown. The Latter is an ESSAY CONCERNING The True Original, Extent, and End O F Civil-Government. LONDON: Printed for Awnfham and John Churchill, at the 1 69 8. The PREFACE. Reader, T HOU haft here the Beginning and End of a Difcourfe concerning Government; what Fate has otherwife difpofed of the Papers that should have filled up the middle, and were more than all the reft,'tis not worth while to tell thee. Thefe, which remain, I hope are fufficient to establish the Throne of our Great Reftorer, Our present King William; to make good his Title, in the Confent of the People, which being the only one of all lawful Governments, he has more fully and clearly than any Prince in Chriftendom. And to justifie to the World, the People of England, whofe love of their Just and Natural Rights,with their Refolution to preferve them, Saved the Nation when it was on the very brink of Slavery and Ruine. If these Papers have that evidence, I flatter my felf, is to be found in them, there will be no great mifs of those which are loft, and my Reader may be Satisfied without them. For I imagine I shall have neither the time, nor inclination to repeat my Pains, and fill up the wanting part of my Anfwer, by tracing Sir Robert again, through all the Windings and Obfcurities which are to be met with in the feveral Branches of his wonderful System. The King, and Body of the Nation, have fince fo throughly confuted his Hypothefis, that, I fuppofe, no Body hereafter will have either the Confidence to appear against our Common Safety, and be again an Advocate for Slavery; or the Weakness to be deceived with Contradictions dreffed up in a Popular Stile, and well turned Periods. For if any one will be at the Pains himSelf, in thofe Parts which are here untouched, to strip Sir Robert's Difcourfes of the Flourish of doubtful Expreffions, and endeavour to reduce his Words to direc, pofitive, intelligible Propofitions, and then com |
