to his attempt to establish his own upon the fubverfion or extirpation of the proteftant religion. And if we are to judge of the peccant part, by the application of the remedy, we clearly fee, that the only innovations or changes, that were then introduced into the conftitution and government, were directly calculated to prevent the future poffibility of that happening, against which the conftitution and laws had not then provided a security. The first of these changes was the limitation of the crown to the Prince of Orange and the Princess Mary his wife, with divers miffion under the great feal, for erecting a court, called the court of commiffioners for ecclefiaftical caufes. 4th, By levying money for and to the use of the crown, by pretence of prerogative, for other time, and in other manner, than the fame was granted by parliament. 5th, By raifing and keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, without confent of parliament, and quartering foldiers contrary to law. 6th, By caufing feveral good fubjects, being proteftants, to be disarmed, at the fame time when papists were both armed and employed, contrary to law 7th, By violating the freedom of election of members to ferve in parliament. 8th, By profecutions in the court of King's Bench, for matters and caufes cognizable only in parliament, and by divers other arbitrary and illegal courses. Vid. Bill of Rights, 1 W & M. feff, 2. c. 2. remainders Change in the the crown. limitation of Change in the tenure of the crown. remainders or limitations over, to the ab folute exclufion of the late King James Second and his heirs, which was the line of fucceffion fixt and fanctioned by the conftitution of this realm, ever fince it had made the crown hereditary. So determinately cautious were the nation, that the crown should never more devolve upon a Roman catholic, that in the largest stretch of the power, which they certainly did poffefs, they for ever excluded the old legal and conftitutional heirs to the crown, whether they fhould profess that religion or not. Thus making this abdication or forfeiture of James more than perfonal, by extending it to the unoffending iffue of his body begotten and to be begotten. The fecond change was the tenure of the crown of England: for the act expressly enacts, "And whereas it hath been found by experience, that it is inconfiftent with the fafety and welfare of this proteftant kingdom to be governed by a popish prince, or by any king or queen marrying a papist, the faid lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, do further pray, that it may be enacted, that all and every perfon and perfons that is, are, or fhall be reconciled to, or fhall hold communion with the fee or church church of Rome, or fhall profefs the popish joyed by fuch perfon or ons, being pro- their right to ftitution and nity exercife change the con government. By this act we fee, that the community The commu not only afferted, but exercifed their right to alter and change the conftitution and government of this country, as they chose; for to pretend that this alteration in the fucceffion and tenure of the crown were not absolute innovations and effential changes in the conftitution, would be to prove the futility or incompetency, not only of this bill of rights, X The only alterations at the revolution were made to prevent the defcent of the Roman catho lic. rights, but of every ftatute, that has been paffed in this nation fince the revolution. As to all the other complaints, which by that act the nation makes of former abuses or encroachments made or attempted by the crown, they do not bring home the charges particularly to king James; but affert generally, that they were made or attempted in open and direct violation of the ancient indefeasible rights and liberties of the people. And therefore the operative part of that statute, which relates to those rights and liberties, does not enact any thing new by way of grant, or even confirmation of those rights and liberties to the people, but it confifts of thefe fingular words: They do claim, demand, and infift upon all and fingular the premises as their undoubted rights and liberties. From hence, I think, I am fully juftified in concluding, that the immediate caufe of the revolution in 1688, was the diflike, which the nation had to the religion of their fovereign; as in fact the only innovations or changes then introduced into the . constitution and government, were the im crown upon a mediate means adopted by the nation of preventing their future fubjection to a Roman catholic fovereign. The inherent rights and incumbent incumbent duties of individuals and of the community, of which I have before spoken, will when candidly viewed, I hope, fufficiently justify, and for ever establish the prin ciples, upon which our ancestors effected the revolution, and their pofterity to this day cherish and fupport it in its confequences and effects. I fhall close this preliminary digreffion by à reflection, that arifes naturally out of the combination of what I have already faid. All thofe of the prefent diffenting minority, who have hitherto avowed their fentiments either by word or writing, acknowledge the neceffity of fome civil or political government, though they may wish the government of this country very different from what at present it is. Now no civil nor political government can fubfift without fome efficient and coercive civil or political authority; but all civil or political authority is proportionably efficient and coercive, as the members of the fociety are compellable to fubmit to it; and the members of any fociety will be more or lefs amenable and fubmiffive to their magiftrates, according to the degree of right, which they allow to their jurifdiction. If the power or authority of the magistracy has been impofed upon the O community Efficient coergovernment. cive power of |