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Show t 43 ] l: 49 3 thattliey are men like to ourfelves, liable to feed to fhew, that the fame principles that require the fame imperfec'tions and infirmities with the relt of us, and therefore to long as they aim at the publick good, their millakes, milappre~ henfions and inlirmities ought to be. treated with the utmoit humanity and tenderneis. obedience to lawful magiftrates, do alfo require us to refift tyrants ; this I have ~confirm'd from reafon, and icriptiire. Ber tho' lwould recommend to all chriliid ans, as a part of the duty that they owe to itiegil‘trates, to treat them with proper honour and retpect ; none can realm‘iably iUppoie, that I mean that they ought to be flattered in their vices, or honoured and careiletl while they are. feehing to undermine and ruin the Rate: For this would be. wickedly betraying our juit rights, and we fliould be guilty of our own tleili‘iietion : We ought ever to perie\*ei‘e with firmneis and fortitude in maintining and contending for all that liberty, that the Deity has granted us : it is our duty to be ever watchful over our juit tights, and not fuller them to be wrefted out of our hands by any of the artifices of ty- rannical oppreilors 0 But there is a wide difle- rence between being‘jezilt)us of our rights, when we have the {trongeit rcafon to conclude, that they are invaded by otu‘ rulers, and being unrealonably {Lllpieious of ‘men' that are zealouily endeavouring to fupport the eonilitution, only hecaufe we do not thoroughly comprehend all their deiigns : The iirit argues a nOble and generous mind, the other a low and bate {pirite T urs havclconfidered the nature of the duty eagom'd in the text, and have endeavour.- ed M: .‘B-xzkhb-l. wwww..." .n IT was With a particular View to the prefent unhappy controverfy that fubfifts between us, and Great-Britain, that I chofe to clittorrrfe up)n the nature and delign of government, and "he rights and duties both of governors, and gamerned, that f0, juftly underltanding our rights and privileges, we may Rand firm in our Oppofition to minilterial tyranny, while at the fame time we pay all proper obedience and {uh- million to our lawful magiitrates ; and that while We are contending for liberty, we may avoid running into licencioufnefs 3 and that we may preferve the due medium between fu'bmitting to tyranny, and running into anarchy. Iacknowledge' that Ihave undertaken a difficult talk; but, as it appear'd to me, the prefent Rate of attairs loudly c;ll'd for fuch a difcourfe 5 and therefore I hope the wife, the generous, and the good will candidly receive my good intentions to ferve the public. I {hall now apply this difcourfe to the grand controverfy that at this day fubfifls between Great-Britain and the American celenits. AND here in the firlt place, I cannot but take notice, how wonderfully prmvidcnee has finiled upon us by cauling the i'everal colonies to unite to firmly together againl‘t the tyranny (If Great-Britain, tho' (littering from each other Sr in |