Numb.37.
The Moderate:
Impartially communicating Martial
Affaires to the KINGDOM of
ENGLAND.
From Tuesday March 20. to Tuesday March 27. 1649.
THat Common wealth is most happy, as to worldly comforts, where the Civil
Magistrate is justify constituted, and the people freely obedient. And
that likewise most miserable, where inherent right, and private interest is
oreswayed by conquest, and Majesty retained by an unlawful power. Nature
at first did force a Government for self-preservation, and that by mutual
consent, else not lawfull. This happy Estate was too much envyed,
and covetousnesse rested not till just was satisfied: Vain glory then proclaims a Conquest
of its own free Interest, requiring subjection to the greatest crueltie and saddest oppression;
after 600 years standing, the people indeavor case of their intollerable burthen, Heaven
crowning this attempts with blessing; the Shrub then begins to claim his birthright, and will
not longer subject to any Arbitrary Government of the tallest Cedar. This admits of
some dispute, and upon reference of the matter(of Fact and Right) to Arbitration, providence,
necessity, or both, decides the Question, declaring the Shrub de jure, and not the Cedar,
de Facto, is the original of all just powers: Hereupon the Cedar stopt of all his Royal
and sublime prerogatives, and lopt of all his Honorable (though destructive) peerly branches;
the Shrub thinking to raign according to its decided right, and undoubted freedom,
some common twigs of this Royal stemme deny subjection, threatning still to raign by a
pretended power, and call from their late head, in spight of all oppopsition, saying, They cannot
be dissolved, but by their own consent, though he that called them had no right, but power
and custome from Conquest, and therefore (sales the Shrubs) not juat (by your own
confession) because not originally called by us, who is the originall of all just powers in the
Nation. But power still preserving this destructive interest, rests not here, but proceeds to
erect a Chaos and to his Idol the Shrub denies obedience, saying. The right lies in him, to
demolish the one, and dissolve the other; and not only so but by mutual agreement to erect
a third, which may lawfully claim obedience from all. Which as it is undenyable, so
cannot it be avoioded, because divin providence hath already determined to shake off all Tyrannie,
and Arbirrary Government, with their dependencies, to the astonishment of the
whole world, which we may in parperceive, if we consider.
The Cedar stopt, the Taks [unr] the Eims are quite throw'd down,
All other Trees, slaves unto these, rejoyce th Shrub wears the Crown.