founded, and when all men are supposed friends to its establishment;
or else when it is newly founding or founded,
and that in the close of a Civil War, upon the ruine of a
former Government, and those that stood for it, in which
case it ever hath a great party within it self that are enemies
to its establishment.
As to the first, to wit, a Common-wealth in its setled and
composed State, when all men within it are presumed to be its
friends, questionless, a Right to chuse and be chosen is then to
be allowed the People, without distinction, in as great a Latitude
as may stand with Right Reason & Convenience, for managing
a matter of so high consequence as their Supreme Assemblies;
wherein some what must be left to humane prudence,
and therefore that Latitude being to be admitted,
more or less, according to the nature; Circumstances, and
Necessities of any Nation, is not here to be determined;
nor shall we presume to define what it ought to be in our own
Nation hereafter, when it shall please God to extinguish the
present Animosities, and unite us all in heart, under the form
of & Free-State, as one People: In this Cafe a due Latitude
(as aforesaid) cannot be accounted Levelling.
But as to a Common-wealth under the second Confederation,
when it is founded or newly founded, in the close of a
Civil war, upon the mine of a former Government, &c. In
this cafe (I say) to make no distinction betwixt men, but
to allow the Conquer'd part of the People, an equal Right
to chuse and be chosen &c. with those that subdued them, and
preserved the Common-wealth, were flat Levelling indeed:
And truely this is the Levelling I ever condemned; because
under a pretence of Universal Freedom, to admit all persons
whatsoever, and by Consequence the Old Enemy, into an
equal share and interest with the Common-wealth's Friends,
to chuse and be chosen, &c. were not onely to take away all
Proportion in Policy, but the ready way to destroy the Government,
and by a promiscuous mixture of opposit interests,
to turn all into Confusion.
Now that the Enemies of Liberty being subdued upon the