on of the fame Difafters. His late Majefty, of glorious Memory, and the most Chriftian King, are confidered at the Conclufion of that Treatife as Heads of the Proteftant and Roman Catholick World in the following manner. ⠀⠀

THERE were not ever, before the Entrance of the Chriftian Name ⚫ into the World, Men who have main⚫tained a more renowned Carriage, than the two great Rivals who poffefs the full Fame of the prefent Age, and will be the Theme and Examination of the future. They are exactly formed by Nature for thofe Ends to which Heaved feems to have fent them amongst us: Both animated with a reftlefs DeGre of Glory, but purfue it by different Means, and with different Mo tives. To one it confifts in an extenfive undifputed Empire over his Subjects, to the other in their rational and voluntary Obedience: One's Happinefs is founded in their want of Pow'er, the other's in their want of Defire to oppose him: The one enjoys the Summit of Fortune with the Luxury of a Perfian, the other with the Moderation of a Spartan: One is made to.

op

opprefs, the other to relieve the Oppreffed: The one is fatisfied with the Pomp and Oftentation of Power to prefer and debafe his Inferiours, the other delighted only with the Caufe and Foundation of it to cherish and protect them. To one therefore Religion is but a convenient Difguife, to the other a vigorous Motive of Acti

on.

FOR without fuch Ties of real and folid Honour, there is no way of forming a Monarch, but after the 'Machiavilian Scheme, by which a • Prince must ever feem to have all Virtues, but really to be Mafter of none, but is to be liberal, merciful and just, only as they ferve his Interefts, while, with the noble Art of Hypocrify, Empire would be to be extended, and new Conquests be made by new Devices, by which prompt Address his Creatures might infenfibly give Law in the Bufinels of Life, by leading Men in the Entertainment of it.

THUS when Words and Show are apt to pass for the fubftantial things they are only to exprefs, there would 'need no more to enflave a Country but to adorn a Court; for while eve

'ry

ry Man's Vanity makes him believe himself capable of becoming Luxury, Enjoyments are a ready Bait for Suf'ferings, and the Hopes of Preferment Invitations to Servitude; which Sla"very would be colour'd with all the Agreements, as they call it, imaginable. The noblest Arts and Artists, the fineft Pens and most elegant Minds, 'jointly employed to fet it off, with the various Embellishments of fumptuous • Entertainments, charming Affemblies, ' and polished Difcourfes; and thofe a'poftate Abilities of Men, the adored "Monarch might profufely and skilfully encourage, while they flatter his Virtue, and gild his Vice at fo high a rate, that he, without Scorn of the one, or Love of the other, would alternately and occafionally ufe both: So that his Bounty fhould fupport him in his Rapines, his Mercy in his • Cruelties.

NOR is it to give things a more fevere Look than is natural, to fup'pofe fuch must be the Confequences of 'a Prince's having no other Purfuit than of his own Glory; for, if we confider 'an Infant born in the World, and beholding it felf the mightiest thing in

it,

it, it felf the prefent Admiration and future Profpect of a fawning People, who profefs themselves great or mean, according to the Figure he is to make among them, what Fancy would not be debauched to believe they were but what they profeffed themselves, 'his mere Creatures, and use them as fuch, by purchafing with their Lives a 'boundless Renown, which he, for want of a more juft Profpect, would place in the Number of his Slaves, and the Extent of his Territories? Such un'doubtedly would be the tragical Ef'fects of a Prince's living with no Religion, which are not to be furpaffed 'but by his having a false one,

IF Ambition were fpirited with • Zeal, what would follow, but that his 'People fhould be converted into an Army, whofe Swords can make Right in Power, and folve Controverfy in 'Belief? And if Men fhould be ftiff'necked to the Doctrine of that visible 'Church, let them be contented with an Oar and a Chain, in the midst of Stripes and Anguish, to contemplate on him, whofe Yoke is eafy, and whose • Burden is light.

"WITH

'WITH a Tyranny begun on his own Subjects, and Indignation that others draw their breath independent of his Frown or Smile, why fhould he not proceed to the Seizure of the World? And if nothing but the Thirst of Sway were the Motive of his Actions, why should Treaties be other than mere Words, or folemn national Compacts be any thing but an Halt in the "March of that Army, who are never C to lay down their Arms, till all Men C are reduced to the neceffity of hanging their Lives on his wayward Will; who, might fupinely, and at leisure, 6 expiate his own Sins by other Mens Sufferings, while he daily meditates new Slaughter, and new Conquefts?

FOR mere Man, when giddy with unbribled Power, is an infatiate Idol, not to be appealed with Myriads offered to his Pride, which may be puffed up by the Adulation of a bafe and proftrate World, into an Opinion that he is fomething more than human, by being fomething lefs: And, alas, what is there that mortal Man will not believe of himself, when complimented with the Attributes of God? He can then conceive Thoughts

'of