 we will make a Concession, which would not perhaps have been
expected from us, That no limited Form of Government is capable of rising to the
same Degree of Perfection, or of producing the same Benefits to Society with
this. Mankind have never been so happy, as when the greatest Part of the then
known World was under the Dominion of a single Master; and this State of their
Felicity continued during the Reigns of five successive Princes.19 This was the
true Æra of the Golden Age, and the only Golden Age which ever had any
Existence, unless in the warm Imaginations of the Poets, from the Expulsion from
Eden down to this Day.
    In reality, I know but of one solid Objection to absolute Monarchy. The only
Defect in which excellent Constitution seems to be the Difficulty of finding any
Man adequate to the Office of an absolute Monarch: For this indispensably
requires three Qualities very difficult, as it appears from History, to be found
in princely Natures: First, a sufficient Quantity of Moderation in the Prince,
to be contented with all the Power which is possible for him to have. 2dly,
Enough of Wisdom to know his own Happiness. And, 3dly, Goodness sufficient to
support the Happiness of others, when not only compatible with, but instrumental
to his own.
    Now if an absolute Monarch with all these great and rare Qualifications
should be allowed capable of conferring the greatest Good on Society, it must be
surely granted, on the contrary, that absolute Power vested in the Hands of one
who is deficient in them all, is likely to be attended with no less a Degree of
Evil.
    In short our own Religion furnishes us with adequate Ideas of the Blessing,
as well as Curse which may attend absolute Power. The Pictures of Heaven and of
Hell will place a very lively Image of both before our Eyes: For though the
Prince of the latter can have no Power, but what he originally derives from the
omnipotent Sovereign in the former; yet it plainly appears from Scripture, that
absolute Power in his infernal Dominions is granted to their Diabolical Ruler.
This is indeed the only absolute Power which can by Scripture be derived from
Heaven. If therefore the several Tyrannies upon Earth can prove any Title to a
divine Authority, it must be derived from this original Grant to the Prince of
Darkness, and these subordinate Deputations must consequently come immediately
from him whose Stamp they so expresly bear.
    To conclude, as the Examples of all Ages shew us that Mankind in general
desire Power only to do Harm, and when they obtain it, use it for no other
Purpose; it
