No people are more justly liable to suffer than they who furnish their
enemies with any kind of assistance. It is generous to forgive; it is
enjoined us by religion to love our enemies; but he that trusts an
enemy, much more contributes to the strengthening and arming of him, may
almost depend upon repenting him for his inadvertent benevolence; and
has, moreover, this to add to his distress, that, when he might have
prevented it, he brought his misfortune upon himself by his own
credulity.
Any person in a community, by what name or title soever distinguished,
who affects a power which may possibly hurt the people, is an enemy to
that people, and therefore they ought not to trust him: for though he
were ever so fully determined not to abuse such a power, yet he is so
far a bad man, as he disturbs the people's quiet, and makes them jealous
and uneasy by desiring to have it, or even retaining it, when it may
prove mischievous. If we consult history, we shall find that the thing
called Prerogative has been claimed and contended for chiefly by those
who never intended to make a good use of it; and as readily resigned and
thrown up by just and wise princes, who had the true interest of their
people at heart. How like senseless stocks do they act, who, by
complimenting some capricious mortal, from time to time, with parcels of
prerogative, at last put it out of their power to defend and maintain
themselves in their just and natural liberty!