To take This Fable in a Political Sense; a Peace that puts People out of
Condition of Defence, in Case of a War, must expect a War; and such a
State as leaves them at the Mercy of an Enemy, is Worse then War it self.
There’s no Trusting to the Articles and Formalities of an Out-side Peace,
upon the pretended Reconciliation of an Implacable Enemy. Christian
Religion bids us Forgive: But Christian Prudence bids us have a Care too,
whom we Trust. ’Tis just in the World as it is in the _Apologue_. Truces,
and Cessations, are both Made, and Broken, for Present Convenience; and
where the Allies find they may be the Better for’t, we may lay down
this for an undoubted Truth, that there can never want a Colour for a
Rupture, where there’s a Good Will to’t. ’Tis No New Thing in the World
for the _Dogs_ that are to keep the _Wolves_ from Worrying the _Sheep_,
to be deliver’d up to the Enemy for Hostages, for fear the _Sheep_ should
Worry the _Wolves_. This was our very Case within the Memory of Man,
when Matters were brought to the same Issue in the Kingdom by’t, that
they are here in the Fable: Witness the several and several Treaties and
Proposals that were set on foot under the Countenance of a Good Will to
Peace: Where only such Conditions were insisted upon by the Designing
Party, as would be almost Equally Destructive to all Honest Men, whether
they were Granted or Refused. The One Way the _Wolves_ were to have the
_Sheep_ left at Mercy; and the Other Way, the Scandal was turn’d upon the
Refusers, as the Enemies of an Accommodation; Nay and the very _Dogs_
were turn’d into _Wolves_ too; while Lawyers, and Divines, made the
Law and the Gospel _Felons of themselves_, and suborn’d the Scriptures
against the very Christ and his Apostles.