But they are changers in the bad sense of the word, who go about to change the laws and settled government of a nation, without the consent of those who have authority to do it; or who by illegal and violent methods endeavour to extort the consent of their governours to such
terations as they shall propose; as by clamours and menaces and tumultuous assemblies; by forming secret conspiracies, or by openly bearing arms against their soveraign, and by entring into covenants, not to lay down their arms, till they have obtained their unjust demands. They too who by any kind of disloyal Behaviour, or seditious discourse, manifest their aversion to the established government, may with reason be suspected of being given to change; altho' it be not yet their avowed design to effect a change.
By forbidding us to meddle with them that are given to change, King Solomon would restrain us, not only from acting in concert with them, and assisting them in carrying on their mischievous designs; but also from engaging in friendship and familiarity, or any unnecessary correspondence with them.
It is no easy matter, to converse much with men of a factious and turbulent spirit, without being infected by them. The best way to preserve ourselves, both from their crime and their punishmenr,
is to keep at a distance from them. And this I take to be the true meaning of the wise man's advice, in the xxii. Chapter of this book of Proverbs, at the 24th, and 25th verses, Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go. Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. By often hearkening to the plausible discourses of seditious persons, utter'd with a seeming concern for the publick welfare, many come at length to approve of them, and highly to esteem those who make them, for their great understanding, and honesty, and disinterested zeal for the good of their country; and to believe that their governours are not so good as they ought to be, and that some changes for the better are both possible and needful. And they who have got thus far, will be too apt to be prevailed upon, to take some unlawful steps towards the reforming of supposed disorders, without imagining what purposes they are serving, and how far their leaders intend to carry them. And when men are once engaged, they
themselves cannot tell where they shall stop. One wickedness may introduce them to another, till they become principal actors in the execution of designs, with which they could not have been safely trusted at their first setting out.
Put the case, that the main secret when revealed to them should displease them; yet after a considerable progress in unlawful courses, it will be very difficult for them to retreat. The shame of acknowledging themselves to have been in the wrong, the apprehension of being reproached for deserting their companions, and the fear of suffering punishment for having accompanied them so far, will be strong temptations to them to proceed farther against the bent of their own inclinations, and the convictions of their consciences.
Should they, notwithstanding these temptations to the contrary, resolve to be no longer directed by those who misled them; yet what they have already done, may have consequences fatal to the publick. By their assistance, the enemies of the
government, may be grown strong enough to compass their ends, not only without their farther concurrence, but in spite of all the opposition they can make. And it will then be a mortifying consideration to reflect, that they have been accessory to villanies which they abhor, of which, however they must be content to bear the blame. The criminal assistance which they gave to men worse than themselves, will entitle them to a share in their guilt; and they will be in some measure answerable for the unforeseen consesequences of their unlawful practices.
And yet the best and honestest thing, which persons thus entangl'd can do, is to get rid of their bad company as soon as possible, to be sorry for what mischief they have already done, and to endeavour, by their future conduct, to make reparation for it. And the design of what has been now said, was not to discourage any from forbearing to meddle any longer with them that are given to change, but to persuade all who are as yet innocent, never to meddle with them at all,