And with pleasure we recollect, that once in the British Empire, the inhabitants, fired with the love of liberty, drove ignorance, darkness, and superstition before them; made a glorious stand for their rights, and were thereby brought into a happy situation. We are now blest with a good king, with good rulers, and with a good constitution and system of laws.—Here a man enjoys a free toleration of religion.—Here he is rewarded for his labour.—Here he is protected in his person and property.—Here agriculture, navigation, trade, commerce, architecture, and the manufactories thrive and flourish; and the nation has arrived to an inconceivable pitch of grandeur and affluence. Our constitution, being pregnant with a variety of privileges, is admired by distant nations: foreigners come from afar, and find shelter and protection, liberty and freedom, under our government!
CHAP. XXVI.
THE GREAT
CONSTITUTION
OF
LIBERTY,
Founded upon the Principles of Justice,
and the Laws of Humanity.
Every constitution and system of laws ought to be constructed upon the principles of justice and humanity, which will ensure the rights of a king, and the peace, liberty, and happiness of his subjects. I shall therefore beg leave to observe:
1. That every man has a legal right to perform religious worship according to the dictates of his conscience, at such times and places as shall be most agreeable to himself; providing he doth not injure others in their persons, characters, or properties.
2. That it is unlawful to persecute any of the human race, for a difference of opinion in matters of religion or modes of worship.
3. That public teachers are needful to instruct people in the principles of religion and morality.
4. That good rulers, both in church and state, ought to be reasonably rewarded for their services, out of the public funds; and impowered to remove officers for malconduct; and, by and with the advice and consent of the body corporate, to expel members for vicious practices.