in all Kinds of Men, Bribery, Treachery, Profaneneſs, Atheiſm, Prodigality, Luxury, and all the Vices that at-
tend a remiſs and corrupt Adminiſtration, and a univerſal Neglect of the Public. It is natural to run from one Extreme to another; and this Policy will at laſt turn upon any Court that uſes it; for if they ſhould be reſolv'd to give all Offices to Parliament-men, the People will think themſelves under a Neceſſity to obtain a Law that they ſhould give none, which has been more than once attempt-
ed in our own Time. Indeed, though there may be no great Inconvenience in ſuffering a few that have Places to be in that Houſe, ſuch as come in naturally, without any indirect Means, yet it will be fatal to us to have many: For all wiſe Governments endeavour as much as poſſible to keep the Legiſlative and Executive Parts aſunder, that they they may be a Check upon one another. Our Govern-
ment truſts the King with no Part of the Legiſlative but a Negative Voice, which is abſolutely neceſſary to preſerve the Executive. One Part of the Duty of the Houſe of Commons is to puniſh Offenders, and redreſs the Grievances occaſion'd by the Executive Part of the Government; and how can that be done if they ſhould happen to be the ſame Perſons, unleſs they would be publick-ſpirited enough to bang or drown themſelves?
But in my Opinion, in another Thing of no leſs Impor-
tance, we deviated in Charles the Second's Time from our Conſtitution; for though we were in a Capacity of puniſh-
ing Offenders, yet we did not know legally who they were. The Law has been always very tender of the Perſon of the King, and therefore has diſpos'd the Executive Part of the Government in ſuch proper Channels, that whatſoever leſ-
ſer Exceſſes are committed, they are not imputed to him, but his Miniſters are accountable for them: His Great Seal is kept by his Chancellor, his Revenue by his Treaſu-
rer, his Laws are executed by his Judges, his Fleet is manag'd by his Lord High Admiral, who are all accoun-
table for their Miſbehaviour. Formerly all Matters of State and Diſcretion were debated and reſolv'd in the Privy Council, where every Man ſubſcrib'd his Opinion, and was anſwerable for it. The late King Charles was the firſt who broke this moſt excellent Part of our Conſti-
tution, by ſettling a Cabal or Cabinet Council, where all
