rs
among them; but by many select Persons, who, in the Opinion of all Men,
are both very prudent and eminent; and who act by united Counsels, and,
as it were, by one Spirit, composed and made up of the Minds of many
Wise Men.

Now whereas it may be objected, that most Kings have a constant _Privy
Council_ to advise them in the Administration of publick Affairs: We
answer, That there is a great deal of Difference between a Counsellor of
the _King_, and a Counsellor of the _Kingdom_. This last takes care of
the Safety and Profit of the whole Commonwealth; the other serves the
Humour and studies the Conveniences of one Man only; and besides, these
King's Counsellors reside, for the most part, in one certain Place; or
at least near the Person of the Prince, where they cannot be supposed to
be throughly acquainted with the Condition of the more remote Cities or
Provinces; and being debauched by the Luxury of a Court life, are easily
depraved, and acquire a lawless Appetite of Domineering; are wholly
intent upon their own ambitious and covetous Designs; so that at last
they are no longer to be consider'd as Counsellors for the Good of the
Kingdom and Commonwealth, but Flatterers of a single Person, and Slaves
to their own and Prince's Lusts.

Concerning this Matter, we have a most excellent Saying of the Emperor
_Aurelian_, recorded by _Flavius Vopiscus_.--"My Father used to tell me
(says _Aurelian_) that the Emperor _Dioclesian_, whilst he was yet a
private Man, frequently said, That nothing in the World was more
difficult than to govern well. For, four or five Persons combine
together, and unanimously agree to deceive the Emperor they determine
what shall be approved or disapprov'd. The Emperor, who, for the most
part, is shut up in his Palace, knows nothing of the Truth of Affairs;
he is compell'd to hear and see only with their Ears and Eyes; he makes
judges, such Persons as do not deserve to be made so; he removes from
Offices in the Commonwealth such as he ought to keep in; in short, a
good, provident and excellent Emperor is sold by such Counsellors."--Now
our Ancestors, in the constituting their Commonwealth, wisely avoiding
these Mischiefs (as Mariners wou'd do dangerous Rocks) decreed that the
_Publick_ Affairs shou'd be managed by the joynt Advice and Counsel of
_all_ the _Estates_ of the _Kingdom_. To which Purpose the _King_, the
_Nobles_, and the _Representatives_ of the _Commons_ out of the several
Provinces,