Answer:
In the excerpt, Thomas Paine is pointing out at the fact that peaceful means have been ineffective, or are likely to be ineffective, in convincing the British King, to grant the American colonies independence.
He is using a metaphor to illustrate what would happen if the American leaders continued to ask for independence through peaceful ways: the King would practically become flattered, instead of convinced, and double down on repression.
For this reason, Thomas Paine is, in a elegant way, advocating for the use of force in order to obtain the goal: independence.
