second treatise of government-第29章

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subjected。　　The　peoples　right　is　equally　invaded；　and　their　　liberty　lost；　whether　they　are　made　slaves　to　any　of　their　own；　　or　a　foreign　nation；　and　in　this　lies　the　injury；　and　against　　this　only　have　they　the　right　of　defence。　　And　there　are　　instances　to　be　found　in　all　countries；　which　shew；　that　it　is　　not　the　change　of　nations　in　the　persons　of　their　governors；　but　　the　change　of　government；　that　gives　the　offence。　　Bilson；　a　　bishop　of　our　church；　and　a　great　stickler　for　the　power　and　　prerogative　of　princes；　does；　if　I　mistake　not；　in　his　treatise　　of　Christian　subjection；　acknowledge；　that　princes　may　forfeit　　their　power；　and　their　title　to　the　obedience　of　their　subjects；　　and　if　there　needed　authority　in　a　case　where　reason　is　so　plain；　　I　could　send　my　reader　to　Bracton；　Fortescue；　and　the　author　of　　the　Mirrour；　and　others；　writers　that　cannot　be　suspected　to　be　　ignorant　of　our　government；　or　enemies　to　it。　　But　I　thought　　Hooker　alone　might　be　enough　to　satisfy　those　men；　who　relying　on　　him　for　their　ecclesiastical　polity；　are　by　a　strange　fate　　carried　to　deny　those　principles　upon　which　he　builds　it。　　　　Whether　they　are　herein　made　the　tools　of　cunninger　workmen；　to　　pull　down　their　own　fabric；　they　were　best　look。　　This　I　am　sure；　　their　civil　policy　is　so　new；　so　dangerous；　and　so　destructive　to　　both　rulers　and　people；　that　as　former　ages　never　could　bear　the　　broaching　of　it；　so　it　may　be　hoped；　those　to　come；　redeemed　from　　the　impositions　of　these　Egyptian　under…task…masters；　will　abhor　　the　memory　of　such　servile　flatterers；　who；　whilst　it　seemed　to　　serve　their　turn；　resolved　all　government　into　absolute　tyranny；　　and　would　have　all　men　born　to；　what　their　mean　souls　fitted　them　　for；　slavery。　　　　　　Sec。　240。　　Here；　it　is　like；　the　common　question　will　be　　made；　Who　shall　be　judge；　whether　the　prince　or　legislative　act　　contrary　to　their　trust？　　This；　perhaps；　ill…affected　and　　factious　men　may　spread　amongst　the　people；　when　the　prince　only　　makes　use　of　his　due　prerogative。　　To　this　I　reply；　The　people　　shall　be　judge；　for　who　shall　be　judge　whether　his　trustee　or　　deputy　acts　well；　and　according　to　the　trust　reposed　in　him；　but　　he　who　deputes　him；　and　must；　by　having　deputed　him；　have　still　a　　power　to　discard　him；　when　he　fails　in　his　trust？　　If　this　be　　reasonable　in　particular　cases　of　private　men；　why　should　it　be　　otherwise　in　that　of　the　greatest　moment；　where　the　welfare　of　　millions　is　concerned；　and　also　where　the　evil；　if　not　prevented；　　is　greater；　and　the　redress　very　difficult；　dear；　and　dangerous？　　　　　　Sec。　241。　　But　farther；　this　question；　（Who　shall　be　judge？）　　cannot　mean；　that　there　is　no　judge　at　all：　for　where　there　is　no　　judicature　on　earth；　to　decide　controversies　amongst　men；　God　in　　heaven　is　judge。　　He　alone；　it　is　true；　is　judge　of　the　right。　　　But　every　man　is　judge　for　himself；　as　in　all　other　cases；　so　in　　this；　whether　another　hath　put　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with　　him；　and　whether　he　should　appeal　to　the　Supreme　Judge；　as　leptha　　did。　　　　　　Sec。　242。　　If　a　controversy　arise　betwixt　a　prince　and　some　　of　the　people；　in　a　matter　where　the　law　is　silent；　or　doubtful；　　and　the　thing　be　of　great　consequence；　I　should　think　the　proper　　umpire；　in　such　a　case；　should　be　the　body　of　the　people：　for　in　　cases　where　the　prince　hath　a　trust　reposed　in　him；　and　is　　dispensed　from　the　common　ordinary　rules　of　the　law；　there；　if　　any　men　find　themselves　aggrieved；　and　think　the　prince　acts　　contrary　to；　or　beyond　that　trust；　who　so　proper　to　judge　as　the　　body　of　the　people；　（who；　at　first；　lodged　that　trust　in　him）　how　　far　they　meant　it　should　extend？　　But　if　the　prince；　or　whoever　　they　be　in　the　administration；　decline　that　way　of　determination；　　the　appeal　then　lies　no　where　but　to　heaven；　force　between　either　　persons；　who　have　no　known　superior　on　earth；　or　which　permits　no　　appeal　to　a　judge　on　earth；　being　properly　a　state　of　war；　

wherein　the　appeal　lies　only　to　heaven；　and　in　that　state　the　　injured　party　must　judge　for　himself；　when　he　will　think　fit　to　　make　use　of　that　appeal；　and　put　himself　upon　it。　　　　　　Sec。　243。　　To　conclude；　The　power　that　every　individual　gave　　the　society；　when　he　entered　into　it；　can　never　revert　to　the　　individuals　again；　as　long　as　the　society　lasts；　but　will　always　　remain　in　the　community；　because　without　this　there　can　be　no　　community；　no　common…wealth；　which　is　contrary　to　the　original　　agreement：　so　also　when　the　society　hath　placed　the　legislative　　in　any　assembly　of　men；　to　continue　in　them　and　their　successors；　　with　direction　and　authority　for　providing　such　successors；　the　　legislative　can　never　revert　to　the　people　whilst　that　government　　lasts；　because　having　provided　a　legislative　with　power　to　　continue　for　ever；　they　have　given　up　their　political　power　to　　the　legislative；　and　cannot　resume　it。　　But　if　they　have　set　　limits　to　the　duration　of　their　legislative；　and　made　this　　supreme　power　in　any　person；　or　assembly；　only　temporary；　or　　else；　when　by　the　miscarriages　of　those　in　authority；　it　is　　forfeited；　upon　the　forfeiture；　or　at　the　determination　of　the　　time　set；　it　reverts　to　the　society；　and　the　people　have　a　right　　to　act　as　supreme；　and　continue　the　legislative　in　themselves；　or　　erect　a　new　form；　or　under　the　old　form　place　it　in　new　hands；　as　　they　think　good。


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