second treatise of government-第7章

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f　land　is　determined　by　positive　constitutions。　　　　　　Sec。　51。　　And　thus；　I　think；　it　is　very　easy　to　conceive；　　without　any　difficulty；　how　labour　could　at　first　begin　a　title　　of　property　in　the　common　things　of　nature；　and　how　the　spending　　it　upon　our　uses　bounded　it。　　So　that　there　could　then　be　no　　reason　of　quarrelling　about　title；　nor　any　doubt　about　the　　largeness　of　possession　it　gave。　　Right　and　conveniency　went　　together；　for　as　a　man　had　a　right　to　all　he　could　employ　his　　labour　upon；　so　he　had　no　temptation　to　labour　for　more　than　he　　could　make　use　of。　　This　left　no　room　for　controversy　about　the　　title；　nor　for　encroachment　on　the　right　of　others；　what　portion　　a　man　carved　to　himself；　was　easily　seen；　and　it　was　useless；　as　　well　as　dishonest；　to　carve　himself　too　much；　or　take　more　than　　he　needed。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAP。　　VI。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Paternal　Power。

　　　　　Sec。　52。　　IT　may　perhaps　be　censured　as　an　impertinent　　criticism；　in　a　discourse　of　this　nature；　to　find　fault　with　　words　and　names；　that　have　obtained　in　the　world：　and　yet　　possibly　it　may　not　be　amiss　to　offer　new　ones；　when　the　old　are　　apt　to　lead　men　into　mistakes；　as　this　of　paternal　power　　probably　has　done；　which　seems　so　to　place　the　power　of　parents　　over　their　children　wholly　in　the　father；　as　if　the　mother　　had　no　share　in　it；　whereas；　if　we　consult　reason　or　revelation；　　we　shall　find；　she　hath　an　equal　title。　　This　may　give　one　reason　　to　ask；　whether　this　might　not　be　more　properly　called　parental　　power？　　for　whatever　obligation　nature　and　the　right　of　　generation　lays　on　children；　it　must　certainly　bind　them　equal　to　

both　the　concurrent　causes　of　it。　　And　accordingly　we　see　the　　positive　law　of　God　every　where　joins　them　together；　without　　distinction；　when　it　commands　the　obedience　of　children；　Honour　　thy　father　and　thy　mother；　Exod。　xx。　12。　　Whosoever　curseth　his　　father　or　his　mother；　Lev。　xx。　9。　　Ye　shall　fear　every　man　his　　mother　and　his　father；　Lev。　xix。　3。　　Children；　obey　your　　parents；　&c。　Eph。　vi。　1。　　is　the　stile　of　the　Old　and　New　　Testament。　　　　　　Sec。　53。　　Had　but　this　one　thing　been　well　considered；　　without　looking　any　deeper　into　the　matter；　it　might　perhaps　have　　kept　men　from　running　into　those　gross　mistakes；　they　have　made；　　about　this　power　of　parents；　which；　however　it　might；　without　any　　great　harshness；　bear　the　name　of　absolute　dominion；　and　regal　　authority；　when　under　the　title　of　paternal　power　it　seemed　　appropriated　to　the　father；　would　yet　have　founded　but　oddly；　and　　in　the　very　name　shewn　the　absurdity；　if　this　supposed　absolute　　power　over　children　had　been　called　parental；　and　thereby　have　　discovered；　that　it　belonged　to　the　mother　too：　for　it　will　but　　very　ill　serve　the　turn　of　those　men；　who　contend　so　much　for　the　　absolute　power　and　authority　of　the　fatherhood；　as　they　call　　it；　that　the　mother　should　have　any　share　in　it；　and　it　would　　have　but　ill　supported　the　monarchy　they　contend　for；　when　by　　the　very　name　it　appeared；　that　that　fundamental　authority；　from　　whence　they　would　derive　their　government　of　a　single　person　　only；　was　not　placed　in　one；　but　two　persons　jointly。　　But　to　let　　this　of　names　pass。　　　　　　Sec。　54。　　Though　I　have　said　above；　Chap。　　II。　That　all　men　　by　nature　are　equal；　I　cannot　be　supposed　to　understand　all　　sorts　of　equality：　age　or　virtue　may　give　men　a　just　　precedency：　excellency　of　parts　and　merit　may　place　others　　above　the　common　level：　birth　may　subject　some；　and　alliance　　or　benefits　others；　to　pay　an　observance　to　those　to　whom　　nature；　gratitude；　or　other　respects；　may　have　made　it　due：　and　　yet　all　this　consists　with　the　equality；　which　all　men　are　in；　　in　respect　of　jurisdiction　or　dominion　one　over　another；　which　　was　the　equality　I　there　spoke　of；　as　proper　to　the　business　in　　hand；　being　that　equal　right；　that　every　man　hath；　to　his　　natural　freedom；　without　being　subjected　to　the　will　or　　authority　of　any　other　man。　　　　　　Sec。　55。　　Children；　I　confess；　are　not　born　in　this　full　　state　of　equality；　though　they　are　born　to　it。　　Their　parents　　have　a　sort　of　rule　and　jurisdiction　over　them；　when　they　come　　into　the　world；　and　for　some　time　after；　but　it　is　but　a　　temporary　one。　　The　bonds　of　this　subjection　are　like　the　　swaddling　clothes　they　art　wrapt　up　in；　and　supported　by；　in　the　　weakness　of　their　infancy：　age　and　reason　as　they　grow　up；　loosen　　them；　till　at　length　they　drop　quite　off；　and　leave　a　man　at　his　　own　free　disposal。　　　　　　Sec。　56。　　Adam　was　created　a　perfect　man；　his　body　and　　mind　in　full　possession　of　their　strength　and　reason；　and　so　was　　capable；　from　the　first　instant　of　his　being　to　provide　for　his　　own　support　and　preservation；　and　govern　his　actions　according　to　　the　dictates　of　the　law　of　reason　which　God　had　implanted　in　him。　　　From　him　the　world　is　peopled　with　his　descendants；　who　are　all　　born　infants；　weak　and　helpless；　without　knowledge　or　　understanding：　but　to　supply　the　defects　of　this　imperfect　state；　　till　the　improvement　of　growth　and　age　hath　removed　them；　Adam　　and　Eve；　and　after　them　all　parents　were；　by　the　law　of　　nature；　under　an　obligation　to　preserve；　nourish；　and　educate　　the　children　they　had　begotten；　not　as　their　own　workmanship；　　but　the　workmanship　of　their　own　maker；　the　Almighty；　to　whom　　they　were　to　be　accountable　for　them。　　　　　　Sec。　57。　　The　law；　that　was　to　govern　Adam；　was　the　same　　that　was　to　govern　all　his　posterity；　the　law　of　reason。　　But　　his　offspring　having　another　way　of　entrance　into　the　world；　　different　from　him；　by　a　natural　birth；　that　produced　them　

ignorant　and　without　the　use　of　reason；　they　were　not　presently　　under　that　law；　for　no　body　can　be　under　a　law；　which　is　not　　promulgated　to　him；　and　this　law　being　promulgated　or　made　known　　by　reason　only；　he　that　is　not　come　to　the　use　of　his　reason；　　cannot　be　said　to　be　under　this　law；　and　Adam's　children；　　being　not　presently　as　soon　as　born　under　this　law　of　reason；　　were　not　presently　free：　for　law；　in　its　true　notion；　is　　not　so　much　the　limitation　as　the　direction　of　a　free　and　　intelligent　agent　to　his　proper　interest；　and　prescribes　no　　farther　than　is　for　the　general　good　of　those　under　that　law：　　could　they　be　happier　without　it；　the　law；　as　an　useless　thing；　　would　of　itself　vanish；　and　that　ill　deserves　the　name　of　　confinement　which　hedges　us　in　only　from　bogs　and　precipices。　　So　　that；　however　it　may　be　mistaken；　the　end　of　law　is　not　to　　abolish　or　restrain；　but　to　preserve　and　enlarge　freedom：　for　　in　all　the　states　of　created　beings　capable　of　laws；　where　there　　is　no　law；　there　is　no　freedom：　for　liberty　is；　to　be　free　　from　restraint　and　violence　from　others；　which　cannot　be；　where　　there　is　no　law：　but　freedom　is　not；　as　we　are　told；　a　liberty　　for　every　man　to　do　what　he　lists：　（for　who　could　be　free；　when　　every　other　man's　humour　might　domineer　over　him？）　but　a　　liberty　to　dispose；　and　order　as　he　lists；　his　person；　actions；　　possessions；　and　his　whole　property；　within　the　allowance　of　　those　laws　under　which　he　is；　and　therein　not　to　be　subject　to　　the　arbitrary　will　of　another；　but　freely　follow　his　own。　　　　　　Sec。　58。　　The　power；　then；　that　parents　have　over　their　　children；　arises　from　that　duty　which　is　incumbent　on　them；　to　　take　care　of　their　off…spring；　during　the　imperfect　state　of　　childhood。　　To　inform　the　mind；　and　govern　the　actions　of　their　　yet　ignorant　nonage；　till　reason　shall　take　its　place；　and　ease　　them　of　that　trouble；　is　what　the　children　want；　and　the　parents　　are　bound　to：　for　God　having　given　man　an　understanding　to　direct　　his　actions；　has　allowed　him　a　freedom　of　will；　and　liberty　of　　acting；　as　properly　belonging　thereunto；　within　the　bounds　of　　that　law　he　is　under。　　But　whilst　he　is　in　an　estate；　wherein　he　　has　not　understanding　of　his　own　to　direct　his　will；　he　is　　not　to　have　any　will　of　his　own　to　follow：　he　that　　understands　for　him；　must　will　for　him　too；　he　must　prescribe　　to　his　will；　and　regulate　his　actions；　but　when　he　comes　to　the　　estate　that　made　his　father　a　freeman；　the　son　is　a　freeman　　too。　　　　　　Sec。　59。　　This　holds　in　all　the　laws　a　man　is　under；　whether　　natural　or　civil。　　Is　a　man　under　the　law　of　nature？　　What　made　　him　free　of　that　law？　　what　gave　him　a　free　disposing　of　his　　property；　according　to　his　own　will；　within　the　compass　of　that　　law？　　I　answer；　a　state　of　maturity　wherein　he　might　be　supposed　　capable　to　know　that　law；　that　so　he　might　keep　his　actions　　within　the　bounds　of　it。　　When　he　has　acquired　that　state；　he　is　　presumed　to　know　how　far　that　law　is　to　be　his　guide；　and　how　far　　he　may　make　use　of　his　freedom；　and　so　comes　to　have　it；　till　　then；　some　body　else　must　guide　him；　who　is　presumed　to　know　how　　far　the　law　allows　a　liberty。　　If　such　a　state　of　reason；　such　an　　age　of　discretion　made　him　free；　the　same　shall　make　his　son　　free　too。　　Is　a　man　under　the　law　of　England？　　What　made　him　　free　of　that　law？　that　is；　to　have　the　liberty　to　dispose　of　his　　actions　and　possessions　according　to　his　own　will；　within　the　　permission　of　that　law？　　A　capacity　of　knowing　that　law；　which　is　　supposed　by　that　law；　at　the　age　of　one　and　twenty　years；　and　in　　some　cases　sooner。　　If　this　made　the　father　free；　it　shall　　make　the　son　free　too。　　Till　then　we　see　the　law　allows　the　　son　to　have　no　will；　but　he　is　to　be　guided　by　the　will　of　his　　father　or　guardian；　who　is　to　understand　for　him。　　And　if　the　　father　die；　and　fail　to　substitute　a　deputy　in　his　trust；　if　he　　hath　not　provided　a　tutor；　to　govern　his　son；　during　his　　minority；　during　his　want　of　understanding；　the　law　takes　care　to　　do　it；　some　other　must　govern　him；　and　be　a　will　to　him；　till　he　

hath　attained　to　a　state　of　freedom；　and　his　understanding　be　　fit　to　take　the　government　of　his　will。　　But　after　that；　the　　father　and　son　are　equally　free　as　much　as　tutor　and　pupil　　after　nonage；　equally　subjects　of　the　same　law　together；　without　　any　dominion　left　in　the　father　over　the　life；　liberty；　or　estate　　of　his　son；　whether　they　be　only　in　the　state　and　under　the　law　　of　nature；　or　under　the　positive　laws　of　an　established　　government。　　　　　　Sec。　60。　　But　if；　through　defects　that　may　happen　out　of　the　　ordinary　course　of　nature；　any　one　comes　not　to　such　a　degree　of　　reason；　wherein　he　might　be　supposed　capable　of　knowing　the　law；　　and　so　living　within　the　rules　of　it；　he　is　never　capable　of　　being　a　free　man；　he　is　never　let　loose　to　the　disposure　of　his　　own　will　（because　he　knows　no　bounds　to　it；　has　not　　understanding；　its　proper　guide）　but　is　continued　under　the　　tuition　and　government　of　others；　all　the　time　his　own　　understanding　is　uncapable　of　that　charge。　　And　so　lunatics　and　　ideots　are　never　set　free　from　the　government　of　their　parents；　　children；　who　are　not　as　yet　come　unto　those　years　whereat　they　　may　have；　and　innocents　which　are　excluded　by　a　natural　defect　　from　ever　having；　thirdly；　madmen；　which　for　the　present　cannot　　possibly　have　the　use　of　right　reason　to　guide　themselves；　have　　for　their　guide；　the　reason　that　guideth　other　men　which　are　　tutors　over　them；　to　seek　and　procure　their　good　for　them；　says　　Hooker；　Eccl。　Pol。　lib。　i。　sec。　7。　　All　which　seems　no　more　than　　that　duty；　which　God　and　nature　has　laid　on　man；　as　well　as　other　　creatures；　to