liberty-第3章
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ked themselves; but the actions thence proceeding may be so sometimes; as when they are either offensive; or against duty。 Unlesse you give Children all they aske for; they are peevish; and cry; I and strike their parents sometimes; and all this they have from nature; yet are they free from guilt; neither may we properly call them wicked; first; because they cannot hurt; next; because wanting the free use of reason they are exempted from all duty; these when they come to riper yeares having acquired power whereby they may doe hurt; if they shall continue to doe the same things; then truly they both begin to be; and are properly accounted wicked; In so much as a wicked man is almost the same thing with a childe growne strong and sturdy; or a man of a childish disposition; and malice the same with a defect of reason in that age; when nature ought to be better governed through good education and experience。 Unlesse therefore we will say that men are naturally evill; because they receive not their education and use of reason from nature; we must needs acknowledge that men may derive desire; feare; anger; and other passions from nature; and yet not impute the evill effects of those unto nature。 The foundation therefore which I have laid standing firme; I demonstrate in the first place; that the state of men without civill society (which state we may properly call the state of nature) is nothing else but a meere warre of all against all; and in that warre all men have equall right unto all things; Next; that all men as soone as they arrive to understanding of this hatefull condition; doe desire (even nature it selfe compelling them) to be freed from this misery。 But that this cannot be done except by compact; they all quitt that right which they have unto all things。 Furthermore I declare; and confirme what the nature of compacts is; how and by what meanes the right of one might be transfer'd unto another to make their compacts valid; also what rights; and to whom they must necessarily be granted for the establishing of peace; I meane what those dictates of reason are; which may properly be term'd the Lawes of nature; and all these are contain'd in that part of this booke which I entitle Liberty。 These grounds thus layd; I shew farther what civill government; and the supreme power in it; and the divers kinds of it are; by what meanes it becomes so; & what rights particular men; who intend to constitute this civill government; must so necessarily transfer from themselves on the supreme power; whether it be one man; or an assembly of men; that except they doe so it will evidently appeare to be no civill government; but the rights which all men have to all things; that is the rights of tarre will still remaine。 Next; I distinguish the divers kindes of it; to wit; Monarchie; Aristocratie; Democratie; and paternall Dominion; and that of Masters over their Servants; I declare how they are constituted; and I compare their severall conveniences and inconveniences each with。 other。 furthermore; I unfold what those things are which destroy it; and what his or their duty is who rule in chiefe。 Last of all; I explicate the natures of the Law; and of sinne; and I distinguish Law from Counsell; from compact; from that which I call Right; all which I comprehend under the title of Dominion。 In the last part of it which is entituled Religion; lest that right which by strong reason I had confirm'd the Soveraigne powers in the preceding discourse have over their Subjects; might seem to be repugnant to the sacred Scriptures; I shew in the first place how it repugns not the Divine right; for as much as God overrules all rulers by nature; (i。e。) by the Dictates of naturall reason。 In the second; for as much as God himselfe had a peculiar dominion over the Jewes by vertue of that antient Covenant of Circumcision。 In the third; because God doth now rule over us Christians by vertue of our Covenant of Baptisme; and therefore the authority of Rulers in chiefe; or of civill government; is not at all; we see; contrary to Religion。 In the last place I declare what duties are necessarily requir'd from us; to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven; and of those I plainly demonstrate; and conclude out of evident testimonies of holy writ; according to the interpretation made by all; that the obedience which I have affirm'd to be due from particular Christian Subjects unto their Christian princes cannot possibly in the least sort be repugnant unto Christian Religion。 You have seene my Method; receive now the reason which mov'd me to write this; I was studying philosophie for my minde sake; and I had gathered together its first Elements in all kinds; and having digested them into three Sections by degrees; I thought to have written them so as in the first I would have treated of a body; and its generall properties; in the second of man and his speciall faculties; and affections; in the third; of civill government and the duties of Subjects: therefore the first Section would have contained the first philosophie; and certaine elements of physick; in it we would have considered the reasons of Time; Place; Cause; Power; Relation; Proportion; Quantity; Figure; and motion。 In the second we would have beene conversant about imagination; Memory; intellect; ratiocination; appetite; till; good and Evill; honest and dishonest; and the like。 what this last Section handles; I have now already shewed you。 Whilest I contrive; order; pensively and slowly compose these matters; for I onely doe reason; I dispute not; it so happen'd in the interim; that my Country some few yeares before the civill tarres did rage; was boyling hot with questions concerning the rights of Dominion; and the obedience due from Subjects; the true forerunners of an approaching tar。 And was the cause which (all those other matters deferr'd) ripen'd; and pluckt from me this third part。 Therefore it happens that what was last in order; is yet come forth first in time; and the rather; because I saw that grounded on its owne principles sufficiently knowne by experience it would not stand in need of the former Sections。 I have not yet made it out of a desire of praise (although if I had; I might have defended my selfe with this faire excuse; that very few doe things laudably; who are not affected with commendation) but for your sakes Readers; who I perswaded my selfe; when you should rightly apprehend and throughly understand this Doctrine I here present you with; would rather chuse to brooke with patience some inconveniences under government (because humane affairs cannot possibly be without some) then selfe opiniatedly disturb the quiet of the publique; That; weighing the justice of those things you are about; not by the perswasion and advise of private men; but by the Lawes of the Realme; you will no longer suffer ambitious men through the streames of your blood to wade to their owne power; That you will esteeme it better to enjoy your selves in the present state though perhaps not the best; then by waging tarre; indeavour to procure a reformation for other men in another age; your selves in the meane while either kill'd; or consumed with age; Farthermore; for those who will not acknowledge themselves subject to the civill Magistrate; and will be exempt from all publique burthens; and yet will live under his Jurisdiction; and look for protection from the violence and injuries of others; that you would not looke on them as fellow Subjects; but esteeme them for enemies; and spies; and that yee rashly admit not for Gods Word all which either openly or privately they shall pretend to bee so。 I say more plainly; if any preacher; Confessor; or Casuist; shal but say that this doctrin is agreeable with Gods word; namely; That the chief ruler; nay any private man may lawfully be put to death without the chiefes command; or that Subjects may resist; conspire; or covenant against the supreme power; that ye by no means beleeve them; but instantly declare their names。 He who approves of these reasons; will also like my intention in writing this book。 Last of al; I have propounded to my self this rule through this whole discourse; First; not to define ought which concerns the justice of single actions; but leave them to be determined by the laws。 Next not to dispute the laws of any government in special; that is; not to point which are the laws of any country; but to declare what the laws of all countries are。 Thirdly not to seem of opinion; that there is a lesse proportion of for obedience due to an Aristocraty or Democraty; then a Monarchy; though I have endeavoured by arguments in my tenth Chapter to gain a belief in men; that Monarchy is the most commodious government (which one thing alone I confesse in this whole book not to be demonstrated; but only probably stated) yet every where I expresly say; that in all kind of Government whatsoever; there ought to be a supreme and equall power。 Fourthly; not in any wise to dispute the positions of Divines; except those which strip Subjects of their obedience; and shake the foundations of civill government。 Lastly; lest I might imprudently set forth somewhat of which there would be no need; what I had thus written; I would not presently expose to publique interest; wherefore I got some few copies privately disperst among some of my friends; that discrying the opinions of others; if any things appeared erroneous; hard; or obscure; I might correct; soften; and explain them。 These things I found most bitterly excepted against: that I had made the civill powers too large; but this by Ecclesiasticall persons; that I had utterly taken away liberty of conscience; but this by Sectaries; that I had set princes above the civil Laws; but this by Lawyers; wherefore I was not much moved by these mens reprehensions; (as who in doing this did but do their own business) except it were tye those knots so much faster。 But for their sakes who have a litle been staggered at the principles themselves; to wit the nature of men; the authority or right of nature; the nature of compacts and contracts; and the originall of civill government; because in finding fault they have not so much followed their passions; as their common sense; I have therefore in some places added some annotations whereby I presumed I might give some satisfaction to their differing thoughts; Lastly I have endevoured to offend none beside those whose principles these contradict; and whose tender mindes are lightly offended by every difference of opinions。 Wherefore if ye shall meet with some things which have more of sharpnesse; and lesse of certainty then they ought to have; since they are not so much spoken for the maintenance of parties; as the establishment of peace; and by one whose just grief for the present calamities of his country; may very charitably be allowed some liberty; it is his only request to ye Readers; ye will deign to receive them with an equall mind。
Philosophicall Elements of a true Citizen。
Liberty
Chapter One
Of the state of men without Civill Society
I。 The faculties of Humane nature may be reduc'd unto four kinds; Bodily strength; Experience; Reason; Passion。 Taking the beginning of this following Doctrine from these; we will declare in the first place what manner of inclinations men