concerning civil government-第22章

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the　same　reason；　he　that　forced　a　promise　from　me　ought　presently　to

restore　it…　i。e。；　quit　me　of　the　obligation　of　it；　or　I　may　resume

it　myself…　i。e。；　choose　whether　I　will　perform　it。　For　the　law　of

Nature　laying　an　obligation　on　me；　only　by　the　rules　she　prescribes；

cannot　oblige　me　by　the　violation　of　her　rules；　such　is　the

extorting　anything　from　me　by　force。　Nor　does　it　at　all　alter　the

case；　to　say　I　gave　my　promise；　no　more　than　it　excuses　the　force；　and

passes　the　right；　when　I　put　my　hand　in　my　pocket　and　deliver　my　purse

myself　to　a　thief　who　demands　it　with　a　pistol　at　my　breast。

　　187。　From　all　which　it　follows　that　the　government　of　a　conqueror；

imposed　by　force　on　the　subdued；　against　whom　he　had　no　right　of

war；　or　who　joined　not　in　the　war　against　him；　where　he　had　right；　has

no　obligation　upon　them。

　　188。　But　let　us　suppose　that　all　the　men　of　that　community　being　all

members　of　the　same　body　politic；　may　be　taken　to　have　joined　in

that　unjust　war；　wherein　they　are　subdued；　and　so　their　lives　are　at

the　mercy　of　the　conqueror。

　　189。　I　say　this　concerns　not　their　children　who　are　in　their

minority。　For　since　a　father　hath　not；　in　himself；　a　power　over　the

life　or　liberty　of　his　child；　no　act　of　his　can　possibly　forfeit　it；

so　that　the　children；　whatever　may　have　happened　to　the　fathers；　are

free　men；　and　the　absolute　power　of　the　conqueror　reaches　no　farther

than　the　persons　of　the　men　that　were　subdued　by　him；　and　dies　with

them；　and　should　he　govern　them　as　slaves；　subjected　to　his

absolute；　arbitrary　power；　he　has　no　such　right　of　dominion　over　their

children。　He　can　have　no　power　over　them　but　by　their　own　consent；

whatever　he　may　drive　them　to　say　or　do；　and　he　has　no　lawful

authority；　whilst　force；　and　not　choice；　compels　them　to　submission。

　　190。　Every　man　is　born　with　a　double　right。　First；　a　right　of

freedom　to　his　person；　which　no　other　man　has　a　power　over；　but　the

free　disposal　of　it　lies　in　himself。　Secondly；　a　right　before　any

other　man；　to　inherit；　with　his　brethren；　his　father's　goods。

　　191。　By　the　first　of　these；　a　man　is　naturally　free　from

subjection　to　any　government；　though　he　be　born　in　a　place　under　its

jurisdiction。　But　if　he　disclaim　the　lawful　government　of　the

country　he　was　born　in；　he　must　also　quit　the　right　that　belonged　to

him；　by　the　laws　of　it；　and　the　possessions　there　descending　to　him

from　his　ancestors；　if　it　were　a　government　made　by　their　consent。

　　192。　By　the　second；　the　inhabitants　of　any　country；　who　are

descended　and　derive　a　title　to　their　estates　from　those　who　are

subdued；　and　had　a　government　forced　upon　them；　against　their　free

consents；　retain　a　right　to　the　possession　of　their　ancestors；

though　they　consent　not　freely　to　the　government；　whose　hard

conditions　were；　by　force；　imposed　on　the　possessors　of　that

country。　For　the　first　conqueror　never　having　had　a　title　to　the

land　of　that　country；　the　people；　who　are　the　descendants　of；　or　claim

under　those　who　were　forced　to　submit　to　the　yoke　of　a　government　by

constraint；　have　always　a　right　to　shake　it　off；　and　free　themselves

from　the　usurpation　or　tyranny　the　sword　hath　brought　in　upon　them；

till　their　rulers　put　them　under　such　a　frame　of　government　as　they

willingly　and　of　choice　consent　to　（which　they　can　never　be　supposed

to　do；　till　either　they　are　put　in　a　full　state　of　liberty　to　choose

their　government　and　governors；　or　at　least　till　they　have　such

standing　laws　to　which　they　have；　by　themselves　or　their

representatives；　given　their　free　consent；　and　also　till　they　are

allowed　their　due　property；　which　is　so　to　be　proprietors　of　what　they

have　that　nobody　can　take　away　any　part　of　it　without　their　own

consent；　without　which；　men　under　any　government　are　not　in　the

state　of　free　men；　but　are　direct　slaves　under　the　force　of　war）。

And　who　doubts　but　the　Grecian　Christians；　descendants　of　the

ancient　possessors　of　that　country；　may　justly　cast　off　the　Turkish

yoke　they　have　so　long　groaned　under；　whenever　they　have　a　power　to　do

it？

　　193。　But　granting　that　the　conqueror；　in　a　just　war；　has　a　right

to　the　estates；　as　well　as　power　over　the　persons　of　the　conquered；

which；　it　is　plain；　he　hath　not；　nothing　of　absolute　power　will　follow

from　hence　in　the　continuance　of　the　government。　Because　the

descendants　of　these　being　all　free　men；　if　he　grants　them　estates　and

possessions　to　inhabit　his　country；　without　which　it　would　be　worth

nothing；　whatsoever　he　grants　them　they　have　so　far　as　it　is　granted

property　in；　the　nature　whereof　is；　that；　without　a　man's　own　consent；

it　cannot　be　taken　from　him。

　　194。　Their　persons　are　free　by　a　native　right；　and　their　properties；

be　they　more　or　less；　are　their　own；　and　at　their　own　dispose；　and　not

at　his；　or　else　it　is　no　property。　Supposing　the　conqueror　gives　to

one　man　a　thousand　acres；　to　him　and　his　heirs　for　ever；　to　another　he

lets　a　thousand　acres；　for　his　life；　under　the　rent　of　L50　or　L500　per

annum。　Has　not　the　one　of　these　a　right　to　his　thousand　acres　for

ever；　and　the　other　during　his　life；　paying　the　said　rent？　And　hath

not　the　tenant　for　life　a　property　in　all　that　he　gets　over　and

above　his　rent；　by　his　labour　and　industry；　during　the　said　term；

supposing　it　be　double　the　rent？　Can　any　one　say；　the　king；　or

conqueror；　after　his　grant；　may；　by　his　power　of　conqueror；　take

away　all；　or　part　of　the　land；　from　the　heirs　of　one；　or　from　the

other　during　his　life；　he　paying　the　rent？　Or；　can　he　take　away　from

either　the　goods　or　money　they　have　got　upon　the　said　land　at　his

pleasure？　If　he　can；　then　all　free　and　voluntary　contracts　cease；

and　are　void　in　the　world；　there　needs　nothing　but　power　enough　to

dissolve　them　at　any　time；　and　all　the　grants　and　promises　of　men　in

power　are　but　mockery　and　collusion。　For　can　there　be　anything　more

ridiculous　than　to　say；　I　give　you　and　yours　this　for　ever；　and　that

in　the　surest　and　most　solemn　way　of　conveyance　can　be　devised；　and

yet　it　is　to　be　understood　that　I　have　right；　if　I　please；　to　take

it　away　from　you　again　to…morrow？

　　195。　I　will　not　dispute　now　whether　princes　are　exempt　from　the　laws

of　their　country；　but　this　I　am　sure；　they　owe　subjection　to　the

laws　of　God　and　Nature。　Nobody；　no　power　can　exempt　them　from　the

obligations　of　that　eternal　law。　Those　are　so　great　and　so　strong　in

the　case　of　promises；　that　Omnipotency　itself　can　be　tied　by　them。

Grants；　promises；　and　oaths　are　bonds　that　hold　the　Almighty；　whatever

some　flatterers　say　to　princes　of　the　world；　who；　all　together；　with

all　their　people　joined　to　them；　are；　in　comparison　of　the　great

God；　but　as　a　drop　of　the　bucket；　or　a　dust　on　the　balance…

inconsiderable；　nothing！

　　196。　The　short　of　the　case　in　conquest；　is　this：　The　conqueror；　if

he　have　a　just　cause；　has　a　despotical　right　over　the　persons　of　all

that　actually　aided　and　concurred　in　the　war　against　him；　and　a

right　to　make　up　his　damage　and　cost　out　of　their　labour　and

estates；　so　he　injure　not　the　right　of　any　other。　Over　the　rest　of　the

people；　if　there　were　any　that　consented　not　to　the　war；　and　over

the　children　of　the　captives　themselves　or　the　possessions　of　either

he　has　no　power；　and　so　can　have；　by　virtue　of　conquest；　no　lawful

title　himself　to　dominion　over　them；　or　derive　it　to　his　posterity；

but　is　an　aggressor；　and　puts　himself　in　a　state　of　war　against

them；　and　has　no　better　a　right　of　principality；　he；　nor　any　of　his

successors；　than　Hingar；　or　Hubba；　the　Danes；　had　here　in　England；

or　Spartacus；　had　be　conquered　Italy；　which　is　to　have　their　yoke　cast

off　as　soon　as　God　shall　give　those　under　their　subjection　courage　and

opportunity　to　do　it。　Thus；　notwithstanding　whatever　title　the　kings

of　Assyria　had　over　Judah；　by　the　sword；　God　assisted　Hezekiah　to

throw　off　the　dominion　of　that　conquering　empire。　〃And　the　Lord　was

with　Hezekiah；　and　he　prospered；　wherefore　he　went　forth；　and　he

rebelled　against　the　king　of　Assyria；　and　served　him　not〃　（II　Kings

18。　7）。　Whence　it　is　plain　that　shaking　off　a　power　which　force；　and

not　right；　hath　set　over　any　one；　though　it　hath　the　name　of

rebellion；　yet　is　no　offence　before　God；　but　that　which　He　allows

and　countenances；　though　even　promises　and　covenants；　when　obtained　by

force；　have　intervened。　For　it　is　very　probable；　to　any　one　that　reads

the　story　of　Ahaz　and　Hezekiah　attentively；　that　the　Assyrians　subdued

Ahaz；　and　deposed　him；　and　made　Hezekiah　king　in　his　father's

lifetime；　and　that　Hezekiah；　by　agreement；　had　done　him　homage；　and

paid　him　tribute　till　this　time。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　XVII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Usurpation



　　197。　As　conquest　may　be　called　a　foreign　usurpation；　so　usurpation

is　a　kind　of　domestic　conquest；　with　this　difference…　that　an

usurper　can　never　have　right　on　his　side；　it　being　no　usurpation　but

where　one　is　got　into　the　possession　of　what　another　has　right　to。

This；　so　far　as　it　is　usurpation；　is　a　change　only　of　persons；　but　not

of　the　forms　and　rules　of　the　government；　for　if　the　usurper　extend

his　power　beyond　what；　of　right；　belonged　to　the　lawful　princes　or

governors　of　the　commonwealth；　it　is　tyranny　added　to　usurpation。

　　198。　In　all　lawful　governments　the　designation　of　the　persons　who

are　to　bear　rule　being　as　natural　and　necessary　a　part　as　the　form

of　the　government　itself；　and　that　which　had　its　establishment

originally　from　the　people…　the　anarchy　being　much　alike；　to　have　no

form　of　government　at　all；　or　to　agree　that　it　shall　be　monarchical；

yet　appoint　no　way　to　design　the　person　that　shall　have　the　power

and　be　the　monarch…　all　commonwealths；　therefore；　with　the　form　of

government　established；　have　rules　also　of　appointing　and　conveying

the　right　to　those　who　are　to　have　any　share　in　the　public

authority；　and　whoever　gets　into　the　exercise　of　any　part　of　the　power

by　other　ways　than　what　the　laws　of　the　community　have　prescribed　hath

no　right　to　be　obeyed；　though　the　form　of　the　commonwealth　be　still

preserved；　since　he　is　not　the　person　the　laws　have　appointed；　and；

consequently；　not　the　person　the　people　have　consented　to。　Nor　can

such　an　usurper；　or　any　deriving　from　him；　ever　have　a　title　till

the　people　are　both　at　liberty　to　consent；　and　have　actually

consented；　to　allow　and　confirm　in　him　the　power　he　hath　till　then

usurped。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　XVIII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Tyranny



　　199。　As　usurpation　is　the　exercise　of　power　which　another　hath　a

right　to；　so　tyranny　is　the　exercise　of　power　beyond　right；　which

nobody　can　have　a　right　to；　and　this　is　making　use　of　the　power　any

one　has　in　his　hands；　not　for　the　good　of　those　who　are　under　it；

but　for　his　own　private；　separate　advantage。　When　the　governor；

however　entitled；　makes　not　the　law；　but　his　will；　the　rule；　and　his

commands　and　actions　are　not　directed　to　the　preservation　of　the

properties　of　his　people；　but　the　satisfaction　of　his　own　ambition；

revenge；　covetousness；　or　any　other　irregular　passion。

　　200。　If　one　can　doubt　this　to　b