concerning civil government-第6章

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other　parts　of　the　world；　to　draw　money　to　him　by　the　sale　of　the

product？　It　would　not　be　worth　the　enclosing；　and　we　should　see　him

give　up　again　to　the　wild　common　of　Nature　whatever　was　more　than

would　supply　the　conveniences　of　life；　to　be　had　there　for　him　and　his

family。

　　49。　Thus；　in　the　beginning；　all　the　world　was　America；　and　more　so

than　that　is　now；　for　no　such　thing　as　money　was　anywhere　known。

Find　out　something　that　hath　the　use　and　value　of　money　amongst　his

neighbours；　you　shall　see　the　same　man　will　begin　presently　to　enlarge

his　possessions。

　　50。　But；　since　gold　and　silver；　being　little　useful　to　the　life　of

man；　in　proportion　to　food；　raiment；　and　carriage；　has　its　value

only　from　the　consent　of　men…　whereof　labour　yet　makes　in　great　part

the　measure…　it　is　plain　that　the　consent　of　men　have　agreed　to　a

disproportionate　and　unequal　possession　of　the　earth…　I　mean　out　of

the　bounds　of　society　and　compact；　for　in　governments　the　laws

regulate　it；　they　having；　by　consent；　found　out　and　agreed　in　a　way

how　a　man　may；　rightfully　and　without　injury；　possess　more　than　he

himself　can　make　use　of　by　receiving　gold　and　silver；　which　may

continue　long　in　a　man's　possession　without　decaying　for　the　overplus；

and　agreeing　those　metals　should　have　a　value。

　　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。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　VI

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Paternal　Power



　　52。　IT　may　perhaps　be　censured　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　has　an　equal　title；　which　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

everywhere　joins　them　together　without　distinction；　when　it　commands

the　obedience　of　children：　〃Honour　thy　father　and　thy　mother〃　（Exod。

20。　12）；　〃Whosoever　curseth　his　father　or　his　mother〃　（Lev。　20。　9）；

〃Ye　shall　fear　every　man　his　mother　and　his　father〃　（Lev。　19。　3）；

〃Children；　obey　your　parents〃　（Eph。　6。　1）；　etc。；　is　the　style　of　the

Old　and　New　Testament。

　　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

sounded　but　oddly；　and　in　the　very　name　shown　the　absurdity；　if　this

supposed　absolute　power　over　children　had　been　called　parental；　and

thereby　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。

　　54。　Though　I　have　said　above　（2）　〃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　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。

　　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　are　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。

　　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　instance　of　his　being　to　provide　for　his　own　support　and

preservation；　and　govern　his　actions　according　to　the　dictates　of

the　law　of　reason　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

had　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。

　　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　nobody　can　be

under　a　law　that　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　a　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；　and

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　freely　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。

　　58。　The　power；　then；　that　parents　have　over　their　children　arises

from　that　duty　which　is　incumbent　on　them；　to　take　care　of　their

offspring　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　no　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　free

man；　the　son　is　a　free　man　too。

　　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；　an　estate

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；　somebody　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　twenty…one；　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　this　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