liberty-第3部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
e at peace with their neighbours; yet guarding their Frontiers with armed men; their Townes with Walls and ports; and keeping constant watches。 To what purpose is all this; if there be no feare of the neighbouring power? Wee see even in well…governed States; where there are lawes and punishments appointed for offendors; yet particular men travell not without their Sword by their sides; for their defences; neither sleep they without shutting not only their doores against their fellow Subjects; but also their Trunks and Coffers for feare of domestiques。 Can men give a clearer testimony of the distrust they have each of other; and all; of all? How since they doe thus; and even Countreyes as well as men; they publiquely professe their mutuall feare and diffidence; But in disputing they deny it; thats as much as to say; that out of a desire they have to contradict others; they gainsay themselves。 Some object that this principle being admitted; it would needs follow; not onely that all men were wicked (which perhaps though it seeme hard; yet we must yeeld to; since it is so clearly declar'd by holy writ) but also wicked by nature (which cannot be granted without impiety)。 But this; that men are evill by nature; followes not from this principle; for though the wicked were fewer then the righteous; yet because we cannot distinguish them; there is a necessity of suspecting; heeding; anticipating; subjugating; selfe…defending; ever incident to the most honest; and fairest condition'd; much lesse do's it follow that those who are wicked are so by nature; for though from nature; that is from their first birth; as they are meerly sensible Creatures; they have this disposition; that immediately as much as in them lies; they desire and doe whatsoever is best pleasing to them; that either through feare they fly from; or through hardnesse repell those dangers which approach them; yet are they not for this reason to be accounted wicked; for the affections of the minde which arise onely from the lower parts of the soule are not wicked 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