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OF CIVIL-GOVERNMENT

BOOK II

Chap. I. §. 1. It having been fhewn in the foregoing difcourse,

1. That Adam had not, either by natural right of fatherhood, or by pofitive donation from God, any fuch authority over his children, or dominion over the world, as is pretended :

2. That if he had, his heirs, yet, had no right to it:

3. That if his heirs had, there being no law of nature nor pofitive law of God that determines which is the right heir in all cafes that may arife, the right of fucceffion, and confequently of bearing rule, could not have been certainly determined:

4. That if even that had been determined, yet the knowledge of which is the eldest line

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of Adam's pofterity, being fo long fince utterly loft, that in the races of mankind and families of the world, there remains not to one above another, the leaft pretence to be the eldest house, and to have the right of inheritance:

All these premises having, as I think, been clearly made out, it is impoffible that the rulers now on earth fhould make any benefit, or derive any the least shadow of authority from that, which is held to be the fountain of all power, Adam's private dominion and paternal jurifdiction; so that he that will not give juft occafion to think that all government in the world is the product only of force and violence, and that men live together by no other rules but that of beasts, where the ftrongest carries it, and fo lay a foundation for perpetual disorder and mischief, tumult, fedition and rebellion, (things that the followers of that hypothefis fo loudly cry out againft) muft of neceffity find out another rife of governwent, another original of political power, and another way of defigning and knowing the perfons that have it, than what Sir Robert Filmer hath taught us.

§. 2. To this purpose, I think it may not be amifs, to fet down what I take to be political power; that the power of a magistrate over a fubject may be diftinguished from that of a father over his children, a mafter over his fervant, a husband over his wife, and

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a lord over his flave. All which distinct powers happening fometimes together in the fame man, if he be confidered under these different relations, it may help us to diftinguish these powers one from another, and thew the difference betwixt a ruler of a common-wealth, a father of a family, and a captain of a galley.

S. 3. Political power, then, I take to be a right of making laws with penalties of death, and confequently all lefs penalties, for the regulating and preferving of property, and of employing the force of the community, in the execution of fuch laws, and in the defence of the common-wealth from foreign injury; and all this only for the public good.

CHA P. II.

Of the State of Nature.

O understand political power

§. 4. T right, and derive it from its

original, we must confider, what ftate all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and difpofe of their poffeffions and perfons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without afking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man.

A ftate alfo of equality, wherein all the power and jurifdiction is reciprocal, no one

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having

having more than another; there, being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the fame fpecies and rank, promiscuously born to all the fame advantages of nature, and the use of the fame faculties, fhould also be equal one amongst another without fubordination or fubjection, unless the lord and mafter of them all fhould, by any manifest declaration of his will, set one above another, and confer on him, by an evident and clear appointment, an undoubted right to dominion and fovereignty.

§. 5. This equality of men by nature, the judicious Hooker looks upon as fo evident in itself, and beyond all question, that he makes it the foundation of that obligation to mutual love amongst men, on which he builds. the duties they owe one another, and from whence he derives the great maxims of justice and charity. His words are,

The like natural inducement bath brought men to know that it is no less their duty, to love others than themselves; for feeing thofe things which are equal, muft needs all have one meafure; if I cannot but wish to receive good, even as much at every man's hands, as any man can wifh unto his own foul, how should I look to have any part of my defire berein satisfied, unless myself be careful to fatisfy the like defire, which is undoubtedly in other men, being of one and the fame nature? To have any thing offered them repugnant to this defire, muft needs in all respects

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