second treatise of government-第17部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ad　no　reason　but　　to　receive　him　as　their　king　now。　　Also　（say　they）　in　time　past；　　when　Saul　was　king　over　us；　thou　wast　he　that　reddest　out　and　　broughtest　in　Israel；　and　the　Lord　said　unto　thee；　Thou　shalt　　feed　my　people　Israel；　and　thou　shalt　be　a　captain　over　Israel。　　　　　　Sec。　110。　　Thus；　whether　a　family　by　degrees　grew　up　into　a　　common…wealth；　and　the　fatherly　authority　being　continued　on　to　　the　elder　son；　every　one　in　his　turn　growing　up　under　it；　tacitly　　submitted　to　it；　and　the　easiness　and　equality　of　it　not　　offending　any　one；　every　one　acquiesced；　till　time　seemed　to　have　　confirmed　it；　and　settled　a　right　of　succession　by　prescription：　　or　whether　several　families；　or　the　descendants　of　several　　families；　whom　chance；　neighbourhood；　or　business　brought　　together；　uniting　into　society；　the　need　of　a　general；　whose　　conduct　might　defend　them　against　their　enemies　in　war；　and　the　　great　confidence　the　innocence　and　sincerity　of　that　poor　but　　virtuous　age；　（such　as　are　almost　all　those　which　begin　　governments；　that　ever　come　to　last　in　the　world）　gave　men　one　of　　another；　made　the　first　beginners　of　commonwealths　generally　put　　the　rule　into　one　man's　hand；　without　any　other　express　　limitation　or　restraint；　but　what　the　nature　of　the　thing；　and　　the　end　of　government　required：　which　ever　of　those　it　was　that　　at　first　put　the　rule　into　the　hands　of　a　single　person；　certain　　it　is　no　body　was　intrusted　with　it　but　for　the　public　good　and　　safety；　and　to　those　ends；　in　the　infancies　of　commonwealths；　　those　who　had　it　commonly　used　it。　　And　unless　they　had　done　so；　　young　societies　could　not　have　subsisted；　without　such　nursing　　fathers　tender　and　careful　of　the　public　weal；　all　governments　　would　have　sunk　under　the　weakness　and　infirmities　of　their　　infancy；　and　the　prince　and　the　people　had　soon　perished　　together。　　　　　　Sec。　111。　　But　though　the　golden　age　（before　vain　ambition；　　and　amor　sceleratus　habendi；　evil　concupiscence；　had　corrupted　　men's　minds　into　a　mistake　of　true　power　and　honour）　had　more　　virtue；　and　consequently　better　governors；　as　well　as　less　　vicious　subjects；　and　there　was　then　no　stretching　prerogative　on　　the　one　side；　to　oppress　the　people；　nor　consequently　on　the　　other；　any　dispute　about　privilege；　to　lessen　or　restrain　the　　power　of　the　magistrate；　and　so　no　contest　betwixt　rulers　and　　people　about　governors　or　goveernment：　yet；　when　ambition　and　　luxury　in　future　ages*　would　retain　and　increase　the　power；　　without　doing　the　business　for　which　it　was　given；　and　aided　by　　flattery；　taught　princes　to　have　distinct　and　separate　interests　　from　their　people；　men　found　it　necessary　to　examine　more　　carefully　the　original　and　rights　of　government；　and　to　find　out　　ways　to　restrain　the　exorbitances；　and　prevent　the　abuses　of　that　　power；　which　they　having　intrusted　in　another's　hands　only　for　　their　own　good；　they　found　was　made　use　of　to　hurt　them。　　　　　　（*At　first；　when　some　certain　kind　of　regiment　was　once　　approved；　it　may　be　nothing　was　then　farther　thought　upon　for　the　　manner　of　governing；　but　all　permitted　unto　their　wisdom　and　　discretion　which　were　to　rule；　till　by　experience　they　found　this　　for　all　parts　very　inconvenient；　so　as　the　thing　which　they　had　　devised　for　a　remedy；　did　indeed　but　increase　the　sore　which　it　　should　have　cured。　　They　saw；　that　to　live　by　one　man's　will；　　became　the　cause　of　all　men's　misery。　　This　constrained　them　to　

come　unto　laws　wherein　all　men　might　see　their　duty　before　hand；　　and　know　the　penalties　of　transgressing　them。　　Hooker's　Eccl。　　Pol。　l。　i。　sect。　10。）　　　　　Sec。　112。　　Thus　we　may　see　how　probable　it　is；　that　people　　that　were　naturally　free；　and　by　their　own　consent　either　　submitted　to　the　government　of　their　father；　or　united　together　　out　of　different　families　to　make　a　government；　should　generally　　put　the　rule　into　one　man's　hands；　and　chuse　to　be　under　the　　conduct　of　a　single　person；　without　so　much　as　by　express　　conditions　limiting　or　regulating　his　power；　which　they　thought　　safe　enough　in　his　honesty　and　prudence；　though　they　never　　dreamed　of　　monarchy　　being　　lure　Divino；　which　we　never　heard　of　　among　mankind；　till　it　was　revealed　to　us　by　the　divinity　of　this　　last　age；　nor　ever　allowed　paternal　power　to　have　a　right　to　　dominion；　or　to　be　the　foundation　of　all　　government。　　And　thus　　much　may　suffice　to　shew；　that　as　far　as　we　have　any　light　from　　history；　we　have　reason　to　conclude；　that　all　peaceful　beginnings　　of　government　have　been　laid　in　the　consent　of　the　people。　　I　say　　peaceful；　because　I　shall　have　occasion　in　another　place　to　speak　　of　conquest；　which　some　esteem　a　way　of　beginning　of　governments。　　　　　　The　other　objection　I　find　urged　against　the　beginning　of　　polities；　in　the　way　I　have　mentioned；　is　this；　viz。　　　　　　Sec。　113。　　That　all　men　being　born　under　government；　some　or　　other；　it　is　impossible　any　of　them　should　ever　be　free；　and　at　　liberty　to　unite　together；　and　begin　a　new　one；　or　ever　be　able　　to　erect　a　lawful　government。　　　　　　If　this　argument　be　good；　I　ask；　how　came　so　many　lawful　　monarchies　into　the　world？　for　if　any　body；　upon　this　　supposition；　can　shew　me　any　one　man　in　any　age　of　the　world　free　　to　begin　a　lawful　monarchy；　I　will　be　bound　to　shew　him　ten　other　　free　men　at　liberty；　at　the　same　time　to　unite　and　begin　a　new　　government　under　a　regal；　or　any　other　form；　it　being　　demonstration；　that　if　any　one；　born　under　the　dominion　of　　another；　may　be　so　free　as　to　have　a　right　to　command　others　in　a　　new　and　distinct　empire；　every　one　that　is　born　under　the　　dominion　of　another　may　be　so　free　too；　and　may　become　a　ruler；　　or　subject；　of　a　distinct　separate　government。　　　And　so　by　this　　their　own　principle；　either　all　men；　however　born；　are　free；　or　　else　there　is　but　one　lawful　prince；　one　lawful　government　in　the　　world。　　And　then　they　have　nothing　to　do；　but　barely　to　shew　us　　which　that　is；　which　when　they　have　done；　I　doubt　not　but　all　　mankind　will　easily　agree　to　pay　obedience　to　him。　　　　　　Sec。　114。　　Though　it　be　a　sufficient　answer　to　their　　objection；　to　shew　that　it　involves　them　in　the　same　difficulties　　that　it　doth　those　they　use　it　against；　yet　I　shall　endeavour　to　　discover　the　weakness　of　this　argument　a　little　farther。　　　　All　　men；　say　they；　are　born　under　government；　and　therefore　they　　cannot　be　at　liberty　to　begin　a　new　one。　　Every　one　is　born　a　　subject　to　his　father；　or　his　prince；　and　is　therefore　under　the　　perpetual　tie　of　subjection　and　allegiance。　　It　is　plain　mankind　　never　owned　nor　considered　any　such　natural　subjection　that　they　　were　born　in；　to　one　or　to　the　other　that　tied　them；　without　　their　own　consents；　to　a　subjection　to　them　and　their　heirs。　　　　　　Sec。　115。　　For　there　are　no　examples　so　frequent　in　history；　　both　sacred　and　profane；　as　those　of　men　withdrawing　themselves；　　and　their　obedience；　from　the　jurisdiction　they　were　born　under；　　and　the　family　or　community　they　were　bred　up　in；　and　setting　up　　new　governments　in　other　places；　from　whence　sprang　all　that　　number　of　petty　commonwealths　in　the　beginning　of　ages；　and　which　　always　multiplied；　as　long　as　there　was　room　enough；　till　the　　stronger；　or　more　fortunate；　swallowed　the　weaker；　and　those　　great　ones　again　breaking　to　pieces；　dissolved　into　lesser　　dominions。　　All　which　are　so　many　testimonies　against　paternal　　sovereignty；　and　plainly　prove；　that　it　was　not　the　natural　right　　of　the　father　descending　to　his　heirs；　that　made　governments　in　　the　beginning；　since　it　was　impossible；　upon　that　ground；　there　

should　have　been　so　many　little　kingdoms；　all　must　have　been　but　　only　one　universal　monarchy；　if　men　had　not　been　at　liberty　to　　separate　themselves　from　their　families；　and　the　government；　be　　it　what　it　will；　that　was　set　up　in　it；　and　go　and　make　distinct　　commonwealths　and　other　governments；　as　they　thought　fit。　　　　　　Sec。　116。　　This　has　been　the　practice　of　the　world　from　its　　first　beginning　to　this　day；　nor　is　it　now　any　more　hindrance　to　　the　freedom　of　mankind；　that　they　are　born　under　constituted　and　　ancient　polities；　that　have　established　laws；　and　set　forms　of　　government；　than　if　they　were　born　in　the　woods；　amongst　the　　unconfined　inhabitants；　that　run　loose　in　them：　for　those；　who　　would　persuade　us；　that　by　being　born　under　any　government；　we　　are　naturally　subjects　to　it；　and　have　no　more　any　title　or　　pretence　to　the　freedom　of　the　state　of　nature；　have　no　other　　reason　（bating　that　of　paternal　power；　which　we　have　already　　answered）　to　produce　for　it；　but　only；　because　our　fathers　or　　progenitors　passed　away　their　natural　liberty；　and　thereby　bound　　up　themselves　and　their　posterity　to　a　perpetual　subjection　to　　the　government；　which　they　themselves　submitted　to。　　It　is　true；　　that　whatever　engagements　or　promises　any　one　has　made　for　　himself；　he　is　under　the　obligation　of　them；　but　cannot；　by　any　　compact　whatsoever；　bind　his　children　or　posterity：　for　his　son；　　when　a　man；　being　altogether　as　free　as　the　father；　any　act　of　　the　father　can　no　more　give　away　the　liberty　of　the　son；　than　it　　can　of　any　body　else：　he　may　indeed　annex　such　conditions　to　the　　land；　he　enjoyed　as　a　subject　of　any　common…wealth；　as　may　oblige　　his　son　to　be　of　that　community；　if　he　will　enjoy　thos