second treatise of government-第28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！

　which　I　shall　　say；　they　bind　not　at　all；　because　whatsoever　another　gets　from　　me　by　force；　I　still　retain　the　right　of；　and　he　is　obliged　　presently　to　restore。　　He　that　forces　my　horse　from　me；　ought　　presently　to　restore　him；　and　I　have　still　a　right　to　retake　him。　　　　By　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。　　chuse　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　any　thing　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。　　　　　　　　　Sec。　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。　　　　　　Sec。　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。　　　　　　Sec。　189。　　1　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　freemen；　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　lawfull　authority；　whilst　force；　　and　not　choice；　compels　them　to　submission。

　　　　　Sec。　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。　　　　　　Sec。　191。　　By　the　first　of　these；　a　man　is　naturally　free　　from　subjection　to　any　government；　tho'　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。　　　　　　Sec。　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　which　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。　　Who　doubts　but　the　Grecian　Christians；　descendants　　of　the　ancient　possessors　of　that　country；　may　justly　cast　off　　the　Turkish　yoke；　which　they　have　so　long　groaned　under；　whenever　　they　have　an　opportunity　to　do　it？　　For　no　government　can　have　a　　right　to　obedience　from　a　people　who　have　not　freely　consented　to　　it；　which　they　can　never　be　supposed　to　do；　till　either　they　are　　put　in　a　full　state　of　liberty　to　chuse　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　　no　body　can　take　away　any　part　of　it　without　their　own　consent；　　without　which；　men　under　any　government　are　not　in　the　state　of　　freemen；　but　are　direct　slaves　under　the　force　of　war。　　　　　　Sec。　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　freemen；　　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；　　　　　　Sec。　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　501。　　or　5001。　　per　arm。　　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　to　dissolve　them　at　any　

time；　but　power　enough：　and　all　the　grants　and　promises　of　men　in　　power　are　but　mockery　and　collusion：　for　can　there　be　any　thing　　more　ridiculous　than　to　say；　I　give　you　and　your's　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？　　　　　　Sec。　195。　　1　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。　　No　body；　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！　　　　　　Sec。　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；　if　he　attempts　upon　their　properties；　and　thereby　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　he　　conquered　Italy；　would　have　had；　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；　2　Kings　xviii。　　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　is　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　all　this　time。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAP。　　XVII。