concerning civil government-第3部分

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doth　desire；　a　life　fit　for　the　dignity　of　man；　therefore　to　supply

those　defects　and　imperfections　which　are　in　us；　as　living　single

and　solely　by　ourselves；　we　are　naturally　induced　to　seek　communion

and　fellowship　with　others；　this　was　the　cause　of　men　uniting

themselves　as　first　in　politic　societies。〃　But　I；　moreover；　affirm

that　all　men　are　naturally　in　that　state；　and　remain　so　till；　by　their

own　consents；　they　make　themselves　members　of　some　politic　society；

and　I　doubt　not；　in　the　sequel　of　this　discourse；　to　make　it　very

clear。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　III

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　State　of　War



　　16。　The　state　of　war　is　a　state　of　enmity　and　destruction；　and

therefore　declaring　by　word　or　action；　not　a　passionate　and　hasty；　but

sedate；　settled　design　upon　another　man's　life　puts　him　in　a　state

of　war　with　him　against　whom　he　has　declared　such　an　intention；　and　so

has　exposed　his　life　to　the　other's　power　to　be　taken　away　by　him；

or　any　one　that　joins　with　him　in　his　defence；　and　espouses　his

quarrel；　it　being　reasonable　and　just　I　should　have　a　right　to　destroy

that　which　threatens　me　with　destruction；　for　by　the　fundamental　law

of　Nature；　man　being　to　be　preserved　as　much　as　possible；　when　all

cannot　be　preserved；　the　safety　of　the　innocent　is　to　be　preferred；

and　one　may　destroy　a　man　who　makes　war　upon　him；　or　has　discovered　an

enmity　to　his　being；　for　the　same　reason　that　he　may　kill　a　wolf　or

a　lion；　because　they　are　not　under　the　ties　of　the　common　law　of

reason；　have　no　other　rule　but　that　of　force　and　violence；　and　so

may　be　treated　as　a　beast　of　prey；　those　dangerous　and　noxious

creatures　that　will　be　sure　to　destroy　him　whenever　he　falls　into

their　power。

　　17。　And　hence　it　is　that　he　who　attempts　to　get　another　man　into　his

absolute　power　does　thereby　put　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with

him；　it　being　to　be　understood　as　a　declaration　of　a　design　upon　his

life。　For　I　have　reason　to　conclude　that　he　who　would　get　me　into

his　power　without　my　consent　would　use　me　as　he　pleased　when　he　had

got　me　there；　and　destroy　me　too　when　he　had　a　fancy　to　it；　for　nobody

can　desire　to　have　me　in　his　absolute　power　unless　it　be　to　compel

me　by　force　to　that　which　is　against　the　right　of　my　freedom…　i。e。

make　me　a　slave。　To　be　free　from　such　force　is　the　only　security　of　my

preservation；　and　reason　bids　me　look　on　him　as　an　enemy　to　my

preservation　who　would　take　away　that　freedom　which　is　the　fence　to

it；　so　that　he　who　makes　an　attempt　to　enslave　me　thereby　puts　himself

into　a　state　of　war　with　me。　He　that　in　the　state　of　Nature　would　take

away　the　freedom　that　belongs　to　any　one　in　that　state　must

necessarily　be　supposed　to　have　a　design　to　take　away　everything　else；

that　freedom　being　the　foundation　of　all　the　rest；　as　he　that　in　the

state　of　society　would　take　away　the　freedom　belonging　to　those　of

that　society　or　commonwealth　must　be　supposed　to　design　to　take　away

from　them　everything　else；　and　so　be　looked　on　as　in　a　state　of　war。

　　18。　This　makes　it　lawful　for　a　man　to　kill　a　thief　who　has　not　in

the　least　hurt　him；　nor　declared　any　design　upon　his　life；　any　farther

than　by　the　use　of　force；　so　to　get　him　in　his　power　as　to　take　away

his　money；　or　what　he　pleases；　from　him；　because　using　force；　where　he

has　no　right　to　get　me　into　his　power；　let　his　pretence　be　what　it

will；　I　have　no　reason　to　suppose　that　he　who　would　take　away　my

liberty　would　not；　when　he　had　me　in　his　power；　take　away　everything

else。　And；　therefore；　it　is　lawful　for　me　to　treat　him　as　one　who

has　put　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with　me…　i。e。；　kill　him　if　I

can；　for　to　that　hazard　does　he　justly　expose　himself　whoever

introduces　a　state　of　war；　and　is　aggressor　in　it。

　　19。　And　here　we　have　the　plain　difference　between　the　state　of

Nature　and　the　state　of　war；　which　however　some　men　have　confounded；

are　as　far　distant　as　a　state　of　peace；　goodwill；　mutual　assistance；

and　preservation；　and　a　state　of　enmity；　malice；　violence　and　mutual

destruction　are　one　from　another。　Men　living　together　according　to

reason　without　a　common　superior　on　earth；　with　authority　to　judge

between　them；　is　properly　the　state　of　Nature。　But　force；　or　a

declared　design　of　force　upon　the　person　of　another；　where　there　is　no

common　superior　on　earth　to　appeal　to　for　relief；　is　the　state　of　war；

and　it　is　the　want　of　such　an　appeal　gives　a　man　the　right　of　war　even

against　an　aggressor；　though　he　be　in　society　and　a　fellow…subject。

Thus；　a　thief　whom　I　cannot　harm；　but　by　appeal　to　the　law；　for　having

stolen　all　that　I　am　worth；　I　may　kill　when　he　sets　on　me　to　rob　me

but　of　my　horse　or　coat；　because　the　law；　which　was　made　for　my

preservation；　where　it　cannot　interpose　to　secure　my　life　from　present

force；　which　if　lost　is　capable　of　no　reparation；　permits　me　my　own

defence　and　the　right　of　war；　a　liberty　to　kill　the　aggressor；　because

the　aggressor　allows　not　time　to　appeal　to　our　common　judge；　nor　the

decision　of　the　law；　for　remedy　in　a　case　where　the　mischief　may　be

irreparable。　Want　of　a　common　judge　with　authority　puts　all　men　in　a

state　of　Nature；　force　without　right　upon　a　man's　person　makes　a　state

of　war　both　where　there　is；　and　is　not；　a　common　judge。

　　20。　But　when　the　actual　force　is　over；　the　state　of　war　ceases

between　those　that　are　in　society　and　are　equally　on　both　sides

subject　to　the　judge；　and；　therefore；　in　such　controversies；　where　the

question　is　put；　〃Who　shall　be　judge？〃　it　cannot　be　meant　who　shall

decide　the　controversy；　every　one　knows　what　Jephtha　here　tells　us；

that　〃the　Lord　the　Judge〃　shall　judge。　Where　there　is　no　judge　on

earth　the　appeal　lies　to　God　in　Heaven。　That　question　then　cannot　mean

who　shall　judge；　whether　another　hath　put　himself　in　a　state　of　war

with　me；　and　whether　I　may；　as　Jephtha　did；　appeal　to　Heaven　in　it？　Of

that　I　myself　can　only　judge　in　my　own　conscience；　as　I　will　answer　it

at　the　great　day　to　the　Supreme　Judge　of　all　men。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　IV

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Slavery



　　21。　The　natural　liberty　of　man　is　to　be　free　from　any　superior　power

on　earth；　and　not　to　be　under　the　will　or　legislative　authority　of

man；　but　to　have　only　the　law　of　Nature　for　his　rule。　The　liberty　of

man　in　society　is　to　be　under　no　other　legislative　power　but　that

established　by　consent　in　the　commonwealth；　nor　under　the　dominion

of　any　will；　or　restraint　of　any　law；　but　what　that　legislative

shall　enact　according　to　the　trust　put　in　it。　Freedom；　then；　is　not

what　Sir　Robert　Filmer　tells　us：　〃A　liberty　for　every　one　to　do　what

he　lists；　to　live　as　he　pleases；　and　not　to　be　tied　by　any　laws〃；

but　freedom　of　men　under　government　is　to　have　a　standing　rule　to　live

by；　common　to　every　one　of　that　society；　and　made　by　the　legislative

power　erected　in　it。　A　liberty　to　follow　my　own　will　in　all　things

where　that　rule　prescribes　not；　not　to　be　subject　to　the　inconstant；

uncertain；　unknown；　arbitrary　will　of　another　man；　as　freedom　of

nature　is　to　be　under　no　other　restraint　but　the　law　of　Nature。

　　22。　This　freedom　from　absolute；　arbitrary　power　is　so　necessary

to；　and　closely　joined　with；　a　man's　preservation；　that　he　cannot　part

with　it　but　by　what　forfeits　his　preservation　and　life　together。　For　a

man；　not　having　the　power　of　his　own　life；　cannot　by　compact　or　his

own　consent　enslave　himself　to　any　one；　nor　put　himself　under　the

absolute；　arbitrary　power　of　another　to　take　away　his　life　when　he

pleases。　Nobody　can　give　more　power　than　he　has　himself；　and　he　that

cannot　take　away　his　own　life　cannot　give　another　power　over　it。

Indeed；　having　by　his　fault　forfeited　his　own　life　by　some　act　that

deserves　death；　he　to　whom　he　has　forfeited　it　may；　when　he　has　him　in

his　power；　delay　to　take　it；　and　make　use　of　him　to　his　own　service；

and　he　does　him　no　injury　by　it。　For；　whenever　he　finds　the　hardship

of　his　slavery　outweigh　the　value　of　his　life；　it　is　in　his　power；

by　resisting　the　will　of　his　master；　to　draw　on　himself　the　death　he

desires。

　　23。　This　is　the　perfect　condition　of　slavery；　which　is　nothing

else　but　the　state　of　war　continued　between　a　lawful　conqueror　and　a

captive；　for　if　once　compact　enter　between　them；　and　make　an　agreement

for　a　limited　power　on　the　one　side；　and　obedience　on　the　other；　the

state　of　war　and　slavery　ceases　as　long　as　the　compact　endures；　for；

as　has　been　said；　no　man　can　by　agreement　pass　over　to　another　that

which　he　hath　not　in　himself…　a　power　over　his　own　life。

　　I　confess；　we　find　among　the　Jews；　as　well　as　other　nations；　that

men　did　sell　themselves；　but　it　is　plain　this　was　only　to　drudgery；

not　to　slavery；　for　it　is　evident　the　person　sold　was　not　under　an

absolute；　arbitrary；　despotical　power；　for　the　master　could　not　have

power　to　kill　him　at　any　time；　whom　at　a　certain　time　he　was　obliged

to　let　go　free　out　of　his　service；　and　the　master　of　such　a　servant

was　so　far　from　having　an　arbitrary　power　over　his　life　that　he

could　not　at　pleasure　so　much　as　maim　him；　but　the　loss　of　an　eye　or