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second treatise of government-第26章

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eby all men desire sociable  life and fellowship; the other an order; expresly or secretly  agreed upon; touching the manner of their union in living  together: the latter is that which we call the law of a common… weal; the very soul of a politic body; the parts whereof are by  law animated; held together; and set on work in such actions as  the common good requireth。  Laws politic; ordained for external  order and regiment amongst men; are never framed as they should  be; unless presuming the will of man to be inwardly obstinate;  rebellious; and averse from all obedience to the sacred laws of  his nature; in a word; unless presuming man to be; in regard of  his depraved mind; little better than a wild beast; they do  accordingly provide; notwithstanding; so to frame his outward  actions; that they be no hindrance unto the common good; for  which societies are instituted。  Unless they do this; they are  not perfect。  Hooker's Eccl。 Pol。 l。 i。 sect。 10。)      Sec。 136。  Secondly;* The legislative; or supreme authority;  cannot assume to its self a power to rule by extemporary  arbitrary decrees; but is bound to dispense justice; and decide  the rights of the subject by promulgated standing laws; and known  authorized judges: for the law of nature being unwritten; and so  no where to be found but in the minds of men; they who through  passion or interest shall miscite; or misapply it; cannot so  easily be convinced of their mistake where there is no  established judge: and so it serves not; as it ought; to  determine the rights; and fence the properties of those that live  under it; especially where every one is judge; interpreter; and  executioner of it too; and that in his own case: and he that has  right on his side; having ordinarily but his own single strength;  hath not force enough to defend himself from injuries; or to  punish delinquents。  To avoid these inconveniences; which  disorder men's propperties in the state of nature; men unite into  societies; that they may have the united strength of the whole  society to secure and defend their properties; and may have  standing rules to bound it; by which every one may know what is  his。  To this end it is that men give up all their natural power  to the society which they enter into; and the community put the  legislative power into such hands as they think fit; with this  trust; that they shall be governed by declared laws; or else  their peace; quiet; and property will still be at the same  uncertainty; as it was in the state of nature。      (*Human laws are measures in respect of men whose actions  they must direct; howbeit such measures they are as have also  their higher rules to be measured by; which rules are two; the  law of God; and the law of nature; so that laws human must be  made according to the general laws of nature; and without  contradiction to any positive law of scripture; otherwise they  are ill made。  Hooker's Eccl。 Pol。 l。 iii。 sect。 9。      To constrain men to any thing inconvenient cloth seem  unreasonable。  Ibid。 l。 i。 sect。 10。)      Sec。 137。  Absolute arbitrary power; or governing without  settled standing laws; can neither of them consist with the ends  of society and government; which men would not quit the freedom  of the state of nature for; and tie themselves up under; were it  not to preserve their lives; liberties and fortunes; and by  stated rules of right and property to secure their peace and  quiet。  It cannot be supposed that they should intend; had they a 

power so to do; to give to any one; or more; an absolute  arbitrary power over their persons and estates; and put a force  into the magistrate's hand to execute his unlimited will  arbitrarily upon them。  This were to put themselves into a worse  condition than the state of nature; wherein they had a liberty to  defend their right against the injuries of others; and were upon  equal terms of force to maintain it; whether invaded by a single  man; or many in combination。  Whereas by supposing they have  given up themselves to the absolute arbitrary power and will of a  legislator; they have disarmed themselves; and armed him; to make  a prey of them when he pleases; he being in a much worse  condition; who is exposed to the arbitrary power of one man; who  has the command of 100;000; than he that is exposed to the  arbitrary power of 100;000 single men; no body being secure; that  his will; who has such a command; is better than that of other  men; though his force be 100;000 times stronger。  And therefore;  whatever form the common…wealth is under; the ruling power ought  to govern by declared and received laws; and not by extemporary  dictates and undetermined resolutions: for then mankind will be  in a far worse condition than in the state of nature; if they  shall have armed one; or a few men with the joint power of a  multitude; to force them to obey at pleasure the exorbitant and  unlimited decrees of their sudden thoughts; or unrestrained; and  till that moment unknown wills; without having any measures set  down which may guide and justify their actions: for all the power  the government has; being only for the good of the society; as it  ought not to be arbitrary and at pleasure; so it ought to be  exercised by established and promulgated laws; that both the  people may know their duty; and be safe and secure within the  limits of the law; and the rulers too kept within their bounds;  and not be tempted; by the power they have in their hands; to  employ it to such purposes; and by such measures; as they would  not have known; and own not willingly。      Sec。 138。  Thirdly; The supreme power cannot take from any  man any part of his property without his own consent: for the  preservation of property being the end of government; and that  for which men enter into society; it necessarily supposes and  requires; that the people should have property; without which  they must be supposed to lose that; by entering into society;  which was the end for which they entered into it; too gross an  absurdity for any man to own。   Men therefore in society having  property; they have such a right to the goods; which by the law  of the community are their's; that no body hath a right to take  their substance or any part of it from them; without their own  consent: without this they have no property at all; for I have  truly no property in that; which another can by right take from  me; when he pleases; against my consent。  Hence it is a mistake  to think; that the supreme or legislative power of any common… wealth; can do what it will; and dispose of the estates of the  subject arbitrarily; or take any part of them at pleasure。  This  is not much to be feared in governments where the legislative  consists; wholly or in part; in assemblies which are variable;  whose members; upon the dissolution of the assembly; are subjects  under the common laws of their country; equally with the rest。   But in governments; where the legislative is in one lasting  assembly always in being; or in one man; as in absolute  monarchies; there is danger still; that they will think  themselves to have a distinct interest from the rest of the  community; and so will be apt to increase their own riches and  powe
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