concerning civil government-第2章

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state　of　perfect　equality；　where　naturally　there　is　no　superiority

or　jurisdiction　of　one　over　another；　what　any　may　do　in　prosecution　of

that　law；　every　one　must　needs　have　a　right　to　do。

　　8。　And　thus；　in　the　state　of　Nature；　one　man　comes　by　a　power　over

another；　but　yet　no　absolute　or　arbitrary　power　to　use　a　criminal；

when　he　has　got　him　in　his　hands；　according　to　the　passionate　heats　or

boundless　extravagancy　of　his　own　will；　but　only　to　retribute　to　him

so　far　as　calm　reason　and　conscience　dictate；　what　is　proportionate　to

his　transgression；　which　is　so　much　as　may　serve　for　reparation　and

restraint。　For　these　two　are　the　only　reasons　why　one　man　may　lawfully

do　harm　to　another；　which　is　that　we　call　punishment。　In　transgressing

the　law　of　Nature；　the　offender　declares　himself　to　live　by　another

rule　than　that　of　reason　and　common　equity；　which　is　that　measure

God　has　set　to　the　actions　of　men　for　their　mutual　security；　and　so　he

becomes　dangerous　to　mankind；　the　tie　which　is　to　secure　them　from

injury　and　violence　being　slighted　and　broken　by　him；　which　being　a

trespass　against　the　whole　species；　and　the　peace　and　safety　of　it；

provided　for　by　the　law　of　Nature；　every　man　upon　this　score；　by　the

right　he　hath　to　preserve　mankind　in　general；　may　restrain；　or　where

it　is　necessary；　destroy　things　noxious　to　them；　and　so　may　bring　such

evil　on　any　one　who　hath　transgressed　that　law；　as　may　make　him　repent

the　doing　of　it；　and　thereby　deter　him；　and；　by　his　example；　others

from　doing　the　like　mischief。　And　in　this　case；　and　upon　this

ground；　every　man　hath　a　right　to　punish　the　offender；　and　be

executioner　of　the　law　of　Nature。

　　9。　I　doubt　not　but　this　will　seem　a　very　strange　doctrine　to　some

men；　but　before　they　condemn　it；　I　desire　them　to　resolve　me　by　what

right　any　prince　or　state　can　put　to　death　or　punish　an　alien　for

any　crime　he　commits　in　their　country？　It　is　certain　their　laws；　by

virtue　of　any　sanction　they　receive　from　the　promulgated　will　of　the

legislature；　reach　not　a　stranger。　They　speak　not　to　him；　nor；　if　they

did；　is　he　bound　to　hearken　to　them。　The　legislative　authority　by

which　they　are　in　force　over　the　subjects　of　that　commonwealth　hath　no

power　over　him。　Those　who　have　the　supreme　power　of　making　laws　in

England；　France；　or　Holland　are；　to　an　Indian；　but　like　the　rest　of

the　world…　men　without　authority。　And　therefore；　if　by　the　law　of

Nature　every　man　hath　not　a　power　to　punish　offences　against　it；　as　he

soberly　judges　the　case　to　require；　I　see　not　how　the　magistrates　of

any　community　can　punish　an　alien　of　another　country；　since；　in

reference　to　him；　they　can　have　no　more　power　than　what　every　man

naturally　may　have　over　another。

　　10。　Besides　the　crime　which　consists　in　violating　the　laws；　and

varying　from　the　right　rule　of　reason；　whereby　a　man　so　far　becomes

degenerate；　and　declares　himself　to　quit　the　principles　of　human

nature　and　to　be　a　noxious　creature；　there　is　commonly　injury　done；

and　some　person　or　other；　some　other　man；　receives　damage　by　his

transgression；　in　which　case；　he　who　hath　received　any　damage　has

（besides　the　right　of　punishment　common　to　him；　with　other　men）　a

particular　right　to　seek　reparation　from　him　that　hath　done　it。　And

any　other　person　who　finds　it　just　may　also　join　with　him　that　is

injured；　and　assist　him　in　recovering　from　the　offender　so　much　as　may

make　satisfaction　for　the　harm　he　hath　suffered。

　　11。　From　these　two　distinct　rights　（the　one　of　punishing　the

crime；　for　restraint　and　preventing　the　like　offence；　which　right　of

punishing　is　in　everybody；　the　other　of　taking　reparation；　which

belongs　only　to　the　injured　party）　comes　it　to　pass　that　the

magistrate；　who　by　being　magistrate　hath　the　common　right　of　punishing

put　into　his　hands；　can　often；　where　the　public　good　demands　not　the

execution　of　the　law；　remit　the　punishment　of　criminal　offences　by　his

own　authority；　but　yet　cannot　remit　the　satisfaction　due　to　any

private　man　for　the　damage　he　has　received。　That　he　who　hath

suffered　the　damage　has　a　right　to　demand　in　his　own　name；　and　he

alone　can　remit。　The　damnified　person　has　this　power　of

appropriating　to　himself　the　goods　or　service　of　the　offender　by　right

of　self…preservation；　as　every　man　has　a　power　to　punish　the　crime

to　prevent　its　being　committed　again；　by　the　right　he　has　of

preserving　all　mankind；　and　doing　all　reasonable　things　he　can　in

order　to　that　end。　And　thus　it　is　that　every　man　in　the　state　of

Nature　has　a　power　to　kill　a　murderer；　both　to　deter　others　from　doing

the　like　injury　（which　no　reparation　can　compensate）　by　the　example　of

the　punishment　that　attends　it　from　everybody；　and　also　to　secure

men　from　the　attempts　of　a　criminal　who；　having　renounced　reason；

the　common　rule　and　measure　God　hath　given　to　mankind；　hath；　by　the

unjust　violence　and　slaughter　he　hath　committed　upon　one；　declared　war

against　all　mankind；　and　therefore　may　be　destroyed　as　a　lion　or　a

tiger；　one　of　those　wild　savage　beasts　with　whom　men　can　have　no

society　nor　security。　And　upon　this　is　grounded　that　great　law　of

nature；　〃Whoso　sheddeth　man's　blood；　by　man　shall　his　blood　be

shed。〃　And　Cain　was　so　fully　convinced　that　every　one　had　a　right　to

destroy　such　a　criminal；　that；　after　the　murder　of　his　brother；　he

cries　out；　〃Every　one　that　findeth　me　shall　slay　me；〃　so　plain　was

it　writ　in　the　hearts　of　all　mankind。

　　12。　By　the　same　reason　may　a　man　in　the　state　of　Nature　punish　the

lesser　breaches　of　that　law；　it　will；　perhaps；　be　demanded；　with

death？　I　answer：　Each　transgression　may　be　punished　to　that　degree；

and　with　so　much　severity；　as　will　suffice　to　make　it　an　ill　bargain

to　the　offender；　give　him　cause　to　repent；　and　terrify　others　from

doing　the　like。　Every　offence　that　can　be　committed　in　the　state　of

Nature　may；　in　the　state　of　Nature；　be　also　punished　equally；　and　as

far　forth；　as　it　may；　in　a　commonwealth。　For　though　it　would　be　beside

my　present　purpose　to　enter　here　into　the　particulars　of　the　law　of

Nature；　or　its　measures　of　punishment；　yet　it　is　certain　there　is　such

a　law；　and　that　too　as　intelligible　and　plain　to　a　rational　creature

and　a　studier　of　that　law　as　the　positive　laws　of　commonwealths；

nay；　possibly　plainer；　as　much　as　reason　is　easier　to　be　understood

than　the　fancies　and　intricate　contrivances　of　men；　following　contrary

and　hidden　interests　put　into　words；　for　truly　so　are　a　great　part

of　the　municipal　laws　of　countries；　which　are　only　so　far　right　as

they　are　founded　on　the　law　of　Nature；　by　which　they　are　to　be

regulated　and　interpreted。

　　13。　To　this　strange　doctrine…　viz。；　That　in　the　state　of　Nature

every　one　has　the　executive　power　of　the　law　of　Nature…　I　doubt　not

but　it　will　be　objected　that　it　is　unreasonable　for　men　to　be　judges

in　their　own　cases；　that　self…love　will　make　men　partial　to　themselves

and　their　friends；　and；　on　the　other　side；　ill…nature；　passion；　and

revenge　will　carry　them　too　far　in　punishing　others；　and　hence　nothing

but　confusion　and　disorder　will　follow；　and　that　therefore　God　hath

certainly　appointed　government　to　restrain　the　partiality　and　violence

of　men。　I　easily　grant　that　civil　government　is　the　proper　remedy

for　the　inconveniences　of　the　state　of　Nature；　which　must　certainly　be

great　where　men　may　be　judges　in　their　own　case；　since　it　is　easy　to

be　imagined　that　he　who　was　so　unjust　as　to　do　his　brother　an　injury

will　scarce　be　so　just　as　to　condemn　himself　for　it。　But　I　shall

desire　those　who　make　this　objection　to　remember　that　absolute

monarchs　are　but　men；　and　if　government　is　to　be　the　remedy　of　those

evils　which　necessarily　follow　from　men　being　judges　in　their　own

cases；　and　the　state　of　Nature　is　therefore　not　to　be　endured；　I

desire　to　know　what　kind　of　government　that　is；　and　how　much　better　it

is　than　the　state　of　Nature；　where　one　man　commanding　a　multitude

has　the　liberty　to　be　judge　in　his　own　case；　and　may　do　to　all　his

subjects　whatever　he　pleases　without　the　least　question　or　control

of　those　who　execute　his　pleasure？　and　in　whatsoeve