concerning civil government-第38章

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resolved　all　government　into　absolute　tyranny；　and　would　have　all

men　born　to　what　their　mean　souls　fitted　them…　slavery。

　　240。　Here　it　is　like　the　common　question　will　be　made：　Who　shall

be　judge　whether　the　prince　or　legislative　act　contrary　to　their

trust？　This；　perhaps；　ill…affected　and　factious　men　may　spread　amongst

the　people；　when　the　prince　only　makes　use　of　his　due　prerogative。

To　this　I　reply；　The　people　shall　be　judge；　for　who　shall　be　judge

whether　his　trustee　or　deputy　acts　well　and　according　to　the　trust

reposed　in　him；　but　he　who　deputes　him　and　must；　by　having　deputed

him；　have　still　a　power　to　discard　him　when　he　fails　in　his　trust？

If　this　be　reasonable　in　particular　cases　of　private　men；　why　should

it　be　otherwise　in　that　of　the　greatest　moment；　where　the　welfare　of

millions　is　concerned　and　also　where　the　evil；　if　not　prevented；　is

greater；　and　the　redress　very　difficult；　dear；　and　dangerous？

　　241。　But；　farther；　this　question；　Who　shall　be　judge？　cannot　mean

that　there　is　no　judge　at　all。　For　where　there　is　no　judicature　on

earth　to　decide　controversies　amongst　men；　God　in　heaven　is　judge。

He　alone；　it　is　true；　is　judge　of　the　right。　But　every　man　is　judge

for　himself；　as　in　all　other　cases　so　in　this；　whether　another　hath

put　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with　him；　and　whether　he　should　appeal

to　the　supreme　judge；　as　Jephtha　did。

　　242。　If　a　controversy　arise　betwixt　a　prince　and　some　of　the

people　in　a　matter　where　the　law　is　silent　or　doubtful；　and　the

thing　be　of　great　consequence；　I　should　think　the　proper　umpire　in

such　a　case　should　be　the　body　of　the　people。　For　in　such　cases

where　the　prince　hath　a　trust　reposed　in　him；　and　is　dispensed　from

the　common；　ordinary　rules　of　the　law；　there；　if　any　men　find

themselves　aggrieved；　and　think　the　prince　acts　contrary　to；　or　beyond

that　trust；　who　so　proper　to　judge　as　the　body　of　the　people　（who　at

first　lodged　that　trust　in　him）　how　far　they　meant　it　should　extend？

But　if　the　prince；　or　whoever　they　be　in　the　administration；　decline

that　way　of　determination；　the　appeal　then　lies　nowhere　but　to　Heaven。

Force　between　either　persons　who　have　no　known　superior　on　earth　or；

which　permits　no　appeal　to　a　judge　on　earth；　being　properly　a　state　of

war；　wherein　the　appeal　lies　only　to　heaven；　and　in　that　state　the

injured　party　must　judge　for　himself　when　he　will　think　fit　to　make

use　of　that　appeal　and　put　himself　upon　it。

　　243。　To　conclude。　The　power　that　every　individual　gave　the　society

when　he　entered　into　it　can　never　revert　to　the　individuals　again；

as　long　as　the　society　lasts；　but　will　always　remain　in　the　community；

because　without　this　there　can　be　no　community…　no　commonwealth；　which

is　contrary　to　the　original　agreement；　so　also　when　the　society　hath

placed　the　legislative　in　any　assembly　of　men；　to　continue　in　them　and

their　successors；　with　direction　and　authority　for　providing　such

successors；　the　legislative　can　never　revert　to　the　people　whilst　that

government　lasts：　because；　having　provided　a　legislative　with　power　to

continue　for　ever；　they　have　given　up　their　political　power　to　the

legislative；　and　cannot　resume　it。　But　if　they　have　set　limits　to

the　duration　of　their　legislative；　and　made　this　supreme　power　in

any　person　or　assembly　only　temporary；　or　else　when；　by　the

miscarriages　of　those　in　authority；　it　is　forfeited；　upon　the

forfeiture　of　their　rulers；　or　at　the　determination　of　the　time　set；

it　reverts　to　the　society；　and　the　people　have　a　right　to　act　as

supreme；　and　continue　the　legislative　in　themselves　or　place　it　in　a

new　form；　or　new　hands；　as　they　think　good。





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