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ad no reason but  to receive him as their king now。  Also (say they) in time past;  when Saul was king over us; thou wast he that reddest out and  broughtest in Israel; and the Lord said unto thee; Thou shalt  feed my people Israel; and thou shalt be a captain over Israel。      Sec。 110。  Thus; whether a family by degrees grew up into a  common…wealth; and the fatherly authority being continued on to  the elder son; every one in his turn growing up under it; tacitly  submitted to it; and the easiness and equality of it not  offending any one; every one acquiesced; till time seemed to have  confirmed it; and settled a right of succession by prescription:  or whether several families; or the descendants of several  families; whom chance; neighbourhood; or business brought  together; uniting into society; the need of a general; whose  conduct might defend them against their enemies in war; and the  great confidence the innocence and sincerity of that poor but  virtuous age; (such as are almost all those which begin  governments; that ever come to last in the world) gave men one of  another; made the first beginners of commonwealths generally put  the rule into one man's hand; without any other express  limitation or restraint; but what the nature of the thing; and  the end of government required: which ever of those it was that  at first put the rule into the hands of a single person; certain  it is no body was intrusted with it but for the public good and  safety; and to those ends; in the infancies of commonwealths;  those who had it commonly used it。  And unless they had done so;  young societies could not have subsisted; without such nursing  fathers tender and careful of the public weal; all governments  would have sunk under the weakness and infirmities of their  infancy; and the prince and the people had soon perished  together。      Sec。 111。  But though the golden age (before vain ambition;  and amor sceleratus habendi; evil concupiscence; had corrupted  men's minds into a mistake of true power and honour) had more  virtue; and consequently better governors; as well as less  vicious subjects; and there was then no stretching prerogative on  the one side; to oppress the people; nor consequently on the  other; any dispute about privilege; to lessen or restrain the  power of the magistrate; and so no contest betwixt rulers and  people about governors or goveernment: yet; when ambition and  luxury in future ages* would retain and increase the power;  without doing the business for which it was given; and aided by  flattery; taught princes to have distinct and separate interests  from their people; men found it necessary to examine more  carefully the original and rights of government; and to find out  ways to restrain the exorbitances; and prevent the abuses of that  power; which they having intrusted in another's hands only for  their own good; they found was made use of to hurt them。      (*At first; when some certain kind of regiment was once  approved; it may be nothing was then farther thought upon for the  manner of governing; but all permitted unto their wisdom and  discretion which were to rule; till by experience they found this  for all parts very inconvenient; so as the thing which they had  devised for a remedy; did indeed but increase the sore which it  should have cured。  They saw; that to live by one man's will;  became the cause of all men's misery。  This constrained them to 

come unto laws wherein all men might see their duty before hand;  and know the penalties of transgressing them。  Hooker's Eccl。  Pol。 l。 i。 sect。 10。)     Sec。 112。  Thus we may see how probable it is; that people  that were naturally free; and by their own consent either  submitted to the government of their father; or united together  out of different families to make a government; should generally  put the rule into one man's hands; and chuse to be under the  conduct of a single person; without so much as by express  conditions limiting or regulating his power; which they thought  safe enough in his honesty and prudence; though they never  dreamed of  monarchy  being  lure Divino; which we never heard of  among mankind; till it was revealed to us by the divinity of this  last age; nor ever allowed paternal power to have a right to  dominion; or to be the foundation of all  government。  And thus  much may suffice to shew; that as far as we have any light from  history; we have reason to conclude; that all peaceful beginnings  of government have been laid in the consent of the people。  I say  peaceful; because I shall have occasion in another place to speak  of conquest; which some esteem a way of beginning of governments。      The other objection I find urged against the beginning of  polities; in the way I have mentioned; is this; viz。      Sec。 113。  That all men being born under government; some or  other; it is impossible any of them should ever be free; and at  liberty to unite together; and begin a new one; or ever be able  to erect a lawful government。      If this argument be good; I ask; how came so many lawful  monarchies into the world? for if any body; upon this  supposition; can shew me any one man in any age of the world free  to begin a lawful monarchy; I will be bound to shew him ten other  free men at liberty; at the same time to unite and begin a new  government under a regal; or any other form; it being  demonstration; that if any one; born under the dominion of  another; may be so free as to have a right to command others in a  new and distinct empire; every one that is born under the  dominion of another may be so free too; and may become a ruler;  or subject; of a distinct separate government。   And so by this  their own principle; either all men; however born; are free; or  else there is but one lawful prince; one lawful government in the  world。  And then they have nothing to do; but barely to shew us  which that is; which when they have done; I doubt not but all  mankind will easily agree to pay obedience to him。      Sec。 114。  Though it be a sufficient answer to their  objection; to shew that it involves them in the same difficulties  that it doth those they use it against; yet I shall endeavour to  discover the weakness of this argument a little farther。    All  men; say they; are born under government; and therefore they  cannot be at liberty to begin a new one。  Every one is born a  subject to his father; or his prince; and is therefore under the  perpetual tie of subjection and allegiance。  It is plain mankind  never owned nor considered any such natural subjection that they  were born in; to one or to the other that tied them; without  their own consents; to a subjection to them and their heirs。      Sec。 115。  For there are no examples so frequent in history;  both sacred and profane; as those of men withdrawing themselves;  and their obedience; from the jurisdiction they were born under;  and the family or community they were bred up in; and setting up  new governments in other places; from whence sprang all that  number of petty commonwealths in the beginning of ages; and which  always multiplied; as long as there was room enough; till the  stronger; or more fortunate; swallowed the weaker; and those  great ones again breaking to pieces; dissolved into lesser  dominions。  All which are so many testimonies against paternal  sovereignty; and plainly prove; that it was not the natural right  of the father descending to his heirs; that made governments in  the beginning; since it was impossible; upon that ground; there 

should have been so many little kingdoms; all must have been but  only one universal monarchy; if men had not been at liberty to  separate themselves from their families; and the government; be  it what it will; that was set up in it; and go and make distinct  commonwealths and other governments; as they thought fit。      Sec。 116。  This has been the practice of the world from its  first beginning to this day; nor is it now any more hindrance to  the freedom of mankind; that they are born under constituted and  ancient polities; that have established laws; and set forms of  government; than if they were born in the woods; amongst the  unconfined inhabitants; that run loose in them: for those; who  would persuade us; that by being born under any government; we  are naturally subjects to it; and have no more any title or  pretence to the freedom of the state of nature; have no other  reason (bating that of paternal power; which we have already  answered) to produce for it; but only; because our fathers or  progenitors passed away their natural liberty; and thereby bound  up themselves and their posterity to a perpetual subjection to  the government; which they themselves submitted to。  It is true;  that whatever engagements or promises any one has made for  himself; he is under the obligation of them; but cannot; by any  compact whatsoever; bind his children or posterity: for his son;  when a man; being altogether as free as the father; any act of  the father can no more give away the liberty of the son; than it  can of any body else: he may indeed annex such conditions to the  land; he enjoyed as a subject of any common…wealth; as may oblige  his son to be of that community; if he will enjoy thos

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