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nted: for without this the law could not have that; which is  absolutely necessary to its being a law; * the consent of the  society; over whom no body can have a power to make laws; but by  their own consent; and by authority received from them; and  therefore all the obedience; which by the most solemn ties any  one can be obliged to pay; ultimately terminates in this supreme  power; and is directed by those laws which it enacts: nor can any  oaths to any foreign power whatsoever; or any domestic  subordinate power; discharge any member of the society from his  obedience to the legislative; acting pursuant to their trust; nor  oblige him to any obedience contrary to the laws so enacted; or  farther than they do allow; it being ridiculous to imagine one  can be tied ultimately to obey any power in the society; which is  not the supreme。      (*The lawful power of making laws to command whole politic  societies of men; belonging so properly unto the same intire  societies; that for any prince or potentate of what kind soever  upon earth; to exercise the same of himself; and not by express  commission immediately and personally received from God; or else  by authority derived at the first from their consent; upon whose  persons they impose laws; it is no better than mere tyranny。   Laws they are not therefore which public approbation hath not  made so。  Hooker's Eccl。 Pol。 l。 i。 sect。 10。  Of this point  therefore we are to note; that sith men naturally have no full  and perfect power to command whole politic multitudes of men;  therefore utterly without our consent; we could in such sort be  at no man's commandment living。  And to be commanded we do  consent; when that society; whereof we be a part; hath at any  time before consented; without revoking the same after by the  like universal agreement。      Laws therefore human; of what kind so ever; are available by  consent。  Ibid。)      Sec。 135。  Though the legislative; whether placed in one or  more; whether it be always in being; or only by intervals; though  it be the supreme power in every common…wealth; yet;      First; It is not; nor can possibly be absolutely arbitrary  over the lives and fortunes of the people: for it being but the  joint power of every member of the society given up to that  person; or assembly; which is legislator; it can be no more than  those persons had in a state of nature before they entered into  society; and gave up to the community: for no body can transfer  to another more power than he has in himself; and no body has an  absolute arbitrary power over himself; or over any other; to  destroy his own life; or take away the life or property of  another。  A man; as has been proved; cannot subject himself to  the arbitrary power of another; and having in the state of nature  no arbitrary power over the life; liberty; or possession of  another; but only so much as the law of nature gave him for the  preservation of himself; and the rest of mankind; this is all he  cloth; or can give up to the common…wealth; and by it to the  legislative power; so that the legislative can have no more than  this。   Their power; in the utmost bounds of it; is limited to  the public good of the society。  It is a power; that hath no  other end but preservation; and therefore can never* have a right  to destroy; enslave; or designedly to impoverish the subjects。   The obligations of the law of nature cease not in society; but  only in many cases are drawn closer; and have by human laws known 

penalties annexed to them; to inforce their observation。  Thus  the law of nature stands as an eternal rule to all men;  legislators as well as others。  The rules that they make for  other men's actions; must; as well as their own and other men's  actions; be conformable to the law of nature; i。e。  to the will  of God; of which that is a declaration; and the fundamental law  of nature being the preservation of mankind; no human sanction  can be good; or valid against it。      (*Two foundations there are which bear up public societies;  the one a natural inclination; whereby 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

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