second treatise of government-第8章

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seems　no　more　than　　that　duty；　which　God　and　nature　has　laid　on　man；　as　well　as　other　　creatures；　to　preserve　their　offspring；　till　they　can　be　able　to　　shift　for　themselves；　and　will　scarce　amount　to　an　instance　or　　proof　of　parents　regal　authority。　　　　　　Sec。　61。　　Thus　we　are　born　free；　as　we　are　born　rational；　　not　that　we　have　actually　the　exercise　of　either：　age；　that　　brings　one；　brings　with　it　the　other　too。　　And　thus　we　see　how　　natural　freedom　and　subjection　to　parents　may　consist　together；　　and　are　both　founded　on　the　same　principle。　　A　child　is　free　　by　his　father's　title；　by　his　father's　understanding；　which　is　to　　govern　him　till　he　hath　it　of　his　own。　　The　freedom　of　a　man　at　　years　of　discretion；　and　the　subjection　of　a　child　to　his　　parents；　whilst　yet　short　of　that　age；　are　so　consistent；　and　　so　distinguishable；　that　the　most　blinded　contenders　for　　monarchy；　by　right　of　fatherhood；　cannot　miss　this　　difference；　the　most　obstinate　cannot　but　allow　their　　consistency：　for　were　their　doctrine　all　true；　were　the　right　　heir　of　Adam　now　known；　and　by　that　title　settled　a　monarch　in　　his　throne；　invested　with　all　the　absolute　unlimited　power　Sir　　Robert　Filmer　talks　of；　if　he　should　die　as　soon　as　his　heir　　were　born；　must　not　the　child；　notwithstanding　he　were　never　so　　free；　never　so　much　sovereign；　be　in　subjection　to　his　mother　and　　nurse；　to　tutors　and　governors；　till　age　and　education　brought　　him　reason　and　ability　to　govern　himself　and　others？　　The　　necessities　of　his　life；　the　health　of　his　body；　and　the　　information　of　his　mind；　would　require　him　to　be　directed　by　the　　will　of　others；　and　not　his　own；　and　yet　will　any　one　think；　that　　this　restraint　and　subjection　were　inconsistent　with；　or　spoiled　　him　of　that　liberty　or　sovereignty　he　had　a　right　to；　or　gave　　away　his　empire　to　those　who　had　the　government　of　his　nonage？　　　This　government　over　him　only　prepared　him　the　better　and　sooner　　for　it。　　If　any　body　should　ask　me；　when　my　son　is　of　age　to　be　　free？　　I　shall　answer；　just　when　his　monarch　is　of　age　to　　govern。　　But　at　what　time；　says　the　judicious　Hooker；　Eccl。　　Pol。　l。　i。　sect。　6。　　a　man　may　be　said　to　have　attained　so　far　　forth　the　use　of　reason；　as　sufficeth　to　make　him　capable　of　　those　laws　whereby　he　is　then　bound　to　guide　his　actions：　this　is　　a　great　deal　more　easy　for　sense　to　discern；　than　for　any　one　by　　skill　and　learning　to　determine。　　　　　　Sec。　62。　　Common…wealths　themselves　take　notice　of；　and　　allow；　that　there　is　a　time　when　men　are　to　begin　to　act　like　

free　men；　and　therefore　till　that　time　require　not　oaths　of　　fealty；　or　allegiance；　or　other　public　owning　of；　or　submission　　to　the　government　of　their　countries。　　　　　　Sec。　63。　　The　freedom　then　of　man；　and　liberty　of　acting　　according　to　his　own　will；　is　grounded　on　his　having　reason；　　which　is　able　to　instruct　him　in　that　law　he　is　to　govern　himself　　by；　and　make　him　know　how　far　he　is　left　to　the　freedom　of　his　　own　will。　　To　turn　him　loose　to　an　unrestrained　liberty；　before　　he　has　reason　to　guide　him；　is　not　the　allowing　him　the　privilege　　of　his　nature　to　be　free；　but　to　thrust　him　out　amongst　brutes；　　and　abandon　him　to　a　state　as　wretched；　and　as　much　beneath　that　　of　a　man；　as　their's。　　This　is　that　which　puts　the　authority　　into　the　parents　hands　to　govern　the　minority　of　their　　children。　　God　hath　made　it　their　business　to　employ　this　care　on　　their　offspring；　and　hath　placed　in　them　suitable　inclinations　of　　tenderness　and　concern　to　temper　this　power；　to　apply　it；　as　his　　wisdom　designed　it；　to　the　children's　good；　as　long　as　they　　should　need　to　be　under　it。　　　　　　Sec。　64。　　But　what　reason　can　hence　advance　this　care　of　the　　parents　due　to　their　off…spring　into　an　absolute　arbitrary　　dominion　of　the　father；　whose　power　reaches　no　farther；　than　by　　such　a　discipline；　as　he　finds　most　effectual；　to　give　such　　strength　and　health　to　their　bodies；　such　vigour　and　rectitude　to　　their　minds；　as　may　best　fit　his　children　to　be　most　useful　to　　themselves　and　others；　and；　if　it　be　necessary　to　his　condition；　　to　make　them　work；　when　they　are　able；　for　their　own　subsistence。　　　But　in　this　power　the　mother　too　has　her　share　with　the　　father。　　　　　　Sec。　65。　　Nay；　this　power　so　little　belongs　to　the　　father　by　any　peculiar　right　of　nature；　but　only　as　he　is　　guardian　of　his　children；　that　when　he　quits　his　care　of　them；　he　　loses　his　power　over　them；　which　goes　along　with　their　　nourishment　and　education；　to　which　it　is　inseparably　annexed；　　and　it　belongs　as　much　to　the　foster…father　of　an　exposed　　child；　as　to　the　natural　father　of　another。　　So　little　power　does　　the　bare　act　of　begetting　give　a　man　over　his　issue；　if　all　his　　care　ends　there；　and　this　be　all　the　title　he　hath　to　the　name　　and　authority　of　a　father。　　And　what　will　become　of　this　　paternal　power　in　that　part　of　the　world；　where　one　woman　hath　　more　than　one　husband　at　a　time？　or　in　those　parts　of　America；　　where；　when　the　husband　and　wife　part；　which　happens　frequently；　　the　children　are　all　left　to　the　mother；　follow　her；　and　are　　wholly　under　her　care　and　provision？　If　the　father　die　whilst　the　　children　are　young；　do　they　not　naturally　every　where　owe　the　　same　obedience　to　their　mother；　during　their　minority；　as　to　　their　father　were　he　alive？　and　will　any　one　say；　that　the　mother　　hath　a　legislative　power　over　her　children？　that　she　can　make　　standing　rules；　which　shall　be　of　perpetual　obligation；　by　which　　they　ought　to　regulate　all　the　concerns　of　their　property；　and　　bound　their　liberty　all　the　course　of　their　lives？　or　can　she　　inforce　the　observation　of　them　with　capital　punishments？　for　　this　is　the　proper　power　of　the　magistrate；　of　which　the　father　　hath　not　so　much　as　the　shadow。　　His　command　over　his　children　is　　but　temporary；　and　reaches　not　their　life　or　property：　it　is　but　　a　help　to　the　weakness　and　imperfection　of　their　nonage；　a　　discipline　necessary　to　their　education：　and　though　a　father　　may　dispose　of　his　own　possessions　as　he　pleases；　when　his　　children　are　out　of　danger　of　perishing　for　want；　yet　his　power　　extends　not　to　the　lives　or　goods；　which　either　their　own　　industry；　or　another's　bounty　has　made　their's；　nor　to　their　　liberty　neither；　when　they　are　once　arrived　to　the　　infranchisement　of　the　years　of　discretion。　　The　father's　　empire　then　ceases；　and　he　can　from　thence　forwards　no　more　　dispose　of　the　liberty　of　his　son；　than　that　of　any　other　man：　　and　it　must　be　far　from　an　absolute　or　perpetual　jurisdiction；　　from　which　a　man　may　withdraw　himself；　having　license　from　divine　

authority　to　leave　father　and　mother；　and　cleave　to　his　wife。　　　　　　　Sec。　66。　　But　though　there　be　a　time　when　a　child　comes　to　　be　as　free　from　subjection　to　the　will　and　command　of　his　　father；　as　the　father　himself　is　free　from　subjection　to　the　will　　of　any　body　else；　and　they　are　each　under　no　other　restraint；　but　　that　which　is　common　to　them　both；　whether　it　be　the　law　of　　nature；　or　municipal　law　of　their　country；　yet　this　freedom　　exempts　not　a　son　from　that　honour　which　he　ought；　by　the　law　　of　God　and　nature；　to　pay　his　parents。　　God　having　made　the　　parents　instruments　in　his　great　design　of　continuing　the　race　of　　mankind；　and　the　occasions　of　life　to　their　children；　as　he　hath　　laid　on　them　an　obligation　to　nourish；　preserve；　and　bring　up　　their　offspring；　so　he　has　laid　on　the　children　a　perpetual　　obligation　of　honouring　their　parents；　which　containing　in　it　　an　inward　esteem　and　reverence　to　be　shewn　by　all　outward　　expressions；　ties　up　the　child　from　any　thing　that　may　ever　　injure　or　affront；　disturb　or　endanger；　the　happiness　or　life　of　　those　from　whom　he　received　his；　and　engages　him　in　all　actions　　of　defence；　relief；　assistance　and　comfort　of　those；　by　whose　　means　he　entered　into　being；　and　has　been　made　capable　of　any　　enjoyments　of　life：　from　this　obligation　no　state；　no　freedom　can　　absolve　children。　　But　this　is　very　far　from　giving　parents　a　　power　of　command　over　their　children；　or　an　authority　to　make　　laws　and　dispose　as　they　please　of　their　lives　or　liberties。　　It　　is　one　thing　to　owe　honour；　respect；　gratitude　and　assistance；　　another　to　require　an　absolute　obedience　and　submission。　　The　　honour　due　to　parents；　a　monarch　in　his　throne　owes　his　mother；　　and　yet　this　lessens　not　his　authority；　nor　subjects　him　to　her　　government。　　　　　　Sec。　67。　　The　subjection　of　a　minor　places　in　the　father　a　　temporary　government；　which　terminates　with　the　minority　of　the　　child：　and　the　honour　due　from　a　child；　places　in　the　parents　a　　perpetual　right　to　respect；　reverence；　support　and　compliance　　too；　more　or　less；　as　the　father's　care；　cost；　and　kindness　in　　his　education；　has　been　more　or　less。　　This　ends　not　with　　minority；　but　holds　in　all　parts　and　conditions　of　a　man's　life。　　　The　want　of　distinguishing　these　two　powers；　viz。　that　which　　the　father　hath　in　the　right　of　tuition；　during　minority；　and　　the　right　of　honour　all　his　life；　may　perhaps　have　caused　a　　great　part　of　the　mistakes　about　this　matter：　for　to　speak　　properly　of　them；　the　first　of　these　is　rather　the　privilege　of　　children；　and　duty　of　parents；　than　any　prerogative　of　paternal　　power。　　The　nourishment　and　education　of　their　children　is　a　　charge　so　incumbent　on　parents　for　their　children's　good；　that　　nothing　can　absolve　them　from　taking　care　of　it：　and　though　the　　power　of　commanding　and　chastising　them　go　along　with　it；　yet　　God　hath　woven　into　the　principles　of　human　nature　such　a　　tenderness　for　their　off…spring；　that　there　is　little　fear　that　　parents　should　use　their　power　with　too　much　rigour；　the　excess　　is　seldom　on　the　severe　side；　the　strong　byass　of　nature　drawing　　the　other　way。　　And　therefore　God　almighty　when　he　would　express　　his　gentle　dealing　with　the　Israelites；　he　tells　them；　that　　though　he　chastened　them；　he　chastened　them　as　a　man　chastens　　his　son；　Deut。　viii。　5。　i。e。　with　tenderness　and　affection；　　and　kept　them　under　no　severer　discipline　than　what　was　　absolutely　best　for　them；　and　had　been　less　kindness　to　have　　slackened。　　This　is　that　power　to　which　children　are　commanded　　obedience；　that　the　pains　and　care　of　their　parents　may　not　be　　increased；　or　ill　rewarded。　　　　　　Sec。　68。　　On　the　other　side；　honour　and　support；　all　　that　which　gratitude　requires　to　return　for　the　benefits　received　　by　and　from　them；　is　the　indispensable　duty　of　the　child；　and　the　　proper　privilege　of　the　parents。　　This　is　intended　for　the　　parents　advantage；　as　the　other　is　for　the　child's；　though　　education；　the　parents　duty；　seems　to　have　most　power；　because　　the　ignorance　and　infirmities　of　childhood　stand　in　need　of　

restraint　and　correction；　which　is　a　visible　exercise　of　rule；　　and　a　kind　of　dominion。　　And　that　duty　which　is　comprehended　in　　the　word　honour；　requires　less　obedience；　though　the　obligation　　be　stronger　on　grown；　than　younger　children：　for　who　can　think　　the　command；　Children　obey　your　parents；　requires　in　a　man；　　that　has　children　of　his　own；　the　same　submission　to　his　father；　　as　it　does　in　his　yet　young　children　to　him；　and　that　by　this　　precept　he　were　bound　to　obey　all　his　father's　commands；　if；　out　　of　a　conceit　of　authority；　he　should　have　the　indiscretion　to　　treat　him　still　as　a　boy？　　　　　　Sec。　69。　　The　first　part　then　of　paternal　power；　or　rat