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[limr11]

Everyone, as he is bound to preserve himself, and not to quit his stations wilfully, so by the like reason, when his own preservation comes not in competition, ought he...

 

[limr11]

as much as he can, to preserve the rest of mankind, and may not, unless it be to do justice on an offender, take away, or impair the life, or what tends to the preservation of the life, the liberty, health, limb, or goods of another.

 

[limr11]

And that all men may be restrained from invading others rights, and from doing hurt to one another, and the law of nature observed,

 

[limr11]

which willeth the peace an dpreservation of all mankind, the execution of the law of nature is, in that state,

 

[limr11]

put into every man's hands, whereby every one has a right to punish the transgressors of that law to such a degree, as may hinder its violation:

 

[limr11]

(Vigilantism for everyone! Locke's buying!)

 

[limr11]

for the law of nature would, as all other laws that concern men in this world 'be in vain, if there were nno body that in the state of nature had a power to execute that law, and thereby preserve the innocent and restrain offenders.

 

[limr11]

And if any one in the state of nature may punish another for any evil he has done, every one may do so:

 

[limr11]

for in that state of perfect equality, where naturally there is no superiority or jurisdiction of one over another, what any may do in the prosecution of that law, every one must needs have a right to do.

 

[limr11]

One more paragraph and we should hit 975...

 

[limr11]

And thus, in the state of nature, one man comes by a power over another;

 

[limr11]

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;

 

[limr11]

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:

 

[limr11]

for these two are the only reasons, why one man may lawfully do harm to another, which is that we call punishment.

 

[limr11]

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 Got has set to the actions of men, for their mutual security;