will be objected, that it is unreaſonable for men to be judges in their own caſes, that ſelf-love will make men partial to themſelves and their friends: and on the other ſide, that ill nature, paſſion and revenge will carry them too far in puniſhing others; and hence nothing but confuſion and diſorder will follow, and that therefore God hath certainly appointed government to reſtrain the partiality and violence of men. I eaſily grant, that civil government is the proper remedy for the inconveniencies of the ſtate of nature, which muſt certainly be great, where men may be judges in their own caſe, ſince it is eaſy to be imagined, that he who was ſo unjuſt as to do his brother an injury, will ſcarce be ſo juſt as to condemn himſelf for it: but I ſhall deſire thoſe who make this objection, to remember, that abſolute monarchs are but men; and if government is to be the remedy of thoſe evils, which neceſſarily follow from men's being judges in their own caſes, and the ſtate of nature is therefore not to be endured, I deſire to know what kind of government that is, and how much better it is than the ſtate of nature, where one man, commanding a multitude, has the liberty to be judge in his own caſe, and may do to all his ſubjects whatever he pleaſes, without the leaſt liberty to any one to queſtion or controul thoſe who execute his pleaſure? and in whatſoever he doth, whether led by reaſon, miſtake or paſſion, muſt be ſubmitted to? much better
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