Sect. 7. And that all men may be restrained from invading
others rights, and from doing hurt to one another, and the law of
nature be observed, which willeth the peace and preservation of
all mankind, the execution of the law of nature is, in that
state, 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: for the law of nature would, as all other
laws that concern men in this world 'be in vain, if there were no
body that in the state of nature had a power to execute that
law, and thereby preserve the innocent and restrain offenders.
And if any one in the state of nature may punish another for any
evil he has done, every one may do so: for in that state of
perfect equality, where naturally there is no superiority or
jurisdiction of one over another, what any may do in prosecution
of that law, every one must needs have a right to do.
Sect. 8. And thus, in the state of nature, one man comes by
a power over another; 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;
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:
for these two are the only reasons, why one man may lawfully do
harm to another, which is that we call punishment.
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