Sect. 13. To this strange doctrine, viz. That in the
state of nature every one has the executive power of the law of
nature, I doubt not but it 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 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 pleasure7
and in whatsoever he cloth, whether led by reason, mistake
or passion, must be submitted to7 much better it is in the state
of nature, wherein men are not bound to submit to the unjust will
of another: and if he that judges, judges amiss in his own, or
any other case, he is answerable for it to the rest of mankind.
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