第27章

LIBERTY，orfreedom，signifiethproperlytheabsenceofopposition(byopposition，Imeanexternalimpedimentsofmotion)；andmaybeappliednolesstoirrationalandinanimatecreaturesthantorational。Forwhatsoeverissotied，orenvironed，asitcannotmovebutwithinacertainspace，whichspaceisdeterminedbytheoppositionofsomeexternalbody，wesayithathnotlibertytogofurther。Andsoofalllivingcreatures，whilsttheyareimprisoned，orrestrainedwithwallsorchains；andofthewaterwhilstitiskeptinbybanksorvesselsthatotherwisewouldspreaditselfintoalargerspace；weusetosaytheyarenotatlibertytomoveinsuchmanneraswithoutthoseexternalimpedimentstheywould。Butwhentheimpedimentofmotionisintheconstitutionofthethingitself，weusenottosayitwantstheliberty，butthepower，tomove；aswhenastoneliethstill，oramanisfastenedtohisbedbysickness。

Andaccordingtothisproperandgenerallyreceivedmeaningoftheword，afreemanishethat，inthosethingswhichbyhisstrengthandwitheisabletodo，isnothinderedtodowhathehasawillto。

Butwhenthewordsfreeandlibertyareappliedtoanythingbutbodies，theyareabused；forthatwhichisnotsubjecttomotionisnottosubjecttoimpediment：andtherefore，whenitissaid，forexample，thewayisfree，nolibertyofthewayissignified，butofthosethatwalkinitwithoutstop。Andwhenwesayagiftisfree，thereisnotmeantanylibertyofthegift，butofthegiver，thatwasnotboundbyanylaworcovenanttogiveit。Sowhenwespeakfreely，itisnotthelibertyofvoice，orpronunciation，butoftheman，whomnolawhathobligedtospeakotherwisethanhedid。

Lastly，fromtheuseofthewordsfreewill，nolibertycanbeinferredofthewill，desire，orinclination，butthelibertyoftheman；whichconsistethinthis，thathefindsnostopindoingwhathehasthewill，desire，orinclinationtodo。

Fearandlibertyareconsistent：aswhenamanthrowethhisgoodsintotheseaforfeartheshipshouldsink，hedothitneverthelessverywillingly，andmayrefusetodoitifhewill；itisthereforetheactionofonethatwasfree：soamansometimespayshisdebt，onlyforfearofimprisonment，which，becausenobodyhinderedhimfromdetaining，wastheactionofamanatliberty。AndgenerallyallactionswhichmendoinCommonwealths，forfearofthelaw，areactionswhichthedoershadlibertytoomit。

Libertyandnecessityareconsistent：asinthewaterthathathnotonlyliberty，butanecessityofdescendingbythechannel；so，likewiseintheactionswhichmenvoluntarilydo，which，becausetheyproceedtheirwill，proceedfromliberty，andyetbecauseeveryactofman’swillandeverydesireandinclinationproceedethfromsomecause，andthatfromanothercause，inacontinualchain(whosefirstlinkisinthehandofGod，thefirstofallcauses)，proceedfromnecessity。Sothattohimthatcouldseetheconnexionofthosecauses，thenecessityofallmen’svoluntaryactionswouldappearmanifest。AndthereforeGod，thatseethanddisposethallthings，seethalsothatthelibertyofmanindoingwhathewillisaccompaniedwiththenecessityofdoingthatwhichGodwillandnomore，norless。ForthoughmenmaydomanythingswhichGoddoesnotcommand，noristhereforeauthorofthem；yettheycanhavenopassion，norappetitetoanything，ofwhichappetiteGod’swillisnotthecause。AnddidnotHiswillassurethenecessityofman’swill，andconsequentlyofallthatonman’swilldependeth，thelibertyofmenwouldbeacontradictionandimpedimenttotheomnipotenceandlibertyofGod。Andthisshallsuffice，astothematterinhand，ofthatnaturalliberty，whichonlyisproperlycalledliberty。

Butasmen，fortheattainingofpeaceandconservationofthemselvesthereby，havemadeanartificialman，whichwecallaCommonwealth；soalsohavetheymadeartificialchains，calledcivillaws，whichtheythemselves，bymutualcovenants，havefastenedatoneendtothelipsofthatman，orassembly，towhomtheyhavegiventhesovereignpower，andattheothertotheirownears。Thesebonds，intheirownnaturebutweak，mayneverthelessbemadetohold，bythedanger，thoughnotbythedifficultyofbreakingthem。

InrelationtothesebondsonlyitisthatIamtospeaknowofthelibertyofsubjects。ForseeingthereisnoCommonwealthintheworldwhereinthereberuleseno