In transgressing the law of nature, the offender declares himself to live by another rule than that of reason and common equity.
The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts.
Freedom of speech is the great bulwark of liberty; they prosper and die together.
The great and chief end, therefore, of men's uniting into commonwealths and putting themselves under government is the preservation of their property.
Freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to everyone, and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, arbitrary will of another man.
The church has no power to enforce obedience, neither have any laws they made for that purpose, any binding force on anyone, but by his own consent.
The end of government is the good of mankind.
12.The legislative cannot transfer the power of making laws to any other hands, for it being but a delegated power from the people, they who have it cannot pass it over to others.
The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property.
The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others.
No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience.
The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that... no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.
All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.
Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.
The business of education is not to make the young perfect in any one of the sciences, but so to open and dispose their minds as may make them capable of any, when they shall apply themselves to it.
Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him.
The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it.
New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.
The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.