4^2 On the Foundation of Civil Government 



eafily remembered. I cannot fay, however, that 

 I have accompliflied my own ideas in thefe re- 

 fpeds ; but where I have failed, 1 hope fome 

 other will fucceed. At any rate, different modes 

 of ftating the fame points cannot but have their 

 ufe, efpecially on a fubjed fo important, and 

 of fuch direft and extenfive application. 



Prop. I. The right of exercifing political 

 povver is either derived entirely from the confent 

 of the people over whom it is exercifed, or it 

 is not. If not, from whence is it derived ? 



Ten anfwers may in efFeft be given to this 

 queftion : of which the moft part have already 

 been propofed and defended refpeftively by 

 writers exprefsly on the fubjeft. 



I, It has been Jaid to he of divine appointment — 

 derived from God, 



But which particular government is of divine 

 appointment ? * What particular form of govern- 

 ment did he appoint ? To what man, or fet of 

 men, did he concede this political authority ? 

 What were the terms of the grant ? Was it to 

 him or them only to whom it was originally 

 granted, or to their pofterity alfo ? Over how 

 many men, or how many nations was this domi- 



* 1 have fometimes ftated the medium of proof direftly, 

 and fometimes in the form of a queftion, as it occurred. 

 The latter mode is often fhorter and naore familiar. 



nion 



