On the Foundation of Civil Government. 493 



right of a parent to educate his children in his 

 own way, the right of following the didates of 

 confcience in matters of religion, the right of 

 refifting a fudden attempt to deprive one of life, 

 &c. are fuch as have no equivalent to my know- 

 ledge in any thing that fociety can beftow. It 

 cannot therefore in equity be prefumed that 

 thefe rights are renounced on becoming a m.em- 

 ber of political fociety, nor can fociety be pre- 

 fumed to require the renunciation of that, which 

 it cannot purchafe by an equivalent. 



VI. By Prop. III. i^feq. wherever the power 

 or dominion delegated is inconfiftent with the 

 obje6t of civil fociety, for which alone it was 

 delegated, the perfons delegating muft have a 

 right of recalling or annulling partially or totally, 

 as circumftances may require, that power which 

 no longer anfwers the ends of its creation. CeJ- 



Jante ratione cejfat et ifja lex. Hence alfo, the 

 propriety of frequent revifions of political con- 

 ftitutions. For experience alone can determine 

 the kind and degree of power which is abfolutely 

 necefiary and no more, to effed the purpofes 

 of civil fociety. With refped to which indeed 

 our knowledge hitherto feems in its infancy. 



VII. In cafe of any difpute refpeding autho- 

 rity claimed, the burden of proof lies rigoroufly 

 upon the claimants. For it is ftridly incum- 

 bent on every man before he ads, to be certain 

 that he is not about to do an ad of injuftice, 



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