Of the State of Nature.

     Sect. 4. TO understand political power right, and derive it 
from its original, we must consider, what state all men are 
naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order 
their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as 
they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without 
asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man.

     A state also of equality, wherein all the power and 
jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another; 
there being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the same 
species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages 
of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should also be 
equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection, 
unless the lord and master of them all should, by any manifest 
declaration of his will, set one above another, and confer on 
him, by an evident and clear appointment, an undoubted right to 
dominion and sovereignty.

     Sect. 5. This equality of men by nature, the judicious 
Hooker looks upon as so evident in itself, and beyond all 
question, that he makes it the foundation of that obligation to 
mutual love amongst men, on which he builds the duties they owe 
one another, and from whence he derives the great maxims of 
justice and charity. His words are,

     The like natural inducement hath brought men to know 

   that it is no less their duty, to love others than 

   themselves; for seeing those things which are equal, must 

   needs all have one measure; if I cannot but wish to 

   receive good, even as much at every man's hands, as any 

   man can wish unto his own soul, how should I look to have 

   any part of my desire herein satisfied, unless myself be 

   careful to satisfy the like desire, which is undoubtedly 

   in other men, being of one and the same nature? To have 

   any thing offered them repugnant to this desire, must 

   needs in all respects grieve them as much as me; so that 

   if I do harm, I must look to suffer, there being no 

   reason that others should shew greater measure of love 

   to me, than they have by me shewed unto them: my desire 

   therefore to be loved of my equals in nature as much as 

   possible may be, imposeth upon  me  a  natural duty of 

   bearing to them-ward fully the like affection; from which 

   relation of equality between ourselves and them that are  

   as ourselves, what several rules and canons natural 

   reason  hath drawn, for direction of life, no man is 

   ignorant, Eccl. Pol. Lib. 1.

     Sect. 6. But though this be a state of liberty, yet it is 
not a state of licence: though man in that state have an 
uncontroulable liberty to dispose of his person or possessions, 
yet he has not liberty  to destroy himself, or so much as any 
creature in his possession, but where some nobler use than its 
bare preservation calls for it.  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 being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm 
another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions: for men 
being all the workmanship of one  omnipotent,  and  infinitely  
wise maker; all the servants of one sovereign master, sent into 
the world by his order, and about his business; they are his 
property, whose workmanship they are, made to last during his, 
not one  another's pleasure: and being furnished with like 
faculties, sharing all in one community of nature,  there  cannot  
be  supposed  any such  subordination among us, that may 
authorize us to destroy one another, as if we were made for one 
another's uses, as the inferior ranks of creatures are for our's.  
Every one, as he is bound  to  preserve himself, and not to 
quit his station wilfully, so by the like reason, when his own 
preservation comes not in competition, ought he,  as much as he 
can, to preserve the rest of mankind, and  may  not, unless it 
be to do justice on an offender, take away, or impair the life, 
or what tends to the preservation of the life, the liberty, 
health, limb, or goods of another.

    Sect. 7.  And that all men may be restrained from invading 
others rights, and from doing hurt to one another, and the law of 
nature be observed, which willeth the peace and preservation of