nment; because the descendants of
these being all freemen, if he grants them estates and possessions to
inhabit his country, (without which it would be worth nothing)
whatsoever he grants them, they have, so far as it is granted, property
in. The nature whereof is, that without a man's own consent it cannot be
taken from him.

Sect. 194. Their persons are free by a native right, and their
properties, be they more or less, are their own, and at their own
dispose, and not at his; or else it is no property. Supposing the
conqueror gives to one man a thousand acres, to him and his heirs for
ever; to another he lets a thousand acres for his life, under the rent
of 501. or 5001. per arm. has not the one of these a right to his
thousand acres for ever, and the other, during his life, paying the said
rent? and hath not the tenant for life a property in all that he gets
over and above his rent, by his labour and industry during the said
term, supposing it be double the rent? Can any one say, the king, or
conqueror, after his grant, may by his power of conqueror take away all,
or part of the land from the heirs of one, or from the other during his
life, he paying the rent? or can he take away from either the goods or
money they have got upon the said land, at his pleasure? If he can, then
all free and voluntary contracts cease, and are void in the world; there
needs nothing to dissolve them at any time, but power enough: and all
the grants and promises of men in power are but mockery and collusion:
for can there be any thing more ridiculous than to say, I give you and
your's this for ever, and that in the surest and most solemn way of
conveyance can be devised; and yet it is to be understood, that I have
right, if I please, to take it away from you again to morrow?

Sect. 195. I will not dispute now whether princes are exempt from the
laws of their country; but this I am sure, they owe subjection to the
laws of God and nature. No body, no power, can exempt them from the
obligations of that eternal law. Those are so great, and so strong, in
the case of promises, that omnipotency itself can be tied by them.
Grants, promises, and oaths, are bonds that hold the Almighty: whatever
some flatterers say to princes of the world, who all together, with all
their people joined to them, are, in comparison of the great God, but as
a drop of the bucket, or a dust on the balance, inconsiderable, nothing!

Sect. 196. The short of the case in c