§. 17. And hence it is that he who attempts to get another man into his
absolute power does thereby put himself into a state of war with him; it being
to be understood as a declaration of a design upon his life. For I have reason
to conclude that he who would get me into his power without my consent would
use me as he pleased when he had got me there, and destroy me too when he had a
fancy to it; for nobody can desire to have me in his absolute power unless it
be to compel me by force to that which is against the right of my freedom
— i.e. make me a slave. To be free from such force is the only security of
my preservation, and reason bids me look on him as an enemy to my preservation
who would take away that freedom which is the fence to it; so that he who makes
an attempt to enslave me thereby puts himself into a state of war with me. He
that in the state of Nature would take away the freedom that belongs to any one
in that state must necessarily be supposed to have a design to take away
everything else, that freedom being the foundation of all the rest; as he that
in the state of society would take away the freedom belonging to those of that
society or commonwealth must be supposed to design to take away from them
everything else, and so be looked on as in a state of war.
