§. 33. God gave the world to men in common, but since He gave it them for
their benefit and the greatest conveniencies of life they were capable to draw
from it, it cannot be supposed He meant it should always remain common and
uncultivated. He gave it to the use of the industrious and rational (and labour
was to be his title to it); not to the fancy or covetousness of the quarrelsome
and contentious. He that had as good left for his improvement as was already
taken up needed not complain, ought not to meddle with what was already
improved by another's labour; if he did it is plain he desired the benefit of
another's pains, which he had no right to, and not the ground which God had
given him, in common with others, to labour on, and whereof there was as good
left as that already possessed, and more than he knew what to do with, or his
industry could reach to.
