law of nature, that does by this means give us property, does also bound
that property too. God has given us all things richly, 1 Tim. vi. 12.
is the voice of reason confirmed by inspiration. But how far has he
given it us? To enjoy. As much as any one can make use of to any
advantage of life before it spoils, so much he may by his Tabour fix a
property in: whatever is beyond this, is more than his share, and belongs
to others. Nothing was made by God for man to spoil or destroy. And
thus, considering the plenty of natural provisions there was a long time
in the world, and the few spenders; and to how small a part of that
provision the industry of one man could extend itself, and ingross it to
the prejudice of others; especially keeping within the bounds, set by
reason, of what might serve for his use; there could be then little room
for quarrels or contentions about property so established.
Sec. 32. But the chief matter of property being now not the fruits of
the earth, and the beasts that subsist on it, but the earth itself; as
that which takes in and carries with it all the rest; I think it is
plain, that property in that too is acquired as the former. As much land
as a man tills, plants, improves, cultivates, and can use the product of,
so much is his property. He by his labour does, as it were, inclose it
from the common. Nor will it invalidate his right, to say every body
else has an equal title to it; and therefore he cannot appropriate, he
cannot inclose, without the consent of all his fellow-commoners, all
mankind. God, when he gave the world in common to all mankind, commanded
man also to labour, and the penury of his condition required it of him.
God and his reason commanded him to subdue the earth, i.e. improve it for
the benefit of life, and therein lay out something upon it that was his
own, his labour. He that in obedience to this command of God, subdued,
tilled and sowed any part of it, thereby annexed to it something that was
his property, which another had no title to, nor could without injury
take from him.