On Liberty by John Winthrop

          On Liberty by John Winthrop (1588-1649)

John Winthrop was born to an established family in Suffolk Country, England. He was educated at Cambridge University. He was a governor of the Massachusetts. He was an passionately religious person.

Winthrop point out “For the other point concerning liberty, I observe a great mistake in the country about that. There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to man with beasts and other creatures. By this, man, as he stands in relation to man simply, hath liberty to do what he lists; it is a liberty to evil as well as to good. This liberty is incompatible and inconsistent with authority and cannot endure the least restraint of the most just authority. The exercise and maintaining of this liberty makes men grow more evil and in time to be worse than brute beasts: omnes sumus licentia deteriores. This is that great enemy of truth and peace, that wild beast, which all of the ordinances of God are bent against, to restrain and subdue it. The other kind of liberty I call civil or federal; it may also be termed moral, in reference to the covenant between God and man, in the moral law, and the politic covenants and constitutions amongst men themselves. This liberty is the proper end and object of authority and cannot subsist without it; and it is a liberty to that only which is good, just, and honest. This liberty you are to stand for, with the hazard (not only of your goods, but) of your lives, if need be. Whatsoever crosseth this is not authority but a distemper thereof. This liberty is maintained and exercised in a way of subjection to authority; it is of the same kind of liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.”

In accordance to this paragraph, it is good to know that we the people can enjoy and presence the liberty rendered in this country. Of course, to have too much of one thing is never good. In this case, too much liberty can be detrimental to the order amongst people. People in general can end up doing more harm than good if too much liberty is rendered. Coming back to the point, it’s good to have liberty so long that there's order maintaining control.

As natural people, I have the freedom to do wherever it is good or bad but I disagree with Winthrop when he point out “I observe a great mistake in the country about that. There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal.” It is not this Country because it is good to be free. I think, it is not out natural because not all people are corrupt. Only some people take advantage of this power because they have the freedom to do wherever they want to do with their life. So, some individuals are making wrong decisions. For example, some people are using a lot of drugs and drinks. Consequently, they are committing crime. Some people are doing very well by themselves legitimate in the eye of God and authority.