LIBERTY，orfreedom，signifiethproperlytheabsenceofoppositionbyopposition，Imeanexternalimpedimentsofmotion；andmaybeappliednolesstoirrationalandinanimatecreaturesthantorational。Forwhatsoeverissotied，orenvironed，asitcannotmovebutwithinacertainspace，whichspaceisdeterminedbytheoppositionofsomeexternalbody，wesayithathnotlibertytogofurther。Andsoofalllivingcreatures，whilsttheyareimprisoned，orrestrainedwithwallsorchains；andofthewaterwhilstitiskeptinbybanksorvesselsthatotherwisewouldspreaditselfintoalargerspace；weusetosaytheyarenotatlibertytomoveinsuchmanneraswithoutthoseexternalimpedimentstheywould。Butwhentheimpedimentofmotionisintheconstitutionofthethingitself，weusenottosayitwantstheliberty，butthepower，tomove；aswhenastoneliethstill，oramanisfastenedtohisbedbysickness。
Andaccordingtothisproperandgenerallyreceivedmeaningoftheword，afreemanishethat，inthosethingswhichbyhisstrengthandwitheisabletodo，isnothinderedtodowhathehasawillto。
Butwhenthewordsfreeandlibertyareappliedtoanythingbutbodies，theyareabused；forthatwhichisnotsubjecttomotionisnottosubjecttoimpediment：andtherefore，whenitissaid，forexample，thewayisfree，nolibertyofthewayissignified，butofthosethatwalkinitwithoutstop。Andwhenwesayagiftisfree，thereisnotmeantanylibertyofthegift，butofthegiver，thatwasnotboundbyanylaworcovenanttogiveit。Sowhenwespeakfreely，itisnotthelibertyofvoice，orpronunciation，butoftheman，whomnolawhathobligedtospeakotherwisethanhedid。
Lastly，fromtheuseofthewordsfreewill，nolibertycanbeinferredofthewill，desire，orinclination，butthelibertyoftheman；whichconsistethinthis，thathefindsnostopindoingwhathehasthewill，desire，orinclinationtodo。
Fearandlibertyareconsistent：aswhenamanthrowethhisgoodsintotheseaforfeartheshipshouldsink，hedothitneverthelessverywillingly，andmayrefusetodoitifhewill；itisthereforetheactionofonethatwasfree：soamansometimespayshisdebt，onlyforfearofimprisonment，which，becausenobodyhinderedhimfromdetaining，wastheactionofamanatliberty。AndgenerallyallactionswhichmendoinCommonwealths，forfearofthelaw，areactionswhichthedoershadlibertytoomit。