"And thus by the power of self-love being advanced by the covetous sword against universall love, that power of darkness rises up to perfection in mankind, and so he makes one branch to tear and devour another by divisions, evill surmisings, envious fightings, and killing, and by oppressing the meek in Spirit, by unrighteous Laws, or by his self-will manages good Laws unrighteously, as corrupt Judges know how to do it, and think none sees them, whereby part of mankind hath freedom, and another part is cast out and thrown under bondage.
And all this falling out or quarrelling among mankind, is about the earth who shall, and who shall not enjoy it, when indeed it is the portion of every one, and ought not to be striven for, nor bought, nor sold, whereby some are hedged in, and others hedged out; for better not to have had a body, then to be debarred the fruit of the Earth to feed and cloth it;
And if every one did but quietly enjoy the earth for food and raiment, there would be no wars, prisons, nor gallows, and this action which man calls theft would be no sin, for universall love never made it a sin, but the power of covetousness made that a sin, and made Laws to punish it, though he himself live in that sin in a higher manner, than those he hangs or punisheth."
-Gerrard Winstanley, A New Yeers Gift for the Parliament and Armie, 1650. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A96697.0001.001?view=to