第28章

Ifamanbeinterrogatedbythesovereign，orhisauthority，concerningacrimedonebyhimself，heisnotbound(withoutassuranceofpardon)toconfessit；becausenoman，asIhaveshowninthesamechapter，canbeobligedbycovenanttoaccusehimself。

Again，theconsentofasubjecttosovereignpoweriscontainedinthesewords，“Iauthorise，ortakeuponme，allhisactions“；inwhichthereisnorestrictionatallofhisownformernaturalliberty：

forbyallowinghimtokillme，Iamnotboundtokillmyselfwhenhecommandsme。Itisonethingtosay，“Killme，ormyfellow，ifyouplease“；anotherthingtosay，“Iwillkillmyself，ormyfellow。“

Itfolloweth，therefore，thatNomanisboundbythewordsthemselves，eithertokillhimselforanyotherman；andconsequently，thattheobligationamanmaysometimeshave，uponthecommandofthesovereign，toexecuteanydangerousordishonourableoffice，dependethnotonthewordsofoursubmission，butontheintention；whichistobeunderstoodbytheendthereof。Whenthereforeourrefusaltoobeyfrustratestheendforwhichthesovereigntywasordained，thenthereisnolibertytorefuse；otherwise，thereis。

Uponthisgroundamanthatiscommandedasasoldiertofightagainsttheenemy，thoughhissovereignhaverightenoughtopunishhisrefusalwithdeath，mayneverthelessinmanycasesrefuse，withoutinjustice；aswhenhesubstitutethasufficientsoldierinhisplace：forinthiscasehedesertethnottheserviceoftheCommonwealth。Andthereisallowancetobemadefornaturaltimorousness，notonlytowomen(ofwhomnosuchdangerousdutyisexpected)，butalsotomenoffemininecourage。Whenarmiesfight，thereisononeside，orboth，arunningaway；yetwhentheydoitnotoutoftreachery，butfear，theyarenotesteemedtodoitunjustly，butdishonourably。Forthesamereason，toavoidbattleisnotinjustice，butcowardice。Buthethatenrollethhimselfasoldier，ortakethimpressedmoney，takethawaytheexcuseofatimorousnature，andisobliged，notonlytogotothebattle，butalsonottorunfromitwithouthiscaptain’sleave。AndwhenthedefenceoftheCommonwealthrequirethatoncethehelpofallthatareabletobeararms，everyoneisobliged；becauseotherwisetheinstitutionoftheCommonwealth，whichtheyhavenotthepurposeorcouragetopreserve，wasinvain。

ToresisttheswordoftheCommonwealthindefenceofanotherman，guiltyorinnocent，nomanhathliberty；becausesuchlibertytakesawayfromthesovereignthemeansofprotectingus，andisthereforedestructiveoftheveryessenceofgovernment。Butincaseagreatmanymentogetherhavealreadyresistedthesovereignpowerunjustly，orcommittedsomecapitalcrimeforwhicheveryoneofthemexpectethdeath，whetherhavetheynotthelibertythentojointogether，andassist，anddefendoneanother？Certainlytheyhave：fortheybutdefendtheirlives，whichtheguiltymanmayaswelldoastheinnocent。Therewasindeedinjusticeinthef