第43章

THEofficeofthesovereign，beitamonarchoranassembly，consistethintheendforwhichhewastrustedwiththesovereignpower，namelytheprocurationofthesafetyofthepeople，towhichheisobligedbythelawofnature，andtorenderanaccountthereoftoGod，theAuthorofthatlaw，andtononebutHim。Butbysafetyhereisnotmeantabarepreservation，butalsoallothercontentmentsoflife，whicheverymanbylawfulindustry，withoutdangerorhurttotheCommonwealth，shallacquiretohimself。

Andthisisintendedshouldbedone，notbycareappliedtoindividuals，furtherthantheirprotectionfrominjurieswhentheyshallcomplain；butbyageneralprovidence，containedinpublicinstruction，bothofdoctrineandexample；andinthemakingandexecutingofgoodlawstowhichindividualpersonsmayapplytheirowncases。

Andbecause，iftheessentialrightsofsovereignty(specifiedbeforeintheeighteenthChapter)betakenaway，theCommonwealthistherebydissolved，andeverymanreturnethintotheconditionandcalamityofawarwitheveryotherman，whichisthegreatestevilthatcanhappeninthislife；itistheofficeofthesovereigntomaintainthoserightsentire，andconsequentlyagainsthisduty，first，totransfertoanotherortolayfromhimselfanyofthem。

Forhethatdeserteththemeansdeserteththeends；andhedeserteththemeansthat，beingthesovereign，acknowledgethhimselfsubjecttothecivillaws，andrenounceththepowerofsupremejudicature；

orofmakingwarorpeacebyhisownauthority；orofjudgingofthenecessitiesoftheCommonwealth；oroflevyingmoneyandsoldierswhenandasmuchasinhisownconscienceheshalljudgenecessary；orofmakingofficersandministersbothofwarandpeace；orofappointingteachers，andexaminingwhatdoctrinesareconformableorcontrarytothedefence，peace，andgoodofthepeople。Secondly，itisagainsthisdutytoletthepeoplebeignorantormisinformedofthegroundsandreasonsofthosehisessentialrights，becausetherebymenareeasytobeseducedanddrawntoresisthimwhentheCommonwealthshallrequiretheiruseandexercise。

Andthegroundsoftheserightshavetheratherneeddrafterneedtobediligentlyandtrulytaught，becausetheycannotbemaintainedbyanycivillaworterroroflegalpunishment。Foracivillawthatshallforbidrebellion(andsuchisallresistancetotheessentialrightsofsovereignty)isnot，asacivillaw，anyobligationbutbyvirtueonlyofthelawofnaturethatforbiddeththeviolationoffaith；whichnaturalobligation，ifmenknownot，theycannotknowtherightofanylawthesovereignmaketh。Andforthepunishment，theytakeitbutforanactofhostility；whichwhentheythinktheyhavestrengthenough，theywillendeavour，byactsofhostility，toavoid。

AsIhaveheardsomesaythatjusticeisbutaword，withoutsubstance；andthatwhatsoeveramancanbyforceorartacquiretohimself，notonlyintheconditionofwar，butalsoinaCommonwealth，ishisown，whichIhavealreadyshowntobefalse：sotherebealsothatmaintainthattherearenogrounds，norprinciplesofreason，tosustainthoseessentialrightswhichmakesovereigntyabsolute。Foriftherewere，theywouldhavebeenfoundoutinsomeplaceorother；whereasweseetherehasnothithertobeenanyCommonwealthwherethoserightshavebeenacknowledged，orchallenged。Whereintheyargueasill，asifthesavagepeopleofAmericashoulddenytherewereanygroundsorprinciplesofreasonsotobuildahouseastolastaslongasthematerials，becausetheyneveryetsawanysowellbuilt。Timeandindustryproduceeverydaynewknowledge。Andastheartofwellbuildingisderivedfromprinciplesofreason，observedbyindustriousmenthathadlongstudiedthenatureofmaterials，andthediverseeffectsoffigureandproportion，longaftermankindbegan，thoughpoorly，tobuild：so，longtimeaftermenhavebeguntoconstituteCommonwealths，imperfectandapttorelapseintodisorder，th