THEofficeofthesovereign，beitamonarchoranassembly，consistethintheendforwhichhewastrustedwiththesovereignpower，namelytheprocurationofthesafetyofthepeople，towhichheisobligedbythelawofnature，andtorenderanaccountthereoftoGod，theAuthorofthatlaw，andtononebutHim。Butbysafetyhereisnotmeantabarepreservation，butalsoallothercontentmentsoflife，whicheverymanbylawfulindustry，withoutdangerorhurttotheCommonwealth，shallacquiretohimself。
Andthisisintendedshouldbedone，notbycareappliedtoindividuals，furtherthantheirprotectionfrominjurieswhentheyshallcomplain；butbyageneralprovidence，containedinpublicinstruction，bothofdoctrineandexample；andinthemakingandexecutingofgoodlawstowhichindividualpersonsmayapplytheirowncases。
Andbecause，iftheessentialrightsofsovereigntyspecifiedbeforeintheeighteenthChapterbetakenaway，theCommonwealthistherebydissolved，andeverymanreturnethintotheconditionandcalamityofawarwitheveryotherman，whichisthegreatestevilthatcanhappeninthislife；itistheofficeofthesovereigntomaintainthoserightsentire，andconsequentlyagainsthisduty，first，totransfertoanotherortolayfromhimselfanyofthem。
Forhethatdeserteththemeansdeserteththeends；andhedeserteththemeansthat，beingthesovereign，acknowledgethhimselfsubjecttothecivillaws，andrenounceththepowerofsupremejudicature；
orofmakingwarorpeacebyhisownauthority；orofjudgingofthenecessitiesoftheCommonwealth；oroflevyingmoneyandsoldierswhenandasmuchasinhisownconscienceheshalljudgenecessary；orofmakingofficersandministersbothofwarandpeace；orofappointingteachers，andexaminingwhatdoctrinesareconformableorcontrarytothedefence，peace，andgoodofthepeople。Secondly，itisagainsthisdutytoletthepeoplebeignorantormisinformedofthegroundsandreasonsofthosehisessentialrights，becausetherebymenareeasytobeseducedanddrawntoresisthimwhentheCommonwealthshallrequiretheiruseandexercise。