Acovenantnottodefendmyselffromforce，byforce，isalwaysvoid。ForasIhaveshownbeforenomancantransferorlaydownhisrighttosavehimselffromdeath，wounds，andimprisonment，theavoidingwhereofistheonlyendoflayingdownanyright；andthereforethepromiseofnotresistingforce，innocovenanttransferrethanyright，norisobliging。Forthoughamanmaycovenantthus，unlessIdoso，orso，killme；hecannotcovenantthus，unlessIdoso，orso，Iwillnotresistyouwhenyoucometokillme。
Formanbynaturechooseththelesserevil，whichisdangerofdeathinresisting，ratherthanthegreater，whichiscertainandpresentdeathinnotresisting。Andthisisgrantedtobetruebyallmen，inthattheyleadcriminalstoexecution，andprison，witharmedmen，notwithstandingthatsuchcriminalshaveconsentedtothelawbywhichtheyarecondemned。
Acovenanttoaccuseoneself，withoutassuranceofpardon，islikewiseinvalid。Forintheconditionofnaturewhereeverymanisjudge，thereisnoplaceforaccusation：andinthecivilstatetheaccusationisfollowedwithpunishment，which，beingforce，amanisnotobligednottoresist。Thesameisalsotrueoftheaccusationofthosebywhosecondemnationamanfallsintomisery；asofafather，wife，orbenefactor。Forthetestimonyofsuchanaccuser，ifitbenotwillinglygiven，ispresumedtobecorruptedbynature，andthereforenottobereceived：andwhereaman’stestimonyisnottobecredited，heisnotboundtogiveit。Alsoaccusationsupontorturearenottobereputedastestimonies。Fortortureistobeusedbutasmeansofconjecture，andlight，inthefurtherexaminationandsearchoftruth：andwhatisinthatcaseconfessedtendethtotheeaseofhimthatistortured，nottotheinformingofthetorturers，andthereforeoughtnottohavethecreditofasufficienttestimony：forwhetherhedeliverhimselfbytrueorfalseaccusation，hedoesitbytherightofpreservinghisownlife。
TheforceofwordsbeingasIhaveformerlynotedtooweaktoholdmentotheperformanceoftheircovenants，thereareinman’snaturebuttwoimaginablehelpstostrengthenit。Andthoseareeitherafearoftheconsequenceofbreakingtheirword，oragloryorprideinappearingnottoneedtobreakit。Thislatterisagenerositytoorarelyfoundtobepresumedon，especiallyinthepursuersofwealth，command，orsensualpleasure，whicharethegreatestpartofmankind。Thepassiontobereckoneduponisfear；whereoftherebetwoverygeneralobjects：one，thepowerofspiritsinvisible；theother，thepowerofthosementheyshallthereinoffend。Ofthesetwo，thoughtheformerbethegreaterpower，yetthefearofthelatteriscommonlythegreaterfear。Thefearoftheformerisineverymanhisownreligion，whichhathplaceinthenatureofmanbeforecivilsociety。Thelatterhathnotso；atleastnotplaceenoughtokeepmentotheirpromises，becauseintheconditionofmerenature，theinequalityofpowerisnotdiscerned，butbytheeventofbattle。Sothatbeforethetimeofcivilsociety，orintheinterruptionthereofbywar，thereisnothingcanstrengthenacovenantofpeaceagreedonagainstthetemptationsofavarice，ambition，lust，orotherstrongdesire，butthefearofthatinvisiblepowerwhichtheyeveryoneworshipasGod，andfearasarevengeroftheirperfidy。AllthereforethatcanbedonebetweentwomennotsubjecttocivilpoweristoputoneanothertoswearbytheGodhefeareth：whichswearing，oroath，isaformofspeech，addedtoapromise，bywhichhethatpromisethsignifieththatunlessheperformherenounceththemercyofhisGod，orcallethtohimforvengeanceonhimself。Suchwastheheathenform，LetJupiterkillmeelse，asIkillthisbeast。Soisourform，Ishalldothus，andthus，sohelpmeGod。
Andthis，withtheritesandceremonieswhicheveryoneusethinhisownreligion，thatthefearofbreakingfaithmightbethegreater。
Bythisitappearsthatanoathtakenaccordingtoanyotherform，orrite，thanhisthatswearethisinvainandnooath，andthatthereisnoswearingbyanythingwhichtheswearerthinksnotGod。Forthoughmenhavesometimesusedtoswearbytheirkings，forfear，orflattery；yettheywouldhaveittherebyunderstoodtheyattributedtothemdivinehonour。AndthatswearingunnecessarilybyGodisbutprofaningofhisname：andswearingbyotherthings，asmendoincommondiscourse，isnotswearing，butanimpiouscustom，gottenbytoomuchvehemenceoftalking。
Itappearsalsothattheoathaddsnothingtotheobligation。Foracovenant，iflawful，bindsinthesightofGod，withouttheoath，asmuchaswithit；ifunlawful，bindethnotatall，thoughitbeconfirmedwithanoath。
FROMthatlawofnaturebywhichweareobligedtotransfertoanothersuchrightsas，beingretained，hinderthepeaceofmankind，therefollowethathird；whichisthis：thatmenperformtheircovenantsmade；withoutwhichcovenantsareinvain，andbutemptywords；andtherightofallmentoallthingsremaining，wearestillintheconditionofwar。
Andinthislawofnatureconsisteththefountainandoriginalofjustice。Forwherenocovenanthathpreceded，therehathnorightbeentransferred，andeverymanhasrighttoeverythingandconsequently，noactioncanbeunjust。Butwhenacovenantismade，thentobreakitisunjustandthedefinitionofinjusticeisnootherthanthenotperformanceofcovenant。Andwhatsoeverisnotunjustisjust。
Butbecausecovenantsofmutualtrust，wherethereisafearofnotperformanceoneitherpartashathbeensaidintheformerchapter，areinvalid，thoughtheoriginalofjusticebethemakingofcovenants，yetinjusticeactuallytherecanbenonetillthecauseofsuchfearbetakenaway；which，whilemenareinthenaturalconditionofwar，cannotbedone。Thereforebeforethenamesofjustandunjustcanhaveplace，theremustbesomecoercivepowertocompelmenequallytotheperformanceoftheircovenants，bytheterrorofsomepunishmentgreaterthanthebenefittheyexpectbythebreachoftheircovenant，andtomakegoodthatproprietywhichbymutualcontractmenacquireinrecompenseoftheuniversalrighttheyabandon：andsuchpowerthereisnonebeforetheerectionofaCommonwealth。AndthisisalsotobegatheredoutoftheordinarydefinitionofjusticeintheSchools，fortheysaythatjusticeistheconstantwillofgivingtoeverymanhisown。Andthereforewherethereisnoown，thatis，nopropriety，thereisnoinjustice；andwherethereisnocoercivepowererected，thatis，wherethereisnoCommonwealth，thereisnopropriety，allmenhavingrighttoallthings：thereforewherethereisnoCommonwealth，therenothingisunjust。Sothatthenatureofjusticeconsistethinkeepingofvalidcovenants，butthevalidityofcovenantsbeginsnotbutwiththeconstitutionofacivilpowersufficienttocompelmentokeepthem：
andthenitisalsothatproprietybegins。
Thefoolhathsaidinhisheart，thereisnosuchthingasjustice，andsometimesalsowithhistongue，seriouslyallegingthateveryman’sconservationandcontentmentbeingcommittedtohisowncare，therecouldbenoreasonwhyeverymanmightnotdowhathethoughtconducedthereunto：andthereforealsotomake，ornotmake；
keep，ornotkeep，covenantswasnotagainstreasonwhenitconducedtoone’sbenefit。Hedoesnotthereindenythattherebecovenants；
andthattheyaresometimesbroken，sometimeskept；andthatsuchbreachofthemmaybecalledinjustice，andtheobservanceofthemjustice：buthequestionethwhetherinjustice，takingawaythefearofGodforthesamefoolhathsaidinhisheartthereisnoGod，notsometimesstandwiththatreasonwhichdictatethtoeverymanhisowngood；andparticularlythen，whenitconducethtosuchabenefitasshallputamaninaconditiontoneglectnotonlythedispraiseandrevilings，butalsothepowerofothermen。ThekingdomofGodisgottenbyviolence：butwhatifitcouldbegottenbyunjustviolence？Wereitagainstreasonsotogetit，whenitisimpossibletoreceivehurtbyit？Andifitbenotagainstreason，itisnotagainstjustice：orelsejusticeisnottobeapprovedforgood。
Fromsuchreasoningasthis，successfulwickednesshathobtainedthenameofvirtue：andsomethatinallotherthingshavedisallowedtheviolationoffaith，yethavealloweditwhenitisforthegettingofakingdom。AndtheheathenthatbelievedthatSaturnwasdeposedbyhissonJupiterbelievedneverthelessthesameJupitertobetheavengerofinjustice，somewhatliketoapieceoflawinCoke’sCommentariesonLittleton；wherehesaysiftherightheirofthecrownbeattaintedoftreason，yetthecrownshalldescendtohim，andeoinstantetheattainderbevoid：fromwhichinstancesamanwillbeverypronetoinferthatwhentheheirapparentofakingdomshallkillhimthatisinpossession，thoughhisfather，youmaycallitinjustice，orbywhatothernameyouwill；yetitcanneverbeagainstreason，seeingallthevoluntaryactionsofmentendtothebenefitofthemselves；andthoseactionsaremostreasonablethatconducemosttotheirends。Thisspeciousreasoningisneverthelessfalse。
Forthequestionisnotofpromisesmutual，wherethereisnosecurityofperformanceoneitherside，aswhenthereisnocivilpowererectedoverthepartiespromising；forsuchpromisesarenocovenants：buteitherwhereoneofthepartieshasperformedalready，orwherethereisapowertomakehimperform，thereisthequestionwhetheritbeagainstreason；thatis，againstthebenefitoftheothertoperform，ornot。AndIsayitisnotagainstreason。
Forthemanifestationwhereofwearetoconsider；first，thatwhenamandothathing，whichnotwithstandinganythingcanbeforeseenandreckonedontendethtohisowndestruction，howsoeversomeaccident，whichhecouldnotexpect，arrivingmayturnittohisbenefit；yetsucheventsdonotmakeitreasonablyorwiselydone。Secondly，thatinaconditionofwar，whereineverymantoeveryman，forwantofacommonpowertokeepthemallinawe，isanenemy，thereisnomancanhopebyhisownstrength，orwit，tohimselffromdestructionwithoutthehelpofconfederates；whereeveryoneexpectsthesamedefencebytheconfederationthatanyoneelsedoes：andthereforehewhichdeclareshethinksitreasontodeceivethosethathelphimcaninreasonexpectnoothermeansofsafetythanwhatcanbehadfromhisownsinglepower。He，therefore，thatbreakethhiscovenant，andconsequentlydeclareththathethinkshemaywithreasondoso，cannotbereceivedintoanysocietythatunitethemselvesforpeaceanddefencebutbytheerrorofthemthatreceivehim；norwhenheisreceivedberetainedinitwithoutseeingthedangeroftheirerror；whicherrorsamancannotreasonablyreckonuponasthemeansofhissecurity：andthereforeifhebeleft，orcastoutofsociety，heperisheth；andifheliveinsociety，itisbytheerrorsofothermen，whichhecouldnotforeseenorreckonupon，andconsequentlyagainstthereasonofhispreservation；andso，asallmenthatcontributenottohisdestructionforbearhimonlyoutofignoranceofwhatisgoodforthemselves。
Asfortheinstanceofgainingthesecureandperpetualfelicityofheavenbyanyway，itisfrivolous；therebeingbutonewayimaginable，andthatisnotbreaking，butkeepingofcovenant。
Andfortheotherinstanceofattainingsovereigntybyrebellion；itismanifestthat，thoughtheeventfollow，yetbecauseitcannotreasonablybeexpected，butratherthecontrary，andbecausebygainingitso，othersaretaughttogainthesameinlikemanner，theattemptthereofisagainstreason。Justicetherefore，thatistosay，keepingofcovenant，isaruleofreasonbywhichweareforbiddentodoanythingdestructivetoourlife，andconsequentlyalawofnature。
Therebesomethatproceedfurtherandwillnothavethelawofnaturetobethoseruleswhichconducetothepreservationofman’slifeonearth，buttotheattainingofaneternalfelicityafterdeath；towhichtheythinkthebreachofcovenantmayconduce，andconsequentlybejustandreasonable；sucharetheythatthinkitaworkofmerittokill，ordepose，orrebelagainstthesovereignpowerconstitutedoverthembytheirownconsent。Butbecausethereisnonaturalknowledgeofman’sestateafterdeath，muchlessoftherewardthatisthentobegiventobreachoffaith，butonlyabeliefgroundeduponothermen’ssayingthattheyknowitsupernaturallyorthattheyknowthosethatknewthemthatknewothersthatknewitsupernaturally，breachoffaithcannotbecalledapreceptofreasonornature。