Therearefewthingsthatareincapableofbeingrepresentedbyfiction。Inanimatethings，asachurch，ahospital，abridge，maybepersonatedbyarector，master，oroverseer。Butthingsinanimatecannotbeauthors，northereforegiveauthoritytotheiractors：yettheactorsmayhaveauthoritytoprocuretheirmaintenance，giventhembythosethatareownersorgovernorsofthosethings。Andthereforesuchthingscannotbepersonatedbeforetherebesomestateofcivilgovernment。
Likewisechildren，fools，andmadmenthathavenouseofreasonmaybepersonatedbyguardians，orcurators，butcanbenoauthorsduringthattimeofanyactiondonebythem，longerthanwhentheyshallrecovertheuseofreasontheyshalljudgethesamereasonable。
Yetduringthefollyhethathathrightofgoverningthemmaygiveauthoritytotheguardian。Butthisagainhasnoplacebutinastatecivil，becausebeforesuchestatethereisnodominionofpersons。
Anidol，ormerefigmentofthebrain，maybepersonated，aswerethegodsoftheheathen，which，bysuchofficersasthestateappointed，werepersonated，andheldpossessions，andothergoods，andrights，whichmenfromtimetotimededicatedandconsecrateduntothem。Butidolscannotbeauthors：foranidolisnothing。Theauthorityproceededfromthestate，andthereforebeforeintroductionofcivilgovernmentthegodsoftheheathencouldnotbepersonated。
ThetrueGodmaybepersonated。AsHewas：first，Moses，whogovernedtheIsraelites，thatwerethatwerenothis，butGod’speople；notinhisownname，withhocdicitMoses，butinGod’sname，withhocdicitDominus。Secondly，bytheSonofMan，HisownSon，ourblessedSaviourJesusChrist，thatcametoreducetheJewsandinduceallnationsintothekingdomofhisFather；notasofhimself，butassentfromhisFather。Andthirdly，bytheHolyGhost，orComforter，speakingandworkingintheApostles；whichHolyGhostwasaComforterthatcamenotofhimself，butwassentandproceededfromthemboth。
Amultitudeofmenaremadeonepersonwhentheyarebyoneman，oroneperson，represented；sothatitbedonewiththeconsentofeveryoneofthatmultitudeinparticular。Foritistheunityoftherepresenter，nottheunityoftherepresented，thatmakeththepersonone。Anditistherepresenterthatbeareththeperson，andbutoneperson：andunitycannototherwisebeunderstoodinmultitude。
Andbecausethemultitudenaturallyisnotone，butmany，theycannotbeunderstoodforone，butinanyauthors，ofeverythingtheirrepresentativesaithordothintheirname；everymangivingtheircommonrepresenterauthorityfromhimselfinparticular，andowningalltheactionstherepresenterdoth，incasetheygivehimauthoritywithoutstint：otherwise，whentheylimithiminwhatandhowfarheshallrepresentthem，noneofthemownethmorethantheygavehimcommissiontoact。
Andiftherepresentativeconsistofmanymen，thevoiceofthegreaternumbermustbeconsideredasthevoiceofthemall。Forifthelessernumberpronounce，forexample，intheaffirmative，andthegreaterinthenegative，therewillbenegativesmorethanenoughtodestroytheaffirmatives，andtherebytheexcessofnegatives，standinguncontradicted，aretheonlyvoicetherepresentativehath。
Andarepresentativeofevennumber，especiallywhenthenumberisnotgreat，wherebythecontradictoryvoicesareoftentimesequal，isthereforeoftentimesmuteandincapableofaction。Yetinsomecasescontradictoryvoicesequalinnumbermaydetermineaquestion；asincondemning，orabsolving，equalityofvotes，eveninthattheycondemnnot，doabsolve；butnotonthecontrarycondemn，inthattheyabsolvenot。Forwhenacauseisheard，nottocondemnistoabsolve；butonthecontrarytosaythatnotabsolvingiscondemningisnottrue。
Thelikeitisindeliberationofexecutingpresently，ordeferringtillanothertime：forwhenthevoicesareequal，thenotdecreeingexecutionisadecreeofdilation。
Orifthenumberbeodd，asthree，ormore，menorassemblies，whereofeveryonehas，byanegativevoice，authoritytotakeawaytheeffectofalltheaffirmativevoicesoftherest，thisnumberisnorepresentative；bythediversityofopinionsandinterestsofmen，itbecomesoftentimes，andincasesofthegreatestconsequence，amutepersonandunapt，asformanythingselse，soforthegovernmentofamultitude，especiallyintimeofwar。
Ofauthorstherebetwosorts。Thefirstsimplysocalled，whichI
havebeforedefinedtobehimthatowneththeactionofanothersimply。Thesecondishethatownethanactionorcovenantofanotherconditionally；thatistosay，heundertakethtodoit，iftheotherdothitnot，atorbeforeacertaintime。Andtheseauthorsconditionalaregenerallycalledsureties，inLatin，fidejussoresandsponsores；andparticularlyfordebt，praedesandforappearancebeforeajudgeormagistrate，vades。
THESECONDPART
OFCOMMONWEALTH
OFTHECAUSES，GENERATION，ANDDEFINITION
OFACOMMONWEALTH
THEfinalcause，end，ordesignofmenwhonaturallyloveliberty，anddominionoverothersintheintroductionofthatrestraintuponthemselves，inwhichweseethemliveinCommonwealths，istheforesightoftheirownpreservation，andofamorecontentedlifethereby；thatistosay，ofgettingthemselvesoutfromthatmiserableconditionofwarwhichisnecessarilyconsequent，ashathbeenshown，tothenaturalpassionsofmenwhenthereisnovisiblepowertokeeptheminawe，andtiethembyfearofpunishmenttotheperformanceoftheircovenants，andobservationofthoselawsofnaturesetdowninthefourteenthandfifteenthchapters。
Forthelawsofnature，asjustice，equity，modesty，mercy，and，insum，doingtoothersaswewouldbedoneto，ofthemselves，withouttheterrorofsomepowertocausethemtobeobserved，arecontrarytoournaturalpassions，thatcarryustopartiality，pride，revenge，andthelike。Andcovenants，withoutthesword，arebutwordsandofnostrengthtosecureamanatall。Therefore，notwithstandingthelawsofnaturewhicheveryonehaththenkept，whenhehasthewilltokeepthem，whenhecandoitsafely，iftherebenopowererected，ornotgreatenoughforoursecurity，everymanwillandmaylawfullyrelyonhisownstrengthandartforcautionagainstallothermen。
Andinallplaces，wheremenhavelivedbysmallfamilies，torobandspoiloneanotherhasbeenatrade，andsofarfrombeingreputedagainstthelawofnaturethatthegreaterspoilstheygained，thegreaterwastheirhonour；andmenobservednootherlawsthereinbutthelawsofhonour；thatis，toabstainfromcruelty，leavingtomentheirlivesandinstrumentsofhusbandry。Andassmallfamiliesdidthen；sonowdocitiesandkingdoms，whicharebutgreaterfamiliesfortheirownsecurity，enlargetheirdominionsuponallpretencesofdanger，andfearofinvasion，orassistancethatmaybegiventoinvaders；endeavourasmuchastheycantosubdueorweakentheirneighboursbyopenforce，andsecretarts，forwantofothercaution，justly；andarerememberedforitinafterageswithhonour。
Norisitthejoiningtogetherofasmallnumberofmenthatgivesthemthissecurity；becauseinsmallnumbers，smalladditionsontheonesideortheothermaketheadvantageofstrengthsogreatasissufficienttocarrythevictory，andthereforegivesencouragementtoaninvasion。Themultitudesufficienttoconfideinforoursecurityisnotdeterminedbyanycertainnumber，butbycomparisonwiththeenemywefear；andisthensufficientwhentheoddsoftheenemyisnotofsovisibleandconspicuousmomenttodeterminetheeventofwar，astomovehimtoattempt。
Andbethereneversogreatamultitude；yetiftheiractionsbedirectedaccordingtotheirparticularjudgements，andparticularappetites，theycanexpecttherebynodefence，norprotection，neitheragainstacommonenemy，noragainsttheinjuriesofoneanother。Forbeingdistractedinopinionsconcerningthebestuseandapplicationoftheirstrength，theydonothelp，buthinderoneanother，andreducetheirstrengthbymutualoppositiontonothing：wherebytheyareeasily，notonlysubduedbyaveryfewthatagreetogether，butalso，whenthereisnocommonenemy，theymakewaruponeachotherfortheirparticularinterests。Forifwecouldsupposeagreatmultitudeofmentoconsentintheobservationofjustice，andotherlawsofnature，withoutacommonpowertokeepthemallinawe，wemightaswellsupposeallmankindtodothesame；andthenthereneitherwouldbe，norneedtobe，anycivilgovernmentorCommonwealthatall，becausetherewouldbepeacewithoutsubjection。
Norisitenoughforthesecurity，whichmendesireshouldlastallthetimeoftheirlife，thattheybegovernedanddirectedbyonejudgementforalimitedtime；asinonebattle，oronewar。Forthoughtheyobtainavictorybytheirunanimousendeavouragainstaforeignenemy，yetafterwards，wheneithertheyhavenocommonenemy，orhethatbyonepartisheldforanenemyisbyanotherpartheldforafriend，theymustneedsbythedifferenceoftheirinterestsdissolve，andfallagainintoawaramongstthemselves。
Itistruethatcertainlivingcreatures，asbeesandants，livesociablyonewithanotherwhicharethereforebyAristotlenumberedamongstpoliticalcreatures，andyethavenootherdirectionthantheirparticularjudgementsandappetites；norspeech，wherebyoneofthemcansignifytoanotherwhathethinksexpedientforthecommonbenefit：andthereforesomemanmayperhapsdesiretoknowwhymankindcannotdothesame。TowhichIanswer，First，thatmenarecontinuallyincompetitionforhonouranddignity，whichthesecreaturesarenot；andconsequentlyamongstmentherearisethonthatground，envy，andhatred，andfinallywar；butamongstthesenotso。
Secondly，thatamongstthesecreaturesthecommongooddifferethnotfromtheprivate；andbeingbynatureinclinedtotheirprivate，theyprocuretherebythecommonbenefit。Butman，whosejoyconsistethincomparinghimselfwithothermen，canrelishnothingbutwhatiseminent。
Thirdly，thatthesecreatures，havingnot，asman，theuseofreason，donotsee，northinktheysee，anyfaultintheadministrationoftheircommonbusiness：whereasamongstmenthereareverymanythatthinkthemselveswiserandablertogovernthepublicbetterthantherest，andthesestrivetoreformandinnovate，onethisway，anotherthatway；andtherebybringitintodistractionandcivilwar。
Fourthly，thatthesecreatures，thoughtheyhavesomeuseofvoiceinmakingknowntooneanothertheirdesiresandotheraffections，yettheywantthatartofwordsbywhichsomemencanrepresenttoothersthatwhichisgoodinthelikenessofevil；andevil，inthelikenessofgood；andaugmentordiminishtheapparentgreatnessofgoodandevil，discontentingmenandtroublingtheirpeaceattheirpleasure。
Fifthly，irrationalcreaturescannotdistinguishbetweeninjuryanddamage；andthereforeaslongastheybeatease，theyarenotoffendedwiththeirfellows：whereasmanisthenmosttroublesomewhenheismostatease；forthenitisthathelovestoshowhiswisdom，andcontroltheactionsofthemthatgoverntheCommonwealth。