Lastly，theagreementofthesecreaturesisnatural；thatofmenisbycovenantonly，whichisartificial：andthereforeitisnowonderiftherebesomewhatelserequired，besidescovenant，tomaketheiragreementconstantandlasting；whichisacommonpowertokeeptheminaweandtodirecttheiractionstothecommonbenefit。
Theonlywaytoerectsuchacommonpower，asmaybeabletodefendthemfromtheinvasionofforeigners，andtheinjuriesofoneanother，andtherebytosecuretheminsuchsortasthatbytheirownindustryandbythefruitsoftheearththeymaynourishthemselvesandlivecontentedly，istoconferalltheirpowerandstrengthupononeman，orupononeassemblyofmen，thatmayreducealltheirwills，bypluralityofvoices，untoonewill：whichisasmuchastosay，toappointoneman，orassemblyofmen，tobeartheirperson；andeveryonetoownandacknowledgehimselftobeauthorofwhatsoeverhethatsobeareththeirpersonshallact，orcausetobeacted，inthosethingswhichconcernthecommonpeaceandsafety；andthereintosubmittheirwills，everyonetohiswill，andtheirjudgementstohisjudgement。Thisismorethanconsent，orconcord；itisarealunityofthemallinoneandthesameperson，madebycovenantofeverymanwitheveryman，insuchmannerasifeverymanshouldsaytoeveryman：Iauthoriseandgiveupmyrightofgoverningmyselftothisman，ortothisassemblyofmen，onthiscondition；thatthougiveup，thyrighttohim，andauthoriseallhisactionsinlikemanner。Thisdone，themultitudesounitedinonepersoniscalledaCOMMONWEALTH；inLatin，CIVITAS。
ThisisthegenerationofthatgreatLEVIATHAN，orrather，tospeakmorereverently，ofthatmortalgodtowhichweowe，undertheimmortalGod，ourpeaceanddefence。Forbythisauthority，givenhimbyeveryparticularmanintheCommonwealth，hehaththeuseofsomuchpowerandstrengthconferredonhimthat，byterrorthereof，heisenabledtoformthewillsofthemall，topeaceathome，andmutualaidagainsttheirenemiesabroad。AndinhimconsisteththeessenceoftheCommonwealth；which，todefineit，is：oneperson，ofwhoseactsagreatmultitude，bymutualcovenantsonewithanother，havemadethemselveseveryonetheauthor，totheendhemayusethestrengthandmeansofthemallasheshallthinkexpedientfortheirpeaceandcommondefence。
Andhethatcarryeththispersoniscalledsovereign，andsaidtohavesovereignpower；andeveryonebesides，hissubject。
Theattainingtothissovereignpowerisbytwoways。One，bynaturalforce：aswhenamanmakethhischildrentosubmitthemselves，andtheirchildren，tohisgovernment，asbeingabletodestroythemiftheyrefuse；orbywarsubduethhisenemiestohiswill，givingthemtheirlivesonthatcondition。Theother，iswhenmenagreeamongstthemselvestosubmittosomeman，orassemblyofmen，voluntarily，onconfidencetobeprotectedbyhimagainstallothers。ThislattermaybecalledapoliticalCommonwealth，orCommonwealthbyInstitution；andtheformer，aCommonwealthbyacquisition。Andfirst，IshallspeakofaCommonwealthbyinstitution。
OFTHERIGHTSOFSOVEREIGNSBYINSTITUTION
ACOMMONWEALTHissaidtobeinstitutedwhenamultitudeofmendoagree，andcovenant，everyonewitheveryone，thattowhatsoeverman，orassemblyofmen，shallbegivenbythemajorparttherighttopresentthepersonofthemall，thatistosay，tobetheirrepresentative；everyone，aswellhethatvotedforitashethatvotedagainstit，shallauthorizealltheactionsandjudgementsofthatman，orassemblyofmen，inthesamemannerasiftheywerehisown，totheendtolivepeaceablyamongstthemselves，andbeprotectedagainstothermen。
FromthisinstitutionofaCommonwealtharederivedalltherightsandfacultiesofhim，orthem，onwhomthesovereignpowerisconferredbytheconsentofthepeopleassembled。
First，becausetheycovenant，itistobeunderstoodtheyarenotobligedbyformercovenanttoanythingrepugnanthereunto。AndconsequentlytheythathavealreadyinstitutedaCommonwealth，beingtherebyboundbycovenanttoowntheactionsandjudgementsofone，cannotlawfullymakeanewcovenantamongstthemselvestobeobedienttoanyother，inanythingwhatsoever，withouthispermission。
Andtherefore，theythataresubjectstoamonarchcannotwithouthisleavecastoffmonarchyandreturntotheconfusionofadisunitedmultitude；nortransfertheirpersonfromhimthatbearethittoanotherman，otherassemblyofmen：fortheyarebound，everymantoeveryman，toownandbereputedauthorofallthatalreadyistheirsovereignshalldoandjudgefittobedone；sothatanyonemandissenting，alltherestshouldbreaktheircovenantmadetothatman，whichisinjustice：andtheyhavealsoeverymangiventhesovereigntytohimthatbeareththeirperson；andthereforeiftheydeposehim，theytakefromhimthatwhichishisown，andsoagainitisinjustice。Besides，ifhethatattemptethtodeposehissovereignbekilledorpunishedbyhimforsuchattempt，heisauthorofhisownpunishment，asbeing，bytheinstitution，authorofallhissovereignshalldo；andbecauseitisinjusticeforamantodoanythingforwhichhemaybepunishedbyhisownauthority，heisalsouponthattitleunjust。Andwhereassomemenhavepretendedfortheirdisobediencetotheirsovereignanewcovenant，made，notwithmenbutwithGod，thisalsoisunjust：forthereisnocovenantwithGodbutbymediationofsomebodythatrepresentethGod’sperson，whichnonedothbutGod’slieutenantwhohaththesovereigntyunderGod。ButthispretenceofcovenantwithGodissoevidentalie，eveninthepretenders’ownconsciences，thatitisnotonlyanactofanunjust，butalsoofavileandunmanlydisposition。
Secondly，becausetherightofbearingthepersonofthemallisgiventohimtheymakesovereign，bycovenantonlyofonetoanother，andnotofhimtoanyofthem，therecanhappennobreachofcovenantonthepartofthesovereign；andconsequentlynoneofhissubjects，byanypretenceofforfeiture，canbefreedfromhissubjection。Thathewhichismadesovereignmakethnocovenantwithhissubjectsbeforehandismanifest；becauseeitherhemustmakeitwiththewholemultitude，asonepartytothecovenant，orhemustmakeaseveralcovenantwitheveryman。Withthewhole，asoneparty，itisimpossible，becauseastheyarenotoneperson：andifhemakesomanyseveralcovenantsastherebemen，thosecovenantsafterhehaththesovereigntyarevoid；becausewhatactsoevercanbepretendedbyanyoneofthemforbreachthereofistheactbothofhimself，andofalltherest，becausedoneintheperson，andbytherightofeveryoneoftheminparticular。Besides，ifanyoneormoreofthempretendabreachofthecovenantmadebythesovereignathisinstitution，andothersoroneotherofhissubjects，orhimselfalone，pretendtherewasnosuchbreach，thereisinthiscasenojudgetodecidethecontroversy：itreturnsthereforetotheswordagain；andeverymanrecovereththerightofprotectinghimselfbyhisownstrength，contrarytothedesigntheyhadintheinstitution。Itisthereforeinvaintograntsovereigntybywayofprecedentcovenant。Theopinionthatanymonarchreceivethhispowerbycovenant，thatistosay，oncondition，proceedethfromwantofunderstandingthiseasytruth：thatcovenantsbeingbutwords，andbreath，havenoforcetooblige，contain，constrain，orprotectanyman，butwhatithasfromthepublicsword；thatis，fromtheuntiedhandsofthatman，orassemblyofmen，thathaththesovereignty，andwhoseactionsareavouchedbythemall，andperformedbythestrengthofthemall，inhimunited。Butwhenanassemblyofmenismadesovereign，thennomanimaginethanysuchcovenanttohavepassedintheinstitution：fornomanissodullastosay，forexample，thepeopleofRomemadeacovenantwiththeRomanstoholdthesovereigntyonsuchorsuchconditions；whichnotperformed，theRomansmightlawfullydeposetheRomanpeople。Thatmenseenotthereasontobealikeinamonarchyandinapopulargovernmentproceedethfromtheambitionofsomethatarekindertothegovernmentofanassembly，whereoftheymayhopetoparticipate，thanofmonarchy，whichtheydespairtoenjoy。
Thirdly，becausethemajorparthathbyconsentingvoicesdeclaredasovereign，hethatdissentedmustnowconsentwiththerest；thatis，becontentedtoavowalltheactionsheshalldo，orelsejustlybedestroyedbytherest。Forifhevoluntarilyenteredintothecongregationofthemthatwereassembled，hesufficientlydeclaredtherebyhiswill，andthereforetacitlycovenanted，tostandtowhatthemajorpartshouldordain：andthereforeifherefusetostandthereto，ormakeprotestationagainstanyoftheirdecrees，hedoescontrarytohiscovenant，andthereforeunjustly。Andwhetherhebeofthecongregationornot，andwhetherhisconsentbeaskedornot，hemusteithersubmittotheirdecreesorbeleftintheconditionofwarhewasinbefore；whereinhemightwithoutinjusticebedestroyedbyanymanwhatsoever。
Fourthly，becauseeverysubjectisbythisinstitutionauthorofalltheactionsandjudgementsofthesovereigninstituted，itfollowsthatwhatsoeverhedoth，canbenoinjurytoanyofhissubjects；
noroughthetobebyanyofthemaccusedofinjustice。Forhethatdothanythingbyauthorityfromanotherdoththereinnoinjurytohimbywhoseauthorityheacteth：butbythisinstitutionofaCommonwealtheveryparticularmanisauthorofallthesovereigndoth；
andconsequentlyhethatcomplainethofinjuryfromhissovereigncomplainethofthatwhereofhehimselfisauthor，andthereforeoughtnottoaccuseanymanbuthimself；no，norhimselfofinjury，becausetodoinjurytooneselfisimpossible。Itistruethattheythathavesovereignpowermaycommitiniquity，butnotinjusticeorinjuryinthepropersignification。
Fifthly，andconsequentlytothatwhichwassaidlast，nomanthathathsovereignpowercanjustlybeputtodeath，orotherwiseinanymannerbyhissubjectspunished。Forseeingeverysubjectisauthoroftheactionsofhissovereign，hepunishethanotherfortheactionscommittedbyhimself。
Andbecausetheendofthisinstitutionisthepeaceanddefenceofthemall，andwhosoeverhasrighttotheendhasrighttothemeans，itbelongedofrighttowhatsoevermanorassemblythathaththesovereigntytobejudgebothofthemeansofpeaceanddefence，andalsoofthehindrancesanddisturbancesofthesame；andtodowhatsoeverheshallthinknecessarytobedone，bothbeforehand，forthepreservingofpeaceandsecurity，bypreventionofdiscordathome，andhostilityfromabroad；andwhenpeaceandsecurityarelost，fortherecoveryofthesame。Andtherefore，Sixthly，itisannexedtothesovereigntytobejudgeofwhatopinionsanddoctrinesareaverse，andwhatconducingtopeace；andconsequently，onwhatoccasions，howfar，andwhatmenaretobetrustedwithalinspeakingtomultitudesofpeople；andwhoshallexaminethedoctrinesofallbooksbeforetheybepublished。Fortheactionsofmenproceedfromtheiropinions，andinthewellgoverningofopinionsconsisteththewellgoverningofmen’sactionsinordertotheirpeaceandconcord。Andthoughinmatterofdoctrinenothingtoberegardedbutthetruth，yetthisisnotrepugnanttoregulatingofthesamebypeace。Fordoctrinerepugnanttopeacecannomorebetrue，thanpeaceandconcordcanbeagainstthelawofnature。ItistruethatinaCommonwealth，wherebythenegligenceorunskillfulnessofgovernorsandteachersfalsedoctrinesarebytimegenerallyreceived，thecontrarytruthsmaybegenerallyoffensive：yetthemostsuddenandroughbustlinginofanewtruththatcanbedoesneverbreakthepeace，butonlysometimesawakethewar。Forthosementhataresoremisslygovernedthattheydaretakeuparmstodefendorintroduceanopinionarestillinwar；andtheircondition，notpeace，butonlyacessationofarmsforfearofoneanother；andtheylive，asitwere，intheprocinctsofbattlecontinually。Itbelongedthereforetohimthathaththesovereignpowertobejudge，orconstitutealljudgesofopinionsanddoctrines，asathingnecessarytopeace；therebytopreventdiscordandcivilwar。