havealreadysufficientlyspokenintheprecedentchapter。
Dominionacquiredbyconquest，orvictoryinwar，isthatwhichsomewriterscalldespoticalfromDespotes，whichsignifiethalordormaster，andisthedominionofthemasteroverhisservant。Andthisdominionisthenacquiredtothevictorwhenthevanquished，toavoidthepresentstrokeofdeath，covenanteth，eitherinexpresswordsorbyothersufficientsignsofthewill，thatsolongashislifeandthelibertyofhisbodyisallowedhim，thevictorshallhavetheusethereofathispleasure。Andaftersuchcovenantmade，thevanquishedisaservant，andnotbefore：forbythewordservantwhetheritbederivedfromservire，toserve，orfromservare，tosave，whichIleavetogrammarianstodisputeisnotmeantacaptive，whichiskeptinprison，orbonds，tilltheownerofhimthattookhim，orboughthimofonethatdid，shallconsiderwhattodowithhim：forsuchmen，commonlycalledslaves，havenoobligationatall；butmaybreaktheirbonds，ortheprison；andkill，orcarryawaycaptivetheirmaster，justly：butonethat，beingtaken，hathcorporallibertyallowedhim；anduponpromisenottorunaway，nortodoviolencetohismaster，istrustedbyhim。
Itisnotthereforethevictorythatgiveththerightofdominionoverthevanquished，buthisowncovenant。Norisheobligedbecauseheisconquered；thatistosay，beaten，andtaken，orputtoflight；butbecausehecomethinandsubmittethtothevictor；noristhevictorobligedbyanenemy’srenderinghimself，withoutpromiseoflife，tosparehimforthishisyieldingtodiscretion；whichobligesnotthevictorlongerthaninhisowndiscretionheshallthinkfit。
Andthatwhichmendowhentheydemand，asitisnowcalled，quarterwhichtheGreekscalledZogria，takingaliveistoevadethepresentfuryofthevictorbysubmission，andtocompoundfortheirlifewithransomorservice：andthereforehethathathquarterhathnothislifegiven，butdeferredtillfurtherdeliberation；foritisnotayieldingonconditionoflife，buttodiscretion。Andthenonlyishislifeinsecurity，andhisservicedue，whenthevictorhathtrustedhimwithhiscorporalliberty。Forslavesthatworkinprisons，orfetters，doitnotofduty，buttoavoidthecrueltyoftheirtask-masters。
Themasteroftheservantismasteralsoofallhehath，andmayexacttheusethereof；thatistosay，ofhisgoods，ofhislabour，ofhisservants，andofhischildren，asoftenasheshallthinkfit。Forheholdethhislifeofhismasterbythecovenantofobedience；thatis，ofowningandauthorisingwhatsoeverthemastershalldo。Andincasethemaster，ifherefuse，killhim，orcasthimintobonds，orotherwisepunishhimforhisdisobedience，heishimselftheauthorofthesame，andcannotaccusehimofinjury。
Insum，therightsandconsequencesofbothpaternalanddespoticaldominionaretheverysamewiththoseofasovereignbyinstitution；andforthesamereasons：whichreasonsaresetdownintheprecedentchapter。Sothatforamanthatismonarchofdiversenations，hehathinonethesovereigntybyinstitutionofthepeopleassembled，andinanotherbyconquest；thatisbythesubmissionofeachparticular，toavoiddeathorbonds；todemandofonenationmorethanoftheother，fromthetitleofconquest，asbeingaconquerednation，isanactofignoranceoftherightsofsovereignty。Forthesovereignisabsoluteoverbothalike；orelsethereisnosovereigntyatall，andsoeverymanmaylawfullyprotecthimself，ifhecan，withhisownsword，whichistheconditionofwar。
Bythisitappearsthatagreatfamily，ifitbenotpartofsomeCommonwealth，isofitself，astotherightsofsovereignty，alittlemonarchy；whetherthatfamilyconsistofamanandhischildren，orofamanandhisservants，orofamanandhischildrenandservantstogether；whereinthefatherormasteristhesovereign。ButyetafamilyisnotproperlyaCommonwealth，unlessitbeofthatpowerbyitsownnumber，orbyotheropportunities，asnottobesubduedwithoutthehazardofwar。Forwhereanumberofmenaremanifestlytooweaktodefendthemselvesunited，everyonemayusehisownreasonintimeofdangertosavehisownlife，eitherbyflight，orbysubmissiontotheenemy，asheshallthinkbest；inthesamemannerasaverysmallcompanyofsoldiers，surprisedbyanarmy，maycastdowntheirarmsanddemandquarter，orrunawayratherthanbeputtothesword。AndthusmuchshallsufficeconcerningwhatIfindbyspeculation，anddeduction，ofsovereignrights，fromthenature，need，anddesignsofmeninerectingofCommonwealths，andputtingthemselvesundermonarchsorassembliesentrustedwithpowerenoughfortheirprotection。
LetusnowconsiderwhattheScriptureteachethinthesamepoint。
ToMosesthechildrenofIsraelsaythus：“Speakthoutous，andwewillhearthee；butletnotGodspeaktous，lestwedie。“*ThisisabsoluteobediencetoMoses。Concerningtherightofkings，GodHimself，bythemouthofSamuel，saith，“Thisshallbetherightofthekingyouwillhavetoreignoveryou。Heshalltakeyoursons，andsetthemtodrivehischariots，andtobehishorsemen，andtorunbeforehischariots，andgatherinhisharvest；andtomakehisenginesofwar，andinstrumentsofhischariots；andshalltakeyourdaughterstomakeperfumes，tobehiscooks，andbakers。Heshalltakeyourfields，yourvineyards，andyourolive-yards，andgivethemtohisservants。Heshalltakethetitheofyourcornandwine，andgiveittothemenofhischamber，andtohisotherservants。Heshalltakeyourman-servants，andyourmaidservants，andthechoiceofyouryouth，andemploytheminhisbusiness。Heshalltakethetitheofyourflocks；andyoushallbehisservants。“*2Thisisabsolutepower，andsummedupinthelastwords，youshallbehisservants。
Again，whenthepeopleheardwhatpowertheirkingwastohave，yettheyconsentedthereto，andsaythus，“Wewillbeasallothernations，andourkingshalljudgeourcauses，andgobeforeus，toconductourwars。“*3Hereisconfirmedtherightthatsovereignshave，bothtothemilitiaandtoalljudicature；inwhichiscontainedasabsolutepowerasonemancanpossiblytransfertoanother。
Again，theprayerofKingSolomontoGodwasthis：“Givetothyservantunderstanding，tojudgethypeople，andtodiscernbetweengoodandevil。“*4Itbelongedthereforetothesovereigntobejudge，andtoprescribetherulesofdiscerninggoodandevil：whichrulesarelaws；andthereforeinhimisthelegislativepower。SaulsoughtthelifeofDavid；yetwhenitwasinhispowertoslaySaul，andhisservantswouldhavedoneit，Davidforbadethem，saying，“GodforbidIshoulddosuchanactagainstmyLord，theanointedofGod。“*5ForobedienceofservantsSt。Paulsaith，“Servantsobeyyourmastersinallthings“；*6and，“Childrenobeyyourparentsinallthings。“*7Thereissimpleobedienceinthosethataresubjecttopaternalordespoticaldominion。Again，“ThescribesandPhariseessitinMoses’chair，andthereforeallthattheyshallbidyouobserve，thatobserveanddo。“*8Thereagainissimpleobedience。AndSt。Paul，“Warnthemthattheysubjectthemselvestoprinces，andtothosethatareinauthority，andobeythem。“*9
Thisobedienceisalsosimple。Lastly，ourSaviourHimselfacknowledgesthatmenoughttopaysuchtaxesasarebykingsimposed，whereHesays，“GivetoCaesarthatwhichisCaesar’s“；andpaidsuchtaxesHimself。Andthattheking’swordissufficienttotakeanythingfromanysubject，whenthereisneed；andthatthekingisjudgeofthatneed：forHeHimself，askingoftheJews，commandedhisDisciplestotaketheassandass’scolttocarryhimintoJerusalem，saying，“Gointothevillageoveragainstyou，andyoushallfindasheasstied，andhercoltwithher；untiethem，andbringthemtome。Andifanymanaskyou，whatyoumeanbyit，saytheLordhathneedofthem：andtheywillletthemgo。“*10Theywillnotaskwhetherhisnecessitybeasufficienttitle；norwhetherhebejudgeofthatnecessity；butacquiesceinthewilloftheLord。
TotheseplacesmaybeaddedalsothatofGenesis，“Youshallbeasgods，knowinggoodandevil。“*And，“Whotoldtheethatthouwastnaked？Hastthoueatenofthetree，ofwhichIcommandedtheethoushouldestnoteat？“*2Forthecognizanceorjudicatureofgoodandevil，beingforbiddenbythenameofthefruitofthetreeofknowledge，asatrialofAdam’sobedience，thedeviltoinflametheambitionofthewoman，towhomthatfruitalreadyseemedbeautiful，toldherthatbytastingittheyshouldbeasgods，knowinggoodandevil。Whereuponhavingbotheaten，theydidindeedtakeuponthemGod’soffice，whichisjudicatureofgoodandevil，butacquirednonewabilitytodistinguishbetweenthemaright。Andwhereasitissaidthat，havingeaten，theysawtheywerenaked；nomanhathsointerpretedthatplaceasiftheyhadbeenformerlyblind，andsawnottheirownskins：themeaningisplainthatitwasthentheyfirstjudgedtheirnakednesswhereinitwasGod’swilltocreatethemtobeuncomely；andbybeingashameddidtacitlycensureGodHimself。AndthereuponGodsaith，“Hastthoueaten，“etc。，asifHeshouldsay，doestthouthatowestmeobediencetakeupontheetojudgeofmycommandments？Wherebyitisclearly，thoughallegorically，signifiedthatthecommandsofthemthathavetherighttocommandarenotbytheirsubjectstobecensurednordisputed。
Sothatitappearethplainly，tomyunderstanding，bothfromreasonandScripture，thatthesovereignpower，whetherplacedinoneman，asinmonarchy，orinoneassemblyofmen，asinpopularandaristocraticalCommonwealths，isasgreataspossiblymencanbeimaginedtomakeit。Andthoughofsounlimitedapower，menmayfancymanyevilconsequences，yettheconsequencesofthewantofit，whichisperpetualwarofeverymanagainsthisneighbour，aremuchworse。Theconditionofmaninthislifeshallneverbewithoutinconveniences；buttherehappenethinnoCommonwealthanygreatinconveniencebutwhatproceedsfromthesubjects’disobedienceandbreachofthosecovenantsfromwhichtheCommonwealthhathitsbeing。Andwhosoever，thinkingsovereignpowertoogreat，willseektomakeitless，mustsubjecthimselftothepowerthatcanlimitit；
thatistosay，toagreater。
Thegreatestobjectionisthatofthepractice；whenmenaskwhereandwhensuchpowerhasbysubjectsbeenacknowledged。Butonemayaskthemagain，whenorwherehastherebeenakingdomlongfreefromseditionandcivilwar？InthosenationswhoseCommonwealthshavebeenlong-lived，andnotbeendestroyedbutbyforeignwar，thesubjectsneverdiddisputeofthesovereignpower。Buthowsoever，anargumentfromthepracticeofmenthathavenotsiftedtothebottom，andwithexactreasonweighedthecausesandnatureofCommonwealths，andsufferdailythosemiseriesthatproceedfromtheignorancethereof，isinvalid。Forthoughinallplacesoftheworldmenshouldlaythefoundationoftheirhousesonthesand，itcouldnotthencebeinferredthatsoitoughttobe。TheskillofmakingandmaintainingCommonwealthsconsistethincertainrules，asdotharithmeticandgeometry；not，astennisplay，onpracticeonly：
whichrulesneitherpoormenhavetheleisure，normenthathavehadtheleisurehavehithertohadthecuriosityorthemethod，tofindout。