Ifamanbeinterrogatedbythesovereign，orhisauthority，concerningacrimedonebyhimself，heisnotboundwithoutassuranceofpardontoconfessit；becausenoman，asIhaveshowninthesamechapter，canbeobligedbycovenanttoaccusehimself。
Again，theconsentofasubjecttosovereignpoweriscontainedinthesewords，“Iauthorise，ortakeuponme，allhisactions“；inwhichthereisnorestrictionatallofhisownformernaturalliberty：
forbyallowinghimtokillme，Iamnotboundtokillmyselfwhenhecommandsme。Itisonethingtosay，“Killme，ormyfellow，ifyouplease“；anotherthingtosay，“Iwillkillmyself，ormyfellow。“
Itfolloweth，therefore，thatNomanisboundbythewordsthemselves，eithertokillhimselforanyotherman；andconsequently，thattheobligationamanmaysometimeshave，uponthecommandofthesovereign，toexecuteanydangerousordishonourableoffice，dependethnotonthewordsofoursubmission，butontheintention；whichistobeunderstoodbytheendthereof。Whenthereforeourrefusaltoobeyfrustratestheendforwhichthesovereigntywasordained，thenthereisnolibertytorefuse；otherwise，thereis。
Uponthisgroundamanthatiscommandedasasoldiertofightagainsttheenemy，thoughhissovereignhaverightenoughtopunishhisrefusalwithdeath，mayneverthelessinmanycasesrefuse，withoutinjustice；aswhenhesubstitutethasufficientsoldierinhisplace：forinthiscasehedesertethnottheserviceoftheCommonwealth。Andthereisallowancetobemadefornaturaltimorousness，notonlytowomenofwhomnosuchdangerousdutyisexpected，butalsotomenoffemininecourage。Whenarmiesfight，thereisononeside，orboth，arunningaway；yetwhentheydoitnotoutoftreachery，butfear，theyarenotesteemedtodoitunjustly，butdishonourably。Forthesamereason，toavoidbattleisnotinjustice，butcowardice。Buthethatenrollethhimselfasoldier，ortakethimpressedmoney，takethawaytheexcuseofatimorousnature，andisobliged，notonlytogotothebattle，butalsonottorunfromitwithouthiscaptain’sleave。AndwhenthedefenceoftheCommonwealthrequirethatoncethehelpofallthatareabletobeararms，everyoneisobliged；becauseotherwisetheinstitutionoftheCommonwealth，whichtheyhavenotthepurposeorcouragetopreserve，wasinvain。
ToresisttheswordoftheCommonwealthindefenceofanotherman，guiltyorinnocent，nomanhathliberty；becausesuchlibertytakesawayfromthesovereignthemeansofprotectingus，andisthereforedestructiveoftheveryessenceofgovernment。Butincaseagreatmanymentogetherhavealreadyresistedthesovereignpowerunjustly，orcommittedsomecapitalcrimeforwhicheveryoneofthemexpectethdeath，whetherhavetheynotthelibertythentojointogether，andassist，anddefendoneanother？Certainlytheyhave：fortheybutdefendtheirlives，whichtheguiltymanmayaswelldoastheinnocent。Therewasindeedinjusticeinthefirstbreachoftheirduty：theirbearingofarmssubsequenttoit，thoughitbetomaintainwhattheyhavedone，isnonewunjustact。Andifitbeonlytodefendtheirpersons，itisnotunjustatall。Buttheofferofpardontakethfromthemtowhomitisofferedthepleaofself-defence，andmakeththeirperseveranceinassistingordefendingtherestunlawful。
Asforotherliberties，theydependonthesilenceofthelaw。Incaseswherethesovereignhasprescribednorule，therethesubjecthaththelibertytodo，orforbear，accordingtohisowndiscretion。
Andthereforesuchlibertyisinsomeplacesmore，andinsomeless；
andinsometimesmore，inothertimesless，accordingastheythathavethesovereigntyshallthinkmostconvenient。Asforexample，therewasatimewheninEnglandamanmightenterintohisownland，anddispossesssuchaswrongfullypossessedit，byforce。ButinaftertimesthatlibertyofforcibleentrywastakenawaybyastatutemadebythekinginParliament。Andinsomeplacesoftheworldmenhavethelibertyofmanywives：inotherplaces，suchlibertyisnotallowed。
Ifasubjecthaveacontroversywithhissovereignofdebt，orofrightofpossessionoflandsorgoods，orconcerninganyservicerequiredathishands，orconcerninganypenalty，corporalorpecuniary，groundedonaprecedentlaw，hehaththesamelibertytosueforhisrightasifitwereagainstasubject，andbeforesuchjudgesasareappointedbythesovereign。Forseeingthesovereigndemandethbyforceofaformerlaw，andnotbyvirtueofhispower，hedeclareththerebythatherequirethnomorethanshallappeartobeduebythatlaw。Thesuitthereforeisnotcontrarytothewillofthesovereign，andconsequentlythesubjecthaththelibertytodemandthehearingofhiscause，andsentenceaccordingtothatlaw。Butifhedemandortakeanythingbypretenceofhispower，therelieth，inthatcase，noactionoflaw：forallthatisdonebyhiminvirtueofhispowerisdonebytheauthorityofeverysubject，andconsequently，hethatbringsanactionagainstthesovereignbringsitagainsthimself。
Ifamonarch，orsovereignassembly，grantalibertytoalloranyofhissubjects，whichgrantstanding，heisdisabledtoprovidefortheirsafety；thegrantisvoid，unlesshedirectlyrenounceortransferthesovereigntytoanother。Forinthathemightopenlyifithadbeenhiswill，andinplainterms，haverenouncedortransferreditanddidnot，itistobeunderstooditwasnothiswill，butthatthegrantproceededfromignoranceoftherepugnancybetweensuchalibertyandthesovereignpower：andthereforethesovereigntyisstillretained，andconsequentlyallthosepowerswhicharenecessarytotheexercisingthereof；suchasarethepowerofwarandpeace，ofjudicature，ofappointingofficersandcounsellors，oflevyingmoney，andtherestnamedintheeighteenthChapter。
Theobligationofsubjectstothesovereignisunderstoodtolastaslong，andnolonger，thanthepowerlastethbywhichheisabletoprotectthem。Fortherightmenhavebynaturetoprotectthemselves，whennoneelsecanprotectthem，canbynocovenantberelinquished。ThesovereigntyisthesouloftheCommonwealth；
which，oncedepartedfromthebody，themembersdonomorereceivetheirmotionfromit。Theendofobedienceisprotection；which，wheresoeveramanseethit，eitherinhisownorinanother’ssword，natureappliethhisobediencetoit，andhisendeavourtomaintainit。
Andthoughsovereignty，intheintentionofthemthatmakeit，beimmortal；yetisitinitsownnature，notonlysubjecttoviolentdeathbyforeignwar，butalsothroughtheignoranceandpassionsofmenithathinit，fromtheveryinstitution，manyseedsofanaturalmortality，byintestinediscord。
Ifasubjectbetakenprisonerinwar，orhispersonorhismeansoflifebewithintheguardsoftheenemy，andhathhislifeandcorporallibertygivenhimonconditiontobesubjecttothevictor，hehathlibertytoacceptthecondition；and，havingacceptedit，isthesubjectofhimthattookhim；becausehehadnootherwaytopreservehimself。Thecaseisthesameifhebedetainedonthesametermsinaforeigncountry。Butifamanbeheldinprison，orbonds，orisnottrustedwiththelibertyofhisbody，hecannotbeunderstoodtobeboundbycovenanttosubjection，andthereforemay，ifhecan，makehisescapebyanymeanswhatsoever。
Ifamonarchshallrelinquishthesovereignty，bothforhimselfandhisheirs，hissubjectsreturntotheabsolutelibertyofnature；because，thoughnaturemaydeclarewhoarehissons，andwhoarethenearestofhiskin，yetitdependethonhisownwill，ashathbeensaidintheprecedentchapter，whoshallbehisheir。Ifthereforehewillhavenoheir，thereisnosovereignty，norsubjection。Thecaseisthesameifhediewithoutknownkindred，andwithoutdeclarationofhisheir。Forthentherecannoheirbeknown，andconsequentlynosubjectionbedue。
Ifthesovereignbanishhissubject，duringthebanishmentheisnotsubject。Buthethatissentonamessage，orhathleavetotravel，isstillsubject；butitisbycontractbetweensovereigns，notbyvirtueofthecovenantofsubjection。Forwhosoeverenterethintoanother’sdominionissubjecttoallthelawsthereof，unlesshehaveaprivilegebytheamityofthesovereigns，orbyspeciallicense。
Ifamonarchsubduedbywarrenderhimselfsubjecttothevictor，hissubjectsaredeliveredfromtheirformerobligation，andbecomeobligedtothevictor。Butifhebeheldprisoner，orhavenotthelibertyofhisownbody，heisnotunderstoodtohavegivenawaytherightofsovereignty；andthereforehissubjectsareobligedtoyieldobediencetothemagistratesformerlyplaced，governingnotintheirownname，butinhis。For，hisrightremaining，thequestionisonlyoftheadministration；thatistosay，ofthemagistratesandofficers；whichifhehavenotmeanstoname，heissupposedtoapprovethosewhichhehimselfhadformerlyappointed。