InlikemanneritbelongethtotheofficeanddutyofthesovereigntoapplyhisrewardsalwayssoastheremayarisefromthembenefittotheCommonwealth：whereinconsisteththeiruseandend；andisthendonewhentheythathavewellservedtheCommonwealthare，withaslittleexpenseofthecommontreasuryasispossible，sowellrecompensedasotherstherebymaybeencouraged，bothtoservethesameasfaithfullyastheycan，andtostudytheartsbywhichtheymaybeenabledtodoitbetter。Tobuywithmoneyorpreferment，fromapopularambitioussubjecttobequietanddesistfrommakingillimpressionsinthemindsofthepeople，hasnothingofthenatureofrewardwhichisordainednotfordisservice，butforservicepast；norasignofgratitude，butoffear；nordoesittendtothebenefit，buttothedamageofthepublic。Itisacontentionwithambition，thatofHerculeswiththemonsterHydra，which，havingmanyheads，foreveryonethatwasvanquishedtheregrewupthree。Forinlikemanner，whenthestubbornnessofonepopularmanisovercomewithreward，therearisemanymorebytheexample，thatdothesamemischiefinhopeoflikebenefit：andasallsortsofmanufacture，soalsomaliceincreasethbybeingvendible。Andthoughsometimesacivilwarmaybedeferredbysuchwaysasthat，yetthedangergrowsstillthegreater，andthepublicruinmoreassured。Itisthereforeagainstthedutyofthesovereign，towhomthepublicsafetyiscommitted，torewardthosethataspiretogreatnessbydisturbingthepeaceoftheircountry，andnotrathertoopposethebeginningsofsuchmenwithalittledanger，thanafteralongertimewithgreater。
Anotherbusinessofthesovereignistochoosegoodcounsellors；I
meansuchwhoseadviceheistotakeinthegovernmentoftheCommonwealth。Forthiswordcounselconsilium，corruptedfromconsidiumisofalargesignification，andcomprehendethallassembliesofmenthatsittogether，notonlytodeliberatewhatistobedonehereafter，butalsotojudgeoffactspast，andoflawforthepresent。Itakeithereinthefirstsenseonly：andinthissense，thereisnochoiceofcounsel，neitherinademocracynoraristocracy；
becausethepersonscounsellingaremembersofthepersoncounselled。Thechoiceofcounsellorsthereforeispropertomonarchy，inwhichthesovereignthatendeavourethnottomakechoiceofthosethatineverykindarethemostable，dischargethnothisofficeasheoughttodo。Themostablecounsellorsaretheythathaveleasthopeofbenefitbygivingevilcounsel，andmostknowledgeofthosethingsthatconducetothepeaceanddefenceoftheCommonwealth。Itisahardmattertoknowwhoexpectethbenefitfrompublictroubles；
butthesignsthatguidetoajustsuspicionisthesoothingofthepeopleintheirunreasonableorirremediablegrievancesbymenwhoseestatesarenotsufficienttodischargetheiraccustomedexpenses，andmayeasilybeobservedbyanyonewhomitconcernstoknowit。Buttoknowwhohasmostknowledgeofthepublicaffairsisyetharder；
andtheythatknowthemneedthemagreatdealtheless。Fortoknowwhoknowstherulesalmostofanyartisagreatdegreeoftheknowledgeofthesameart，becausenomancanbeassuredofthetruthofanother’srulesbuthethatisfirsttaughttounderstandthem。Butthebestsignsofknowledgeofanyartaremuchconversinginitandconstantgoodeffectsofit。Goodcounselcomesnotbylot，norbyinheritance；andthereforethereisnomorereasontoexpectgoodadvicefromtherichornobleinmatterofstate，thanindelineatingthedimensionsofafortress；unlessweshallthinkthereneedsnomethodinthestudyofthepolitics，astheredoesinthestudyofgeometry，butonlytobelookerson；whichisnotso。Forthepoliticsistheharderstudyofthetwo。WhereasinthesepartsofEuropeithathbeentakenforarightofcertainpersonstohaveplaceinthehighestcouncilofstatebyinheritance，itderivedfromtheconquestsoftheancientGermans；whereinmanyabsolutelords，joiningtogethertoconquerothernations，wouldnotenterintotheconfederacywithoutsuchprivilegesasmightbemarksofdifference，intimefollowing，betweentheirposterityandtheposterityoftheirsubjects；whichprivilegesbeinginconsistentwiththesovereignpower，bythefavourofthesovereigntheymayseemtokeep；butcontendingforthemastheirright，theymustneedsbydegreesletthemgo，andhaveatlastnofurtherhonourthanadherethnaturallytotheirabilities。
Andhowablesoeverbethecounsellorsinanyaffair，thebenefitoftheircounselisgreaterwhentheygiveeveryonehisadvice，andthereasonsofitapart，thanwhentheydoitinanassemblybywayoforations；andwhentheyhavepremeditated，thanwhentheyspeakonthesudden；bothbecausetheyhavemoretimetosurveytheconsequencesofaction，andarelesssubjecttobecarriedawaytocontradictionthroughenvy，emulation，orotherpassionsarisingfromthedifferenceofopinion。
Thebestcounsel，inthosethingsthatconcernnotothernations，butonlytheeaseandbenefitthesubjectsmayenjoy，bylawsthatlookonlyinward，istobetakenfromthegeneralinformationsandcomplaintsofthepeopleofeachprovince，whoarebestacquaintedwiththeirownwants，andoughttherefore，whentheydemandnothinginderogationoftheessentialrightsofsovereignty，tobediligentlytakennoticeof。Forwithoutthoseessentialrights，asIhaveoftenbeforesaid，theCommonwealthcannotatallsubsist。
Acommanderofanarmyinchief，ifhebenotpopular，shallnotbebeloved，norfearedasheoughttobebyhisarmy，andconsequentlycannotperformthatofficewithgoodsuccess。Hemustthereforebeindustrious，valiant，affable，liberalandfortunate，thathemaygainanopinionbothofsufficiencyandoflovinghissoldiers。Thisispopularity，andbreedsinthesoldiersbothdesireandcouragetorecommendthemselvestohisfavour；andprotectstheseverityofthegeneral，inpunishing，whenneedis，themutinousornegligentsoldiers。Butthisloveofsoldiers，ifcautionbenotgivenofthecommander’sfidelity，isadangerousthingtosovereignpower；
especiallywhenitisinthehandsofanassemblynotpopular。Itbelongeththereforetothesafetyofthepeople，boththattheybegoodconductorsandfaithfulsubjects，towhomthesovereigncommitshisarmies。
Butwhenthesovereignhimselfispopular；thatis，reverencedandbelovedofhispeople，thereisnodangeratallfromthepopularityofasubject。Forsoldiersareneversogenerallyunjustastosidewiththeircaptain，thoughtheylovehim，againsttheirsovereign，whentheylovenotonlyhisperson，butalsohiscause。Andthereforethosewhobyviolencehaveatanytimesuppressedthepoweroftheirlawfulsovereign，beforetheycouldsettlethemselvesinhisplace，havebeenalwaysputtothetroubleofcontrivingtheirtitlestosavethepeoplefromtheshameofreceivingthem。Tohaveaknownrighttosovereignpowerissopopularaqualityashethathasitneedsnomore，forhisownpart，toturntheheartsofhissubjectstohim，butthattheyseehimableabsolutelytogovernhisownfamily：nor，onthepartofhisenemies，butadisbandingoftheirarmies。Forthegreatestandmostactivepartofmankindhasneverhithertobeenwellcontentedwiththepresent。
Concerningtheofficesofonesovereigntoanother，whicharecomprehendedinthatlawwhichiscommonlycalledthelawofnations，Ineednotsayanythinginthisplace，becausethelawofnationsandthelawofnatureisthesamething。Andeverysovereignhaththesamerightinprocuringthesafetyofhispeople，thatanyparticularmancanhaveinprocuringthesafetyofhisownbody。Andthesamelawthatdictatethtomenthathavenocivilgovernmentwhattheyoughttodo，andwhattoavoidinregardofoneanother，dictateththesametoCommonwealths；thatis，totheconsciencesofsovereignprincesandsovereignassemblies；therebeingnocourtofnaturaljustice，butintheconscienceonly，wherenotman，butGodreigneth；whoselaws，suchofthemasobligeallmankind，inrespectofGod，asheistheAuthorofnature，arenatural；andinrespectofthesameGod，asheisKingofkings，arelaws。ButofthekingdomofGod，asKingofkings，andasKingalsoofapeculiarpeople，Ishallspeakintherestofthisdiscourse。
THATtheconditionofmerenature，thatistosay，ofabsoluteliberty，suchasistheirsthatneitheraresovereignsnorsubjects，isanarchyandtheconditionofwar：thattheprecepts，bywhichmenareguidedtoavoidthatcondition，arethelawsofnature：thataCommonwealthwithoutsovereignpowerisbutawordwithoutsubstanceandcannotstand：thatsubjectsowetosovereignssimpleobedienceinallthingswhereintheirobedienceisnotrepugnanttothelawsofGod，IhavesufficientlyprovedinthatwhichIhavealreadywritten。Therewantsonly，fortheentireknowledgeofcivilduty，toknowwhatarethoselawsofGod。Forwithoutthat，amanknowsnot，whenheiscommandedanythingbythecivilpower，whetheritbecontrarytothelawofGodornot：andso，eitherbytoomuchcivilobedienceoffendstheDivineMajesty，or，throughfearofoffendingGod，transgressesthecommandmentsoftheCommonwealth。Toavoidboththeserocks，itisnecessarytoknowwhatarethelawsdivine。
Andseeingtheknowledgeofalllawdependethontheknowledgeofthesovereignpower，IshallsaysomethinginthatwhichfollowethoftheKINGDOMOFGOD。
“GodisKing，lettheearthrejoice，“*saiththepsalmist。Andagain，“GodisKingthoughthenationsbeangry；andhethatsittethonthecherubim，thoughtheearthbemoved。“*2Whethermenwillornot，theymustbesubjectalwaystothedivinepower。BydenyingtheexistenceorprovidenceofGod，menmayshakeofftheirease，butnottheiryoke。ButtocallthispowerofGod，whichextendethitselfnotonlytoman，butalsotobeasts，andplants，andbodiesinanimate，bythenameofkingdom，isbutametaphoricaluseoftheword。Forheonlyisproperlysaidtoreignthatgovernshissubjectsbyhiswordandbypromiseofrewardstothosethatobeyit，bythreateningthemwithpunishmentthatobeyitnot。SubjectsthereforeinthekingdomofGodarenotbodiesinanimate，norcreaturesirrational；becausetheyunderstandnopreceptsashis：
noratheists，northeythatbelievenotthatGodhasanycareoftheactionsofmankind；becausetheyacknowledgenowordforhis，norhavehopeofhisrewards，orfearofhisthreatenings。TheythereforethatbelievethereisaGodthatgoverneththeworld，andhathgivenprecepts，andpropoundedrewardsandpunishmentstomankind，areGod’ssubjects；alltherestaretobeunderstoodasenemies。