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A fourth opinion, repugnant to the nature of a Common–wealth, is this, "That he that hath the Soveraign Power, is subject to the Civill Lawes." It is true, that Soveraigns are all subjects to the Lawes of Nature; because such lawes be Divine, and cannot by any man, or Common–wealth be abrogated. But to those Lawes which the Soveraign himselfe, that is, which the Common–wealth maketh, he is not subject. For to be subject to Lawes, is to be subject to the Common–wealth, that is to the Soveraign Representative, that is to himselfe; which is not subjection, but freedome from the Lawes. Which errour, because it setteth the Lawes above the Soveraign, setteth also a Judge above him, and a Power to punish him; which is to make a new Soveraign; and again for the same reason a third, to punish the second; and so continually without end, to the Confusion, and Dissolution of the Common–wealth.

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