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。