We conclude from this that any agreement can have force only if it is in our interest, and when it is not in our interest, the agreement fails and remains void. For this reason, we also conclude that it is foolish to call for someone else to keep faith with oneself, in perpetuity, if at the same time one does not try to ensure that violating the agreement will result in greater loss than gain for the violator.This principle should play the most important role in the formation of a state.（p199） (查看原文)
the person possessing the sovereign power to compel all men by force and restrain them by fear of the supreme penalty which all men universally fear, has sovereign right over all men. This person will retain this right, though, for only so long as he retains this power of doing whatever he wishes; otherwise his commandwill be precarious, and no stronger person will be obliged to obey him unless he wishes to do so.（p199） (查看原文)
The state of nature is not to be confused with the state of religion, but must be conceived apart from religion and law, and consequently apart from all sin and wrongdoing.This is how we have conceived it, and have confirmed this by the authority of Paul. It is not only owing to this ignorance that we consider the state of nature to be prior to revealed divine law and apart from it, but also because of the freedom in which all men are born. For if men were bound by nature to the divine law, or if the divine law were a law of nature, it would be superfluous for God to enter into a covenant with men and bind them with an oath. We must therefore admit unreservedly that divine law began from the time when men promised to obey God in all things by an explicit agreement. With this agreement they... (查看原文)
