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CHAPTER III

OF THE OTHER LAWS OF NATURE
1. ANOTHER of the laws of nature is, to perform contracts, or
to keep trust; for it hath been showed in the foregoing chapter,
that the law of nature commands every man, as a thing neces-
sary, to obtain peace, to convey certain rights from each to
other; and that this (as often as it shall happen to be done)
is called a contract. But this is so far forth only conducible to
peace, as we shall perform ourselves what we contract with
others shall be done or omitted; and in vain would contracts
be made, unless we stood to them. Because therefore, to stand
to our covenants, or to keep faith, is a thing necessary for the
obtaining of peace, it will prove, by the second article of the
second chapter, to be a precept of the natural law.
2. Neither is there in this matter any exception of the per-
sons with whom we contract, as if they keep no faith with
others, or hold that none ought to be kept, or are guilty of
any other kind of vice. For he that contracts, in that he doth
contract, denies that action to be in vain; and it is against
reason for a knowing man to do a thing in vain; and if he
think himself not bound to keep it, in thinking so he affirms the
contract to be made in vain. He therefore who contracts with
one with whom he thinks he is not bound to keep faith, he
doth at once think a contract to be a thing done in vain, and
not in vain; which is absurd. Either therefore we must hold trust
with all men, or else not bargain with them; that is, either
there must be a declared war, or a sure and faithful peace.
3. The breaking of a bargain, as also the taking back of a

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Publication Information: Book Title: De Cive; Or, the Citizen. Contributors: Thomas Hobbes - author, Sterling P. Lamprecht - editor. Publisher: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 1949. Page Number: 43.
    
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