204. To this I answer: That force is to be opposed to nothing but to
unjust and unlawful force. Whoever makes any opposition in any other
case draws on himself a just condemnation, both from God and man;
and so no such danger or confusion will follow, as is often suggested.
For-
205. First. As in some countries the person of the prince by the law
is sacred, and so whatever he commands or does, his person is still
free from all question or violence, not liable to force, or any
judicial censure or condemnation. But yet opposition may be made to
the illegal acts of any inferior officer or other commissioned by him,
unless he will, by actually putting himself into a state of war with
his people, dissolve the government, and leave them to that defence,
which belongs to every one in the state of Nature. For of such things,
who can tell what the end will be? And a neighbour kingdom has
showed the world an odd example. In all other cases the sacredness
of the person exempts him from all inconveniencies, whereby he is
secure, whilst the government stands, from all violence and harm
whatsoever, than which there cannot be a wiser constitution. For the
harm he can do in his own person not being likely to happen often, nor
to extend itself far, nor being able by his single strength to subvert
the laws nor oppress the body of the people, should any prince have so
much weakness and ill-nature as to be willing to do it.
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