are legislative, so of necessity there must be a third to be
executive of the laws made, and this is the magistracy. In which
order, with the rest being wrought up by art, the commonwealth
consists of "the senate proposing, the people resolving, and the
magistracy executing," whereby partaking of the aristocracy as in
the senate, of the democracy as in the people, and of monarchy as
in the magistracy, it is complete. Now there being no other
commonwealth but this in art or nature, it is no wonder if
Machiavel has shown us that the ancients held this only to be
good; but it seems strange to me that they should hold that there
could be any other, for if there be such a thing as pure
monarchy, yet that there should be such a one as pure aristocracy
or pure democracy is not in my understanding. But the magistracy,
both in number and function, is different in different
commonwealths. Nevertheless there is one condition of it that
must be the same in every one, or it dissolves the commonwealth
where it is wanting. And this is no less than that, as the hand
of the magistrate is the executive power of the law, so the head
of the magistrate is answerable to the people, that his execution
be according to the law; by which Leviathan may see that the hand
or sword that executes the law is in it and not above it.

Now whether I have rightly transcribed these principles of a
commonwealth out of nature, I shall appeal to God and to the
world -- to God in the fabric of the Commonwealth of Israel, and
to the world in the universal series of ancient prudence. But in
regard the same commonwealths will be opened at large in the
Council of legislators, I shall touch them for the present but
slightly, beginning with that of Israel.