Leviathan (AmazonClassics Edition)

by Thomas Hobbes

COMMAND is, where a man saith, Doe this, or Doe this not, without expecting other reason than the Will of him that sayes it. From this it followeth manifestly, that he that Commandeth, pretendeth thereby his own Benefit: For the reason of his Command is his own Will onely, and the proper object of every man’s Will, is some Good to himself. COUNSELL, is where a man saith, Doe or Doe not this, and deduceth his own reasons from the benefit that arriveth by it to him to whom he saith it. And from this it is evident, that he that giveth Counsell, pretendeth onely (whatsoever he intendeth) the good of him, to whom he giveth it. Therefore between Counsell and Command, one great difference is, that Command is directed to a man’s own benefit; and Counsell to the benefit of another man. And from this ariseth another difference, that a man may be obliged to do what he is Commanded; as when he hath covenanted to obey: But he cannot be obliged to do as he is Counselled, because the hurt of not following it, is his own; or if he should covenant to follow it, then is the Counsell turned into the nature of a Command. A third difference between them is, that no man can pretend a right to be of another man’s Counsell; because he is not to pretend benefit by it to himself; but to demand right to Counsell another, argues a will to know his designes, or to gain some other Good to himself; which (as I said before) is of every man’s will the proper object.