man the foundation of all his duty from whence it is derived that he owes God his being soul and Body that he should be humble who was taken out of the dust and to dust he must return that he that made him can destroy him and the like which God being pretended to do no where else it is most reasonable to think it is done here CHAP. XXII SECT II. The doctrine of the new Testament and particularly the incarnation of our blessed Saviour and the manner of it not possible to be known without a revelation The truth of the incarnation evicted from the miraculous Life and Actions of our blessed Saviour and the prophecies of the Old Testament and especially of Isaias The Jewes witnesses of the truth of the Books of the Old Testament SO then this being a truth fit for a man to know it being impossible for man to know it without a revelation a man may justly be assured that it was revealed by God and so I will pass to the New Testament where we will consider the conception of the blessed Virgin as related there and so not possible to be recorded but from a divine revelation Men might be assured from the Prophets who writ before of it that there should be such a thing and that it should be about that time but that it should happen now and that this should be the Virgin which should be the mother of our Saviour that none could tell but by revelation no not she her self It is true when she found her self with child she might wonder how that should come about since she knew not man as she answered the Angel who foretold it to her Luke the 1. and the 24. but that it should be so contrived and perfected as it was by the overshadowing of the Highest this she could not have known but by a revelation But I doubt Mr. Hobbs will answer this was not so his wicked wit seems to imagine such a thing I will prove it therefore by the glorious fruit of her womb which shewed it self to arise from such a stock and living and dying as he did he could not be less than descended from such a supernatural generation Well then he was so conceived as is taught and this could not be taught but by divine revelation therefore he who taught it had divine revelation I must not spend time in particulars look upon all the Prophecies in the whole Book of God so many as their time is expired we find them all fufilled the Prophecies made to Abraham of the children of Israels long captivity in Aegypt and their extraction thence and plantation in the land of Canaan of all the great transactions of the highest affairs of the world The erection and destruction of all the great Monarchies which were punctually foretold and accomplished and foretold long before could these be foretold by any other way than by divine revelation Certainly it could not be nor can the wit of man think how it should be done Jaddus the high Priest shewed Alexander his own story foretold by Daniel Let us consider how the Prophets long before prophesied of Christ how the Prophet Isaiah writ like an antedated Evangelist differing only in these words shall and did only in the time Let us consider how not only those great and remarkable passages of his birth his miracles his death his resurrection but even such little things as the piercing of his side the parting of his garment casting lots for his vesture his burial were foretold hundreds of yeares before Let Mr. Hobbs or any other heathen tell me how these could be foretold without divine revelation But perhaps he will say as before these were not true books nor prophecies but fained since Christianity No even the Jewes themselves yet remaining in the world do consent unto them and are preserved by God a glorious witness of these truths who are the greatest enemies of Christianity CHAP. XXII SECT III. The former assertion further proved from the piety of the doctrines taught in the scriptures and excellency of the matter contained in them The power of the word of God and efficacy of Scripture above the reach of Philosophie BUt then consider the doctrines taught here they are so full of religious piety to God so full of such excellent moral conversation betwixt men that the wit of man could not invent them there must needs be divine revelation in them there was never any thing delivered by men meer men without divine revelation that had not imperfections in it he who reads the Philosophers may find it I do not love to rake their Dunghills and shew their filth but the duties taught in this book are so divine and so like God from whence they came that they are able to make a man absolutely good if practised Wherefore as a tree may be known by its fruits as the heart of man by his language so these Books may be known to be Gods by the heavenliness of the matters delivered in them which have such a power of sanctity in them as is able to make such as receive them of a more Godly disposition than other men yea than themselves at other times before they received these doctrines I could treat of a strange Metamorphosis in Saul to Paul who was a persecutor a destroyer and when converted with this doctrine accounted it joy to suffer and be persecuted for this cause As also of King David who to hide the shame of his adultery committed Murther and slept securely in his sin yet when awakened from that stupidity he was in and taught his state by the Prophet Nathan he cares for no shame of this world so God be pleased cares for nothing but the shame of his sin and made his penitence for it to be chaunted out in all ages for all Churches in the 51. Psalm So that there is a strange power and force in the word of God to turn men to godliness which no other hath And the great and mighty effects wrought by this scripture do fully evince it to be divine having divine power annexed to them Thus having shewed that the doctrines contained in scripture are fit for a man to believe they are divine and by divine revelation yea that they could not proceed from a pen which was not guided and assisted by the holy spirit we therefore may have assurance that they were such I shall come next to shew how we may be further assured from the manner of their delivery CHAP. XXII SECT IV. The second Argument from the difference of the Style of the Scriptures from the books of Philosophers The propositions and conclusions in Scripture not so much deduced from reason as asserted from the Majesty of God not disputing or endeavouring to perswade but commanding to do The rewards and punishments proposed in scripture of eternal truth impossible to be propounded or given but by God himself LEt a man look upon all the doctrines of the
other I approve the discourse throughout and therefore need not transcribe any more But yet would have been glad to have read some way by which this evil being known might be hindred or avoided and truly I can think upon none but by making our selves more industrious than our Neighbours by better rewarding vertue and industry and punishing vice and sloth than they There is scarce that people whose fundamental principles are not such as may make the Kingdom happy under that government if they were used to the best advantage so that it is not the form of Government only but the disposure in that form which felicitates a Nation and so the making and execution of good Laws at home will redress the inconvenience which comes from a Neighbouring Nation He enters upon a new Paragraph And as to rebellion in particular against Monarchy one of the most frequent causes of it is the reading the Books of policie and Histories of the Antient Greeks and Romans I wonder he had not put in the Old Testament likewise but certainly he is out in it for these Books he speaks of do teach Kings and Supremes how to govern and avoid those Rocks upon which their predecessors have been split they teach Subjects to avoid all rebellion the most happy and prosperous of which brings confusion if not destruction to that Nation where they are and very frequently ruine to themselves and their Families who are Ring-leaders in such actions But if books which encourage to rebellion must be laid aside then let Leviathan be buried in silence which I have and shall shew shortly not by example only but precept to justify more rebellion than ever any Author did I but saith he from which that is these books young men and all others as are unprovided of the antidote of solid reason receiving a strong and delightful impression of the great exploits of War atchieved by the conductors of their Armies receive withal a pleasing Idea of all they have done besides I think this may be done and that these excellent stories which relate the gallant and exemplary virtues of many may yea must likewise with them record the vices of others yea many times the faults of vertuous men without which never man lived but our ever blessed Saviour But what then shall the Bee lose its hony because the Spider may suck poyson out of the same flower shall we avoid the Sun-shine because many are scorched by it By this means we should avoid all good things for there are none so good but foolish and wicked men have made ill use of them even the mercies of God and all his glorious attributes have by some been applyed to evil This Argument follows not therefore because weak and ignorant men have ill digested these excellent meats therefore better stomachs should not use them without doubt these stories have abundance in them to shew vertuous men how to lead their lives and expose them and lay them down pro focis aris which his self-seeking doctrine will not allow And yet these had been the most proper dictates from him who writes Politicks as conducing more to the publick good than any self-preservation which he so much labours for But a little after he proceeds to shew their folly who make ill use of them which I allow but presently again he in the bottom of that page seems to argue thus CHAP. XXIII SECT XI Truth desired in this Paragraph Tyrants distinguished An Vsurper justly killed by any subjects for the deliverance of his lawful Soveraign Lawful soveraigns not to be deposed or murthered for their ill government but left to the justice of God The former conclusion asserted A further vindication of the Books and Histories of the Grecians and Romans FRom the reading I say of such books men have undertaken to kill their Kings Surely I believe among all the declarations that such Traitors have made never any one made his study of such writers justify those horrid acts Because saith he the Greek and Latine writers in their books and discourses of Policy I am now in the 171 p. make it lawful and laudable for any man so to do provided before he do it he call him Tyrant I would have wished that he had named his Authours for then I could have discerned whether he had abused them or no to turn and examine all Authours were too tedious for me yet something I may say in general that I believe no man of honour for learning and policy did either amongst the Greeks or Romans affirm that if he hath called a Monarch a Tyrant it is laudable for him to kill him for certainly no man can found the justification of such a Villany upon his foolish calling him such but his being such Now as I remember they make Tyrants of two sorts such as invade the kingdome and usurp it from the right owner and no doubt but any of those Subjects that owe obedience to their lawful King may vindicate him and their fellow subjects from that unjust invasion The other way of Tyranny is by such a man who is a lawful King by his succession or election according to the Laws of the Realm but governs arbitrary by his will not the Law Now because his right of title and possession puts him above the reach of legal though he can never be out of the reach of private judgement and seeing it is not lawful for a man to kill any one upon a private judgement therefore it cannot ex abundanti be lawful to kill him but leave him Deo ultori so that if he find such doctrine amongst the Greeks and Romans he may rationally judge them amiss and it is no more reasonable for men to be barred the great happiness of the wisdome contained in these books because fools make ill use of them than to barr men a sober and healthful use of wine because vitious men abuse it by drunkenness He goes on from the same books saith he they that live under a Monarchy conceive such an opinion that the subjects in a popular Common-wealth enjoy liberty but that in a Monarchy they are all slaves I wonder why he should impute this to the Greek and Latine more than to the Italians Germans or Dutch stories Certainly most people when they find their own condition hard are willing to change and think any other would be better and it is the same with all other Common-wealths as well as Monarchies And therefore he truly added what follows I say that they who live under a Monarchy conceive such an opinion not they that live under popular government for they find no such matter But as I said before why this should be imputed to the Romans and Grecians only not to the Italians Germans and others who live equally with them in Common-wealths I cannot discerne and therefore cannot chuse but be offended with that which follows most hyperbolically false CHAP. XXIII SECT XII Mr. Hobbs his impossible remedy
put out these Papers now and not before My Answer is That about three years past when I came up to the Parliament I brought up a rough draught of either all or most of these sheets thinking at leisure time in the intervals of business I might smooth them over but then I was informed that he was about such a work himself to câ—rrect his own Errours which I should have been most glad to have seen O Mr Hobbs if this comes to your hands give me leave to tell yâ—u that would be a glorious work and let me say to you as the Philosopher did to him who blushed coming out of a Tavern Blush not to come out but going in Humanum est errare but perseverare Nay I may say it is the most glorious work of a Christian to repent every man may erre but none but a pious man can repent I would to God you would do it and do but consider how you oppose in your Opinions the whole Catholique Church in many things which never Christian man did before you You write as if your Leviathan were the Bâ—ok in which the Rosiecrusians in their Fama speak of which should be able to instruct men sufficiently in all things both Theological and Philosophical were all the books in the world lost besides and a Pythagorean ipse dixit might suffice for your Scholar But good Sir think that there have been wise men in Philosophy in Policy in Divinity before your book was writ yea before you were born or thought of doing this great work your self and save me the labour of tiring my old decrepid Age with such unhappy cnotentions which else at such leisures as I can snatch from my greater duties I shall be writing to some other misconceipts of yours Reader I intreat you to forgive this diversion to Mr. Hobbs and further only know that I have taken care that his words should be put down strictly in a diverse Letter and I desire this may be printed in Quarto to be joyn'd by them who have the other to my first Piece and then I have done who am From my House at Brecnock March 12. 1673. Your Brother in Jesus Christ Will St. David Maii 16. 1671. Imprimatur iste Tractatus a Reverendo Confratre nostro Gulielmo Domino Episc Manevensi elucubratus Humfr. London A SECOND PART OF Observations Censures and Confutations OF DIVERS ERRORS IN Mr. Hobbs HIS LEVIATHAN Beginning at the seventeenth Chapter of that Book CHAP. 1. The Introduction to the whole Discourse I Have briefly touched the chief heads of his first Part. And am now arrived at his second part which is entituled of Common-wealths and this part begins at the seventeenth Chapter of the whole Book superscribed of the causes generation and definition of a Common-wealth He begins with the final cause most rightly which is causa causarum and sets the whole at work And I find no fault with what he writes concerning that Secondly I approve what he saith at the bottom of the 85. page That small numbers joyned together cannot give them security to live peaceably Small is a Relative small in respect of their Neighbours of whose injury they may justly be affraid unless they are supported with Natural or Artificial Fortifications or their number may be equalled by the weight of the internal vertue or gallantry of the Inhabitants some way or other it must be made up Thirdly I approve what he saith pag. 86. That be the People never so numerous I may add or strong yet if their actions are directed by their own particular Judgments and particular appetites they can expect thereby no Defence nor Protection His Reasons likewise I approve Fourthly I censure not his Conclusion in the same page That the Government for their Good must not be for one Life or Battel but Perpetual Fifthly He makes a very Ingenious Discourse upon the difference betwixt those sociable Creatures as Bees and Ants which Aristotle calls Political and hath very handsom applications concerning them to the middle of the 87. page but then I must begin to examine him with less approbation In the Margent there is noted the generation of a Common-Wealth and it begins thus CHAP. II. SECT I. This Generation censured first from that Word only which cannot be true THE only way to Erect such a common Power as may be able to defend them from the Invasion of Foreigners and the Injuries of one another and thereby to secure them in such sort as that by their own Industry and by the fruits of the Earth they may nourish themselves and live contentedly is to confer all their Power and strength upon one man or upon one Assembly of men that may reduce all their wills by plurality of voices unto one will which is as much as to say to appoint one man or Assembly of men to bear their person and every one to own and acknowledg himself to be Author of whatsoever he that so beareth their person shall act or cause to be acted in these things which concern the common peace and safety and therein to submit their wills every one to his will and their Judgment to his Judgment Thus far he A bold and strange assertion in that severe Language the onâ—ly way what Mr. Hobbs no other Certainly there have been many Common-wealths in the World which have lived peaceably and quietly and enjoyed the fruits of their Labours and have abounded with all the comforts of their association And yet I dare speak it with confidence there was never any thus generated that is to appoint one man or Assembly to bear their Person and to allow themselves to be Authors of his Actions to submit their Wills to his Will and their Judgments to his Judgment SECT II. A Supream cannot receive his Authority from the People 1. COnsider here for fear I may forget it hereafter that the King or Supreme by him is but the Person as he most improperly styles him and they the Multitude the Authors of what he doth so that he acts only by their Authority as you may see those words expounded in the 16. Chap. pag. 81. and 82. so that by him the People give the Supreme Authority which is a mighty diminution to all Supreme Authority and indeed an Incroachment upon the Praerogative of God by whom and whom alone Kings reign and Princes bear rule so that as we rightly say that all Authority in a Kingdom is derived from the King who is the Fountain of all Authority he makes a circle in it and saith the head of this Fountain is derived from the People SECT III. It is impossible they should do it BUT let us examine the possibilities of it Nihil dat quod non habet either formaliter eminenter or Virtualiter Nothing can give what it hath not Formally Eminently or Virtually Certainly neither of these can be affirmed of the People if they have it any of these ways it must be Conjunctim or
glorious means of Salvation as no man with a face of Piety dare affirm to be fit I shall handle these things more fully shortly CHAP. III. SECT I. This cannot be the only way to establish a Government THIS done saith he the multitude so united in one Person is called a Common-wealth in Latine Civitas Thus he But if this only make a Common-wealth or Civitas there was never any in the World nor ever will be as shall be shewed more largely hereafter More true is that which follows This is the Generation of that great Leviathan I mean his Book for to vent this extremly wicked folly he wrote this Book and except in this Book a Common-wealth was never called Leviathan a name from which never man expected good he proceeds or rather to speak more Reverently of that mortal God to which we owe under the immortal God our peace and safety I answer we owe him nothing there was never such a Power Erected I shall omit what follows in that Chapter and come to his ◠8. Chapter which is page 88. CHAP. IV. SECT I. His definition of a Common-wealth disproved first because not practicable HE begins with a definition of a Common-wealth by Institution thus A Common-wealth is then said to be instituted when a multitude of men do agree and Covenant every one with every one that to whatsoever man or assembly of men shall be given by the greater part the Right to present the Person of them all That is to say to be their Representative every one as well he that voted for it as he that voted against it shall Authorize all the Actions and Judgments of that man or assembly of men in the same manner as if they were his own to the end to live peaceably amongst themselves and be protected against other men This is but a Dream of his there was never such a thing nor is it practicable this Book was writ in English and therefore proper for English men suppose then we were in the first State without a Soveraignty we are none of the greatest Common-wealths in the World yet is it possible that here in this Kingdom there should convene such Multitudes of men such an Universality as by him is required to make this Covenant which he labours to prove in his second part De Corpore Politi Cap. 3. Numb 2. because saith he there Nor can an action be Attributed to the Multitude unless every mans hand and every mans will not so much as one excepted have concurred thereto It seems he would have it in writing that he requires every mans hand to be put to it And so likewise Num. 3. The first thing therefore they are to do is expresly every man to consent to do something by which something he understands this project of Leviathan so that it is evident he means every particular singula generum which is an imposible fiction the very meeting is impossible And then that all these who meet with so many self-ends and particular Interests and so many weak capacities should consent in any thing is most incredible I will give him all the Scope I can he may say that they may meet as they do to elect Knights for the Parliament they may meet in Shires and choose Representatives which may act for them I could ask who must divide those Shires that must be done by a Supreme Then consider if that should be granted they must choose little Leviathans first which must represent those their particular Shires before the great one is chosen And then consider this hath a great unfitness if not an impossibility with it which was fore-seen by our State and therefore only such men who had forty shillings free-hold were adjudged fit to have voices in these Elections which heretofore was a very considerable Estate and yet I believe scarce ever half of those met at any Election But then let us look about and we shall find much the greater company without the lists of that condition besides Women and Children which have as great Interests in the Common-wealth as others So that this fancy of his was not only not practised but not practicable in such a Kingdom as this of ours When men write Romances they should write things possible to be and then they are useful to the Reader for they are of such things which a mans life may meet with at some time or other but impossible fictions are such as can be profitable to no man and therefore it was a vain thing for him to deliver such a conceipt and not vain only but ill to deliver it in such a peremptory Rule as to make it seem the only way of Instituting a Soveraign SECT II. Mr. Hobbs his definition inconsistent with Reason BUT let us proceed and we shall find it appear by every word more inconsistent with reason Can a man think that men such numbers would ever consent so fully to forsake themselves and their own reason and wills as to submit themselves either to man or men in such an ample manner as to esteem his Princes Judgment or his Will for his own In that great height of Infallibillity to which the Pope in many mens Judgments is attained they put the Pope in Cathedrâ when they say he is Infallible and afterwards dispute what that Cathedra is But out of this Cathedra he may err in his Judgment and they must not approve of that he may sin with his will and they must not consent to that But Mr. Hobbs confines his Leviathan to no Chair but absolutly pronounceth him free from Error both in Judgment and Will Nay that is not all but we must allow yea authorize his Errors in both and this is the Foundation upon which all his Politiques are built by which let a man endeavour all vertue and Religion in his own person yet he may perpetrate all the horrid villanies in the World in anothers person whose actions he is bound to Authorize and then by them and for them perish everlastingly which I am perswaded not only no Christian but no Turk Mahometan Indian the most barbarous persons in America or any unknown Country can be induced to do and yet this by him is made the ground-work of all Politique Government SECT III. Right not derived by this supposed Institution from the Consent of the People HE proceeds from this Institution of a Common-wealth are derived all the rights and faculties of him or them on whom Soveraign Power is conferred by the consent of the People Assembled To this I have answered that there was never any such thing and therefore no right or faculty can be derived from hence nor indeed ever will be Ex nihilo nihil fit that which hath no being cannot cause any thing Nay I may say further that there was never any Power conferred by the People of which I expect an opportunity to speak more fully hereafter for although we may find Common-wealths altered and set up by the
are in absolute liberty may if they please give Authority to one man to represent them every one as well c. The first observation which I make here is an unhappy practise which he useth in this place and often in this Book which is to suppose things hard to be found in practicks and by that fallacy to lay a foundation in the Air and then raise an imaginary structure upon it This supposal of his that men are in an absolute liberty is very rarely to be found for all men that are in the world as soon as they are born are Subjects unless we may conceive a man born King of that Country he is in I would fain find out such a possibility where such a number of men fit to make a Commonwealth may be at liberty and I have found out one where it hath been practised I mean that of the Roman Empire when it was broken and ruined many people for fear were driven away to shift for themselves or perhaps overseen or neglected by the Conquerors These men one or other being thus left to themselves their lawful Emperour and his Posterity to whom they should obey being destroyed or altogether unable to give them any support these men are left to shift for themselves A Government they must have or grow wild they conspire in that and then set up many Commonwealths in Italy and those adjacent parts But give me leave to tell Mr. Hobbs that he shall hardly find in any of them existing any pure element of Politie without commixion And I shall tell him more that these Commonwealths having no support but that weak foundation of the peoples Constitution were upon all occasions of tumults which were very often diverted from their first settlement and had new ways of Government establisht in their place I will tell him further that no Supreme in all these was ever called a Representative or a Leviathan And therefore Mr. Hobbs did much amiss to lay this as a foundation for all that light stuff which follows yea of his whole Book and of all Commonwealths which can only be founded upon such an extraordinary occasion neither then in such an absolute manner as he supposeth For never did any of these submit their Religion their Estates or Lives as he would injoyn but had them preserved by Laws SECT II. The Barbarous Murder of King Charles the First the direct issue of this Doctrine of Mr. Hobbs viz. That the Soveraign is but the Representative of the People THat which follows immediately about our Representative in the House of Commons I let pass until I come to the middle of that page and paragraph toward the latter end which he begins thus I know not how this so manifest a truth should of late be so little observed that in a Monarchy he that had the Soveraignty from a descent of 600 years was alone called Soveraign had the title of Majesty from every one of his Subjects and was unquestionably taken by them for their King I can add to him was acknowledged so by all the World was notwithstanding never considered as their Representative He saith he knows not how I will tell him because a King in no Language nor in any Country is taken for a Representative And further that all those injuries which are done to him for he means King Charles the First had their pretence from this horrid Doctrine of his that Kings had their power from the people And if he will that they made him their Representative and not liking his Representation they deposed him and would be represented by one more like themselves In the latter end of that paragraph he gives most dangerous counsel to him who had the present Government in his power to instruct him in the nature of that Office But God be praised the danger of that intendment is over and I let it pass In the following part of that Cap. he very excellently well discourseth of those three Elements of Government and most rationally gives the superiority to Monarchy Then he enters into a discourse of electing Kings and Temporary Powers as Dictators in Aristocracy and both Aristocracy and Democracy which I let pass as not so mischievous as other things And now I come to his 20. Cap. page 101. at the bottom which is thus entitled Of Dominion Paternal and Despotical CHAP. XV. SECT I. Mr. Hobbs his digression censured His first Proposition untrue His supposition of a General Assembly to consent to the Soveraignty of the Conqueror unpracticable A Commonwealth by accuisition is that where the Sâ—veraign Power is acquired by force as it is acquired by force when men singly or many together by plurality of voices for fear of death or bonds do authâ—rize all the actions of that man or Assembly that hath their lives and liberty in his power Now I am in the 102. page This is a strange digression from his Title What hath this acquisition to do with Dominions Paternal or Despotical but let it pass I will examine his definition It is not true that all acquisition of a Kingdom is by force sometimes it is got by craft and knavery we know how Absalom got the Kingdom There may be other instances but let that go acquisition by force is but one species of acquiring Kingdomes But then see what follows It is then acquired by force when men singly c. as before expressed I dare boldly say he can shew me no considerable Kingdom that either is or was so acquired I have confuted this in my former discourse concerning the Institution of a Common-wealth and those arguments will be of more force against this manner of acquiring Suppose an Enemy should conquer France or Spain do you think he could or would assemble all the Nation together to subscribe or any way express their intentions of this his most unjust request to own all his actions and make him their person it is beyond possibility to imagine any such thing Look upon David Alexander Pompey any of those Conquerors in the world did they ever act any such thing I am confident we read of none and yet they attained Kingdomes and got Dominions But let us proceed to the next Paragraph SECT II. Fear not the only motive to consent to obedience in the Institution of Commonwealths No obligation from fear when that fear is removed The fear of God the greatest security of obedience ANd this kind of Dominion or Soveraignty differeth from Soveraignty by Institution only in this that men who chuse their Soveraign do it for fear of one another and not of him whom they institute But in this case they subject themselves to him they are afraid of Mr. Hobbs doth attribute very much to fear however in the last case I think it not amiss A vanquisht Nation seldome subjects themselves to an Enemy but out of fear of the Conqueror But concerning the former the motive is as much the love of their own happy and quiet
holy Bible had manifested those positive laws to us and never to have raised such scruples whereby a man may doubt as it seems he doth whether these laws are divine or not Consider therefore his answer for the first question how a man can be assured of the revelation of another without a revelation particularly to himsef it is evidently impossible and I answer it is possiible we will try it out and first let us consider this leading term for this discourse which is assured how a man can be assured the power of that word must be explained There is a diversity of assurances Mathematical physical moral all which have their several force and differ only by degrees In the first kind we are assured that two and two make four and the like in the second that fire will burn whose nature doth if not hindred break out into the act in the third that when I see a debauched man stay with a company of drunkards a long time at a Tavern I can be assured that they will be inflamed with drink so likewise when a pious man hears the bell tole to prayers he will go to Church Thus our assurance is varied according to the object which it is busied about But there is another diversity drawn from the difference of this act which produceth assurance as thus there is an assurance from science from opinion from faith The certainty of science is drawn from the certainty of the medium by which it is proved and is exceeding great by some esteemed greater than that of faith at the least of a greater evidence although for my part I am not of that mind for it being a most clear and absolute truth that God is infinitely verax as well as verus true speaking as well as true being and faith I mean divine faith being an adhesion to what God speaks it is not possible to be a falsehood then there is the greatest argumentative evidence that can be of the truth of such a proposition which God hath delivered but I will not involve my self in niceties That which is proper to my immediate discourse is that science is from natural opperations of natural causes faith divine faith from supernatural from God which must be more certain in it self by faith made more certain to us opinion is only probable which may be other and this probability either relates to science as it is probable such causes will produce such effects or such effects proceed from such causes or else it relates to faith and it is then when a good honest man speaks any thing it is by faith probable to be true but yet it may be otherwise only divine faith admitts of no falsehood in its self and requires no doubting or hesitation in us Now although this assurance of opinion and probability be the least yet it yields us such an assurance as we build the greatest moral and politick actions which are practised amongst us upon it As when a man is dead his hand and seale passeth away his estate witnesses are dead likewise these are probable arguments only but being the greatest that the subject question can yield the greatest matters must be regulated by such probable arguments I can say the like of oathes they have neither a Physical certainty nor do they produce a divine faith but yet when we have hand and seal and Oath Mr. Hobbs will not say I think that we have no assurance How then can he say that we have no assurance that these are divine revelations which are delivered in the Bible for that is the sence of the question which he proposeth but that we have great assurance is that which I affirm I shall not here meddle with School nice yes nor with any thing about infused faith but only the acquired faith which we have of these truths Many learned men have debated this question with great variety of Learning which may be perused in their Comments upon the 3. of the sentences Dist 24. as likewise many times in Prolog and 22. of Aquinas question 1. as also in I ma. secundae with many particular treatises to that purpose I turn the reader to these places which with ease he may peruse and find amongst them what he reads not with me who intend to deliver such things here as they have scarce touched upon My arguments shall be drawn first from the things delivered in this book Then from the manner of the delivery and Thirdly from the persons who delivered these things in all which I shall not meddle with those particular Books or Chapters of Books which are controverted betwixt us and the Church of Rome I think it incomparably handled by my much honoured and truly Reverend Brother Iohn Lord Bishop of Durham but my design is to shew that the bulke of Christianity and our faith is delivered in such a manner in respect of the things delivered of the manner of the delivery and of the persons who delivered them that it is most rational for a man to assure himself that these were divine revelations if it be not absolutely impossible that they should be other I will begin with the things delivered and first with the beginning of the Bible the first book of Moses the 1. Chap. of Genesis where we find the Creation so delivered as it was not possible for man to do it without revelation Men might and men have by reason even Philosophers guessed and proved that the world was created but to say when and set it down in such a method as that a man may find the year in which it was done this was never undertaken by any nor could any man do it but by divine revelation Yet you may think that Adam being made a perfect man might know the instant when he first appeared in the world and communicate that to Seth and he downward but could Adam without revelation know that he was made of earth Nay could Adam without revelation know how Evah was taken out of him or all the works of God which were wrought in the 6. dayes before he was made this could not be this story of the Creation must need be a revelation no man of himself could search it out But I am afraid Mr. Hobbs will say it is false no Christian ever said it was so but I suppose my self to have to do with an heathen not an Atheist but a Theist at the best Well then it is most reasonable for any man to think this story to be true because it is rational for a man to think that since God will and must be worshipped by men and it is impossible for men to know what worship is proper to be given him unless he tells them It is then most reasonable for a man to think that God will prescribe how that worship is to be performed and therefore caused this whole book to be writ for mens instruction and in it sets down this work of his creation to shew
Philosophers concerning God his essence his attributes concerning the Creation we shall find that they laboured still to prove what they spoke and by reason to convince mans understanding Only I must confess Trismegistus in his Pomander makes his discourse which is most divine to be revelation and four ought I know it may be so much of it but otherwise they all go upon ratiocination and the reason is because such things ought not to be assented to which are not either proved or revealed by God which is the most invincible evidence that any truth can have But now Moses and those holy writers inspired by God in their compiling those holy Books only affirm this and this without arguing the reasons of it because they were divine not humane words likewise in all those moral duties which concern men they are writ with the majesty of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Do this or this not disputing as Plato and Aristotle how it conduceth to the present happiness but exacting obedience It is true when the Prophets disputed with the Gentiles or Apostles with Jewes or Gentiles who believed not their report they confuted the one by reason or out of their own authors and the other out of the former Scriptures because all proofs must be made ex concessis and out of such premisses they would confirm these Conclusions God exacted a belief and this he doth with the greatest arguments and most forcing that are possible by Praemium and Poena reward and punishment but such as never King or Emperour either did or was able to propose by eternal happiness or misery which nothing can doe but God alone And this is done to those who will receive or not receive his word Well the words contained here are delivered with such an exaction as never man proposed the same truths in and required with such promises as never man did meet with nor could perform we must needs therefore be assured they are divine CHAP. XXII SECT V. The third Argument from the sanctity and integrity of the persons who delivered these truths The miraculous conduct of the Children of Israel by Moses The objection of his assertation of dominion answered The predictions of the Prophets not possible without a divine revelation The truth and certainty of their predictions objected ANd so I come to the persons who delivered these truths to us who will give us as full assurance as any thing else of the certainty The persons were of most eminent integrity and affirmed that these writings were delivered them from God I will begin with the first Moses a man who approved his conversation with God and Gods approbation of him by most certain signs first by those mighty wonders which he wrought in Aegypt before Pharaoh upon him and his in their journey afterwards by his wonderful conduct of the Children of Israel through the wilderness the like of which was never known The bringing water out of the rock feeding that mighty Host with bread and flesh the miraculous stopping the mouths of Korah c. why should we imagine that this man should lye and say he received this law from God when he did not Yes to make himself King among them Indeed the rebells last spoke of did object that but God confuted it by a miraculous destroying them and we see although whilst he lived he went betwixt God and them delivering prayers to God for them and bringing Gods will to them yet we find not that he acquired any high matters for himself the Priesthood which was to be a perpetual dignity he put Aaron into the Politique government he bequeathed to Josuah and we do not find him contriving more than an ordinary proportion for his Children which shews that he had no self end in any thing he did Nay we may read in the 32. of Exodus 10. when Moses interceded with God for favour to the Children of Israel God made him answer let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation Nevertheless Moses was not bribed with this for his own interest to forsake Gods glory but presently after presseth God for his own honour to have pitty upon the Israelites as you may read vers 11. c. where methinks he did like Abraham offer his whole posterity to Gods glory and honour which sheweth that Moses had no sinister ends in his actions but only the glory of God which certainly could not rise out of such a proud lye as to take upon him divine revelations where there were none Next let us consider the Prophets they were men that adventured their lives and suffered miseries for those truths they foretold and taught yea they were sure of it and they who followed their counsels according to these revelations which God made to them it was well with them and mischief followed them who did otherwise Those things which they foretold did come to pass accordingly both concerning the Jewes and all other nations yea the whole world why should not we be assured that these things came from God which they say were revealed by him since we see them true in all those works which they forespoke of CHAP. XXII SECT VI. Of the doctrine of the Apostles the efficacy of their preaching The power of Tongues their sufferings and patience not possible but from divine inspiration A further assertion of the same argument à posteriori such effect not producible but from a divine law IF we descend to the Apostles we shall find they were a sort of men of mean extraction and education how could it be possible that they unless by revelation should attain to such an efficacy of preaching as to be able to convince the whole world and preach this divine Philosophy How came they by the power of Tongues to be able to travel through the world and preach to every man in his own language but by the supernatural assistance of the Holy Ghost Why would they undertake the work through such cruel persecutions foretold them that they should be as sheep amongst wolves but that it was a duty enjoyned them from the Holy Ghost and they were sure that he who promised it would make good their reward in heaven hereafter for here they were to have miseries Truly I know not what can be opposed against this but that both from the matters delivered rom the manner that they are delivered by and from the persons who delivered them we have as great an assurance that these truths were revealed to them by God as can be wrought by humane faith Yea but let us consider further and it is scientifical à posteriori from the effect to the cause for if it be not possible that these effects should come from any cause but God as indeed I think it not possible then it is demonstrated that these must be revelations and we have a mighty assurance of them CHAP. XXII SECT
VII Another argument ad hominem Mr. Hobbs his assurance of his being born at Malmsbury not comparable to this of the verity of the holy scriptures Some doubts of the place of Mr. Hobbs his birth from the erring of his doctrines from Christianity The attestation of the Gospel from the sufferings of the Saints and Martyrs The encrease and continuance of it in despite of persecution The Scriptures not possible to be written by bad men in regard their design is to destroy the Kingdom of Satan Good men would not obtrude a Lye upon the world Faith resolved into divine revelation The rest is a preparation to this faith and conclusion of this point LEt Mr. Hobbs tell me what assurance he hath of any thing He saith in the beginning of this Book that he is Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury I think he is as sure of this as of any thing but I am much surer and so may any man be that this Scripture was writ by divine revelation than he can be of that first for his place that he was of Malmsbury which is a town in Wiltshire where Christianity is professed where men are assured of the Scriptures that they are by divine revelation How should it breed such a monster who would bring all their hopes of heaven their faith in Gods promises to be dubious as if they were not promised But he is Thomas Hobbs how knows he that perhaps his mother told him so and the midwife I know not whether after he came to the years of discretion he ever talked with them but if he did it is but a weak Testimony in respect of ours which was and is affirmed by such divine and incomparable persons as the Apostles and Prophets were His Mother and the Midwife although true persons yet were apt to be deceived and it may be he was a supposititious Child how oft have such things been done when contrariwise these men who have delivered infalible truths many ages before they came to pass cannot be conceived to have any Error I but perhaps he will say he is like his father in his countenance in his speech certainly not so like as these truths are to that incomparable essence which we call God than which nothing more fully expressed these divine perfections unless it was his personal word I but his Christening is registred in the Church Book of Malmsbury a good legal evidence and perhaps he enjoyed his fathers estate by this I know not but certainly there is a possibility of Error in it because the Church Book may be counterfeited and many a man hath intruded into other mens estates by unjust means but our evidence is recorded may I say or ingraven in these volumes which have been attested in every age since the first writing with the Blood of many martyrs which can be affirmed of no Church Book in the world worms and Cankers may eat them and thieves may break through and steal them and counterfeit them but these are subject to no corruption but by the providence of God have been and will be preserved so long as the world stands and endures So I think evidently that it appears that we have as full an assurance that these Scriptures are Divine as men can have of any thing in this world which they receive by hear-say Nay let us go further examine whether we have not a Demonstration from the effect to the cause we know such a man was our friend by his voice when he speaks another by his style as the report is of St. Thomas Moore with Erasmus aut Erasmus aut Diabolus Yea Critiques every where discerne Authors by their Styles may not we think you discern God by these heavenly writings which are more than humane When we hear a man discoursing of high points in Philosophy learnedly we know such an effect cannot proceed from a Country-education at the Cart and Plough it requires another study and industry When the Scripture teacheth us things higher than the natural wit of man can reach to as I have shewed it must needs come from a higher strain than our natural Condition could deliver to us I will conclude with one word The Scriptures must be writ by good or ill men ill men could not do it it teacheth those doctrines which destroy the Devil and his Kingdom all evil if good men writ it they would not lye to say they were inspired by God when they were not they would not deliver such things for assured truths which none could know but God if God did not teach it them Upon these invincible Grounds I think I may say that we have a mighty assurance that these are divine revelations which he wickedly affirms we have no assurance of But it may be objected if the demonstration be so evident why do not all men receive it for the understanding is made after such a manner as the Eye when you shew it colours the Eye must see them so shew by demonstration a truth to the understanding it must needs assent For my part I do not apprehend that man hath liberty in his understanding to accept or refuse truths which are laid open to it neither do I think that which is called liberum arbitrium is only a freedom of the will but a result out of them both however it is not in the understanding alone nor is this belief of ours that these things are revealed only an act of the understanding but of the will which refuseth to heare the voice of the Charmer charme he never so wisely Sometimes a malitious Will will not permit a man to study and think of these arguments which the more he studyeth the more he will approve sometimes when he hath studyed them it will make him seek further and being not delighted with that reason which is proposed it will not be satisfied with it so that there is a submission to these reasons offered which is necessary to our assent to them And certainly that is much by such arguments as shew the happiness men have in being under Gods Government for then men will seek what and wherein he will bless them and when he finds that these Scriptures and these only are rational for a man to think are his own dictates he will willingly submit to them But contrariwise when a proud man shall think that he and he only is faber not fortunae only but of his own happiness and that he need not seek to God for assistance then he slighâ—s all these discourses and listens not to them But still a man may say it seems that resolution of our faith is into this way of arguing I answer noe our faith is resolved into the divine revelations that God hath said this or that this is but a preparation for that foundation when a wise and vertuous man tells me any thing I believe it for the esteem of him and that is my last resolution of that faith because such a man speaks it but