will and appetite of the State that is the measure of good and evill He makes here two different appetites the one of the State which is the Law and the other of private men but I say the appetite both of State and privat men is one and the same For if it had not been the appetite of privat men to have a Law how could there have been any Can a King make a law by himself without his people which consisteth of privat men Again if not the appetite of privat men but the law of the State is the measure of good what shall we say of Daniels privat appetite to worship the God of heaven and the publick law of Nebuchadnezzar in worshipping his Idoll Was that law of the Jewish State which condemned Christ the measure of good Or the Roman law in persecuting the Christians But he cannot yet leave barking at Aristotle saying That men have learned from his civill Philosophy to call all manner of Common-wealths but the popular tyranny and all Kings they call tyrants Either he is very ignorant in Aristotles Policicks or very malicious For Aristotle both in his Ethiâ—ks lib. 8. cap. 10. and in his Politicks lib. 3. cap. 5. is so farre from calling Kings tyrants and all Commonwealths but the popular tyranny that he distinguisheth the Kingly from the Tyrannicall government where in plain terms he saith That the Kingly is of all governments the best and the Tyannicall of all worst {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is the worst saith Aristotle which is opposite to the best therefore tyranny being {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a trangression from Kingly government and opposite to it must needs be worst he shews there that Kings aim at the publick good but Tyrants meerly at their own benefit A King governs according to the Laws a Tyrant dominiers according to his will Neither again doth he call all governments but the popular tyranny for he saith that Aristocracie is one of the good governments because it aims at {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the common utility If it doth not degenerate into Oligarchy when a few of the richer sort will dominier and turn all the publick good to their own profit and so he saith that Politia or popular government is good if it degenerate not into Democracie when the poorer sort whereof there is the greater number take upon them to invade the estates of the richer men and convert them to their own use By this we see how much Aristotle is wronged and how far he is from calling any lawfull goverment tyranny or Kings Tyrants whereas he shews that a Tyrant is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} one that will not be accountable for his government but will doe what he pleaseth be it right or wrong which is farre from the practice of Kingly government which he compares to the government of a Father over his children He hath not yet done with Aristotle Cap. 46. but accuseth him for saying That in a well ordered Common-wealth not men should govern but the laws upon this he inferres That every man who can write and read finds himself governed by them he fears and believes can kill or hurt him when he obeyeth not I pray what contradiction is there here In a well governed Common-wealth men should obey the laws In an ill governed Common-wealth men are forced out of fear to obey Tyrants Aristotle speakes to aâ— good not of a bad government and sheweth what should be done not what is done Again Aristotle sheweth that we should rather obey good laws then bad governors and good governors rather then bad laws Polit. lib. 3. c. 7. so that he will have us obey all but withall tells us that he who obeyeth bad laws or bad governors may be a good subject but not a good man Besides his reasons are good why we should rather obey the law then the man because the Law is the Rule by which he should govern Secondly because the law is impartiall and not subject to affections as men are whom paâ—â—ions do so carry away that either they understand not what is just or if they do they follow it not yet he denieth nâ—t but in some cases the man is rather to be obeyed then the law to wit when the law is obâ—cure and intricate or when it is too severe and rigid In such cases the governor that can interpret and mitigate the Law is to be obeyed What he speaks cap. 46. against privat spirits and forcing of mens consciences I am not against but his quarrell against the School-men for their barbarous termes is needlesse and witlesse for Philosophers have liberty to use such terms as may make them intelligible And it is usuall in all Arts and professions both Liberall and Mechanicall consult with Physiâ—ians Chymists and Mathematicians and you will find it so For fictitious miracles I approve them not but who can tell what is fictitious what not of things done many hundred years agoe As for the Antipodes which some of the Fathers denied I have in that poynt cleared them elsewhere as likwise I shewed the vanity of that whimzicall opinion of the earths motion at large in that book called The new Planet no Planet and in that I writ in Latin against Lanbergâ—s concerning his Pythagorical Chymera If any would have further satisfaction in that point let them read what is written there for I purpose not to boil Coleworts twice And whereas Mr. Hobbs saith That it appears every day more and more that years and dayes are determined by motions of the earth It may be so in his fancy but in the judgement of wise men it appeas lesse and lâ—sse and that it is the Sunne not the Earth who like a Giant rejoyceth to run his course In his 47. chapter he goeth about to overthrow Christs Kingdom in this world as being an invention of the Romanists and Presbyterians to uphold their own greatnâ—â—s To this purpose he brings in many controverted doctrines of the Church of Rome as the Popes power succession and infallibility the Clergies priviledges their single life auricular confessions Purgatory Canonization Transubstantiation c. which have been ventilated and canvased pro and con by many learned men and therefore I need not spend more paper about them But whatever the benefit or pretence was which the Church of Rome had by maintaining that Christ had a Kingdom in this world Mr Hobbs must be forced to acknowledge that Christ hath a Kingdom here already on earth which began after his resurrection or else he must deny Gods word and his own too for he confessed before that Christs Kingdome here was the Kingdom of grace But to say that any either Romanist or Presbyterian doth hold Christs Kingdome here to be the Kingdome of glory as Mr Hobs seemed in the beginning of this chapter to intimate is to me altogether unknown and I believe to him also
Leviathan Drawn out with A HOOK OR ANIMADVERSIONS UPON Mr HOBBS HIS LEVIATHAN Together with some OBSERVATIONS UPON Sr WALTER RALEIGH'S History of the WORLD LONDON Printed by Tho. Newcomb for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-Lane 1653. LEVIATHAN drawn out with a HOOK OR ANIMADVERSIONS UPON Mr HOBBS HIS LEVIATHAN By ALEX ROSSE LONDON Printed by Tho. Newcomb for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-Lane 1653. To the Right Worshipful FRANCIS LUCY Esq SIR THe Giant Goliah so affrighted the whole host of Israel by the vast bulk of his body the weight and large dimensions of his spear and armor with his defying and bragging words that none of all that Army durst encounter him Only David a Shepherd by profession in stature low in years young the least of all his brethren and of meanest account among the people took the boldness to enter the lists with that uncircumcised Philistim So I a spiritual shepherd by profession the least of the Tribe of Levi little in my own eyes and of small account in the world observing how all the host of learned men in this Land look upon but adventure not to buckle with Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan Nec quisquam ex agmine tanto audet adire viurm manibusve inducere caestus I say being animated by some lovers of the truth have this Summer set aside for a while my other studies to peruse this book and to detect some of his chief Tenets which though erroneous and dangerous are swallowed down by some young Sciolists without nauseating which to me is an argument of great distemper in the mindes and affections of men who with the Israelites loathing the Manna of true Phylosophy and Divinity covet after the Quailes of new errors or rather old in a new guise which in the end will poyson them Me thinks I see Religion and learning Divinity and true Phylosophy devotion and piety for which this Islaud hath been glorious for many generations saying as the voice that the Christians heard in Jerusalem immediately before the destruction thereof Migremus hinc These are the Palladia and as it were the Tutelar gods by which this British Empire hath so long stood which if they forsake us what are we else but a prey to our enemies God grant we may not complain of their departure as Aenaeas did of his Trojan gods Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dii quibus imperium hoc steterat For do we not see how Athism strives to justle out Religion how ignorance is crawling up into the chair of learning how piety is affronted by profaneness and devotion by irreverance how divinity is assaulted by heretical opinions and solid Phylosophy by dreams and fanatical whimsies I doubt not but I shall be blamed by some for encountring this Champion of Malmsbury as David was for venturing upon that Champion of Gath but I will answer them in David's words 1 Sam. 17 29. What have I now done is there not a cause Goliah defied the whole host of Israel and Mr. Hobbs defyeth the whole host of learned men esteeming his Leviathan as formidable and unconquerable as that in Job 41. 16. of whose Majesty the mighty are afraid and for fear they faint in themselves but this Leviathan is not so For a Hook may be cast into his nose and his jawes may be pierced with an angle Job 40. 21. Sir this piece which makes its addresses to you as to one truly judicious pious and a lover of solid learning is but small so was David who notwithstanding foiled Goliah the Ichneumon is but a small rat yet it can kill the great Crocodile in est sua gratia parvis small things have their magnitude though not of bulk yet of vertue there is more nourishment in a small lark then in a great kite or raven and so there is more lustre in a small Diamond then a whole quarry of other stones as in a little Bee so in this little Book there may be much spirit ingentes animos angusto in corpore gestat But how small soever it be it hath drawn out Leviathan with an Hook which it presents to you and so do I by it my thankful acknowledgments for all your favours praying for an increase of all happiness on your self your religious Lady and your hopeful son my scholler with the rest of your Family which is the hearty desire of Your most humble Servant ALEX ROSSE To the Reader GOod Reader David encountred with a Lion and a Bear Daniel conversed among Lions Paul fought with Beasts at Ephesus Hercules skirmished with an Erymanthian Bear a Nemaean Lion a Lernaean Hydra Aenaeas drew his sword against the shaddows of Centaures Harpies Gorgons and Chimeras but I have to do with a strange monster called Leviathan which some out of David Psa. 104. think to be a Whale the Prophet Isaiah calls him a piercing and crooked Serpent Iob saith He is a beast with fearful teeth with scales strong as shields with a heart as strong as the neither milstone out of his mouth leap sparkes of fire and smoke out of his nostrils Lastly some there are that take him for the devil and indeed it may be soâ— for he is said in Iob to be a King over all the children of pride I hope Mr. Hobbs is none of his subjects and yet his book is much inflated with pride against learningâ— and learned men But in my opinion this paper Leviathan is like that beast in the Revelation which opened his mouth into blasphemy against God and his Tabernacle and against them that dwell in heaven Rev. â—3 6. Against God in saying he made the world by nature and by consequence of necessity whereas he made it indeed voluntarily and freely 2. In making the three Persons of the Trinity rather names then substances 3. In making Christ onely to personate God the Son 4. In making God the author of sin 5. In making him coporeal and part of the the universe Against his Tabernacle that is against his Church in labouring to overthrow her faith knowledg miracles and ordinances Against them that dwell in heaven that is the Angels and separated souls in making the one but fancies and dreams and the others mortal and not capable hereafter of any other happiness then earthly He tells us besides that faith is not by inspiration or infusion but by study and industry that to beleeve in God is not to trust in his Person but to confess the doctrine That our belief is in the Church that they were not devils but madmen which confessed Christ that covetousness and ambition and injustice with power are honorable that tyrants and good Princes are all one that a man may sin against his conscience that men should not render a reason or account of their faith that Princes are not subject to their own laws that private men have no property in their goods that our natural reason is the word of God that divine dreams cannot win belief
snaky hired Furies whose residence is in an evil conscience Hear what a Heathen can say in this caseâ— Juvenal Sat. 13. cur taâ—â—en hos tu Evasisse putes quos diri conscia facti Mens habet attonilos caecâ— verbere pulsat Occultum quátientâ— animum tâ—rtore flagellum Paena autem vehemens ac multo saevior illis Quas Ceditius gravis invenit aut Rhadamanthus Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem To the same purpose Persius Pers. Sat. 3. Anne magis Siculi gemuerunt aera juvenci Aut magis auratis pendens laquearibus ensis Purpureas subter cervices teruit imus Imus praecipites quam si sibi dicat intus Palleat infaelix quod proxima nesciat uxor He then that can act against his conscience without sin or remorse is one of those the Apostle speakes of whose conscience is seared with a hot iron and he must needs be miserable that despiseth the testimony of this witness saith Seneca The Apostle who was no teacher of sedition assures us that they shall not escape the judgment of God who do the same things they condemn in others Rom. 2. 3. that is who act against their conscience and saith plainly that to him who esteemeth any thing unclean to him it is unclean Rom. 14. 14. Therefore that which is no sin in it self may be sin to him whose conscience saith it is sin Hence the Schooles teach us that he who acts against an erroneous conscience sinneth for by this he is convinced that he hath a will to sin and that he can sin deliberately Besides he that acteth against his conscience acteth against the law of God to which he thinks his conscience conformable St. Paul pleadeth before the Councel Acts 23. 1. That he had lived in all good conscience and in this testimony of his conscience was his rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. and wisheth Timothy to hold saith and a good conscience which some putting away that is acting against it concerning faith have made shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 19. and in the same chapter sheweth that the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained for these three are inseparable companions now whereas Mr. Hobbs saith That this doctrine dependeth on the presumption of him who makes himself judge of good and evil I say it is no presumption but a duty imposed on every man to judge of good and evil seeing he hath both the light of nature and of Scripture to direct him and the Apostle sheweth that the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law to themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts excusing or else accusing each other Rom. 2. 14 15. Chapter 29. He will not have faith to be attained by inspiration or infusion but by study and reason and shortly after he saith That faith is no miracle but brought to pass by education discipline correction and other natural waies c. That Peters saith was not revealed to him by flesh and blood but by the Father of Christ who is in Heaven is plain by our Saviours own words Mat. 16. 16. And he thanks his heavenly Father for hiding the mysteries of faith from the prudent and and revealing them to babes Mat 11. 25. For if faith comes by study reason discipline and education doubtless the wise Philosophers and not the ignorant Fishers had beleeved in Christ but we find it other waies that not many learned as the Apostle saith not many wise but God hath chosen the fools and ignorants of this world to confound the wise and learned and so Christ faith That none can come to him except the Father draw him John 16. And St. Paul saith Rom. 12. God hath distributed to every man the measure of faith and confesseth that he obtained this mercy of God to be faithful 1 Cor. 7. And he saith that we are saved by grace through faith not of our selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. And indeed if faith came by reason or study we may by study attain salvation justification and life eternal for the Scripture tells us That we are saved by faith and by faith we are justified and the just live by faith and that this hath been the constant doctrine of the Church from the beginning is plain to be seen in the writings of the Fathers general and provincial Councels Now whereas he saith That faith is no miracle I say it is a miracle in that it is a supernatural gift so inconsistent with natural reason that a holy and ancient Father said there were three miracles in Christs Incarnation to wit the union of the divinity and humanity 2. Of maternity and virginity 3. Of faith and the heart of man but he cannot see Why any man should render a reason of his faith or why every Christian should not be also a prophet or why any man should take the law of his Country rather then his own inspiration for the rule of his action None of these inconveniences will follow though faith come by inspiration For 1. why may not any man give a reason that is render an account as well of an inspired as of an acquired faith St. Paul was inspired and yet he gives an account of his faith to the Jewes Acts 22. and to Agrippa Acts 26. 2. What necessity is there that every Christian should be a prophet who hath an inspired faith Is faith and prophesie one and the same gift Balaam could prophesie and yet was no beleever and many in the Primitive Church beleeved and yet could not prophesie Nor 3ly is there any reason why he who is inspired should refuse to be ruled by the law of his Country except that law be repugnant to the true faith with which he is inspired for Christ and his Apostles rejected not the civil law of the Romans but were in outward things ruled by it though they were inspired Hence then it appears that these truths are not pernicious opinions nor do they proceed from the tongues and pens of unlearned Divines â— as Mr. Hobbs saith but they are manifest truths held by the most learned Doctors of the Church in all ages Chap. 29. He will not have the Soveraign to be subject to his own laws because then he should be subject to himself and to set the laws above the Soveraign were to set a Iudge above him c. If a man can subdue himself he must be subject to himself and as there is no conquest so honorable so there is no subjection so profitable as this Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit maenia Cicero tells Caesar that he had subdued many fierce Nations and conquered divers potent Kingdoms but in restoring of Marcellus he had overcom himself which was a conquest that made him not