Observations, censures, and confutations of notorious errours in Mr. Hobbes his Leviathan and other his bookes to which are annexed occasionall anim-adversions on some writings of the Socinians and such hæreticks of the same opinion with him / by William Lucy ...

CHAP. XV.

Concerning the opinion of a Deity; Formed Religion, what, and wherein founded.

Sect. 1.

THus, having past a few Observations upon his Seeds of Religion, I skip many impertinent discourses of his in the way, and come to his Notes upon the disso∣lution of Religion, which are entred upon by him, Pag. 58. thus [From the propagation of Religion it is not hard to understand the Causes of the resolution of the same into its first Seeds or Principles: which are onely an opinion of a Diety, and Powers invisible, and supernatural.* 1.1] Let the Reader at first consider the inconstancy of this Writer, how immediately he not only deserts what he had writ in this very Chapter, but opposeth it. He just before made those four fancies to be the Seeds of Religion, now he makes it only One, and that not the same with any of the other; nay, he opposeth himself in this very Sen∣tence, for he speaks of the resolution of it into its first Seeds and Principles, in the Plurall number, and yet saith, which are only an opinion of a Diety. Thus incon∣stant is Errour,* 1.2 but then that is an intolerable Phrase for him to use, to terme the Seeds of Religion, an Opinion of a Diety; for although this word Opinion may have a large Sense, and be taken for whatsoever knowledge any man hath of any thing, whether by Faith or Demon∣stration; yet, since he hath formerly defined it in a weak manner to be be a poore and faint assurance, Pag. 31. it was unworthily, and disgracefully done of him, to call this in-bred principle, this which abides so much demon∣stration à Posteriori to the learned, so much perswasive

illustration to the meanest capacity, to call this barely Opinion; but he labours throughout the Book covertly to insinuate, as much as he can, a disgracefull conceit of Religion, which I meane to Observe in my travailes through it.

Sect. 2.

He proceedeth, and affirmes that [that can never be abolished out of humane nature, but that new Religions may again be made to spring out of them by the culture of such men as for such purpose are in reputation.] This Propo∣sition is delivered in such universal termes as makes it exceeding difficult to understand what he meanes by it,* 1.3 He talkes of, and censures the Schoole-men for a my∣stical way of writing, but, certainly, their language is Significant, Logical, Gramatical, which his is not; for first, what doth he meane by humane nature, the Species or kind of man, as we call it Mankind? I am confident then it is true; but if he meane that particular nature of Socrates or Plato,* 1.4 although it cannot be so extirpated out of it, as that it cannot be introduced againe; yet it is many times so abol••shed, as it is not introduced by those he names. But then marke what follows [but that new Religions may be made to spring out of them.] Consi∣der at the beginning he spake of Seeds in the Plurall number, then he made those many Seeds but one, now againe in this Terme (Them) he makes many againe; For the Terme (Them) can relate to nothing but the former Seeds or Seed specified. He writes most per∣plexedly, and because not cleere expressions to the un∣derstanding, therefore not perspicuous to have Observa∣tions made upon any thing in his writing but the confu∣sedness, yet I will proceed with him.

Sest. 3.

[For (saith he) seeing all formed Religion is founded at fi••st upon the Faith which a multitude hath in some one per∣son whom they beleeve, not only to be a wise man, and to la∣bour to procure their happiness, but also to be a holy man, to whom God himself vouchsafeth to declare his will supernatu∣rally.] Consider how this Gentlemans language con∣tradicts himself: first he made the Seed of Religion only an Opinion of a Diety, that was for taking Opinion in a large Sense; now he makes it to be the beliefe men have of some man: But yet I can answer for him somewhat: that in the first place he spoke of Religion, now he speaks of it as a formed Religion, by which, I think, and only think (for that Phrase, formed Religion,* 1.5 is an unusual Phrase) yet I think he means some set form of worship, by which, in such or such a manner, men expresse their du∣ties to God; now as Averroes said, to sacrifice to God was dictated by nature, but whether to Venus, or Diana, was the direction of man; so, it may be, he meanes, by this word Formed, some particular restraint of Religion to this or that particular way; and the Seed of this is the Beleef, &c. I have made out the sense as well as I can, to make it hold together: Well then, I will take Formed Religion for such which, in a several sort of men, is allotted to Divine worship. Seeing then (saith he) all formed Religion is founded, &c.* 1.6 This Phrase seeing then should relate to some former proof or illustration of this Proposition, but I can find no such thing attempted, nor this Propo∣sition any where else delivered by him: This is a strange kind of jugling, to make the Reader beleeve, that he hath proved that which he never spoke of before. Well: we will examine the Conclusion, [All formed

Religion is founded at first upon the faith,] we will first ex∣amine this Terme (founded,* 1.7 at first) that may be under∣stood, that Religion is bottomed upon this beleef, as a building, which is raised upon a rock, is said to be foun∣ded upon it which is the last and lowest support of it. Now this beleefe, which he speaks of, cannot be such, for the foundation of Religion, as he spake before, is the assurance of a God, which is either had by nature, or by those demonstrations, and illustrations spoke of before; but perhaps, he will say, this is the foundation of Reli∣gion, in general, as Religion, but not as a formed Religion, as this particular, that is only that Beleefe which he speaks of; I will therefore examine it in those two most remarkable Religions,* 1.8 and evidently to be discerned, the Jewes Religion, and Christian, in both which we may observe two principal things in the forming them; for Religion, and a most reverential worship due to God is apparent out of nature, and the demonstrations before spoke of; but then the forming it consists in these two things, who this GOD is, whether Jehovah or Baal, Christ or Iupiter; and then what manner of worship is to be performed to these; and both these formings, I af∣firme, are formed, bottomed, supported by something much more firme then that beleef he speaks of. First then for the forme of the Iewish Religion, in the first mo∣tion, whether Jehovah or Baal, any heathen god be the God to whom Religion is to be paid, this was not foun∣ded upon the faith which the multitude had in some one Per∣son, as he fancieth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Hobbes contradict's himself, as tou∣ching the seeds of Religion.
• * 1.2

  Which are more then on∣ly an opinion of a Deity, &c.
• * 1.3

  Mr. Hobbes more perplex∣ed in his wri∣ting then the Schoolemen.
• * 1.4

  How farre the foresaid opini∣on may be a∣bolished out of humane na∣ture.
• * 1.5

  What may be supposed Mr. Hobbes mean's by a Formed Religion.
• * 1.6

  How he impo∣seth upon his Reader.
• * 1.7

  Formed Reli∣gion not foun∣ded upon his phantastike Faith.
• * 1.8

  The Jewish and Christian principally to be examined.