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The Condition of Warre what, or what sort of men not in it, &c.
[HEreby it is manifest, that, during the time men live without a common Power, to keepe them all in awe, they are in that condition is called Warre, and such a warre as is of every man against every man.] First, I will exa∣mine that Phrase (whilest men live without a common Pow∣er to heep them in awe) if this be understood, as he phra∣seth
it, of all kind of power, then there is no such time; for there is a power Divine, which alwaies hath an in∣visible rod, which keeps all men in awe from perpetra∣ting things against that law which is written in their hearts; but if it be understood, as his discourse seemes to intimate, of such a Power as is humane; we must then p••sse over all men in their Infancy, whom, although they may have discontents, and feares, and hopes, con∣cerning their Parents, and their Parents concerning them; yet their natures are framed in such necessities of their Parents, and their Parents look downe upon them with hearts so filled with kindness and sweetnesse, and this so setled by nature, that although that disposi∣tion may be hindred in its operation sometimes from working its proper effects; yet it is seldome, or never, destroyed from its being; and therefore men in that estate are most peaceable and free from warre. We must likewise leave men linked in that domestique bond of Matrimony, betwixt whom, although there may be discontents, yet there cannot properly be said hostility; And we will take men, as is hardly ever known, divers single persons without any relation one to the other, but that of humanity, by severall wrecks cast upon the same uninhabited coast; and let us think of these men whether they are all at a warre one with another, before they have done, or received any injury one from another.
him as an enemy; and, by that obligation of another, would strengthen, and secure his owne condition more against misfortunes, then he could by destroying him; and this humanity is writ in every mans heart, in whom such wicked principles, as his, have not blotted it out; from this principle it came, that (Acts 28.) the barbarous people of Malita entertained St. Paul with such humani∣ty; if they had been of Mr. Hobbes his mind, they would have killed him, but humanity provoked them to kindnesse, and malicious Axioms had not abused their judgements; and therefore man was to man strange man, such as they had no interest in a friend. I know it may be objected here, that those of Malita were men united in a Common-wealth, and that might cause them to be so civil. He hath taught me to answer this after∣wards, shewing how all Common-wealths, being indepen∣dent bodies, are to one another in the state of warre; and therefore other people are to them like other men to each other. If he should againe reply, that they should have neither hopes nor feares from this; I answer, they might have bor•• hopes to get what they had, and feares that they might spy out their weaknesses, and many other the like, which Covetousnesse and Desire of safety might have suggested to them, but such as, in them, and ingenious spirits, might easily be controlled by huma∣nity.
But he goe's on to prove, that these men are at warre one with another (for saith he) [Warre consisteth not in battaile only] true, for the Schoole distinguish betwixt Bellum and pugna, fight or battaile, and warre, or the act of fighting [but in a tract of time, wherein the will to con∣tend by battaile is sufficiently knowne: and therefore the no∣tion
of time is to be considered in the nature of warre.] He is the most unhappie man in his manner of defining that ever writ; can any man think that warre consists in a tract of time? It is true, time is necessary to warre, it is the measure of all rest or actions in the world, it is the measure of their existence, how long they stay and tarry in the world, and so may be reckoned amongst those outward accommodations with which all natural things are fitted; but it is no essential part of any: To say, that the nature of warre or peace, a Horse, or Tree, or Men consists in time, were foolish; they are in time measured by time; but time is not essentiall constitutively, as his friends the Schoolmen, and University learning teach∣eth, but consecutively; they doe not make these things follow them; and therefore it was weakly explained by him, when he said, that the notion of time is to be con∣sidered in the nature of warres.
But he illustrates this by foule weather (saith he) [the nature of foule weather lyeth not in a shower or two of raine, but in an inclination thereto of many dayes together: So the nature of warre consisteth not in actual fighting, but in the known disposition thereto, during all the time there is no as∣surance to the contrary.] His instance, by which he illu∣strates this Conclusion, is erronious; for foule weather is not an inclination of time (as he seemes to speak, or else he prove's not, that the notion of time is to be considered in the nature of warre) but of the heavens in that time; nor is the weather foule if there be onely an inclination to foul∣nesse, as hap's in lowring cloudy weather, where is no raine; yet it is faire, as weather is faire effectively in ma∣king
the wayes faire; and this distinction is often obser∣ved by our writers of Almanacks; when they will be exact in their Prognostiques of weather, they say, now it is inclinable to raine, then it will be raine, and when it doth raine, or in such a time as raine hath such a predo∣minance to make the wayes foule, we call it a foule day or weeke; but if there be only a disposition to raine, or so lit∣tle as allayes the dust only, we say, for all that, it is faire weather not foule.
As his Illustration is to blame, so is his Conclusion; the disposition to warre, no not the known disposition to it, is warre, for that disposition is nothing but an inclination to warre; but an actual, or habitual hostility, not enmity only, makes warre; a man may hate another, one King another, and yet not make warre upon him; yet that ha∣tred is a disposition to war. So that a disposition to war makes not war, and then the knowledge of it cannot make it other then it is; but then is war, when two Na∣tions endeavour the subjugation or assaulting one another, or one doth it alone; for although true friendship requires a mutual consent of both parties; yet a war doth not, for war may be, and is commonly, begun by one party, be∣fore the other undertakes it; and we say often, that one Nation makes war, and invade's the other unprovided. But because he vaunts often of the propriety of speech, I may tell him, that war is not properly spoke of single men but Kings or Nations; for single men hate one another, cantend one with another, fight one with another, are at enmity one with the other, but not at war, that is proper to publique persons, or Nations, only.
What he writes afterwards, of the incommodities of war, is ingenious, but the application is not rightly made to those men (of which he speaks) who live without other security then what their own strength, and their own inven∣tion, shall furnish them withall; For let us consider these men either planting neare other men, or alone, we shall still, unlesse war disturbe them, find them adopting and fitting their habitations for their own profit and content; if a man should, in an Hermeticall way, live alone, he would fit his habitation for such a solitary life; if he should live amongst neighbours, he would accommo∣date his affaires, the best way he could, to have a neigh∣bourly friendship with them. The application I cannot see how it can be forced unlesse his conclusion, that all men are at war, were granted, for instance we can have none but of Hermites; but for the plantation of families upon the same territories with others, we see Abraham and Lot planting amongst the Canaanites, who, having ground sufficient, lived peaceably with them, and they fitted themselves with all usefull things, for a good time having no warre. I goe on with him therefore on the last particle of the 62. Page; he there begins.
Three sorts of men, although without a common hu∣mane power to awe them, not in the con∣dition called Warre.
How a com∣mon interest in humanity may oblige to mutual ••••iendship.
Ob.
Repl. Ans.
Time being no essential con∣stitutes no war.
His instance in foul wea∣ther, to illu∣strate, errone∣ous.
A disposition to war, before any act of ho∣stility, makes no war.
His impropri∣ety of speech.
Men unassured of their securi∣ty make not presently pro∣vision for a de∣fensive War.