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 ...

Sect. 6.

This discourse begin's thus [Whensoever a man trans∣ferreth his right, or renounceth it, it is either in considerati∣on of some right reciprocally transferred to himself, or for some other good he hopeth for thereby.] This I grant so far as the words expresse it;* 1.1 but there is something he im∣plies which will render it fit for censure anon; his reason likewise I allow, which followe's [for it is a voluntary act, and of the voluntary acts of every man the object is some good to himself] as for his deduct on which is layd therefore there be some rights which no man can be under∣stood, by any words, or other signes, to have abandoned or transferred] this in generall hath some truth; for since the end of man is his happiness, which he must needs love, happiness and goodness being as proper an object of the will, as colours to the sight, or any other, yet this applyed to any particular thing will be found erroneous; for although good and happiness must needs, by the law of nature, be desired; yet because what is that good and happiness is not so universally apparent, when that good and happinesse shall be instanced in any particular, it will not be universally received; Now I will consider his examples [As first (saith he) a man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force to take away his life] This is a mistake in him, a man can, and many men have done it; a man can, for a man can preferre other things before his life, and therefore can exchange h••s life for that; men ought to preferre their Countries good before their owne, both being in its self a greater good, and of greater durance; men may preferre their

souls eternall good beyond this life, the hope of which give's the greatest comfort this life is capable of;* 1.2 one may and ought to preferre the glory of God before his own life; by which that eternal good of his own soul shall be assured to him; these men may, and ought to preferre, who are Christians; and as Reason guide's to these actions, so Experience of them who have done it, for these ends, shewe's it may be done; but there are a hundred little by-ends for which men have done it; those of honour in severall kinds, for riches, for present pleasures; and there is almost no worldly contentment, for which some men have not adventured, and lost their lives; but it may justly be objected,* 1.3 that those did not vertuously do it. I answer; that is not materiall to his proposition, wh••ch useth not the word, ought not, but cannot lay downe, &c. yet in the first conditions, before named, which are vertuous, take one eminent Story, be∣sides a multitude, told by Tertullian in his Apologeticus adversus Gentes, Cap. 37. the story is thus; Tertullian lived in the time of Severus, who persecuted the Chri∣stians most barbarously: Tertullian, being converted to Christianity, takes courage, and writes this Book in de∣fence of them, against that cruell manner of persecu∣ting, which was to destroy them unheard, only upon confessing Christianity, like Wolves or beasts odious to the Common-wealth; amongst other slanders, by which this Injustice was coloured to the world, this was one, which they were accused of, that they were ill af∣fected to the Imperiall government,* 1.4 and were enemies to it. Tertullian, in answer to this, saith in 37. Cap. If we were maliciously affected to revenge the injuries done us; Vel una nox pauculis faculis largitatem ultionis possit oper∣ari si malum malo dispungi penes nos liceret. The mean∣ing

of which is, that they were strong enough to set the City on fire, in one night, when they would. Now saith he, if we would declare our selves enemies, we are strong enough to make it good, the Mauri, or Marcomauri, or Parthi are not so numerous, they inhabit one Country, we the world; what war are we not fit for, even with unequall forces, who can suffer our selves tam libenter trucidari, so willingly to be slaine? but, saith he, in this discipline we have learned to be killed, rather then kill; yea, if we would not fight against you, we could, without rebellion, by a meere desertion, de∣stroy you, by the losse ef so many Citizens, this very divorse would astonish you, you would lack men whom to governe. Let him that will, reade that Chap. and the rest about it, he shall find the Christians killed, tortured, yea persecu∣ted, dead, so that the sanctuary of the grave, as he speaketh was not a refuge for them; he shall find that they could ea∣sily vindicate themselves from these evils; yet they chose to suffer them, rather then doe the least evill, ha∣ving implicitely covenanted with that government, by being born under it, to obey it; nay this shewe's, that they, and such a world of men, were of this opinion; and it was apparently knowne, or else he durst not have published this discourse to be read by the Emperour, and to disswade him from his persecution by such an Argument, which, for matter of fact, might so easily have been confuted. Had these men been of Mr. Hobbes his mind, they would have said, what doe you talk of Obedience, give us life, in defence of which a man may kill any man, or men? yea all the world rightfully; nor can any Covenant, by words, or otherwise, divest us of this right; but they were not of his opinion, and their practise is e∣nough to confute Mr. Hobbes, that a man can lay down that right, &c. and it was vertuous so to doe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  That is not al∣wayes really good for which a man pa••ts with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 right.
• * 1.2

  A man may lay down his right to resi∣stance, and preservation of his life for a greater good.
• * 1.3

  Obj. Ans.
• * 1.4

  Tertullian's signal instance in the Christi∣ans of his time.