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. 10.

Afterwards he bring's another Answer, concerning the getting of heaven by violence,* 1.1 which is not logical; for although he sayes truth, that there is but one way of getting heaven, which is, not breaking, but keeping of Co∣venant; yet, the Fool supposing the impossibility that men might get heaven by unjust violence, he was to an∣swer logically out of the premisses, and not to deny the supposition.

Then he comes to answer that argument which amu∣sed me,* 1.2 concerning the getting sovereignty by rebellion: for let a man read his manner of writing and judge whe∣ther

in that he did not seem to make this an argument against the fool (as indeed it was) when, sayes he, from such reasoning as this succes••ful wickedness is called Vertue: now from the hatefulness of this Conclusion he over∣throw's the fools Conclusion. I allow his answer, but think he had had more reason to have confirmed the ar∣gument then overthrown it, because, as I have shewed, it was a doctrine corroborated by the main principles of his book; then he raiseth a new discourse about ano∣ther opinion [There be some (saith he) that proceed far∣ther, and will not have the Law of Nature to be those Rules which conduce to the preservation of mans life upon earth, but to the attaining of an eternal felicity after death.] I am of that mind,* 1.3 that the Law of Nature doth give rules for the attaining eternal felicity after death; for it is a most undoubted rule of the Law of Nature, as to the general, that bonum est appetibile, so to the particular, that accor∣ding to the degrees of goodnesse, that which is majus bonum, is magis appetibile, and ought to be more desired then what is minus; and this is so universally delivered by Nature, that no reasonable man heare's the tearme's, and understand's them, but he assent's to them; here is a major, one rule delivered concerning eternal life here∣after; if we can find a Minor corresponding, it will be (I think) one of the clearest delivered truths that can re∣sult out of that habit called by Philosophers intellectus or habitus principiorum; but here, in these Tearmes he puts it, there can be no doubt of it: for if it be an eter∣nall felicity (as he call's it) and all Christians believe, the very Tearmes render it cleare, that an Eternall is more to be desired then a Temporary, and therefore more to be endeavoured for. I insist no further upon this at this instant; I come to that he applye's this to.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Hobbes's illogical An∣••wer.
• * 1.2

  Another like it
• * 1.3

  The Law of Nature give's rules for the attaining eter∣nal felicity af∣rte death.