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. 13.

[As if not the Cause, but the degrees of daring made Fortitude; or not the Cause, but the quantity of a gift made liberality.] I wonder, when he read any writer of note so absurd,* 1.1 as he make's all Philosophers in gener∣all: for Fortitude, they make it (as all other) to consist in mediocrity; it is excelled by temerity, or rashnesse; it is defective in Cowardlinesse; and these are both degenerations from the vertue Fortitude; which For∣titude is to dare doe that (what danger soever be in it) which Reason prescribe's; and to forbeare to doe that (what advantage soever shall accrue) which just Reason shall forbid. Take an Instance in that man of God, David, in Sam. 17. we may read that he durst en∣counter with a Lyon and a Beare, to rescue an innocent Lamb out of their mouthes: he dare's fight with Goliah in compleat armour, with nothing but a sling and a stone, to rescue his Country; yet a little after we shall read of him flying out of his Wifes Window for safety: yea, in the 26. of the same booke, we shall find Da∣vid, and onely Abishai with him, entring the whole ar∣my of Saul: an Act than which nothing could be more bold or hazardous; and taking his Speare, and bottle from his holster, and yet, he durst not touch his person, for committing of treason; each an act of true Forti∣tude, to dare so much, when it was fit, and dare doe no more, when it was fit; no not for a Kingdome: the Rules of Fortitude, are, not to feare, or hope for any thing, but upon the guidance of right Rea∣son; So that the daring to say, or doe unjust actions, is opposite to fortitude: I may say the like of liberality, it hath two vices nigardlinesse and prodigality; It is pro∣digality,

profusely to throw away man's estate, or loosely to wast it, upon idle and vaine persons and occa∣sions; but it is nigardlinesse, to grudge his own, or other men's necessi••ies, that which he can spare from his Conveniences. Fortitude, Liberality, all vertues have their Times, places, persons, with other Circum∣stances, to be considered in their practices, without which they are not esteemed ver••ues amongst Philoso∣phers. This made some Philosophers think Prudence the onely vertue, varyed according to the diversity of the objects, it was busied about, because that consider's these Circumstances; others make it the chiefe, having an Interest in the acts of every other vertue; so that he was utterly mistaken, in that expression; nor are all vertues onely by Philosophers assigned, to moderate passions, but actions, as Aristotle discourseth; as is appa∣rent in that Cardinall vertue of Justice. To conclude, a vertuous man make's passions Servants to Reason, and governe's them, a vicious man let's them be his Ma∣sters which hinder's him from true felicity. I have done with this, and had not touched upon it, but, through this weak discourse, Mr. Hobbes thought to have obtru∣ded upon an heedlesse Reader, or such as is not versed in Morall Philosophy, a Contempt of so much excellent doctrine, delivered by so many learned men; and to have (unjustly) usurped the name of the onely excellent Philosopher, which I (who acknowledge my self a No∣vice to the others) ought not to subscribe to.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Fortitude and liberality.