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. 8.

When the actor doth any thing against the law of Nature by command of the Author, if he be obliged by former Co∣venant to obey him, not he, but the Author breaketh the Law of Nature.] This is very erroneous,* 1.1 or else it make's an impossible supposition, for this supposition [if he be obliged by a former Covenant] must either be understood, that some former Covenant had power to bind him to doe this act against the Law of Nature, and that is impossible: for no Authority, but that of the God of nature, can have right to crosse the Law of Nature; and then it is most consonant to the Law of Nature, to obey him contrary to all Covenants, made to any other, by any authority, yea even of God himself; and upon this ground the obedience of Abraham to sacrifice his onely Son (which was as cross to Nature as any thing could be) was most honourable; or else must be understood, that some Covenant,* 1.2 of one man to another, of generall obedience, in all things should have power to oblige him to breake the Law of Nature, upon such a man's command; and then it is most wicked; First, it is sinfull to make such a Cove∣nant; and it is doubly wicked, to keep it: for when a man make's such a bargaine, it is supposed to be in li∣citis

et honestis, in lawfull and honest things, not against the Law of Nature; yea, should a man, in expresse termes, Covenant or bargaine, in particular, to doe this in∣dividual thing which is unlawful, he were bound to re∣pent, and not to doe it: his reason, he give's for the Conclusion, is not strong enough to enforce it, which is.

Notes

• * 1.1

  No Covenant obliging to act against the Law of Nature
• * 1.2

  With whom∣soever any such is made, it must not be kept.