Castigations of Mr. Hobbes his last animadversions in the case concerning liberty and universal necessity wherein all his exceptions about that controversie are fully satisfied.

Castigations upon the Animadver∣sions, Num. 36.

I Cited his sense, that he could adde other arguments if he thought it good Logick. He complaineth that I mis-recite his words, which are I could adde if I thought it good Logick, the inconvenience of denying neces∣sity, as that it destroyes both the Decrees and Pre∣science of God Almighty. And are not these reasons drawn from the Decrees and Presci∣ence of God Arguments? or are they not his prime arguments? How glad would this man be to find any little pretence of excep∣tion? He distinguisheth between absurdities and inconveniences: Absurdities (he saith) are impossibilities, and it is a good forme of reason∣ing * 1.1 to argue from absurdities, but not from incon∣veniences. If all absurdities be impossibilities, then there are no absurdities in rerum natura, for there can be no impossibilities. This it is to take the sense of words not from Artists in their own Arts, but from his own imagi∣nations. By this reason there never was an absurd speech or absurd action in the World,

otherwise absurdities are not impossibilities. But he hath confuted himself sufficiently in this Treatise. One absurdity may be greater than another, and one inconvenience may be greater than another; but absurd and incon∣venient is the same thing. That is absurd which is incongruous, unreasonable, not fit to be heard. Truth it self may accidentally be said in some sense to be inconvenient to some persons at some times. But neither absurdi∣ties nor inconveniences in themselves do flow from truth. Now let us see what are those incoveniences which he mentioneth here. To destroy the decrees and prescience of God Al∣mighty. There can be no greater absurdities imagined, than these things which he calleth inconveniencies. He himself hath at the least ten several times drawn arguments in this Treatise from the prescience of God. Where was his Logick then? or his memory now? And in this very place where he condemneth it as no good form of reasoning to argue from in∣conveniences, yet he himself doth practice it, and argues from inconveniences. But he hath worn this subject so threed-bare, without adding either new matter or new ornament, that I will not weary the Reader with a needlesse repetition, but refer him to my de∣fence, which I dare well trust with his Anim∣adversions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  T. H. ad∣mitteth no absur∣dities but impossibi∣lities.