A defence of true liberty from ante-cedent and extrinsecall necessity being an answer to a late book of Mr. Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, intituled, A treatise of liberty and necessity. Written by the Right Reverend John Bramhall D.D. and Lord Bishop of Derry.

TO THE READER. CHristian Reader, this ensuing treatise was neither penned nor intended for the Press, but privately un∣dertaken, that by the ventilation of the question, truth might be cleared from mistakes. The same was Mr. Hobbs his desire at that time, as appeareth by four pas∣sages in his Book, wherein he requesteth and beseecheth, that it may be kept private. But either through forget∣fulness or change of judgment, he hath now caused, or permitted it to be printed in England, without either ad∣joining my first discourse, to which he wrote that answer, or so much as mentioning this Reply, which he hath had in his hands now these eight years. So wide is the date of his letter, in the year 1652. from the truth, and his manner of dealing with me in this particular from in∣genuity, (if the edition were with his own consent.) Howsoever here is all that passed between us upon this subject, without any addition, or the least variation from the originall.

Concerning the nameless Authour of the preface, who takes upon him to hang out an Ivy bush before this rare piece of sublimated Stoacisme, to invite passengers to purchase it. As I know not who he is, so I do not much heed it, nor regard, either his ignorant censures, or hy∣perbolicall expressions. The Church of England is as much above his detraction, as he is beneath this questi∣on. Let him lick up the spittle of Dionysius by himself, as his servile flatterers did, and protest, that it is more sweet than Nectar; we envie him not, much good may it do him. His very frontispiece is a sufficient confutation of his whole preface, wherein he tells the world as falsly

and ignorantly, as confidently, that all controversy, con∣cerning Predestination, Election, Free-will, Grace, Me∣rits, Reprobation, &c. is fully decided and cleared. Thus he accustometh his pen to run over, beyond all li∣limits of truth and discretion, to let us see that his know∣ledge in Theologicall Controversies is none at all, and in∣to what miserable times we are fallen, when blind men will be the onely judges of colours. Quid tanto dignum feret hic promissor hiatu?

There is yet one thing more, whereof I desire to ad∣vertise the Reader. Whereas Mr. Hobbs mentions my ob∣jections to his Book De Cive; It is true, that ten yeares since I gave him about 60. exceptions, the one half of them Politicall, the other half Theologicall, to that Book, and every exception justified by a number of reasons, to which he never yet vouchsafed any answer. Nor do I now desire it, for since that, he hath published his Le∣viathan: Monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui∣lumen ademptum, which affords much more matter of exception. And I am informed that there are already two, the one of our own Church, the other a stranger, who have shaken in pieces the whole Fabrick of his City, that was but builded in the air, and resolved that huge mass of his seeming Leviathan into a new nothing, and that their labours will speedily be published. But if this information should not prove true, I will not grudge upon his desire, God willing, to demonstrate, that his principles are pernicious, both to Piety and Policy, and destructive to all relations of mankind, between Prince and Subject, Father and Child, Master and Servant, Husband and Wife; And that they, who maintain them obstinately, are fitter to live in hollow-trees among wild beasts, than in any Christian or Politicall Society, so God bless us.

Notes

• P. 18. 26. 35. & 80.
• P. 1.