Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes

4. 2, &c) speaking expressely of the means to examine Spirits, whether

484 words | Chapter 98

they be of God, or not; after he hath told them that there would arise false Prophets, saith thus, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God. Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God;" that is, is approved and allowed as a Prophet of God: not that he is a godly man, or one of the Elect, for this, that he confesseth, professeth, or preacheth Jesus to be the Christ; but for that he is a Prophet avowed. For God sometimes speaketh by Prophets, whose persons he hath not accepted; as he did by Baalam; and as he foretold Saul of his death, by the Witch of Endor. Again in the next verse, "Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh, is not of Christ. And this is the Spirit of Antichrist." So that the rule is perfect on both sides; that he is a true Prophet, which preacheth the Messiah already come, in the person of Jesus; and he a false one that denyeth him come, and looketh for him in some future Imposter, that shall take upon him that honour falsely, whom the Apostle there properly calleth Antichrist. Every man therefore ought to consider who is the Soveraign Prophet; that is to say, who it is, that is Gods Viceregent on earth; and hath next under God, the Authority of Governing Christian men; and to observe for a Rule, that Doctrine, which in the name of God, hee commanded to bee taught; and thereby to examine and try out the truth of those Doctrines, which pretended Prophets with miracles, or without, shall at any time advance: and if they find it contrary to that Rule, to doe as they did, that came to Moses, and complained that there were some that Prophecyed in the Campe, whose Authority so to doe they doubted of; and leave to the Soveraign, as they did to Moses to uphold, or to forbid them, as hee should see cause; and if hee disavow them, then no more to obey their voice; or if he approve them, then to obey them, as men to whom God hath given a part of the Spirit of their Soveraigne. For when Christian men, take not their Christian Soveraign, for Gods Prophet; they must either take their owne Dreams, for the prophecy they mean to bee governed by, and the tumour of their own hearts for the Spirit of God; or they must suffer themselves to bee lead by some strange Prince; or by some of their fellow subjects, that can bewitch them, by slander of the government, into rebellion, without other miracle to confirm their calling, then sometimes an extraordinary successe, and Impunity; and by this means destroying all laws, both divine, and humane, reduce all Order, Government, and Society, to the first Chaos of Violence, and Civill warre.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. 6. OF THE INTERIOUR BEGINNINGS OF VOLUNTARY MOTIONS, COMMONLY CALLED THE 3. 8. OF THE VERTUES, COMMONLY CALLED INTELLECTUALL, AND THEIR CONTRARY 4. 13. OF THE NATURALL CONDITION OF MANKIND AS CONCERNING THEIR FELICITY 5. 16. OF PERSONS, AUTHORS, AND THINGS PERSONATED 6. 19. OF SEVERALL KINDS OF COMMON-WEALTH BY INSTITUTION; AND OF SUCCESION 7. 29. OF THOSE THINGS THAT WEAKEN, OR TEND TO THE DISSOLUTION OF A 8. 31. OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY NATURE 9. 33. OF THE NUMBER, ANTIQUITY, SCOPE, AUTHORITY, AND INTERPRETERS OF THE 10. 34. OF THE SIGNIFICATION, OF SPIRIT, ANGELL, AND INSPIRATION IN THE 11. 35. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE KINGDOME OF GOD, OF HOLY, 12. 38. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF ETERNALL LIFE, HEL, SALVATION, 13. 40. OF THE RIGHTS OF THE KINGDOME OF GOD, IN ABRAHAM, MOSES, THE HIGH 14. 43. OF WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR MANS RECEPTION INTO THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN 15. 47. OF THE BENEFIT PROCEEDING FROM SUCH DARKNESSE; AND TO WHOM IT 16. 48. A REVIEW AND CONCLUSION 17. PART I. 18. CHAPTER I. OF SENSE 19. CHAPTER II. OF IMAGINATION 20. CHAPTER III. OF THE CONSEQUENCE OR TRAYNE OF IMAGINATIONS 21. CHAPTER IV. OF SPEECH 22. CHAPTER V. OF REASON, AND SCIENCE. 23. CHAPTER VI. OF THE INTERIOUR BEGINNINGS OF VOLUNTARY MOTIONS 24. CHAPTER VII. OF THE ENDS OR RESOLUTIONS OF DISCOURSE 25. CHAPTER VIII. OF THE VERTUES COMMONLY CALLED INTELLECTUAL; AND THEIR 26. 10. 20.) some said, "He hath a Divell, and is mad;" whereas others 27. CHAPTER IX. OF THE SEVERALL SUBJECTS OF KNOWLEDGE 28. 1. Consequences from the Accidents common to all Bodies Naturall; 29. 2. PHYSIQUES, or Consequences from Qualities 30. 1. Of Consequences from the Institution of COMMON-WEALTHS, to 31. 2. Of Consequences from the same, to the Duty and Right of 32. CHAPTER X. OF POWER, WORTH, DIGNITY, HONOUR AND WORTHINESS 33. CHAPTER XI. OF THE DIFFERENCE OF MANNERS 34. CHAPTER XII. OF RELIGION 35. CHAPTER XIII. OF THE NATURALL CONDITION OF MANKIND, 36. CHAPTER XIV. OF THE FIRST AND SECOND NATURALL LAWES, AND OF CONTRACTS 37. CHAPTER XV. OF OTHER LAWES OF NATURE 38. introduction of Warre; which is against the Law of Nature; and is 39. CHAPTER XVI. OF PERSONS, AUTHORS, AND THINGS PERSONATED 40. PART II. 41. CHAPTER XVII. OF THE CAUSES, GENERATION, AND DEFINITION OF A 42. CHAPTER XVIII. OF THE RIGHTS OF SOVERAIGNES BY INSTITUTION 43. 1. The Subjects Cannot Change The Forme Of Government 44. 2. Soveraigne Power Cannot Be Forfeited 45. 3. No Man Can Without Injustice Protest Against The Institution Of The 46. 4. The Soveraigns Actions Cannot Be Justly Accused By The Subject 47. 5. What Soever The Soveraigne Doth, Is Unpunishable By The Subject 48. 6. The Soveraigne Is Judge Of What Is Necessary For The Peace And 49. 7. The Right of making Rules, whereby the Subject may every man know 50. 8. To Him Also Belongeth The Right Of All Judicature And Decision Of 51. 9. And Of Making War, And Peace, As He Shall Think Best: 52. 10. And Of Choosing All Counsellours, And Ministers, Both Of Peace, And 53. 11. And Of Rewarding, And Punishing, And That (Where No 54. 12. And Of Honour And Order 55. CHAPTER XIX. OF THE SEVERALL KINDS OF COMMON-WEALTH BY INSTITUTION, 56. CHAPTER XX. OF DOMINION PATERNALL AND DESPOTICALL 57. 21. 2,3) "Go into the Village over against you, and you shall find a 58. CHAPTER XXI. OF THE LIBERTY OF SUBJECTS 59. CHAPTER XXII. OF SYSTEMES SUBJECT, POLITICALL, AND PRIVATE 60. CHAPTER XXIII. OF THE PUBLIQUE MINISTERS OF SOVERAIGN POWER 61. CHAPTER XXIV. OF THE NUTRITION, AND PROCREATION OF A COMMON-WEALTH 62. CHAPTER XXV. OF COUNSELL 63. CHAPTER XXVI. OF CIVILL LAWES 64. 1. The Legislator in all Common-wealths, is only the Soveraign, be he 65. 2. The Soveraign of a Common-wealth, be it an Assembly, or one Man, is 66. 3. When long Use obtaineth the authority of a Law, it is not the 67. 4. The Law of Nature, and the Civill Law, contain each other, and are 68. 5. If the Soveraign of one Common-wealth, subdue a people that have 69. 6. Seeing then all Lawes, written, and unwritten, have their Authority, 70. 7. That Law can never be against Reason, our Lawyers are agreed; and 71. 8. From this, that the Law is a Command, and a Command consisteth in 72. 1. The Edicts, Constitutions, and Epistles Of The Prince, that is, of 73. 2. The Decrees Of The Whole People Of Rome (comprehending the Senate,) 74. 3. The Decrees Of The Common People (excluding the Senate,) when they 75. 4. Senatus Consulta, the Orders Of The Senate; because when the people 76. 5. The Edicts Of Praetors, and (in some Cases) of the Aediles: such as 77. 6. Responsa Prudentum; which were the Sentences, and Opinions of those 78. 7. Also, Unwritten Customes, (which in their own nature are an imitation 79. CHAPTER XXVII. OF CRIMES, EXCUSES, AND EXTENUATIONS 80. CHAPTER XXVIII. OF PUNISHMENTS, AND REWARDS 81. CHAPTER XXIX. OF THOSE THINGS THAT WEAKEN, OR TEND TO THE DISSOLUTION OF 82. CHAPTER XXX. OF THE OFFICE OF THE SOVERAIGN REPRESENTATIVE 83. CHAPTER XXXI. OF THE KINGDOME OF GOD BY NATURE 84. PART III. 85. CHAPTER XXXII. OF THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN POLITIQUES 86. CHAPTER XXXIII. OF THE NUMBER, ANTIQUITY, SCOPE, AUTHORITY, AND 87. 27. which was also commanded to be written on stones, in their entry 88. 22. 8 & 23. 1,2,3) 89. 14. 15. 63. 90. 126. whereby it is manifest that the Psalter was compiled, and put into 91. CHAPTER XXXIV. OF THE SIGNIFICATION OF SPIRIT, ANGEL, AND INSPIRATION IN 92. 8. 1. Where when the earth was covered with Waters, as in the beginning, 93. CHAPTER XXXV. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF KINGDOME OF GOD, OF 94. CHAPTER XXXVI. OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND OF PROPHETS 95. 18. 1.) by an apparition of three Angels; and to Abimelech (Gen. 20. 3.) 96. 26. 24.) to Isaac in the night; (that is, in his sleep, or by dream): 97. 12. 6,7,8.) "If there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will make my 98. 4. 2, &c) speaking expressely of the means to examine Spirits, whether 99. CHAPTER XXXVII. OF MIRACLES, AND THEIR USE 100. 13. 58.) that he wrought not many Miracles in his own countrey, because 101. 18. of Deuteronomy; That wee take not any for Prophets, that teach any 102. CHAPTER XXXVIII. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF ETERNALL LIFE, 103. CHAPTER XXXIX. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE WORD CHURCH 104. CHAPTER XL OF THE RIGHTS OF THE KINGDOME OF GOD, IN ABRAHAM, MOSES, 105. CHAPTER XLI. OF THE OFFICE OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR 106. CHAPTER XLII. OF POWER ECCLESIASTICALL 107. 24. where he saith, "As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be 108. 5. 39.) "Search the Scriptures; for in them yee thinke to have eternall 109. 2. of the same Chapter) "Serving of Tables," is a service done to the 110. CHAPTER XLIII. OF WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR A MANS RECEPTION INTO THE 111. 11. 30.) that "Christs yoke is Easy, and his burthen Light:" Nor that 112. 4. 2. "Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the 113. PART IV. 114. CHAPTER XLIV. OF SPIRITUALL DARKNESSE FROM MISINTERPRETATION OF 115. 4. ver.3.) "Better is he that hath not yet been, than both they;" that 116. 1. 12.); and againe, (2 Sam. 3. 35.) for the death of Abner. This 117. CHAPTER XLV. OF DAEMONOLOGY, AND OTHER RELIQUES OF THE RELIGION OF THE 118. CHAPTER XLVI. OF DARKNESSE FROM VAIN PHILOSOPHY, AND FABULOUS TRADITIONS 119. CHAPTER XLVII. OF THE BENEFIT THAT PROCEEDETH FROM SUCH DARKNESSE, AND

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