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