The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 02 (of 11)Hobbes, Thomas
Philosophy
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 02 (of 11)
Hobbes, Thomas
Philosophy, English -- 17th century
3. That kings may not be punished by their subjects, as hath been
showed above in the sixth chapter and the twelfth article, King
David also confirms; who, though Saul sought to slay him, did
notwithstanding refrain his hand from killing him, and forbade
Abishai, saying, (1 Sam. xxvi. 9): _Destroy him not; for who can
stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed, and be innocent?_
And when he had cut off the skirt of his garment, (1 Sam. xxiv. 6):
_The Lord forbid_, saith he, _that I should do this thing unto my
master the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him_.
And (_2 Sam._ i. 15) commanded the Amalekite, who for his sake had
slain Saul, to be put to death.
[Sidenote: That without a supreme power there is no government, but
confusion.]
4. That which is said in the seventeenth chapter of _Judges_, at the
sixth verse: _In those days there was no king in Israel, but every
man did that which was right in his own eyes_: as though where there
were not a _monarchy_, there were an _anarchy_ or confusion of all
things: may be brought as a testimony to prove the excellency of
monarchy above all other forms of government; unless that by the
word _king_ may perhaps be understood not _one man_ only, but also a
_court_; provided that in it there reside a supreme power. Which if
it be taken in this sense, yet hence it may follow, that without a
supreme and absolute power (which we have endeavoured to prove in
the sixth chapter) there will be a liberty for every man to do what
he hath a mind, or whatsoever shall seem right to himself; which
cannot stand with the preservation of mankind. And therefore in all
government whatsoever, there is ever a supreme power understood to
be somewhere existent.
[Sidenote: That servants and sons owe their lords and parents simple
obedience.]
5. We have, in chap. VIII. art. 7 and 8, said that _servants_ must
yield a simple obedience to their _lords_, and in chap IX. art. 7,
that _sons_ owe the same obedience to their _parents_. Saint Paul
says the same thing concerning servants (Coloss. iii. 22): _Servants
obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with
eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing
God._ Concerning sons (Colos. iii. 20): _Children obey your parents
in all things, for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord._ Now as we
by simple obedience understand all things which are not contrary to
the laws of God; so in those cited places of St. Paul, after the
word _all things_, we must suppose, _excepting those which are
contrary to the laws of God_.
[Sidenote: The absolute power of princes proved by most evident
testimonies of the Scripture, as well New as Old.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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