The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 02 (of 11) — Thomas Hobbes — John Shaqi
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 02 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
11. It is also manifest, that all voluntary actions have their
beginning from, and necessarily depend on the will; and that the
will of doing or omitting aught, depends on the opinion of the good
and evil, of the reward or punishment which a man conceives he shall
receive by the act or omission: so as the actions of all men are
ruled by the opinions of each. Wherefore, by evident and necessary
inference, we may understand that it very much concerns the interest
of peace, that no opinions or doctrines be delivered to citizens, by
which they may imagine that either by right they may not obey the
laws of the city, that is, the commands of that man or council to
whom the supreme power is committed, or that it is lawful to resist
him, or that a less punishment remains for him that denies, than for
him that yields obedience. For if one command somewhat to be done
under penalty of natural death, another forbid it under pain of
eternal death, and both by their own right, it will follow that the
citizens, although innocent, are not only by right punishable, but
that the city itself is altogether dissolved. For no man can serve
two masters; nor is he less, but rather more a master, whom we
believe we are to obey for fear of damnation, than he whom we obey
for fear of temporal death. It follows therefore that this one,
whether man or court, to whom the city hath committed the supreme
power, have also this right; that he both judge what opinions[9] and
doctrines are enemies unto peace, and also that he forbid them to be
taught.
Footnote 9: