The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 04 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
12. Finally, there is no law of natural reason, that can be against
the law divine: for God Almighty hath given reason to a man to be a
light unto him. And I hope it is no impiety to think, that God
Almighty will require a strict account thereof, at the day of
judgment, as of the instructions which we were to follow in our
peregrination here, notwithstanding the opposition and affronts of
supernaturalists now a-days, to rational and moral conversation.
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CHAPTER VI.
1. That men, notwithstanding these laws, are still in the state of
war, till they have security one against another. 2. The law of
nature in war, is nothing but honour. 3. No security without the
concord of many. 4. That concord of many cannot be maintained
without power to keep them all in awe. 5. The cause why concord
remaineth in a multitude of some irrational creatures, and not
of men. 6. That union is necessary for the maintaining of
concord. 7. How union is made. 8. Body politic defined. 9.
Corporation defined. 10. Sovereign and subject defined. 11. Two
sorts of bodies politic, patrimonial and commonwealth.
[Sidenote: That men, notwithstanding these laws, are still in the
state of war, till they have security one against
another.]
1. In chapter XII. section 6, of the _Treatise of Human Nature_, it
hath been shewed, that the opinions men have of the rewards and
punishments which are to follow their actions, are the causes that
make and govern the will to those actions. In this estate of man
therefore, wherein all men are equal, and every man allowed to be
his own judge, the fears they have one of another are equal, and
every man’s hopes consist in his own sleight and strength: and
consequently when any man by his natural passion, is provoked to
break these laws of nature, there is no security in any other man of
his own defence but _anticipation_. And for this cause, every man’s
right, howsoever he be inclined to peace, of doing whatsoever
seemeth good in his own eyes, remaineth with him still, as the
necessary means of his preservation. And therefore till there be
security amongst men for the keeping of the law of nature one
towards another, men are still in the estate of war, and nothing is
unlawful to any man that tendeth to his own safety or commodity: and
this safety and commodity consisteth in the mutual aid and help of
one another, whereby also followeth the mutual fear of one another.
[Sidenote: The law of nature in war, is nothing but honour.]