Let. 3. Mr. HoßREs' Writings. 33

of ſcripture is the word of God, and the ſovereign magiſtrate is the interpreter of ſcripture, and of all doctrines, to whoſe authority we muſt ſtand f. Yea, he carrieth it ſo far as to pro- nounce, that Chriſtians are bound in conſcience to obey the laws of an infidel king in matters of religion; that ˙thought ¹e is free, but when it comes to confeſſion of faith, the private **reaſon muſt ſubmit to the public, that is to ſay, to God's “ lieutenant.“ And accordingly he alloweth the ſubject, being commanded by the ſovereign, to deny Chriſt in words, holding firmly in his heart the faith of Chriſt: and that in that caſe, ¹e it is not he that denieth Chriſt before men, but his governor * and the laws of his countrys.“ And he expreſsly declareth, that idolatry to which a man is compelled by the terror of death is not idolatry. And this being the caſe, it is not to be wondered at, that he ſpeaks with contempt of the ancient mar- tyrs. In this the fucceeding Deiſts have not failed to imitate him. They have reproached thoſe excellent perſons as having died as a fool diethh; as if it were a ridiculous and ſenſeleſs thing to endure hardſhips and ſufferings, for the ſake of truth and conſcience. And yet thoſe have been always juſtly admired, who have expoſed themſelves to the greateſt dangers in a noble cauſe, and who would not do a baſe thing to ſave their lives. Mr. Hobbes acknowlegeth the exiſtence of God, and that we muſt of neceſſity ariſe from the effects which we behold to the eternal Power of all powers, and Cauſe of all cauſes; and he blames thoſe as abſurd, who call the world, or the ſoul of the world, God: but he denies that we know any more of him, than that he exiſts; and ſeems plainly to make him corporeal; for he affirms, that that which is not body is nothing at all ¹; And though he ſometimes ſeems to acknowlege religion and its obligations, and that there is an honour and worſhip due to God, prayer, thankſgivings, oblations, erc. yet he advanceth principles which evidently tend to ſubvert all religion. The account he gives of it is this,“ that from the fear of power in- * vilible, feigned by the mind, or imagined from tales publicly ¹e allowed, ariſeth religion, not allowed ſuperſtition.“ And he elſewhere reſolveth religion into things which he himſelf derides; viz.«opinions of ghoſts, ignorance of ſecond cauſes, ¹devotion to what men fear, and taking of things caſual for *e Pprognoſtics k.“ He takes pains in many of his works to prove

f See queſt. concerning liberty, p. 136. De cive, cap. 17

Leviath. p. 169. 283, 284. s Ibid. p. 238. 271. k See Chriſt. not founded on argument, p. 32, 33. 1 Leviath. 214. 371. Ibid. p. 54

VoL. I. D man