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De Cive
by Thomas Hobbes
1651
RELIGION
Chap。 XV
Of the Kingdome of God； by Nature
I。 Wee have already in the foregoing Chapters； proved both by
reason； and testimonies of holy Writ； that the estate of nature；
that is to say； of absolute liberty； such as is theirs； who
neither govern； nor are governed； is an Anarchy； or hostile
state； that the precepts whereby to avoyd this state； are the
Lawes of nature； that there can be no civill government without a
Soveraigne； and that they who have gotten this Soveraigne command
must be obey'd simply； that is to say； in all things which
repugne not the Commandments of God： There is this one thing only
wanting to the complete understanding of all civill duty； & that
is； to know which are the Laws and Commandments of God。 For else
we cannot tell whether that which the civill power commands us；
be against the Lawes of God； or not； whence it must necessarily
happen； that either by too much obedience to the civill
authority； we become stubborne against the divine Majesty； or for
feare of sinning against God； we runne into disobedience against
the civill power： To avoid both these rocks； its necessary to
know the Divine Lawes。 now because the knowledge of the Lawes；
depends on the knowledge of the Kingdome； we must in what
followes； speak somewhat concerning the Kingdome of God。
II。 The Lord is King； the earth may be glad there of saith
the Psalmist； Psal： 97 v。 1。 And againe the same Psalmist； Psal。
99。 v。 1。 The Lord is King； be the People never so unpatient； he
sitteth betweene the Cherubins； be the Earth never so unquiet； to
wit； whether men will； or not； God is THE King over all the
Earth； nor is he mov'd from his Throne； if there be any who deny
either his existence； or his providence。 Now although God governe
all men so by his power； that none can doe any thing which he
would not have done； yet this； to speake properly； and
accurately； is not to reigne； for he is sayed to reigne； who
rules not by acting； but speaking； that is to say； by precepts
and threatnings。 And therefore we account not inanimate； nor
irrationall bodies； for Subjects in the Kingdome of God； although
they be subordinate to the Divine power； because they understand
not the commands； and threats of God； nor yet the Atheists；
because they beleeve not that there is a God； nor yet those who
beleeving there is a God； doe not yet beleeve that he rules these
Inferiour things； for even these； although they be govern'd by
the power of God； yet doe they not acknowledge any of his
Commands； nor stand in awe of his threats。 Those onely therefore
are suppos'd to belong to Gods Kingdome； who acknowledge him to
be the Governour of all things； and that he hath given his
Commands to men； and appointed punishments for the
transgressours； The rest； we must not call Subjects； but Enemies
of God。
III。 But none are said to governe by commands； but they who
openly declare them to those who are govern'd by them； for the
Commands of the Rulers are the Lawes of the Rul'd。 But lawes they
are not； if not perspicuously publisht； in so much as all excuse
of Ignorance may be taken away。 Men indeed publish their Lawes by
word or voice； neither can they make their will universally
knowne any other way； But Gods lawes are declar'd after a
threefold manner： first； by the tacit dictates of Right reason：
next； by immediate revelation； which is suppos'd to be done
either by a supernaturall voice； or by a vision or dreame； or
divine inspiration： Thirdly； by the voice of one man whom God
recommends to the rest； as worthy of beliefe； by the working of
true miracles。 Now he whose voice God thus makes use of to
signifie his will unto others； is called a PROPHET。 These three
manners may be term'd the threefold word of God； to wit the
Rationall word； the sensible word； and the word of Prophecy： To
which answer； the three manners whereby we are said to heare God；
Right reasoning； sense； and faith。 Gods sensible word hath come
but to few； neither hath God spoken to men by Revelation except
particularly to some； and to diverse diversely； neither have any
Lawes of his Kingdome beene publisht on this manner unto any
people。
IV。 And according to the difference which is between the
Rationall word and the word of Prophecy； we attribute a twofold
Kingdome unto God： Naturall； in which he reignes by the dictates
of right reason； and which is universall over all who acknowledge
the Divine power； by reason of that rationall nature which is
common to all； and Propheticall； in which he rules also by the
word of Prophecy； which is peculiar； because he hath not given
positive Lawes to all men； but to his peculiar people； and some
certaine men elected by him。
V。 God in his naturall Kingdome hath a Right to rule； and to
punish those who break his Lawes； from his sole irresistable
power。 For all Right over others is either from nature； or from
Contract。 How the Right of governing springs from Contract； we
have already shewed in the 6。 Chapter。 And the same Right is
derived from nature； in this very thing； that it is not by nature
taken away。 For when by nature all men had a Right over all
things； every man had a Right of ruling over all as ancient as
nature it selfe； but the reason why this was abolisht among men；
was no other but mutuall fear； as hath been declared above in the
second Chapter； the 3。 art； reason namely dictating that they
must foregoe that Right for the preservation of mankinde； because
the equality of men among themselves according to their strength
and naturall powers was necessarily accompanied with warre； and
with warre joynes the destruction of mankinde。 Now if any man had
so farre exceeded the rest in power； that all of them with joyned
forces could not have resisted him； there had been no cause why
he should part with that Right which nature had given him； The
Right therefore of Dominion over all the rest； would have
remained with him； by reason of that excesse of power whereby he
could have preserved both himselfe and them。 They therefore whose
power cannot be resisted； and by consequence God Almighty；
derives his Right of Soveraignty from the Power it selfe。 And as
oft as God punisheth； or slayes a sinner； although he therefore
punish him because he sinned； yet may we not say that he could
not justly have punisht or killed him although he had not sinned。
Neither； if the will of God in punishing； may perhaps have regard
to some sin antecedent； doth it therefore follow； that the Right
of afflicting； and killing； depends not on divine Power； but on
mens sins。
VI。 That question made famous by the disputations of the
Antients； why evill things befell the good； and good things the
evill； is the same with this of ours； by what Right God
dispenseth good and evill things unto men。 And with its
difficulty； it not only staggers the faith of the vulgar
concerning the divine providence； but also of Philosophers； and
which is more； even of holy men。 Psal。 73。 v。 1； 2； 3。 Truly God
is good to Israel； even to such as are of a clean heart。 but as
for me； my feet were almost gone； my steps had well nigh slipt。
And why