Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, Part 51 summary
Part 51 of 65 · Part 4: Of the Kingdom of Darkness · 1 min to read the part
In And Also Maintained by the Presbyterians, the argument identifies Presbyterian retention of a doctrine about Christ’s kingdom as a claim to sovereign power, like that of the popes. It treats excommunication without civil permission as an unlawful seizure of authority and names Roman and Presbyterian clergy as sources of religious darkness.
What happens
- Presbyterians reject many Roman doctrines but retain the teaching that Christ’s kingdom begins at his Resurrection.
- The argument identifies their expected gain as sovereign power over the people, matching the popes’ aim.
- Excommunicating a lawful king means excluding him from public worship and forcibly resisting his efforts to correct the clergy.
- Excommunicating anyone without civil permission removes lawful liberty, so the argument blames Roman and Presbyterian clergy for religious darkness.
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In this part
What to notice
The final accusation joins both clerical groups under one charge. It makes their pursuit of power the basis for blaming them for religious darkness.
Quick check
What gain does the argument attribute to the Presbyterians’ retained doctrine?
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