Hobbes - Leviathan.pdf

My second argument is taken from the subject of the sermons of the
Apostles, both whilst our Saviour lived on earth, and after his
ascension. The Apostles in our Saviour's time were sent to preach
the kingdom of God:* for neither there, nor Matthew, 10. 7, giveth
he any commission to them other than this, "As ye go, preach,
saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand"; that is, that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Christ, the King which was to come. That their
preaching also after his ascension was the same is manifest out of the
Acts, 17. 6, "They drew," saith St. Luke, "Jason and certain
brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned
the world upside down are come hither also, whom Jason hath
received. And these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying
that there is another king, one Jesus." And out of the second and
third verses of the same chapter, where it is said that St. Paul,
"as his manner was, went in unto them; and three Sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the Scriptures; opening and alleging that Christ must
needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead, and that this
Jesus is Christ."
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* Luke, 9. 2
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The third argument is from those places of Scripture by which all
the faith required to salvation is declared to be easy. For if an
inward assent of the mind to all the doctrines concerning Christian
faith now taught, whereof the greatest part are disputed, were
necessary to salvation, there would be nothing in the world so hard as
to be a Christian. The thief upon the cross, though repenting, could
not have been saved for saying, "Lord, remember me when thou comest
into thy kingdom"; by which he testified no beliefs of any other
article, but this, that Jesus was the King. Nor could it be said, as
it is, Matthew, 11. 30, that "Christ's yoke is easy, and his burden
light": nor that "little children believe in him," as it is,
Matthew, 18. 6. Nor could St. Paul have said (I Cor., 1. 21), "It
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that
believe":* nor could St. Paul himself have been saved, much less
have been so great a doctor of the Church so suddenly, that never
perhaps thought of transubstantiation, nor purgatory, nor many other
articles now obtruded.
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* I Corinthians, 1. 21
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The fourth argument is taken from places express, and such as
receive no controversy of interpretation; as first, John, 5. 39,
"Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and
they are they that testify of me." Our Saviour here speaketh of the
Scriptures only of the Old Testament; for the Jews at that time
could not search the Scriptures of the New Testament, which were not
written. But the Old Testament hath nothing of Christ but the marks by
which men might know him when he came; as that he should descend
from David; be born at Bethlehem, and of a virgin; do great
miracles, and the like. Therefore to believe that this Jesus was, he
was sufficient to eternal life: but more than sufficient is not
necessary; and consequently no other article is required. Again,
"Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall not die eternally."*
Therefore to believe in Christ is faith sufficient to eternal life;
and consequently no more faith than that is necessary. But to
believe in Jesus, and to believe that Jesus is the Christ, is all one,