Leviathan · Chapter
Of the Benefit That Proceedeth from Such Darkness, and to Whom It Accrueth explained
Hobbes applies the principle of 'cui bono' (who benefits) to identify the authors of spiritual darkness in Christendom.
What happens
Hobbes applies the principle of 'cui bono' (who benefits) to identify the authors of spiritual darkness in Christendom. He argues that the doctrine that the Church on earth is the Kingdom of Christ primarily benefits the Pope and Roman clergy by establishing an unlawful universal monarchy over Christian sovereigns. He also implicates the presbyterian clergy for retaining this doctrine after rejecting papal authority. Hobbes traces the historical accumulation of ecclesiastical power through three knots—presbyterial assemblies, episcopal authority, and papal supremacy—and describes their dissolution in England under Queen Elizabeth and the presbyterians.
Themes in this chapter
Sovereignty and Absolute Power
Hobbes argues that the Pope's claim to universal monarchy over Christendom undermines the absolute sovereignty of civil rulers, and that ecclesiastical power should be subordinate to the sovereign.
Religion and Civil Authority
The chapter examines how religious doctrines, such as the Church as the Kingdom of Christ, are used by clergy to usurp civil authority and justify disobedience to lawful sovereigns.
Power and Honor
Hobbes uses the principle of 'cui bono' to show that the pursuit of worldly power, honor, and riches drives the clergy's propagation of dark doctrines.
Characters to notice
- Cicero
Cited for his mention of Cassius's custom of asking 'cui bono' in criminal causes.
- Peter
Referenced in the context of the Pope's claim to authority via the right of St. Peter, and in the analogy of Peter's net breaking from too many fish.
- Moses
Mentioned as a figure whose power (along with Aaron's) over the Jews is paralleled by the Pope's claimed power over Christians.
- Aaron
Mentioned alongside Moses as having all power, both civil and ecclesiastical, as high priest.
- Pope Adrian
Referenced in the example of Emperor Frederick holding the stirrup for him, illustrating the political subservience of sovereigns to the Pope.
- Pontifex Maximus
Noted as a title originally held by an officer subject to the civil state, later appropriated by the Pope to claim authority.
Key passages
“Cicero maketh honourable mention of one of the Cassii, a severe judge amongst the Romans, for a custom he had, in criminal causes, when the testimony of the witnesses was not sufficient, to ask the accusers, cui bono; that is to say, what profit, honour, or other contentment the accused obtained or expected by the fact.”
Cicero praises a Roman judge named Cassius for his habit of asking accusers 'cui bono'—who benefits?—when witness testimony was lacking, as the benefit of an action is the strongest clue to its author.
Hobbes introduces the principle of 'cui bono' as a method to identify the true authors of spiritual darkness.
“The authors therefore of this darkness in religion are the Roman and the presbyterian clergy.”
Thus, the Roman Catholic and presbyterian clergy are the ones responsible for this spiritual darkness.
Hobbes directly names both the Roman and presbyterian clergy as the sources of erroneous doctrines that undermine civil authority.
“And therefore by the aforesaid rule of cui bono we may justly pronounce for the authors of all this spiritual darkness, the Pope and Roman clergy, and all those besides that endeavour to settle in the minds of men this erroneous doctrine that the Church now on earth is that kingdom of God mentioned in the Old and New Testament.”
Applying the 'cui bono' rule, we can rightly declare that the Pope, Roman clergy, and anyone promoting the false idea that the earthly Church is the Kingdom of God are the authors of this spiritual darkness.
Hobbes concludes that the core error is the identification of the Church with the Kingdom of God, which serves the power interests of the clergy.
