八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > a theologico-political treatise [part iv] >

第14部分

a theologico-political treatise [part iv]-第14部分

小说: a theologico-political treatise [part iv] 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!





of such authority; is aiming (as we have said); at gaining dominion for



himself。 (71) What is left for the sovereign power to decide on; if this



right be denied him? (72) Certainly nothing concerning either war or



peace; if he has to ask another man's opinion as to whether what he



believes to be beneficial would be pious or impious。 (73) Everything would



depend on the verdict of him who had the right of deciding and judging what



was pious or impious; right or wrong。







(19:74) When such a right was bestowed on the Pope of Rome absolutely; he



gradually acquired complete control over the kings; till at last he himself



mounted to the summits of dominion; however much monarchs; and especially



the German emperors; strove to curtail his authority; were it only by a



hairsbreadth; they effected nothing; but on the contrary by their very



endeavours largely increased it。 (75) That which no monarch could accomplish



with fire and sword; ecclesiastics could bring about with a stroke of the



pen; whereby we may easily see the force and power at the command of the



Church; and also how necessary it is for sovereigns to reserve such



prerogatives for themselves。







(19:76) If we reflect on what was said in the last chapter we shall see that



such reservation conduced not a little to the increase of religion and



piety; for we observed that the prophets themselves; though gifted with



Divine efficacy; being merely private citizens; rather irritated than



reformed the people by their freedom of warning; reproof; and denunciation;



whereas the kings by warnings and punishments easily bent men to their will。



(77) Furthermore; the kings themselves; not possessing the right in question



absolutely; very often fell away from religion and took with them nearly the



whole people。 (78) The same thing has often happened from the same cause in



Christian states。







(19:79) Perhaps I shall be asked; 〃But if the holders of sovereign power



choose to be wicked; who will be the rightful champion of piety? (80) Should



the sovereigns still be its interpreters? 〃I meet them with the counter…



question; 〃But if ecclesiastics (who are also human; and private citizens;



and who ought to mind only their own affairs); or if others whom it is



proposed to entrust with spiritual authority; choose to be wicked; should



they still be considered as piety's rightful interpreters?〃 (81) It is quite



certain that when sovereigns wish to follow their own pleasure; whether they



have control over spiritual matters or not; the whole state; spiritual



and secular; will go to ruin; and it will go much faster if private



citizens seditiously assume the championship of the Divine rights。







(19:82) Thus we see that not only is nothing gained by denying such rights



to sovereigns; but on the contrary; great evil ensues。 (83) For (as happened



with the Jewish kings who did not possess such rights absolutely) rulers are



thus driven into wickedness; and the injury and loss to the state become



certain and inevitable; instead of uncertain and possible。 (84) Whether we



look to the abstract truth; or the security of states; or the increase of



piety; we are compelled to maintain that the Divine right; or the right of



control over spiritual matters; depends absolutely on the decree of the



sovereign; who is its legitimate interpreter and champion。 (85) Therefore



the true ministers of God's word are those who teach piety to the people in



obedience to the authority of the sovereign rulers by whose decree it has



been brought into conformity with the public welfare。







'19:5' (86) There remains for me to point out the cause for the frequent



disputes on the subject of these spiritual rights in Christian states;



whereas the Hebrews; so far as I know; never; had any doubts about the



matter。 (87) It seems monstrous that a question so plain and vitally



important should thus have remained undecided; and that the secular rulers



could never obtain the prerogative without controversy; nay; nor without



great danger of sedition and injury to religion。 (88) If no cause for this



state of things were forthcoming; I could easily persuade myself that all I



have said in this chapter is mere theorizing; or akind of speculative



reasoning which can never be of any practical use。 (89) However; when we



reflect on the beginnings of Christianity the cause at once becomes



manifest。 (90) The Christian religion was not taught at first by kings; but



by private persons; who; against the wishes of those in power; whose



subjects they; were; were for a long time accustomed to hold meetings in



secret churches; to institute and perform sacred rites; and on their own



authority to settle and decide on their affairs without regard to the state;



(91) When; after the lapse of many years; the religion was taken up by the



authorities; the ecclesiastics were obliged to teach it to the emperors



themselves as they had defined it: wherefore they easily gained recognition



as its teachers and interpreters; and the church pastors were looked upon as



vicars of God。 (92) The ecclesiastics took good care that the Christian



kings should not assume their authority; by prohibiting marriage to the



chief ministers of religion and to its highest interpreter。 (93) They



furthermore elected their purpose by multiplying the dogmas of religion to



such an extent and so blending them with philosophy that their chief



interpreter was bound to be a skilled philosopher and theologian; and to



have leisure for a host of idle speculations: conditions which could only be



fulfilled by a private individual with much time on his hands。







(19:94) Among the Hebrews things were very differently arranged: for their



Church began at the same time as their dominion; and Moses; their absolute



ruler; taught religion to the people; arranged their sacred rites; and chose



their spiritual ministers。 (95) Thus the royal authority carried very great



weight with the people; and the kings kept a firm hold on their spiritual



prerogatives。







(19:96) Although; after the death of Moses; no one held absolute sway; yet



the power of deciding both in matters spiritual and matters temporal was in



the hands of the secular chief; as I have already pointed out。 (97) Further;



in order that it might be taught religion and piety; the people was bound to



consult the supreme judge no less than the high priest (Deut。 xvii:9; 11)。



(98) Lastly; though the kings had not as much power as Moses; nearly the



whole arrangement and choice of the sacred ministry depended on their



decision。 (99) Thus David arranged the whole service of the Temple (see 1



Chron。 xxviii:11; 12; &c。); from all the Levites he chose twenty…four



thousand for the sacred psalms; six thousand of these formed the



body from which were chosen the judges and proctors; four thousand were



porters; and four thousand to play on instruments (see 1 Chron。 xxiii:4; 5)。



(100) He further divided them into companies (of whom he chose the chiefs);



so that each in rotation; at the allotted time; might perform the sacred



rites。 (101) The priests he also divided into as many companies; I will not



go through the whole catalogue; but refer the reader to 2 Chron。 viii:13;



where it is stated; 〃Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord 。 。 。



。 。 after a certain rate every day; offering according to the commandments



of Moses;〃 and in verse 14; 〃And he appointed; according to the order



of David his father; the courses of the priests to their service 。 。 。 。



。 。 for so had David the man of God commanded。〃 (102) Lastly; the historian



bears witness in verse 15: 〃And they departed not from the commandment of



the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter; or



concerning the treasuries。〃







'19:6' (103) From these and other histories of the kings it is abundantly



evident; that the whole practice of religion and the sacred ministry



depended entirely on the commands of the king。







(19:104) When I said above that the kings had not the same right as Moses to



elect the high priest; to consult God without intermediaries; and to condemn



the prophets who prophesied during their reign; I said so simply because the



prophets could; in virtue of their mission; choose a new king and give



absolution for regicide; not because they could call a king who offended



against the law to judgment; or could rightly act against him 'Endnote 33'。







(19:105) Wherefore if there had been no prophets who; in virtue of a special



revelation; could give absolution for regicide; the kings would have



possessed absolute rights over all matters both spiritual and temporal。



(106) Consequently the rulers of modern times; who have no prophets and



would not rightly be bound in any case to receive them (for they are not



subject to Jewish law); have absolute possession of the spiritual



prerogative; although they are not celibates; and they will always retain



it; if they will refuse to allow religious dogmas to be unduly multiplied or



confounded with philosophy。



















'20:0' CHAPTER XX … THAT IN A FREE STATE EVERY MAN



   MAY THINK WHAT HE LIKES; AND SAY WHAT HE THINKS。







'20:1' (1) If men's minds were as easily controlled as their tongues; every



king would sit safely on his throne; and government by compulsion would



cease; for every subject would shape his life according to the intentions of



his rulers; and would esteem a thing true or false; good or evil; just or



unjust; in obedience to their dictates。 (2) However; we have shown already



(Chapter XVII。) that no man's mind can possibly lie wholly at the



disposition of another; for no one can willingly transfer his natural right



of free reason and judgment; or be 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的