the advancement of learning-第44部分

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！


use　they　are　hard　to　know；　and　some　because　they　are　not　fit　to　utter。　We　see　all　governments　are　obscure　and　invisible：

Totamque　infusa　per　artus　Mens　agitat　molem；　et　magno　se　corpore　miscet。

Such　is　the　description　of　governments。　We　see　the　government　of　God　over　the　world　is　hidden；　inasmuch　as　it　seemeth　to　participate　of　much　irregularity　and　confusion：　the　government　of　the　soul　in　moving　the　body　is　inward　and　profound；　and　the　passages　thereof　hardly　to　be　reduced　to　demonstration。　Again；　the　wisdom　of　antiquity；　（the　shadows　whereof　are　in　the　poets；）　in　the　description　of　torments　and　pains；　next　unto　the　crime　of　rebellion；　which　was　the　giants'　offence；　doth　detest　the　offence　of　futility；　as　in　Sisyphus　and　Tantalus。　But　this　was　meant　of　particulars：　nevertheless　even　unto　the　general　rules　and　discourses　of　policy　and　government　there　is　due　a　reverent　and　reserved　handling。

48。　But　contrariwise；　in　the　governors　toward　the　governed；　all　things　ought；　as　far　as　the　frailty　of　man　permitteth；　to　be　manifest　and　revealed。　For　so　it　is　expressed　in　the　Scriptures　touching　the　government　of　God；　that　this　globe；　which　seemeth　to　us　a　dark　and　shady　body；　is　in　the　view　of　God　as　crystal：　ET　IN　CONSPECTU　SEDIS　TANQUAM　MARE　VITREUM　SIMILE　CRYSTALLO。　So　unto　princes　and　states；　especially　towards　wise　senates　and　councils；　the　natures　and　dispositions　of　the　people；　their　conditions　and　necessities；　their　factions　and　combinations；　their　animosities　and　discontents；　ought　to　be；　in　regard　of　the　variety　of　their　intelligences；　the　wisdom　of　their　observations；　and　the　height　of　their　station　where　they　keep　sentinel；　in　great　part　clear　and　transparent。　Wherefore；　considering　that　I　write　to　a　King　that　is　a　master　of　this　science；　and　is　so　well　assisted；　I　think　it　decent　to　pass　over　this　part　in　silence；　as　willing　to　obtain　the　certificate　which　one　of　the　ancient　philosophers　aspired　unto；　＇75＇　who　being　silent；　when　others　contended　to　make　demonstration　of　their　abilities　by　speech；　desired　it　might　be　certified　for　his　part；　THAT　THERE　WAS　ONE　THAT　KNEW　HOW　TO　HOLD　HIS　PEACE。

49。　Notwithstanding；　for　the　more　public　part　of　government；　which　is　laws；　I　think　good　to　note　only　one　deficiency；　which　is；　that　all　those　which　have　written　of　laws；　have　written　either　as　philosophers　or　as　lawyers；　and　none　as　statesmen。　As　for　the　philosophers；　they　make　imaginary　laws　for　imaginary　commonwealths；　and　their　discourses　are　as　the　stars；　which　give　little　light；　because　they　are　so　high。　For　the　lawyers；　they　write　according　to　the　states　where　they　live；　what　is　received　law；　and　not　what　ought　to　be　law：　for　the　wisdom　of　a　lawmaker　is　one；　and　of　a　lawyer　is　another。　For　there　are　in　nature　certain　fountains　of　justice；　whence　all　civil　laws　are　derived　but　as　streams：　and　like　as　waters　do　take　tinctures　and　tastes　from　the　soils　through　which　they　run；　so　do　civil　laws　vary　according　to　the　regions　and　governments　where　they　are　planted；　though　they　proceed　from　the　same　fountains。　Again；　the　wisdom　of　a　lawmaker　consisteth　not　only　in　a　platform　of　justice；　but　in　the　application　thereof；　taking　into　consideration　by　what　means　laws　may　be　made　certain；　and　what　are　the　causes　and　remedies　of　the　doubtfulness　and　incertainty　of　law；　by　what　means　laws　may　be　made　apt　and　easy　to　be　executed；　and　what　are　the　impediments　and　remedies　in　the　execution　of　laws；　what　influence　laws　touching　private　right　of　MEUM　and　TUUM　have　into　the　public　state；　and　how　they　may　be　made　apt　and　agreeable；　how　laws　are　to　be　penned　and　delivered；　whether　in　texts　or　in　acts；　brief　or　large；　with　preambles；　or　without；　how　they　are　to　be　pruned　and　reformed　from　time　to　time；　and　what　is　the　best　means　to　keep　them　from　being　too　vast　in　volumes；　or　too　full　of　multiplicity　and　crossness；　how　they　are　to　be　expounded；　when　upon　causes　emergent　and　judicially　discussed；　and　when　upon　responses　and　conferences　touching　general　points　or　questions；　how　they　are　to　be　pressed；　rigorously　or　tenderly；　how　they　are　to　be　mitigated　by　equity　and　good　conscience；　and　whether　discretion　and　strict　law　are　to　be　mingled　in　the　same　courts；　or　kept　apart　in　several　courts；　again；　how　the　practice；　profession；　and　erudition　of　law　is　to　be　censured　and　governed；　and　many　other　points　touching　the　administration；　and；　as　I　may　term　it；　animation　of　laws。　Upon　which　I　insist　the　less；　because　I　purpose；　if　God　give　me　leave；　（having　begun　a　work　of　this　nature　in　aphorisms；）　to　propound　it　hereafter；　noting　it　in　the　meantime　for　deficient。

50。　And　for　your　Majesty's　laws　of　England；　I　could　say　much　of　their　dignity；　and　somewhat　of　their　defect；　but　they　cannot　but　excel　the　civil　laws　in　fitness　for　the　government：　for　the　civil　law　was　NON　HOS　QUAESITUM　MUNUS　IN　USUS；　it　was　not　made　for　the　countries　which　it　governeth：　hereof　I　cease　to　speak　because　I　will　not　intermingle　matter　of　action　with　matter　of　general　learning。

XXIV。　THUS　have　I　concluded　this　portion　of　learning　touching　civil　knowledge；　and　with　civil　knowledge　have　concluded　human　philosophy；　and　with　human　philosophy；　philosophy　in　general。　And　being　now　at　some　pause；　looking　back　into　that　I　have　passed　through；　this　writing　seemeth　to　me；　SI　NUNQUAM　FALLIT　IMAGO；　（as　far　as　a　man　can　judge　of　his　own　work；）　not　much　better　than　that　noise　or　sound　which　musicians　make　while　they　are　tuning　their　instruments：　which　is　nothing　pleasant　to　hear；　but　yet　is　a　cause　why　the　music　is　sweeter　afterwards：　so　have　I　been　content　to　tune　the　instruments　of　the　Muses；　that　they　may　play　that　have　better　hands。　And　surely；　when　I　set　before　me　the　condition　of　these　times；　in　which　learning　hath　made　her　third　visitation　or　circuit　in　all　the　qualities　thereof　　as　the　excellency　and　vivacity　of　the　wits　of　this　age；　the　noble　helps　and　lights　which　we　have　by　the　travails　of　ancient　writers；　the　art　of　printing；　which　communicateth　books　to　men　of　all　fortunes；　the　openness　of　the　world　by　navigation；　which　hath　disclosed　multitudes　of　experiments；　and　a　mass　of　natural　history；　the　leisure　wherewith　these　times　abound；　not　employing　men　so　generally　in　civil　business；　as　the　states　of　Graecia　did；　in　respect　of　their　popularity；　and　the　state　of　Rome；　in　respect　of　the　greatness　of　their　monarchy；　the　present　disposition　of　these　times　at　this　instant　to　peace；　the　consumption　of　all　that　ever　can　be　said　in　controversies　of　religion；　which　have　so　much　diverted　men　from　other　sciences；　the　perfection　of　your　Majesty's　learning；　which　as　a　Phoenix　may　call　whole　vollies　of　wits　to　follow　you；　and　the　inseparable　propriety　of　time；　which　is　ever　more　and　more　to　disclose　truth　　I　cannot　but　be　raised　to　this　persuasion　that　this　third　period　of　time　will　far　surpass　that　of　the　Grecian　and　Roman　learning：　only　if　men　will　know　their　own　strength；　and　their　own　weakness　both；　and　take　one　from　the　other；　light　of　invention；　and　not　fire　of　contradiction；　and　esteem　of　the　inquisition　of　truth　as　of　an　enterprise；　and　not　as　of　a　quality　or　ornament；　and　employ　wit　and　magnificence　to　things　of　worth　and　excellency；　and　not　to　things　vulgar　and　of　popular　estimation。　As　for　my　labours；　if　any　man　shall　please　himself　or　others　in　the　reprehension　of　them；　they　shall　make　that　ancient　and　patient　request；　VERBERA；　SED　AUDI；　let　men　reprehend　them；　so　they　observe　and　weigh　them：　for　the　appeal　is　lawful；　though　it　may　be　it　shall　not　be　needful；　from　the　first　cogitations　of　men　to　their　second；　and　from　the　nearer　times　to　the　times　further　off。　Now　let　us　come　to　that　learning；　which　both　the　former　times　were　not　so　blessed　as　to　know；　sacred　and　inspired　divinity；　the　Sabbath　and　port　of　all　men's　labours　and　peregrinations。

XXV。　1。　THE　prerogative　of　God　extendeth　as　well　to　the　reason　as　　to　the　will　of　man；　so　that　as　we　are　to　obey　His　law；　though　we　find　a　reluctation　in　our　will；　so　we　are　to　believe　His　word；　though　we　find　a　reluctation　in　our　reason。　For　if　we　believe　only　that　which　is　agreeable　to　our　sense；　we　give　consent　to　the　matter；　and　not　to　the　author；　which　is　no　more　than　we　would　do　towards　a　suspected　＇76＇　and　discredited　witness；　but　that　faith　which　was　accounted　to　Abraham　for　righteousness　was　of　such　a　point　as　whereat　Sarah　laughed；　who　therein　was　an　image　of　natural　reason。

2。　Howbeit；　if　we　will　truly　consider　it；　more　worthy　it　is　to　believe　than　to　know　as　we　now　know。　For　in　knowledge　man's　mind　suffereth　from　sense；　but　in　belief　it　suffereth　from　spirit；　such　one　as　it　holdeth　for　more　authorized　than　itself；　and　so　suffereth　from　the　worthier　agent。　Otherwise　it　is　of　the　state　of　man　glorified；　for　then　faith　shall　cease；　and　we　shall　know　as　we　are　known。

3。　Wherefore　we　conclude　that　sacred　theology；　（which　in　our　idiom　we　call　divinity；）　is　grounded　only　upon　the　word　and　oracle　of　God；　and　not　upon　the　light　of　nature：　for　it　is　written；　COELI　ENARRANT　GLORIAM　DEI；　but　it　is　not　written；　COELI　ENARRANT　VOLUNTATEM　DEI：　but　of　that　it　is　said；　AD　LEGEM　ET　TESTIMONIUM：　SI　NON　FECERINT　SECUNDUM　VERBUM　ISTUD；　etc。　This　holdeth　not　only　in　those　points　of　faith　which　concern　the　mysteries　of　the　Deity；　of　the　Creation；　of　the　Redemption；　but　likewise　those　which　concern　the　moral　law　truly　interpreted：　LOVE　YOUR　ENEMIES：　DO　GOOD　TO　THEM　THAT　HATE　YOU；　BE　LIKE　TO　YOUR　HEAVENLY　FATHER；　THAT　SUFFERETH　HIS　RAIN　TO　FALL　UPON　THE　JUST　AND　UNJUST。　To　this　it　ought　to　be　applauded；　NEC　VOX　HOMINEM　SONAT：　　it　is　a　voice　beyond　the　light　of　nature。　So　we　see　the　heathen　poets；　when　they　fall　upon　a　libertine　passion；　do　still　expostulate　with　laws　and　moralities；　as　if　they　were　opposite　and　malignant　to　nature；

Et　quod　natura　remittit；　Invida　jura　negant。

So　said　Dendamis　the　Indian　unto　Alexander's　messengers；　THAT　HE　HAD　HEARD　SOMEWHAT　OF　PYTHAGORAS；　AND　SOME　OTHER　OF　THE　WISE　MEN　OF　GRAECIA；　AND　THAT　HE　HELD　THEM　FOR　EXCELLENT　MEN：　BUT　THAT　THEY　HAD　A　FAULT；　WHICH　WAS　THAT　THEY　HAD　IN　TOO　GREAT　REVERENCE　AND　VENERATION　A　THING　WHICH　THEY　CALLED　LAW　AND　MANNERS。　So　it　must　be　confessed；　that　a　great　part　of　the　law　moral　is　of　that　perfection；　whereunto　the　light　of　nature　cannot　aspire：　how　then　is　it　that　man　is　said　to　have；　by