the spirit of laws-第104部分

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ad　citizens　and　bad　believers。

12。　Of　penal　Laws。　Penal　laws　ought　to　be　avoided　in　respect　to　religion：　they　imprint　fear；　it　is　true；　but　as　religion　has　also　penal　laws　which　inspire　the　same　passion；　the　one　is　effaced　by　the　other；　and　between　these　two　different　kinds　of　fear　the　mind　becomes　hardened。

The　threatenings　of　religion　are　so　terrible；　and　its　promises　so　great；　that　when　they　actuate　the　mind；　whatever　efforts　the　magistrate　may　use　to　oblige　us　to　renounce　it；　he　seems　to　leave　us　nothing　when　he　deprives　us　of　the　exercise　of　our　religion；　and　to　bereave　us　of　nothing　when　we　are　allowed　to　profess　it。

It　is　not；　therefore；　by　filling　the　soul　with　the　idea　of　this　great　object；　by　hastening　her　approach　to　that　critical　moment　in　which　it　ought　to　be　of　the　highest　importance；　that　religion　can　be　most　successfully　attacked：　a　more　certain　way　is　to　tempt　her　by　favours；　by　the　conveniences　of　life；　by　hopes　of　fortune；　not　by　that　which　revives；　but　by　that　which　extinguishes　the　sense　of　her　duty；　not　by　that　which　shocks　her；　but　by　that　which　throws　her　into　indifference　at　the　time　when　other　passions　actuate　the　mind；　and　those　which　religion　inspires　are　hushed　into　silence。　As　a　general　rule　in　changing　a　religion　the　invitations　should　be　much　stronger　than　the　penalties。

The　temper　of　the　human　mind　has　appeared　even　in　the　nature　of　punishments。　If　we　take　a　survey　of　the　persecutions　in　Japan；＇20＇　we　shall　find　that　they　were　more　shocked　at　cruel　torments　than　at　long　sufferings；　which　rather　weary　than　affright；　which　are　the　more　difficult　to　surmount；　from　their　appearing　less　difficult。

In　a　word；　history　sufficiently　informs　us　that　penal　laws　have　never　had　any　other　effect　than　to　destroy。

13。　A　most　humble　Remonstrance　to　the　Inquisitors　of　Spain　and　Portugal。　A　Jewess　of　ten　years　of　age；　who　was　burned　at　Lisbon　at　the　last　auto…da…fé；　gave　occasion　to　the　following　little　piece；　the　most　idle；　I　believe；　that　ever　was　written。　When　we　attempt　to　prove　things　so　evident　we　are　sure　never　to　convince。

The　author　declares；　that　though　a　Jew　he　has　a　respect　for　the　Christian　religion；　and　that　he　should　be　glad　to　take　away　from　the　princes　who　are　not　Christians；　a　plausible　pretence　for　persecuting　this　religion。

〃You　complain；〃　says　he　to　the　Inquisitors；　〃that　the　Emperor　of　Japan　caused　all　the　Christians　in　his　dominions　to　be　burned　by　a　slow　fire。　But　he　will　answer；　we　treat　you　who　do　not　believe　like　us；　as　you　yourselves　treat　those　who　do　not　believe　like　you；　you　can　only　complain　of　your　weakness；　which　has　hindered　you　from　exterminating　us；　and　which　has　enabled　us　to　exterminate　you。

〃But　it　must　be　confessed　that　you　are　much　more　cruel　than　this　emperor。　You　put　us　to　death　who　believe　only　what　you　believe；　because　we　do　not　believe　all　that　you　believe。　We　follow　a　religion　which　you　yourselves　know　to　have　been　formerly　dear　to　God。　We　think　that　God　loves　it　still；　and　you　think　that　he　loves　it　no　more：　and　because　you　judge　thus；　you　make　those　suffer　by　sword　and　fire　who　hold　an　error　so　pardonable　as　to　believe　that　God　still　loves　what　he　once　loved。＇21＇

〃If　you　are　cruel　to　us；　you　are　much　more　so　to　our　children；　you　cause　them　to　be　burned　because　they　follow　the　inspirations　given　them　by　those　whom　the　law　of　nature　and　the　laws　of　all　nations　teach　them　to　regard　as　gods。

〃You　deprive　yourselves　of　the　advantage　you　have　over　the　Mahometans；　with　respect　to　the　manner　in　which　their　religion　was　established。　When　they　boast　of　the　number　of　their　believers；　you　tell　them　that　they　have　obtained　them　by　violence；　and　that　they　have　extended　their　religion　by　the　sword；　why　then　do　you　establish　yours　by　fire？

〃When　you　would　bring　us　over　to　you；　we　object　to　a　source　from　which　you　glory　to　have　descended。　You　reply　to　us；　that　though　your　religion　is　new；　it　is　divine；　and　you　prove　it　from　its　growing　amidst　the　persecutions　of　Pagans；　and　when　watered　by　the　blood　of　your　martyrs；　but　at　present　you　play　the　part　of　the　Diocletians；　and　make　us　take　yours。

〃We　conjure　you；　not　by　the　mighty　God　whom　both　you　and　we　serve；　but　by　that　Christ；　who；　you　tell　us；　took　upon　him　a　human　form；　to　propose　himself　as　an　example　for　you　to　follow；　we　conjure　you　to　behave　to　us　as　he　himself　would　behave　were　he　upon　earth。　You　would　have　us　become　Christians；　and　you　will　not　be　so　yourselves。

〃But　if　you　will　not　be　Christians；　be　at　least　men；　treat　us　as　you　would；　if　having　only　the　weak　light　of　justice　which　nature　bestows；　you　had　not　a　religion　to　conduct；　and　a　revelation　to　enlighten　you。

〃If　heaven　has　had　so　great　a　love　for　you　as　to　make　you　see　the　truth；　you　have　received　a　singular　favour；　but　is　it　for　children　who　have　received　the　inheritance　of　their　father；　to　hate　those　who　have　not？

〃If　you　have　this　truth；　hide　it　not　from　us　by　the　manner　in　which　you　propose　it。　The　characteristic　of　truth　is　its　triumph　over　hearts　and　minds；　and　not　that　impotency　which　you　confess　when　you　would　force　us　to　receive　it　by　tortures。

〃If　you　were　wise；　you　would　not　put　us　to　death　for　no　other　reason　than　because　we　are　unwilling　to　deceive　you。　If　your　Christ　is　the　son　of　God；　we　hope　he　will　reward　us　for　being　so　unwilling　to　profane　his　mysteries；　and　we　believe　that　the　God　whom　both　you　and　we　serve　will　not　punish　us　for　having　suffered　death　for　a　religion　which　he　formerly　gave　us；　only　because　we　believe　that　he　still　continues　to　give　it。

〃You　live　in　an　age　in　which　the　light　of　nature　shines　more　brightly　than　it　has　ever　done；　in　which　philosophy　has　enlightened　human　understanding；　in　which　the　morality　of　your　gospel　has　been　better　known；　in　which　the　respective　rights　of　mankind　with　regard　to　each　other　and　the　empire　which　one　conscience　has　over　another　are　best　understood。　If　you　do　not　therefore　shake　off　your　ancient　prejudices；　which；　whilst　unregarded；　mingle　with　your　passions；　it　must　be　confessed　that　you　are　incorrigible；　incapable　of　any　degree　of　light　or　instruction；　and　a　nation　must　be　very　unhappy　that　gives　authority　to　such　men。

〃Would　you　have　us　frankly　tell　you　our　thoughts？　You　consider　us　rather　as　your　enemies　than　as　the　enemies　of　your　religion；　for　if　you　loved　your　religion　you　would　not　suffer　it　to　be　corrupted　by　such　gross　ignorance。

〃It　is　necessary　that　we　should　warn　you　of　one　thing；　that　is；　if　any　one　in　times　to　come　shall　dare　to　assert　that　in　the　age　in　which　we　live；　the　people　of　Europe　were　civilised；　you　will　be　cited　to　prove　that　they　were　barbarians；　and　the　idea　they　will　have　of　you　will　be　such　as　will　dishonour　your　age　and　spread　hatred　over　all　your　contemporaries。〃

14。　Why　the　Christian　Religion　is　so　odious　in　Japan。　We　have　already　mentioned　the　perverse　temper　of　the　people　of　Japan。＇22＇　The　magistrates　considered　the　firmness　which　Christianity　inspires；　when　they　attempted　to　make　the　people　renounce　their　faith；　as　in　itself　most　dangerous；　they　fancied　that　it　increased　their　obstinacy。　The　law　of　Japan　punishes　severely　the　least　disobedience。　The　people　were　ordered　to　renounce　the　Christian　religion；　they　did　not　renounce　it；　this　was　disobedience；　the　magistrates　punished　this　crime；　and　the　continuance　in　disobedience　seemed　to　deserve　another　punishment。

Punishments　among　the　Japanese　are　considered　as　the　revenge　of　an　insult　done　to　the　prince；　the　songs　of　triumph　sung　by　our　martyrs　appeared　as　an　outrage　against　him：　the　title　of　martyr　provoked　the　magistrates；　in　their　opinion　it　signified　rebel；　they　did　all　in　their　power　to　prevent　their　obtaining　it。　Then　it　was　that　their　minds　were　exasperated；　and　a　horrid　struggle　was　seen　between　the　tribunals　that　condemned　and　the　accused　who　suffered；　between　the　civil　laws　and　those　of　religion。

15。　Of　the　Propagation　of　Religion。　All　the　people　of　the　East；　except　the　Mahometans；　believe　all　religions　in　themselves　indifferent。　They　fear　the　establishment　of　another　religion　no　otherwise　than　as　a　change　in　government。　Among　the　Japanese；　where　there　are　many　sects；　and　where　the　state　has　had　for　so　long　a　time　an　ecclesiastical　superior；　they　never　dispute　on　religion。＇23＇　It　is　the　same　with　the　people　of　Siam。＇24＇　The　Calmucks＇25＇　do　more；　they　make　it　a　point　of　conscience　to　tolerate　every　species　of　religion；　at　Calicut　it　is　a　maxim　of　the　state　that　every　religion　is　good。＇26＇

But　it　does　not　follow　hence；　that　a　religion　brought　from　a　far　distant　country；　and　quite　different　in　climate；　laws；　manners；　and　customs；　will　have　all　the　success　to　which　its　holiness　might　entitle　it。　This　is　more　particularly　true　in　great　despotic　empires：　here　strangers　are　tolerated　at　first；　because　there　is　no　attention　given　to　what　does　not　seem　to　strike　at　the　authority　of　the　prince。　As　they　are　extremely　ignorant；　a　European　may　render　himself　agreeable　by　the　knowledge　he　communicates：　this　is　very　well　in　the　beginning。　But　as　soon　as　he　has　any　success；　when　disputes　arise　and　when　men　who　have　some　interest　become　informed　of　it；　as　their　empire；　by　its　very　nature；　above　all　things　requires　tranquillity；　and　as　the　least　disturbance　may　overturn　it；　they　proscribe　the　new　religion　and　those　who　preach；　it：　disputes　between　the　preachers　breaking　out；　they　begin　to　entertain　a　distaste　for　a　religion　on　which　even　those　who　propose　it　are　not　agreed。

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1。　St。　Cyril's　Letter。

2。　This　does　not　contradict　what　I　have　said　in　the　last　chapter　of　the　preceding　book：　I　here　speak　of　the　motives　of　attachment　of　religion；　and　there　of　the　means　of　rendering　it　more　general。

3。　This　has　been　remarked　over　all　the　world。　See；　as　to　the　Turks；　the　Missions　of　the　Levant；　the　Collection　of　Voyages　that　Contributed　to　the　Establishment　of　the　East　India　Company；　iii；　part　I；　p。　201　on　the　Moors　of　Batavia；　and　Father　Labat　on　the　Mahometan　Negroes；　&c。

4。　The　Christian　and　the　Indian　religions：　these　have　a　hell　and　a　paradise；　which　the　religion　of　Sintos　has　not。

5。　Entering　the　mosque　of　Bochara；　he　took　the　Koran；　and　threw　it　under　his　horse's　feet。　　History　of　the　Tartars；　part　III；　p。　273。

6。　Ibid。；　p。　342。

7。　This　di