登陆注册
5393300000053

第53章 Chapter 24 The Incommodities of Several Sorts of G

8. Lastly, the greatest inconvenience that can happen to a commonwealth, is the aptitude to dissolve into civil war. and to this are monarchies much less subject, than any other governments. For where the union, or band of a commonwealth, is one man, there is no distraction; whereas in assemblies, those that are of different opinions, and give different counsel, are apt to fall out amongst themselves, and to cross the designs of commonwealth for one another's sake: and when they cannot have the honour of making good their own devices, they yet seek the honour to make the counsels of their adversaries to prove vain.

And in this contention, when the opposite factions happen to be anything equal in strength, they presently fall to war. Wherein necessity teacheth both sides, that an absolute monarch, (viz.) a general, is necessary both for their defence against one another, and also for the peace of each faction within itself. But this aptitude to dissolution, is to be understood for an inconvenience in such aristocracies only where the affairs of state are debated in great and numerous assemblies, as they were anciently in Athens, and in Rome; and not in such as do nothing else in great assemblies, but choose magistrates and counsellors, and commit the handling of state affairs to a few; such as is the aristocracy of Venice at this day. For these are no more apt to dissolve from this occasion, than monarchies, the counsel of state being both in the one and the other alike.

第一章Chapter 25 That Subjects are not Bound to Follow Their Private Judgments in Controversies of Religion

1. Having showed that in all commonwealths whatsoever, the necessity of peace and government requireth, that there be existent some power, either in one man, or in one assembly of men, by the name of the power sovereign, to which it is not lawful for any member of the same commonwealth to disobey; there occurreth now a difficulty, which, if it be not removed, maketh it unlawful for any man. to procure his own peace and preservation, because it maketh it unlawful for a man to put himself under the command of such absolute sovereignty as is required thereto. And the difficulty is this: we have amongst us the Word of God for the rule of our actions; now if we shall subject ourselves to men also, obliging ourselves to do such actions as shall be by them commanded; when the commands of God and man shall differ, we are to obey God, rather than man: and consequently the covenant of general obedience to man is unlawful.

2. This difficulty hath not been of very great. antiquity in the world. There was no such dilemma amongst the Jews; for their civil law, and divine law, was one and the same law of Moses: the interpreters whereof were the priests, whose power was subordinate to the power of the king; as was the power-of Aaron to the power of Moses. Nor is it a controversy that was ever taken notice of amongst the Grecians, Romans, or other Gentiles; for amongst these their severAl civil laws were the rules whereby not only righteousness and virtue, but also religion and the external worship of God, was ordered and approved; that being esteemed the true worship of God, which was kata ta nomima, (i.e.) according to the laws civil. Also those Christians that dwell under the temporal dominion of the bishop of Rome, are free from this question; for that they allow unto him (their sovereign) to interpret the Scriptures, which are the law of God, as he in his own judgment shall think right. This difficulty therefore remaineth amongst, and troubleth those Christians only, to whom it is allowed to take for the sense of the Scripture that which they make thereof, either by their own private interpretation, or by the interpretation of such as are not called thereunto by public authority: they that follow their own interpretation, continually demanding liberty of conscience; and those that follow the interpretation of others not ordained thereunto by the sovereign of the commonwealth, requiring a power in matters of religion either above the power civil, or at least not depending on it.

3. To take away this scruple of conscience concerning obedience to human laws, amongst those that interpret to themselves the word of God in the Holy Scriptures; I propound to their consideration, first: that no human law is intended to oblige the. conscience of a man, but the actions only. For seeing no man (but God alone) knoweth the heart or conscience of a man, unless it break out into action, either of the tongue, or other part of the body; the law made thereupon would be of none effect, because no man is able to discern, but by word or Other action whether such law be kept or broken. Nor did the apostles themselves pretend dominion over men's consciences concerning the faith they preached, but only persuasion and instruction. And therefore St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 1, 24, writing to the Corinthians, concerning their controversies, that he and the rest of the apostles, had no dominion over their faith, but were helpers of their joy.

同类推荐
  • 梁皇宝卷

    梁皇宝卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 乐府雅词

    乐府雅词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Jungle Tales of Tarzan

    The Jungle Tales of Tarzan

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 碧苑坛经

    碧苑坛经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Schoolmistress and Other Stories

    The Schoolmistress and Other Stories

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 中国式面子学

    中国式面子学

    鲁迅的杂文里曾记载了这样一个故事:一个前来奔丧的人,因为没有得到亲人的待遇(戴白孝)而怀恨在心,认为太没面子,便召集了一些人,大闹了一场。结果本来是办丧事的灵堂,却变成了血肉横飞的战场。这件事被媒体挖出来后,在当地轰动一时。在中国人看来,面子是一个尤为珍贵的东西,伤什么也不能伤了面子。正如易中天先生所说,面子是咱中国人的宝贝,几乎主宰着我们的日常生活。人际关系,要靠面子来维持与处理,社会生活,要靠面子来决定与操作。
  • 城里的魔法师

    城里的魔法师

    住在人类城市里的魔法师,守护着祖先的火种,唱着古老的歌谣,却开着红色的野马,奔驰在限速120的公路上。法师世界里,北方学院三年级的低能法师学徒罗奇正处于学分不够,可能留级的悲惨境地。好在天无绝人之路,他得到了给天才学长杜正一当当吉祥物,做做社会实践赚取学分的机会。但这个社会实践,似乎跟罗奇想的不太一样。忽然觉醒的能力,记忆中永不愈合的伤口……世界以他的生活为奇点,迅速地塌缩。天才战斗法师学长与逗比低能学弟的组合,必须想想办法,找到这一切背后的真相。
  • 穿越王者:英雄出没请小心

    穿越王者:英雄出没请小心

    【2018王者荣耀文学大赛·征文参赛作品】唐豆:艾玛跳跳你别追我,我真没告诉庄周那鲲是你偷了准备下锅煮的!唐豆:老程你能把这身绿衣服给脱了么,实在是太辣眼睛了……唉别,我不是让你现在就脱给我看啊……唐豆:萌萌……狄狄狄大人救命啊啊啊啊啊!您的小相好要谋杀了啊!!!唐豆:妈卖批,人比人果然会气死人,明明都是一起穿越的,凭啥南宫那死女人能泡到XXX,宝宝不服!……南宫:好了妹砸,别蹦跶了,你回头看看先……
  • 佛说阿难四事经

    佛说阿难四事经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 给心灵洗个澡(全集)

    给心灵洗个澡(全集)

    本书运用大量经典、充满智慧的故事和深入浅出的道理,具体介绍了人们应如何调节心态,在逆境中学会放弃,在绝望中抓住快乐,以积极的心态控制未来,使读者受益匪浅。
  • 挽红楼之黛玉绝爱

    挽红楼之黛玉绝爱

    发现一个本文的有声版——天方听书网,大家感兴趣的可以去听听~挽红楼系列红楼新文出炉:《挽红楼之玉亦狂》地址:【大声的吆喝次新文啦~~】《帝妃轻绝》沙发,板凳,地板都没人,亲们快去留个脚印先~~若说没奇缘,今生偏又遇着他。若说有奇缘,如何心事终虚化?只为三生石畔甘露恩,造历幻缘,续前缘。从此无限愁怨痴苦,魂断天涯。待红尘已成过往,方得识,灵水河畔,那一双执着而痴怨的晶眸,原来,曾有这样一个小仙童。采珠玑,窃仙魄,坠入凡尘,只为她。只知已泪尽报恩,岂知竟未了另一段风流公案。谁才是她此生,真正的冤家?情若飘渺,何苦自扰,爱既无根,何不绝爱?同样的黛玉,却是另一种人生,不再为金玉良缘耿耿于怀,不再为木石姻缘愁肠百结,重返人世,只为全新的生活。只为寻找真正的缘分。绝爱,断绝的是与纨绔宝玉间的缠绵纠葛,却是真正幸福的开始。……迄今为止,落花最喜欢的名著莫过于《红楼梦》,个人也对其中人物性格命运有很多看法,欢迎同样喜欢红楼的亲们和我交流,各抒己见。【红豆群】:59283575品红楼故事,说红楼人物,并不仅仅局限本文,红楼迷们皆可进。敲门砖:说出红楼中,亲觉得最适合作儿媳妇是哪一个…推荐自己的完结作品…《莲花祭》……“我想让你活着,想让你还像在那个冰冷的早晨一样,仇恨地看着我,说你必定会与我为敌,我宁愿你带着这种恨意报复我,哪怕最后我会败得伤痕累累,我也心甘情愿。”“…五年,十年,二十年,很多年之后,当你再想起我今天的话,你会为它的真实性而感到惊讶,你会觉得,我是世界上最言而有信的君主。”一段刻骨铭心的感情故事,一段莲花开落的苦涩童话,一本虐心的《莲花祭》,为您展现一个传奇女子的传奇经历,敬请众亲品读。顺便介绍一下该文的视频,供亲作茶余饭后的消遣?pstyle=1【强力推荐!】落花用了好久做出的视频——怀念红楼梦?pstyle=1喜欢红楼的朋友,千万去看看哦~~(注:与挽红楼无关,该文视频以后另作)…推荐作品……好友瑾瑜的转型力作,《倾歌天下》各位亲可以移步一观,多多投票收藏支持!~~…………
  • 最新职工职业健康指导丛书:女职工疾病预防手册

    最新职工职业健康指导丛书:女职工疾病预防手册

    这些知识内容包括了职业健康的各个方面,具有很强的系统性、科学性和实用性,简明扼要,易学好懂,十分便于操作和实践,是广大企事业单位用以指导现代职业健康的良好读物。
  • 重生异能女王美又飒

    重生异能女王美又飒

    新书【异能女王每天都在掉马】强推【重生甜宠+异能爽文】本是贵族家的金枝玉叶,却被替换了人生。在落后的小地方长大,好不容易有了出头机会又被顶替,还要给傻哥哥换亲。最后悲惨死去。顾颜想,如果可以重活一遍,她一定要让那些欺过负过辱过她的人后悔!只是在携异能重生后,生活变的有点不一样。医术异能均在手,渣渣们,给姐颤抖吧!还有你,英俊的小哥哥,我救了你,你是不是得以身相许啊?陆野痞痞一笑,许,必须许!顾颜:我的理想,是与你肩并肩,一起去征服星辰大海!
  • 世界奇峰

    世界奇峰

    这个世界本来很好,只是有点瑕疵,我们要做的就是找出瑕疵,然后处理掉。
  • 未来时空:国名校草宠翻天

    未来时空:国名校草宠翻天

    未来的孙女从衣柜里爬了出来,什么?因为自己学习成绩太差丢了王家的脸,后辈不敢抬头做人?特么的!但这男人是什么鬼!帅的人神共愤,连神都要嫉妒七分。王佳依:“奶奶,这是我帮你请的辅导老师,他的学习成绩可是贵族学校排名第一,从未被超越。”某天,她终于知道了这男人的厉害:“王若倾!10秒钟之内不起床看书,我就吻你十分钟!”王若倾欲哭无泪,腹诽着:尼玛,这孙女给自己请的是辅导老师还是辅导禽兽。