a treatise on good works-第24章

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these　are；　the　land　is　destroyed；　not　only　in　body　and　property；

as　in　the　others；　but　also　in　honor；　discipline；　virtue　and　the

soul's　salvation。　For　pestilence　and　famine　make　people　good　and

rich；　but　war　and　wicked　rulers　bring　to　naught　everything　that

has　to　do　with　temporal　and　eternal　possessions。　



XV。　A　prince　must　also　be　very　wise　and　not　at　all　times

undertake　to　enforce　his　own　will；　although　he　may　have　the

authority　and　the　very　best　cause。　For　it　is　a　far　nobler　virtue

to　endure　wrong　to　one's　authority　than　to　risk　property　and

person；　if　it　is　advantageous　to　the　subjects；　since　worldly

rights　attach　only　to　temporal　goods。　



Hence；　it　is　a　very　foolish　saying：　I　have　a　right　to　it；

therefore　I　will　take　it　by　storm　and　keep　it；　although　all　sorts

of　misfortune　may　come　to　others　thereby。　So　we　read　of　the

Emperor　Octavianus；　that　he　did　not　wish　to　make　war；　however

just　his　cause　might　be；　unless　there　were　sure　indications　of

greater　benefit　than　harm；　or　at　least　that　the　harm　would　not

be　intolerable；　and　said：　〃　War　is　like　fishing　with　a　golden

net；　the　loss　risked　is　always　greater　than　the　catch　can　be。〃

For　he　who　guides　a　wagon　must　walk　far　otherwise　than　if　he　were

walking　alone；　when　alone　he　may　walk；　jump；　and　do　as　he　will；

but　when　he　drives；　he　must　so　guide　and　adapt　himself　that　the

wagon　and　horses　can　follow　him；　and　regard　that　more　than　his

own　will。　So　also　a　prince　leads　a　multitude　with　him　and　must

not　walk　and　act　as　he　wills；　but　as　the　multitude　can；

considering　their　need　and　advantage　more　than　his　will　and

pleasure。　For　when　a　prince　rules　after　his　own　mad　will　and

follows　his　own　opinion；　he　is　like　a　mad　driver；　who　rushes

straight　ahead　with　horse　and　wagon；　through　bushes；　thorns；

ditches；　water；　up　hill　and　down　dale；　regardless　of　roads　and

bridges；　he　will　not　drive　long；　all　will　go　to　smash。　



Therefore　it　would　be　most　profitable　for　rulers；　that　they　read；

or　have　read　to　them；　from　youth　on；　the　histories；　both　in

sacred　and　in　profane　books；　in　which　they　would　find　more

examples　and　skill　in　ruling　than　in　all　the　books　of　law；　as　we

read　that　the　kings　of　Persia　did；　Esther　vi。　For　examples　and

histories　benefit　and　teach　more　than　the　laws　and　statutes：

there　actual　experience　teaches；　here　untried　and　uncertain

words。　



XVI。　Three　special；　distinct　works　all　rulers　might　do　in　our

times；　particularly　in　our　lands。　First；　to　make　an　end　of　the

horrible　gluttony　and　drunkenness；　not　only　because　of　the

excess；　but　also　because　of　its　expense。　For　through　seasonings

and　spices　and　the　like；　without　which　men　could　well　live；　no

little　loss　of　temporal　wealth　has　come　and　daily　is　coming　upon

our　lands。　To　prevent　these　two　great　evils　would　truly　give　the

temporal　power　enough　to　do；　for　the　inroads　they　have　made　are

wide　and　deep。　And　how　could　those　in　power　serve　God　better　and

thereby　also　improve　their　own　land？　



Secondly；　to　forbid　the　excessive　cost　of　clothing；　whereby　so

much　wealth　is　wasted；　and　yet　only　the　world　and　the　flesh　are

served；　it　is　fearful　to　think　that　such　abuse　is　to　be　found

among　the　people　who　have　been　pledged；　baptised　and　consecrated

to　Christ；　the　Crucified；　and　who　should　bear　the　Cross　after　Him

and　prepare　for　the　life　to　come　by　dying　daily。　If　some　men

erred　through　ignorance；　it　might　be　borne；　but　that　it　is

practised　so　freely；　without　punishment；　without　shame；　without

hindrance；　nay；　that　praise　and　fame　are　sought　thereby；　this　is

indeed　an　unchristian　thing。　Thirdly；　to　drive　out　the　usurious

buying　of　rent…charges；　which　in　the　whole　world　ruins；　consumes

and　troubles　all　lands；　peoples　and　cities　through　its　cunning

form；　by　which　it　appears　not　to　be　usury；　while　in　truth　it　is

worse　than　usury；　because　men　are　not　on　their　guard　against　it

as　against　open　usury。　See；　these　are　the　three　Jews；　as　men　say；

who　suck　the　whole　world　dry。　Here　princes　ought　not　to　sleep；

nor　be　lazy；　if　they　would　give　a　good　account　of　their　office

to　God。　



XVII。　Here　too　ought　to　be　mentioned　the　knavery　which　is

practised　by　officiales　and　other　episcopal　and　spiritual

officers；　who　ban；　load；　hunt　and　drive　the　poor　people　with

great　burdens；　as　long　as　a　penny　remains。　This　ought　to　be

prevented　by　the　temporal　sword；　since　there　is　no　other　help　or

remedy。　



O；　would　God　in　heaven；　that　some　time　a　government　might　be

established　that　would　do　away　with　the　public　bawdy…houses；　as

was　done　among　the　people　of　Israel！　It　is　indeed　an　unchristian

sight；　that　public　houses　of　sin　are　maintained　among　Christians；

a　thing　formerly　altogether　unheard　of。　It　should　be　a　rule　that

boys　and　girls　should　be　married　early　and　such　vice　be

prevented。　Such　a　rule　and　custom　ought　to　be　sought　for　by　both

the　spiritual　and　the　temporal　power。　If　it　was　possible　among

the　Jews；　why　should　it　not　also　be　possible　among　Christians？

Nay；　if　it　is　possible　in　villages；　towns　and　some　cities；　as　we

all　see；　why　should　it　not　be　possible　everywhere？　



But　the　trouble　is；　there　is　no　real　government　in　the　world。　No

one　wants　to　work；　therefore　the　mechanics　must　give　their

workmen　holiday：　then　they　are　free　and　no　one　can　tame　them。　But

if　there　were　a　rule　that　they　must　do　as　they　are　bid；　and　no

one　would　give　them　work　in　other　places；　this　evil　would　to　a

large　extent　be　mended。　God　help　us！　I　fear　that　here　the　wish

is　far　greater　than　the　hope；　but　this　does　not　excuse　us。



Now　see；　here　only　a　few　works　of　magistrates　are　indicated；　but

they　are　so　good　and　so　many；　that　they　have　superabundant　good

works　to　do　every　hour　and　could　constantly　serve　God。　But　these

works；　like　the　others；　should　also　be　done　in　faith；　yea；　be　an

exercise　of　faith；　so　that　no　one　expect　to　please　God　by　the

works；　but　by　confident　trust　in　His　favor　do　such　works　only　to

the　honor　and　praise　of　his　gracious　God；　thereby　to　serve　and

benefit　his　neighbor。　



XVIII。　The　fourth　work　of　this　Commandment　is　obedience　of

servants　and　workmen　toward　their　lords　and　ladies；　masters　and

mistresses。　Of　this　St。　Paul　says；　Titus　ii：　〃Thou　shalt　exhort

servants　that　they　highly　honor　their　masters；　be　obedient；　do

what　pleases　them；　not　cheating　them　nor　opposing　them〃；　for　this

reason　also：　because　they　thereby　bring　the　doctrine　of　Christ

and　our　faith　into　good　repute；　that　the　heathen　cannot　complain

of　us　and　be　offended。　St。　Peter　also　says：　〃Servants；　be　subject

to　your　masters；　for　the　fear　of　God；　not　only　to　the　good　and

gentle；　but　also　to　the　froward　and　harsh。　For　this　is　acceptable

with　God；　if　a　man　suffers　harshness；　being　innocent。〃　



Now　there　is　the　greatest　complaint　in　the　world　about　servants

and　working　men；　that　they　are　disobedient；　unfaithful；

unmannerly；　and　over…reaching；　this　is　a　plague　sent　of　God。　And

truly；　this　is　the　one　work　of　servants　whereby　they　may　be

saved；　truly　they　need　not　make　pilgrimages　or　do　this　thing　or

the　other；　they　have　enough　to　do　if　their　heart　is　only　set　on

this；　that　they　gladly　do　and　leave　undone　what　they　know　pleases

their　masters　and　mistresses；　and　all　this　in　a　simple　faith；　not

that　they　would　by　their　works　gain　much　merit；　but　that　they　do

it　all　in　the　confidence　of　divine　favor　（in　which　all　merits　are

to　be　found）；　purely　for　nothing；　out　of　the　love　and　good…will

toward　God　which　grows　out　of　such　confidence。　And　all　such　works

they　should　think　of　as　an　exercise　and　exhortation　ever　to

strengthen　their　faith　and　confidence　more　and　more。　For；　as　has

now　been　frequently　said；　this　faith　makes　all　works　good；　yea；

it　must　do　them　and　be　the　master…workman。　



XIX。　On　the　other　hand；　the　masters　and　mistresses　should　not

rule　their　servants；　maids　and　workingmen　roughly；　not　look　to

all　things　too　closely；　occasionally　overlook　something；　and　for

peace'　sake　make　allowances。　For　it　is