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第18章

a theologico-political treatise [part iv]-第18章

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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 compelled so to do。 (3) For this



reason government which attempts to control minds is accounted tyrannical;



and it is considered an abuse of sovereignty and a usurpation of the rights



of subjects; to seek to prescribe what shall be accepted as true; or



rejected as false; or what opinions should actuate men in their worship of



God。 (4) All these questions fall within a man's natural right; which he



cannot abdicate even with his own consent。







(20:5) I admit that the judgment can be biassed in many ways; and to an



almost incredible degree; so that while exempt from direct external control



it may be so dependent on another man's words; that it may fitly be said to



be ruled by him; but although this influence is carried to great lengths; it



has never gone so far as to invalidate the statement; that every man's



understanding is his own; and that brains are as diverse as palates。







(20:6) Moses; not by fraud; but by Divine virtue; gained such a hold over



the popular judgment that he was accounted superhuman; and believed to speak



and act through the inspiration of the Deity; nevertheless; even he could



not escape murmurs and evil interpretations。 (7) How much less then can



other monarchs avoid them! (8) Yet such unlimited power; if it exists at



all; must belong to a monarch; and least of all to a democracy; where the



whole or a great part of the people wield authority collectively。 (9) This



is a fact which I think everyone can explain for himself。







(20:10) However unlimited; therefore; the power of a sovereign may be;



however implicitly it is trusted as the exponent of law and religion; it can



never prevent men from forming judgments according to their intellect; or



being influenced by any given emotion。 (11) It is true that it has the right



to treat as enemies all men whose opinions do not; on all subjects; entirely



coincide with its own; but we are not discussing its strict rights; but its



proper course of action。 (12) I grant that it has the right to rule in the



most violent manner; and to put citizens to death for very trivial causes;



but no one supposes it can do this with the approval of sound judgment。 (13)



Nay; inasmuch as such things cannot be done without extreme peril to itself;



we may even deny that it has the absolute power to do them; or;



consequently; the absolute right; for the rights of the sovereign are



limited by his power。







'20:2' (14) Since; therefore; no one can abdicate his freedom of judgment



and feeling; since every man is by indefeasible natural right the master of



his own thoughts; it follows that men thinking in diverse and contradictory



fashions; cannot; without disastrous results; be compelled to speak only



according to the dictates of the supreme power。 (15) Not even the most



experienced; to say nothing of the multitude; know how to keep silence。 (16)



Men's common failing is to confide their plans to others; though there be



need for secrecy; so that a government would be most harsh which deprived



the individual of his freedom of saying and teaching what he thought; and



would be moderate if such freedom were granted。 (17) Still we cannot deny



that authority may be as much injured by words as by actions; hence;



although the freedom we are discussing cannot be entirely denied to



subjects; its unlimited concession would be most baneful; we must;



therefore; now inquire; how far such freedom can and ought to be conceded



without danger to the peace of the state; or the power of the rulers; and



this; as I said at the beginning of Chapter XVI。; is my principal object。



(18) It follows; plainly; from the explanation given above; of the



foundations of a state; that the ultimate aim of government is not to



rule; or restrain; by fear; nor to exact obedience; but contrariwise; to



free every man from fear; that he may live in all possible

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