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第9章

a theologico-political treatise [part iv]-第9章

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rights of each tribe。 (101) Perhaps we shall be asked who elected the



successors to the captains of each tribe; on this point I can gather no



positive information in Scripture; but I conjecture that as the tribes were



divided into families; each headed by its senior member; the senior of all



these heads of families succeeded by right to the office of captain; for



Moses chose from among these seniors his seventy coadjutors; who formed with



himself the supreme council。 (102) Those who administered the government



after the death of Joshua were called elders; and elder is a very common



Hebrew expression in the sense of judge; as I suppose everyone knows;



however; it is not very important for us to make up our minds on this point。



(103) It is enough to have shown that after the death of Moses no one man



wielded all the power of a sovereign; as affairs were not all managed by one



man; nor by a single council; nor by the popular vote; but partly by one



tribe; partly by the rest in equal shares; it is most evident that the



government; after the death of Moses; was neither monarchic; nor



aristocratic; nor popular; but; as we have said; Theocratic。



(104) The reasons for applying this name are:







(17:105) I。 Because the royal seat of government was the Temple; and in



respect to it alone; as we have shown; all the tribes were fellow…citizens;







(106) II。 Because all the people owed allegiance to God; their supreme



Judge; to whom only they had promised implicit obedience in all things。







(17:107) III。 Because the general…in…chief or dictator; when there was need



of such; was elected by none save God alone。 (108) This was expressly



commanded by Moses in the name of God (Deut。 xix:15); and witnessed by the



actual choice of Gideon; of Samson; and of Samuel; wherefrom we may conclude



that the other faithful leaders were chosen in the same manner; though it is



not expressly told us。







(17:109) These preliminaries being stated; it is now time to inquire the



effects of forming a dominion on this plan; and to see whether it so



effectually kept within bounds both rulers and ruled; that the former were



never tyrannical and the latter never rebellious。







(17:110) Those who administer or possess governing power; always try to



surround their high…handed actions with a cloak of legality; and to persuade



the people that they act from good motives; this they are easily able to



effect when they are the sole interpreters of the law; for it is evident



that they are thus able to assume a far greater freedom to carry out their



wishes and desires than if the interpretation if the law is vested in



someone else; or if the laws were so self…evident that no one could be in



doubt as to their meaning。 '17:8' (111) We thus see that the power of evil…



doing was greatly curtailed for the Hebrew captains by the fact that the



whole interpretation of the law was vested in the Levites (Deut。 xxi:5);



who; on their part; had no share in the government; and depended for all



their support and consideration on a correct interpretation of the laws



entrusted to them。 (112) Moreover; the whole people was commanded to come



together at a certain place every seven years and be instructed in the law



by the high…priest; further; each individual was bidden to read the book of



the law through and through continually with scrupulous care。 (Deut。 xxxi:9;



10; and vi:7。) (113) The captains were thus for their own sakes bound to



take great care to administer everything according to the laws laid down;



and well known to all; if they; wished to be held in high honour by; the



people; who would regard them as the administrators of God's dominion; and



as God's vicegerents; otherwise they could not have escaped all the



virulence of theological hatred。 (114) There was another very important



check on the unbridled license of the captains; in the fact; that the army



was formed from the whole body; of the citizens; between the ages of twenty



and sixty; without exception; and that the captains were not able to hire



any foreign soldiery。 (115) This I say was very; important; for it is well



known that princes can oppress their peoples with the single aid of



the soldiery in their pay; while there is nothing more formidable to them



than the freedom of citizen soldiers; who have established the freedom and



glory of their country; by their valour; their toil; and their blood。 (116)



Thus Alexander; when he was about to make wax on Darius; a second time;



after hearing the advice of Parmenio; did not chide him who gave the advice;



but Polysperchon; who was standing by。 (117) For; as Curtius says



(iv。 Para。 13); he did not venture to reproach Parmenio again after having



shortly; before reproved him too sharply。 (118) This freedom of the



Macedonians; which he so dreaded; he was not able to subdue till after the



number of captives enlisted in the army; surpassed that of his own people:



then; but not till then; he gave rein to his anger so long checked by; the



independence of his chief fellow…countrymen。







(17:119) If this independence of citizen soldiers can restrain the princes



of ordinary states who are wont to usurp the whole glory of victories; it



must have been still more effectual against the Hebrew captains; whose



soldiers were fighting; not for the glory of a prince; but for the glory of



God; and who did not go forth to battle till the Divine assent had been



given。







(17:120) We must also remember that the Hebrew captains were associated only



by the bonds of religion: therefore; if any one of them had transgressed;



and begun to violate the Divine right; he might have been treated by the



rest as an enemy and lawfully subdued。







(17:121) An additional check may be found in the fear of a new prophet



arising; for if a man of unblemished life could show by certain signs that



he was really a prophet; he ipso facto obtained the sovereign right to rule;



which was given to him; as to Moses formerly; in the name of God; as



revealed to himself alone; not merely through the high priest; as in the



case of the captains。 (122) There is no doubt that such an one would easily



be able to enlist an oppressed people in his cause; and by trifling signs



persuade them of anything he wished: on the other hand; if affairs were well



ordered; the captain would be able to make provision in time; that the



prophet should be submitted to his approval; and be examined whether he were



really of unblemished life; and possessed indisputable signs of his mission:



also; whether the teaching he proposed to set forth in the name of the Lord



agreed with received doctrines; and the general laws of the country; if his



credentials were insufficient; or his doctrines new; he could lawfully be



put to death; or else received on the captain's sole responsibility and



authority。







(17:123) Again; the captains were not superior to the others in nobility or



birth; but only administered the government in virtue of their age and



personal qualities。 (124) Lastly; neither captains nor army had any reason



for preferring war to peace。 (125) The army; as we have stated; consisted



entirely of citizens; so that affairs were managed by the same persons both



in peace and war。 (126) The man who was a soldier in the camp was a citizen



in the market…place; he who was a leader in the camp was a judge in the law



courts; he who was a general in the camp was a ruler in the state。 (127)



Thus no one could desire war for its own sake; but only for the sake of



preserving peace and liberty; possibly the captains avoided change as far as



possible; so as not to be obliged to consult the high priest and submit to



the indignity of standing in his presence。







(17:128) So much for the precautions for keeping the captains w

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