the american republic-第18节
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1 civil rulers； but this did not imply that they received their power or right to govern from God through her； but implied that their persons were sacred； and that violence to them would be sacrilege； that they held the Christian faith； and acknowledged themselves bound to protect it； and to govern their subjects justly； according to the law of God。
The church； moreover； has always recognized the distinction of the two powers； and although the Pope owes to the fact that he is chief of the spiritual society； his temporal principality； no theologian or canonist of the slightest respectability would argue that he derives his rights as temporal sovereign from his rights as pontiff。 His rights as pontiff depend on the express appointment of God； his rights as temporal prince are derived from the same source from which other princes derive their rights； and are held by the same tenure。 Hence canonists have maintained that the subjects of other states may even engage in war with the Pope as prince； without breach of their fidelity to him as pontiff or supreme visible head of the church。
The church not only distinguishes between the two powers； but recognizes as legitimate； governments that manifestly do not derive from God through her。 St。 Paul enjoins obedience 112 to the Roman emperors for conscience' sake； and the church teaches that infidels and heretics may have legitimate government； and if she has ever denied the right of any infidel or heretical prince； it has been on the ground that the constitution and laws of his principality require him to profess and protect the Catholic faith。 She tolerates resistance in a non…Catholic state no more than in a Catholic state to the prince； and if she has not condemned and cut off from her communion the Catholics who in our struggle have joined the Secessionists and fought in their ranks against the United States； it is because the prevalence of the doctrine of State sovereignty has seemed to leave a reasonable doubt whether they were really rebels fighting against their legitimate sovereign or not。
No doubt； as the authority of the church is derived immediately from God in a supernatural manner； and as she holds that the state derives its authority only mediately from him； in a natural mode； she asserts the superiority of her authority； and that； in case of conflict between the two powers； the civil must yield。 But this is only saying that supernatural is above natural。 Butand this is the important pointshe does not teach； nor permit the faithful to 113 hold； that the supernatural abrogates the natural； or in any way supersedes it。 Grace； say the theologians； supposes nature； gratia supponit naturam。 The church in the matter of government accepts the natural； aids it； elevates it； and is its firmest support。
VII。 St。 Augustine； St。 Gregory Magnus； St。 Thomas； Bellarmin； Suarez； and the theologians generally； hold that princes derive their power from God through the people； or that the people； though not the source； are the medium of all political authority； and therefore rulers are accountable for the use they make of their power to both God and the people。
This doctrine agrees with the democratic theory in vesting sovereignty in the people； instead of the king or the nobility； a particular individual； family； class； or caste； and differs from it； as democracy is commonly explained； in understanding by the people； the people collectively； not individuallythe organic people； or people fixed to a given territory； not the people as a mere populationthe people in the republican sense of the word nation； not in the barbaric or despotic sense； and in deriving the sovereignty from God； from whom is all power； and except from whom there is and can be no power； in… 114 stead of asserting it as the underived and indefeasible right of the people in their 〃own native right and might。〃 The people not being God； and being only what philosophers call a second cause； they are and can be sovereign only in a secondary and relative sense。 It asserts the divine origin of power； while democracy asserts its human origin。 But as； under the law of nature； all men are equal； or have equal rights as men； one man has and can have in himself no right to govern another； and as man is never absolutely his own； but always and everywhere belongs to his Creator； it is clear that no government originating in humanity alone can be a legitimate government。 Every such government is founded on the assumption that man is God； which is a great mistakeis； in fact； the fundamental sophism which underlies every error and every sin。
The divine origin of government； in the sense asserted by Christian theologians； is never found distinctly set forth in the political writings of the ancient Greek and Roman writers。 Gentile philosophy had lost the tradition of creation； as some modern philosophers； in so…called Christian nations； are fast losing it； and were as unable to explain the origin of government as they were the origin of man himself。
115 Even Plato； the profoundest of all ancient philosophers； and the most faithful to the traditionary wisdom of the race； lacks the conception of creation； and never gets above that of generation and formation。 Things are produced by the Divine Being impressing his own ideas； eternal in his own mind； on a pre…existing matter； as a seal on wax。 Aristotle teaches substantially the same doctrine。 Things eternally exist as matter and form； and all the Divine Intelligence does； is to unite the form to the matter； and change it； as the schoolmen say； from materia informis to materia formata。 Even the Christian Platonists and Peripatetics never as philosophers assert creation； they assert it； indeed； but as theologians； as a fact of revelation； not as a fact of science； and hence it is that their theology and their philosophy never thoroughly harmonize； or at least are not shown to harmonize throughout。
Speaking generally； the ancient Gentile philosophers were pantheists； and represented the universe either as God or as an emanation from God。 They had no proper conception of Providence； or the action of God in nature through natural agencies； or as modern physicists say； natural laws。 If they recognized the action of divinity at all； it was a supernatural 116 or miraculous intervention of some god。 They saw no divine intervention in any thing naturally explicable； or explicable by natural laws。 Having no conception of the creative act； they could have none of its immanence； or the active and efficacious presence of the Creator in all his works； even in the action of second causes themselves。 Hence they could not assert the divine origin of government； or civil authority； without supposing it supernaturally founded； and excluding all human and natural agencies from its institution。 Their writings may be studied with advantage on the constitution of the state； on the practical workings of different forms of government； as well as on the practical administration of affairs； but never on the origin of the state； and the real ground of its authority。
The doctrine is derived from Christian theology； which teaches that there is no power except from God； and enjoins civil obedience as a religious duty。 Conscience is accountable to God alone； and civil government； if it had only a natural or human origin； could not bind it。 Yet Christianity makes the civil law； within its legitimate sphere； as obligatory on conscience as the divine law itself； and no man is blameless before God who is not blameless before the state。 No man performs faithfully his religious 117 duties who neglects his civil duties； and hence； the law of the church allows no one to retire from the world and enter a religious order； who has duties that bind him or her to the family or the state； though it is possible that the law is not always strictly observed； and that individuals sometimes enter a convent for the sake of getting rid of those duties； or the equally important duty of taking care of themselves。 But by asserting the divine origin of government； Christianity consecrates civil authority； clothes it with a religious character； and makes civil disobedience； sedition； insurrection； rebellion； revolution； civil turbulence of any sort or degree； sins against God as well as crimes against the state。 For the same reason she makes usurpation； tyranny； oppression of the people by civil rulers； offences against God as well as against society； and cognizable by the spiritual authority。
After the establishment of the Christian church； after its public recognition； and when conflicting claims arose between the two powersthe civil and the ecclesiasticalthis doctrine of the divine origin of civil government was abused； and turned against the church with most disastrous consequences。 While the Roman Empire of the West subsisted； and even af
