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government; and after much bloodshed only brought it about; that a new



monarch should be hailed under a different name (as though it had been a



mere question of names); this new monarch could only consolidate his power



by completely destroying the royal stock; putting to death the king's



friends; real or supposed; and disturbing with war the peace which might



encourage discontent; in order that the populace might be engrossed with



novelties and divert its mind from brooding over the slaughter of the king。



(66) At last; however; the people reflected that it had accomplished nothing



for the good of the country beyond violating the rights of the lawful king



and changing everything for the worse。 (67) It therefore decided to retrace



its steps as soon as possible; and never rested till it had seen a



complete restoration of the original state of affairs。







(18:68) It may perhaps be objected that the Roman people was easily able to



remove its tyrants; but I gather from its history a strong confirmation of



my contention。 (69) Though the Roman people was much more than



ordinarily capable of removing their tyrants and changing their



form of government; inasmuch as it held in its own hands the power of



electing its king and his successor; said being composed of rebels and



criminals had not long been used to the royal yoke (out of its six kings it



had put to death three); nevertheless it could accomplish nothing



beyond electing several tyrants in place of one; who kept it groaning under



a continual state of war; both foreign and civil; till at last it changed



its government again to a form differing from monarchy; as in England; only



in name。







'18:5' (70) As for the United States of the Netherlands; they have never; as



we know; had a king; but only counts; who never attained the full rights of



dominion。 (71) The States of the Netherlands evidently acted as principals



in the settlement made by them at the time of the Earl of Leicester's



mission: they always reserved for themselves the authority to keep the



counts up to their duties; and the power to preserve this authority



and the liberty of the citizens。 (72) They had ample means of vindicating



their rights if their rulers should prove tyrannical; and could impose



such restraints that nothing could be done without their consent and



approval。







(18:73) Thus the rights of sovereign power have always been vested in the



States; though the last count endeavoured to usurp them。 (74) It is



therefore little likely that the States should give them up; especially as



they have just restored their original dominion; lately almost lost。







(18:75) These examples; then; confirm us in our belief; that every dominion



should retain its original form; and; indeed; cannot change it without



danger of the utter ruin of the whole state。 (76) Such are the points I have



here thought worthy of remark。



















'19:0' CHAPTER XIX … IT IS SHOWN THAT THE RIGHT OVER MATTERS



  SPIRITUAL LIES WHOLLY WITH THE SOVEREIGN; AND THAT



  THE OUTWARD FORMS OF RELIGION SHOULD BE IN ACCORDANCE



  WITH PUBLIC PEACE; IF WE WOULD OBEY GOD ARIGHT。







(1) When I said that the possessors of sovereign power have rights over



everything; and that all rights are dependent on their decree; I did not



merely mean temporal rights; but also spiritual rights; of the latter; no



less than the former; they ought to be the interpreters and the



champions。 (2) I wish to draw special attention to this point; and to



discuss it fully in this chapter; because many persons deny that the right



of deciding religious questions belongs to the sovereign power; and refuse



to acknowledge it as the interpreter of Divine right。 (3) They



accordingly assume full licence to accuse and arraign it; nay; even to



excommunicate it from the Church; as Ambrosius treated the Emperor



Theodosius in old time。 (4) However; I will show later on in this chapter



that they take this means of dividing the government; and paving the



way to their own ascendancy。 (5) I wish; however; first to point out that



religion acquires its force as law solely from the decrees of the sovereign。



(6) God has no special kingdom among men except in so far as He reigns



through temporal rulers。 '19:1' (7) Moreover; the rites of religion and the



outward observances of piety should be in accordance with the public peace



and well…being; and should therefore be determined by the sovereign power



alone。 (8) I speak here only of the outward observances of piety and the



external rites of religion; not of piety; itself; nor of the inward worship



of God; nor the means by which the mind is inwardly led to do homage to God



in singleness of heart。







(19:9) Inward worship of God and piety in itself are within the sphere of



everyone's private rights; and cannot be alienated (as I showed at the end



of Chapter VII。)。 (10) What I here mean by the kingdom of God is; I



think; sufficiently clear from what has been said in Chapter XIV。



(11) I there showed that a man best fulfils Gods law who worships Him;



according to His command; through acts of justice and charity; it follows;



therefore; that wherever justice and charity have the force of law and



ordinance; there is God's kingdom。







(19:12) I recognize no difference between the cases where God teaches and



commands the practice of justice and charity through our natural faculties;



and those where He makes special revelations; nor is the form of the



revelation of importance so long as such practice is revealed and becomes a



sovereign and supreme law to men。 (13) If; therefore; I show that justice



and charity can only acquire the force of right and law through the rights



of rulers; I shall be able readily to arrive at the conclusion (seeing that



the rights of rulers are in the possession of the sovereign); that religion



can only acquire the force of right by means of those who have the right to



command; and that God only rules among men through the instrumentality of



earthly potentates。 (14) It follows from what has been said; that the



practice of justice and charity only acquires the force of law through the



rights of the sovereign authority; for we showed in Chapter XVI。 that in the



state of nature reason has no more rights than desire; but that men living



either by the laws of the former or the laws of the latter; possess rights



co…extensive with their powers。







(19:15) For this reason we could not conceive sin to exist in the state of



nature; nor imagine God as a judge punishing man's transgressions; but we



supposed all things to happen according to the general laws of universal



nature; there being no difference between pious and impious; between him



that was pure (as Solomon says) and him that was impure; because there was



no possibility either of justice or charity。







'19:2' (16) In order that the true doctrines of reason; that is (as we



showed in Chapter IV。); the true Divine doctrines might obtain absolutely



the force of law and right; it was necessary that each individual should



cede his natural right; and transfer it either to society as a whole; or to



a certain body of men; or to one man。 (17) Then; and not till then;



does it first dawn upon us what is justice and what is injustice;



what is equity and what is iniquity。







(19:18) Justice; therefore; and absolutely all the precepts of reason;



including love towards one's neighbour; receive the force of laws and



ordinances solely through the rights of dominion; that is (as we showed in



the same chapter) solely on the decree of those who possess the right to



rule。 (19) Inasmuch as the kingdom of God consists entirely in rights



applied to justice and charity or to true religion; it follows that (as we



asserted) the kingdom of God can only exist among men through the means of



the sovereign powers; nor does it make any difference whether religion be



apprehended by our natural faculties or by revelation: the argument is sound



in both cases; inasmuch as religion is one and the same; and is equally



revealed by God; whatever be the manner in which it becomes known to men。







(19:20) Thus; in order that the religion revealed by the prophets might have



the force of law among the Jews; it was necessary that every man of them



should yield up his natural right; and that all should; with one accord;



agree that they would only obey such commands as God should



reveal to them through the prophets。 (21) Just as we have shown to take



place in a democracy; where men with one consent agree to live according to



the dictates of reason。 (22) Although the Hebrews furthermore transferred



their right to God; they were able to do so rather in theory than in



practice; for; as a matter of fact (

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