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



practice; for; as a matter of fact (as we pointed out above) they



absolutely retained the right of dominion till they transferred it to Moses;



who in his turn became absolute king; so that it was only through him that



God reigned over the Hebrews。 (23) For this reason (namely; that religion



only acquires the force of law by means of the sovereign power) Moses was



not able to punish those who; before the covenant; and consequently while



still in possession of their rights; violated the Sabbath (Exod。 xvi:27);



but was able to do so after the covenant (Numb。 xv:36); because everyone had



then yielded up his natural rights; and the ordinance of the



Sabbath had received the force of law。







(19:24) Lastly; for the same reason; after the destruction of the Hebrew



dominion; revealed religion ceased to have the force of law; for we cannot



doubt that as soon as the Jews transferred their right to the king of



Babylon; the kingdom of God and the Divine right forthwith ceased。 (25)



For the covenant wherewith they promised to obey all the utterances of God



was abrogated; God's kingdom; which was based thereupon; also ceased。 (26)



The Hebrews could no longer abide thereby; inasmuch as their rights no



longer belonged to them but to the king of Babylon; whom (as we showed in



Chapter XVI。) they were bound to obey in all things。 (27) Jeremiah (chap。



xxix:7) expressly admonishes them of this fact: 〃And seek the peace of the



city; whither I have caused you to be carried away captives; and pray unto



the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace。〃 (28) Now;



they could not seek the peace of the City as having a share in its



government; but only as slaves; being; as they were; captives; by



obedience in all things; with a view to avoiding seditions; and by observing



all the laws of the country; however different from their own。 (29) It is



thus abundantly evident that religion among the Hebrews only acquired the



form of law through the right of the sovereign rule; when that rule was



destroyed; it could no longer be received as the law of a particular



kingdom; but only as the universal precept of reason。 (30) I say of reason;



for the universal religion had not yet become known by revelation。 (31) We



may therefore draw the general conclusion that religion; whether revealed



through our natural faculties or through prophets; receives the force of a



command solely through the decrees of the holders of sovereign power; and;



further; that God has no special kingdom among men; except in so far as He



reigns through earthly potentates。







(19:32) We may now see in a clearer light what was stated in Chapter IV。;



namely; that all the decrees of God involve eternal truth and necessity; so



that we cannot conceive God as a prince or legislator giving laws to



mankind。 (33) For this reason the Divine precepts; whether revealed through



our natural faculties; or through prophets; do not receive immediately from



God the force of a command; but only from those; or through the mediation of



those; who possess the right of ruling and legislating。 (34) It is only



through these latter means that God rules among men; and directs human



affairs with justice and equity。







(19:35) This conclusion is supported by experience; for we find traces of



Divine justice only in places where just men bear sway; elsewhere the same



lot (to repeat; again Solomon's words) befalls the just and the unjust; the



pure and the impure: a state of things which causes Divine Providence to be



doubted by many who think that God immediately reigns among men; and



directs all nature for their benefit。







'19:3' (36) As; then; both reason and experience tell us that the Divine



right is entirely dependent on the decrees of secular rulers; it follows



that secular rulers are its proper interpreters。 (37) How this is so we



shall now see; for it is time to show that the outward observances of



religion; and all the external practices of piety should be brought into



accordance with the public peace and well…being if we would obey God



rightly。 (38) When this has been shown we shall easily understand how the



sovereign rulers are the proper interpreters of religion and piety。







(19:39) It is certain that duties towards one's country are the highest that



man can fulfil; for; if government be taken away; no good thing can last;



all falls into dispute; anger and anarchy reign unchecked amid universal



fear。 (40) Consequently there can be no duty towards our neighbour which



would not become an offence if it involved injury to the whole state; nor



can there be any offence against our duty towards our neighbour; or anything



but loyalty in what we do for the sake of preserving the state。 (41) For



instance: it is in the abstract my duty when my neighbour quarrels with me



and wishes to take my cloak; to give him my coat also; but if it be thought



that such conduct is hurtful to the maintenance of the state; I ought to



bring him to trial; even at the risk of his being condemned to death。







(19:42) For this reason Manlius Torquatus is held up to honour; inasmuch as



the public welfare outweighed with him his duty towards his children。 (43)



This being so; it follows that the public welfare is the sovereign law to



which all others; Divine and human; should be made to conform。 (44) Now; it



is the function of the sovereign only to decide what is necessary for the



public welfare and the safety of the state; and to give orders accordingly;



therefore it is also the function of the sovereign only to decide the limits



of our duty towards our neighbour … in other words; to determine how we



should obey God。 (45) We can now clearly understand how the sovereign



is the interpreter of religion; and further; that no one can obey God



rightly; if the practices of his piety do not conform to the public welfare;



or; consequently; if he does not implicitly obey all the commands of the



sovereign。 (46) For as by God's command we are bound to do our duty to all



men without exception; and to do no man an injury; we are also bound not



to help one man at another's loss; still less at a loss to the whole state。



(47) Now; no private citizen can know what is good for the state; except he



learn it through the sovereign power; who alone has the right to transact



public business: therefore no one can rightly practise piety or obedience to



God; unless he obey the sovereign power's commands in all things。 (48) This



proposition is confirmed by the facts of experience。 (49) For if the



sovereign adjudge a man to be worthy of death or an enemy; whether he be a



citizen or a foreigner; a private individual or a separate ruler; no subject



is allowed to give him assistance。 (50) So also though the Jews were



bidden to love their fellow…citizens as themselves (Levit。 xix:17; 18); they



were nevertheless bound; if a man offended against the law; to point him out



to the judge (Levit。 v:1; and Deut。 xiii:8; 9); and; if he should be



condemned to death; to slay him (Deut。 xvii:7)。







(19:51) Further; in order that the Hebrews might preserve the liberty they



had gained; and might retain absolute sway over the territory they had



conquered; it was necessary; as we showed in Chapter XVII。; that their



religion should be adapted to their particular government; and that they



should separate themselves from the rest of the nations: wherefore it was



commanded to them; 〃Love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy〃 (Matt。 v:43);



but after they had lost their dominion and had gone into captivity in



Babylon; Jeremiah bid them take thought for the safety of the state into



which they had been led captive; and Christ when He saw that they would be



spread over the whole world; told them to do their duty by all men without



exception; all of which instances show that religion has always been made to



conform to the public welfare。 '19:4' (52) Perhaps someone will ask: By what



right; then; did the disciples of Christ; being private citizens; preach



a new religion? (53) I answer that they did so by the right of the



power which they had received from Christ against unclean spirits (see Matt。



x:1)。 (54) I have already stated in Chapter XVI。 that all are bound to obey



a tyrant; unless they have received from God through undoubted revelation a



promise of aid against him; so let no one take example from the Apostles



unless he too has the power of working miracles。 (55) The point is brought



out more clearly by Christ's command to His disciples; 〃Fear not those who



kill the body〃 (Matt。 x:28)。 (56) If this command were imposed on everyone;



governments would be founded in vain; and Solomon's words (Prov。 xxiv:21);



〃My son; fear God 

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