study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第39节
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tongue would inevitably tend to strong and favorable influence on the
history of men。 Those two traits are； first； its essential democracy； and；
secondly； its persistent moral appeal。
Here must be recalled that century before the King James version；
when by slow filtration the fundamental ideas of the Bible were entering
English life。 Surely it is beyond words that the Bible made Puritanism；
though it was in strong swing when James came to the throne。 Now John
Richard Green is well within the fact when he says that 〃Puritanism may
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fairly claim to be the first political system which recognized the grandeur
of the people as a whole。〃＇1＇ It； was the magnifying of the people as a
whole over against some people as having peculiar rights which marked
Puritanism； and which is democracy。 Shakespeare knew nothing of it； and
had no influence on the movement for larger democracy。 After we have
said our strong word of Shakespeare's powerful influence upon literature it
yet must be said that it is difficult to lay finger on one single historical
movement except the literary one which Shakespeare even remotely
influenced。 The Bible； meanwhile； was absolutely creating this movement。
Under its influence 〃the meanest peasant felt himself ennobled as the child
of God； the proudest noble recognized a spiritual equality with the
meanest saint。〃 That was the inevitable result of a fresh reading of the
Bible in every home。 It assured each man that he is a son of God； equal in
that sonship with all other men。 It assured him no man has right to lord it
over others； as though his relation to God were peculiar。 The Bible
constantly impresses men that this relation to God is the essential one。
Everything else is incidental。 Granted now a people freshly under the
influence of that teaching； you have a large explanation of the movement
which followed the issuance of this version。
＇1＇ Short History of the English People； chap。 vii； sec。 vii。
James opened his first parliament （1604） with a speech claiming
divine right； a doctrine which had really been raised to meet the claim of
the right of the pope to depose kings。 James argued that the state of
monarchy is the supremest thing on earth； for kings are not only God's
lieutenants on earth and set upon God's throne； but even by God Himself
are called gods。 （He never found that in the Genevan version or its notes！）
As to dispute what God may do is blasphemy； so it is sedition in subjects
to dispute what the king may do in the height of his power。 〃I will not be
content that my power be disputed on。〃 The House of Commons sat by his
grace and not of any right。
Set that idea of James over against the idea which the Bible was
constantly developing in the mind of the people； and you see why
Trevelyan says that the Bible brought in democracy； and why he thinks； as
we have already seen； that the greatest contribution England has made to
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government is its treatment of the Stuarts； when it transferred sovereignty
from the king to Parliament。 Among the men who listened to that kind of
teaching were Eliot； Hampden； Pym； all Puritans under the spell of the
Bible。 But the strife grew larger than a merely Puritan one。 The people
themselves were strongly feeling their rights。 〃To the devout Englishman；
much as he might love his prayer…book and hate the dissenters； the core of
religion was the life of family prayer and Bible study； which the Puritans
had for a hundred years struggled not in vain to make the custom of the
land。〃 It was this spirit which James met。
We have already thought sufficiently of the events which actually
followed。 The final rupture of Charles I。 with parliamentary institutions
was due to the religious situation。 There were many Bible…reading families；
learning their own rights； while kings and favorites were plotting war。
Laud and the bishops forbade non…conforming gatherings； but they could
not prevent a man's gathering his household about him while he read the
great stories of the Bible； in which no king ruled when he had ceased to
advance his kingdom； in which each man was shut up to God in the most
vital things of his life。 The discussion of the time grew keen about
predestination and free…will。 One meant that only God had power； the
other meant that men； and if men； then specially kings； might control other
men if only they could。 Not fully； but vaguely； the crowd understood。 Very
fully； and not vaguely； the leaders understood。 Predestination and
Parliament became a cry。 That is； control lifted out of the hands of the
free…will of some monarch into the hands of a sovereign God to whom
every man had the same access that any other man had。 Laud decreed that
all such discussion should cease。 He revived an old decree that no book
could be printed without consent of an archbishop or the Bishop of
London。 So the books became secret and more virulent each year。 The
civil war （1642…46） between Charles and Parliament was a war of ideas。 It
is sometimes called a war of religion； not quite fairly。 It was due to the
religious situation； but actually it was for the liberties of the people against
the power of the king。 And that question rooted far down in another
regarding the rights of men to be free in their religious life。 Charles struck
his coin at Oxford with the Latin inscription： 〃The Protestant religion； the
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laws of England； the liberties of Parliament。〃 But he struck it too late。 He
had been trifling with the freedom of the people； and they had learned
from their fireside Bibles and from their pulpits that no man may
command another in his relation to God。 It was long after that Burns
described 〃The Cottar's Saturday Night〃； but he was only describing a
condition which was already in vogue； and which was having tremendous
influence in England as well as in Scotland：
〃The cheerfu' supper done； wi' serious face； They； round the
ingle； form a circle wide； The sire turns o'er； wi' patriarchal grace；
The big ha' Bible； ance his father's pride： His bonnet rev'rently is laid
aside； His lyart haffets wearing thin an' bare； Those strains that
once did sweet in Zion glide； He wales a portion with judicious care；
And 'Let us worship God！' he says； with solemn air。〃
Under such guidance as this the people of England； Puritans and
others； relaxed the power of the Stuarts and became a democracy。 For
democracy is not a form of government。 It can exist under monarchy；
provided the monarchy is a convenience of the will of the people； as it is
in England。 It can exist under institutions like our own； provided they also
are held as a convenience of the people。 This was no rebellion against
some form of monarchy。 It was simply a claim of every man to have his
rights before God。 Under the Parliament of eighteen years duration； the
Independensts； Presbyterians； and all other non…conforming bodies
suffered as heavily as under James and Charles； yet they did not flee the
land。 Their battle was really won。 They believed the time would come
when they as part of 〃the people〃 who now governed should assert
themselves。 If they were persecuted； it was under a government where yet
they might hope for their rights。 Fleeing from England in 1620 was
heroism； fleeing
