a treatise on good works-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





Here　men　sin　in　two　ways。　First；　if　they　lie　to　the　government；

deceive　it；　and　are　disloyal；　neither　obey　nor　do　as　it　has

ordered　and　commanded；　whether　with　their　bodies　or　their

possessions。　For　even　if　the　government　does　injustice；　as　the

King　of　Babylon　did　to　the　people　of　Israel；　yet　God　would　have

it　obeyed；　without　treachery　and　deception。　Secondly；　when　men

speak　evil　of　the　government　and　curse　it；　and　when　a　man　cannot

revenge　himself　and　abuses　the　government　with　grumbling　and　evil

words；　publicly　or　secretly。　



In　all　this　we　are　to　regard　that　which　St。　Peter　bids　us　regard；

namely；　that　its　power；　whether　it　do　right　or　wrong；　cannot　harm

the　soul；　but　only　the　body　and　property；　unless　indeed　it　should

try　openly　to　compel　us　to　do　wrong　against　God　or　men；　as　in

former　days　when　the　magistrates　were　not　yet　Christians；　and　as

the　Turk　is　now　said　to　do。　For　to　suffer　wrong　destroys　no　one's

soul；　nay；　it　improves　the　soul；　although　it　inflicts　loss　upon

the　body　and　property；　but　to　do　wrong；　that　destroys　the　soul；

although　it　should　gain　all　the　world's　wealth。　



XIII。　This　also　is　the　reason　why　there　is　not　such　great　danger

in　the　temporal　power　as　in　the　spiritual；　when　it　does　wrong。

For　the　temporal　power　can　do　no　harm；　I　since　it　has　nothing　to

do　with　preaching　and　faith　and　the　first　three　Commandments。　But

the　spiritual　power　does　harm　not　only　when　it　does　wrong；　but

also　when　it　neglects　its　duty　and　busies　itself　with　other

things；　even　if　they　were　better　than　the　very　best　works　of　the

temporal　power。　Therefore；　we　must　resist　it　when　it　does　not　do

right；　and　not　resist　the　temporal　power　although　it　does　wrong。

For　the　poor　people　believe　and　do　as　they　see　the　spiritual

power　believing　and　doing；　if　they　are　not　set　an　example　and　are

not　taught；　then　they　also　believe　nothing　and　do　nothing；　since

this　power　is　instituted　for　no　other　reason　than　to　lead　the

people　in　faith　to　God。　All　this　is　not　found　in　the　temporal

power；　for　it　may　do　and　leave　undone　what　it　will；　my　faith　to

God　still　goes　its　way　and　works　its　works；　because　I　need　not

believe　what　it　believes。　



Therefore；　also；　the　temporal　power　is　a　very　small　thing　in

God's　sight；　and　far　too　slightly　regarded　by　Him；　that　for　its

sake；　whether　it　do　right　or　wrong；　we　should　resist；　become

disobedient　and　quarrel。　On　the　other　hand；　the　spiritual　power

is　an　exceeding　great　blessing；　and　far　too　precious　in　His　eyes；

that　the　very　least　of　Christians　should　endure　and　keep　silent；

if　it　departs　a　hair's　breadth　from　its　own　duty；　not　to　say　when

it　does　the　very　opposite　of　its　duty；　as　we　now　see　it　do　every

day。　



XIV。　In　this　power　also　there　is　much　abuse。　First；　when　it

follows　the　flatterers；　which　is　a　common　and　especially　harmful

plague　of　this　power；　against　which　no　one　can　sufficiently　guard

and　protect　himself。　Here　it　is　led　by　the　nose；　and　oppresses

the　common　people；　becomes　a　government　of　the　like　of　which　a

heathen　says：　〃The　spider…webs　catch　the　small　flies；　but　the

mill…stones　roll　through。〃　So　the　laws；　ordinances　and　government

of　one　and　the　same　authority　hold　the　small　men；　and　the　great

are　free；　and　where　the　prince　is　not　himself　so　wise　that　he

needs　nobody's　advice；　or　has　such　a　standing　that　they　fear　him；

there　will　and　must　be　（unless　God　should　do　a　special　wonder）

a　childish　government。　



For　this　reason　God　has　considered　evil；　unfit　rulers　the

greatest　of　plagues；　as　He　threatens；　Isaiah　iii；　〃I　will　take

away　from　them　every　man　of　valor；　and　will　give　children　to　be

their　princes　and　babes　to　rule　over　them。〃　Four　plagues　God　has

named　in　Scripture；　Ezekiel　xiv。　The　first　and　slightest；　which

also　David　chose；　is　pestilence；　the　second　is　famine；　the　third

is　war；　the　fourth　is　all　manner　of　evil　beasts；　such　as　lions；

wolves；　serpents；　dragons；　these　are　the　wicked　rulers。　For　where

these　are；　the　land　is　destroyed；　not　only　in　body　and　property；

as　in　the　others；　but　also　in　honor；　discipline；　virtue　and　the

soul's　salvation。　For　pestilence　and　famine　make　people　good　and

rich；　but　war　and　wicked　rulers　bring　to　naught　everything　that

has　to　do　with　temporal　and　eternal　possessions。　



XV。　A　prince　must　also　be　very　wise　and　not　at　all　times

undertake　to　enforce　his　own　will；　although　he　may　have　the

authority　and　the　very　best　cause。　For　it　is　a　far　nobler　virtue

to　endure　wrong　to　one's　authority　than　to　risk　property　and

person；　if　it　is　advantageous　to　the　subjects；　since　worldly

rights　attach　only　to　temporal　goods。　



Hence；　it　is　a　very　foolish　saying：　I　have　a　right　to　it；

therefore　I　will　take　it　by　storm　and　keep　it；　although　all　sorts

of　misfortune　may　come　to　others　thereby。　So　we　read　of　the

Emperor　Octavianus；　that　he　did　not　wish　to　make　war；　however

just　his　cause　might　be；　unless　there　were　sure　indications　of

greater　benefit　than　harm；　or　at　least　that　the　harm　would　not

be　intolerable；　and　said：　〃　War　is　like　fishing　with　a　golden

net；　the　loss　risked　is　always　greater　than　the　catch　can　be。〃

For　he　who　guides　a　wagon　must　walk　far　otherwise　than　if　he　were

walking　alone；　when　alone　he　may　walk；　jump；　and　do　as　he　will；

but　when　he　drives；　he　must　so　guide　and　adapt　himself　that　the

wagon　and　horses　can　follow　him；　and　regard　that　more　than　his

own　will。　So　also　a　prince　leads　a　multitude　with　him　and　must

not　walk　and　act　as　he　wills；　but　as　the　multitude　can；

considering　their　need　and　advantage　more　than　his　will　and

pleasure。　For　when　a　prince　rules　after　his　own　mad　will　and

follows　his　own　opinion；　he　is　like　a　mad　driver；　who　rushes

straight　ahead　with　horse　and　wagon；　through　bushes；　thorns；

ditches；　water；　up　hill　and　down　dale；　regardless　of　roads　and

bridges；　he　will　not　drive　long；　all　will　go　to　smash。　



Therefore　it　would　be　most　profitable　for　rulers；　that　they　read；

or　have　read　to　them；　from　youth　on；　the　histories；　both　in

sacred　and　in　profane　books；　in　which　they　would　find　more

examples　and　skill　in　ruling　than　in　all　the　books　of　law；　as　we

read　that　the　kings　of　Persia　did；　Esther　vi。　For　examples　and

histories　benefit　and　teach　more　than　the　laws　and　statutes：

there　actual　experience　teaches；　here　untried　and　uncertain

words。　



XVI。　Three　special；　distinct　works　all　rulers　might　do　in　our

times；　particularly　in　our　lands。　First；　to　make　an　end　of　the

horrible　gluttony　and　drunkenness；　not　only　because　of　the

excess；　but　also　because　of　its　expense。　For　through　seasonings

and　spices　and　the　like；　without　which　men　could　well　live；　no

little　loss　of　temporal　wealth　has　come　and　daily　is　coming　upon

our　lands。　To　prevent　these　two　great　evils　would　truly　give　the

temporal　power　enough　to　do；　for　the　inroads　they　have　made　are

wide　and　deep。　And　how　could　those　in　power　serve　God　better　and

thereby　also　improve　their　own　land？　



Secondly；　to　forbid　the　excessive　cost　of　clothing；　whereby　so

much　wealth　is　wasted；　and　yet　only　the　world　and　the　flesh　are

served；　it　is　fearful　to　think　that　such　abuse　is　to　be　found

among　the　people　who　have　been　pledged；　baptised　and　consecrated

to　Christ；　the　Crucified；　and　who　should　bear　the　Cross　after　Him

and　prepare　for　the　life　to　come　by　dying　daily。　If　some　men

erred　through　ignorance；　it　might　be　borne；　but　that　it　is

practised　so　freely；　without　punishment；　without　shame；　without

hindrance；　nay；　that　praise　and　fame　are　sought　thereby；　this　is

indeed　an　unchristian　thing。　Thirdly；　to　drive　out　the　usurious

buying　of　rent…charges；　which　in　the　whole　world　ruins；　consumes

and　troubles　all　lands；　peoples　and　cities　through　its　cunning

form；　by　which　it　appears　not　to　be　usury；　while　in　truth　it　is

worse　than　usury；　because　men　are　not　on　their　guard　against　it

as　against　open　usury。　See；　these　are　the　three　Jews；　as　men　say；

who　suck　the　whole　world　dry。　Here　princes　ought　not　to　sleep；

nor　be　lazy；　if　they　would　give　a　good　account　of　their　office

to　God。　



XVII。　Here　too　ought　to　be　mentioned　the　knavery　which　is

practised　by　officiales　and　other　episcopal　and　spiritual

officers；　who　ban；　load；　hunt　and　drive　the　poor　people　with

great　burdens；　as　long　as　a　penny　remains。　This　ought　to　be

prevented　by　the　temporal　sword；　since　there　is　no　other　help　or

remedy。　



O；　would　God　in　heaven；　that　some　time　a　government　might　be

established　that　would　do　away　with　the　public　bawdy…houses；　as

was　done　among　the　people　of　Israel！　It　is　indeed　an　unchristian

sight；　that　public　houses　of　sin　are　maintained　among　Christians；

a　thing　formerly　altogether　unheard　of。　It　should　be　a　rule　that

boys　and　girls　should　be　married　early　and　such　vice　be

prevented。　Such　a　rule　and　custom　ought　to　be　sought　for　by　both

the　spiritual　and　the　temporal　power。　If　it　was　possible　among

the　Jews；　why　should　it　not　also　be　possible　among　Christians？

Nay；　if　it　is　possib