第 15 节
作者:打倒一切      更新:2021-02-21 15:39      字数:9322
  affirm… viz。; that the beginning of politic society depends upon the
  consent of the individuals to join into and make one society; who;
  when they are thus incorporated; might set up what form of
  government they thought fit。 But this having given occasion to men
  to mistake and think that; by Nature; government was monarchical;
  and belonged to the father; it may not be amiss here to consider why
  people; in the beginning; generally pitched upon this form; which;
  though perhaps the father's pre…eminency might; in the first
  institution of some commonwealths; give a rise to and place in the
  beginning the power in one hand; yet it is plain that the reason
  that continued the form of government in a single person was not any
  regard or respect to paternal authority; since all petty monarchies…
  that is; almost all monarchies; near their original; have been
  commonly; at least upon occasion; elective。
  107。 First; then; in the beginning of things; the father's
  government of the childhood of those sprung from him having accustomed
  them to the rule of one man; and taught them that where it was
  exercised with care and skill; with affection and love to those
  under it; it was sufficient to procure and preserve men (all the
  political happiness they sought for in society); it was no wonder that
  they should pitch upon and naturally run into that form of
  government which; from their infancy; they had been all accustomed to;
  and which; by experience; they had found both easy and safe。 To
  which if we add; that monarchy being simple and most obvious to men;
  whom neither experience had instructed in forms of government; nor the
  ambition or insolence of empire had taught to beware of the
  encroachments of prerogative or the inconveniencies of absolute power;
  which monarchy; in succession; was apt to lay claim to and bring
  upon them; it was not at all strange that they should not much trouble
  themselves to think of methods of restraining any exorbitances of
  those to whom they had given the authority over them; and of balancing
  the power of government by placing several parts of it in different
  hands。 They had neither felt the oppression of tyrannical dominion;
  nor did the fashion of the age; nor their possessions or way of
  living; which afforded little matter for covetousness or ambition;
  give them any reason to apprehend or provide against it; and;
  therefore; it is no wonder they put themselves into such a frame of
  government as was not only; as I said; most obvious and simple; but
  also best suited to their present state and condition; which stood
  more in need of defence against foreign invasions and injuries than of
  multiplicity of laws where there was but very little property; and
  wanted not variety of rulers and abundance of officers to direct and
  look after their execution where there were but few trespassers and
  few offenders。 Since; then; those who liked one another so well as
  to join into society cannot but be supposed to have some
  acquaintance and friendship together; and some trust one in another;
  they could not but have greater apprehensions of others than of one
  another; and; therefore; their first care and thought cannot but be
  supposed to be; how to secure themselves against foreign force。 It was
  natural for them to put themselves under a frame of government which
  might best serve to that end; and choose the wisest and bravest man to
  conduct them in their wars and lead them out against their enemies;
  and in this chiefly be their ruler。
  108。 Thus we see that the kings of the Indians; in America; which is
  still a pattern of the first ages in Asia and Europe; whilst the
  inhabitants were too few for the country; and want of people and money
  gave men no temptation to enlarge their possessions of land or contest
  for wider extent of ground; are little more than generals of their
  armies; and though they command absolutely in war; yet at home; and in
  time of peace; they exercise very little dominion; and have but a very
  moderate sovereignty; the resolutions of peace and war being
  ordinarily either in the people or in a council; though the war
  itself; which admits not of pluralities of governors; naturally
  evolves the command into the king's sole authority。
  109。 And thus; in Israel itself; the chief business of their
  judges and first kings seems to have been to be captains in war and
  leaders of their armies; which (besides what is signified by 〃going
  out and in before the people;〃 which was; to march forth to war and
  home again at the heads of their forces) appears plainly in the
  story of Jephtha。 The Ammonites making war upon Israel; the
  Gileadites; in fear; send to Jephtha; a bastard of their family;
  whom they had cast off; and article with him; if he will assist them
  against the Ammonites; to make him their ruler; which they do in these
  words: 〃And the people made him head and captain over them〃 (Judges
  11。 11); which was; as it seems; all one as to be judge。 〃And he
  judged Israel〃 (Judges 12。 7)… that is; was their captain…general…
  〃six years。〃 So when Jotham upbraids the Shechemites with the
  obligation they had to Gideon; who had been their judge and ruler;
  he tells them: 〃He fought for you; and adventured his life for; and
  delivered you out of the hands of Midian〃 (Judges 9。 17)。 Nothing
  mentioned of him but what he did as a general; and; indeed; that is
  all is found in his history; or in any of the rest of the judges。
  And Abimelech particularly is called king; though at most he was but
  their general。 And when; being weary of the ill…conduct of Samuel's
  sons; the children of Israel desired a king; 〃like all the nations; to
  judge them; and to go out before them; and to fight their battles〃
  (1 Sam。 8。 20); God; granting their desire; says to Samuel; 〃I will
  send thee a man; and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my
  people Israel; that he may save my people out of the hands of the
  Philistines〃 (ch。 9。 16)。 As if the only business of a king had been
  to lead out their armies and fight in their defence; and; accordingly;
  at his inauguration; pouring a vial of oil upon him; declares to
  Saul that 〃the Lord had anointed him to be captain over his
  inheritance〃 (ch。 10。 1)。 And therefore those who; after Saul being
  solemnly chosen and saluted king by the tribes at Mispah; were
  unwilling to have him their king; make no other objection but this;
  〃How shall this man save us?〃 (ch。 10。 27); as if they should have
  said: 〃This man is unfit to be our king; not having skill and
  conduct enough in war to be able to defend us。〃 And when God
  resolved to transfer the government to David; it is in these words:
  〃But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought Him a
  man after His own heart; and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain
  over His people〃 (ch。 13。 14。)。 As if the whole kingly authority
  were nothing else but to be their general; and therefore the tribes
  who had stuck to Saul's family; and opposed David's reign; when they
  came to Hebron with terms of submission to him; they tell him; amongst
  other arguments; they had to submit to him as to their king; that he
  was; in effect; their king in Saul's time; and therefore they had no
  reason but to receive him as their king now。 〃Also;〃 say they; 〃in
  time past; when Saul was king over us; thou wast he that leddest out
  and broughtest in Israel; and the Lord said unto thee; Thou shalt feed
  my people Israel; and thou shalt be a captain over Israel。〃
  110。 Thus; whether a family; by degrees; grew up into a
  commonwealth; and the fatherly authority being continued on to the
  elder son; every one in his turn growing up under it tacitly submitted
  to it; and the easiness and equality of it not offending any one;
  every one acquiesced till time seemed to have confirmed it and settled
  a right of succession by prescription; or whether several families; or
  the descendants of several families; whom chance; neighbourhood; or
  business brought together; united into society; the need of a
  general whose conduct might defend them against their enemies in
  war; and the great confidence the innocence and sincerity of that poor
  but virtuous age; such as are almost all those which begin governments
  that ever come to last in the world; gave men one of another; made the
  first beginners of commonwealths generally put the rule into one man's
  hand; without any other express limitation or restraint but what the
  nature of the thing and the end of government required。 It was given
  them for the public good and safety; and to those ends; in the
  infancies of commonwealths; they commonly used it; and unless they had
  done so; young societies could not have subsisted。 Without such
  nursing fathers; without this care of the governors; all governments
  would have sunk under the weakness and infirmities of their infancy;
  the prince and the people had soon perished together。
  111。 But the golden age (though before vain ambition; and amor
  sceleratus habendi; evil concupiscence had corrupted men's minds
  into a mistake of true power and honour) had more virtue; and
  consequently better g