the commonwealth of oceana-第42章

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e　given　his　citizens　from　their　arms；　who；　being　but　few；　if　they　had　minded　anything　else；　must　have　deserted　the　commonwealth。　For　Rome；　she　had　ingenium　par　ingenio；　was　as　learned　as　great；　and　held　our　College　of　Augurs　in　much　reverence。　Venice　has　taken　her　religion　upon　trust。　Holland　cannot　attend　it　to　be　very　studious。　Nor　does　Switzerland　mind　it　much；　yet　are　they　all　addicted　to　their　universities。　We　cut　down　trees　to　build　houses；　but　I　would　have　somebody　show　me；　by　what　reason　or　experience　the　cutting　down　of　a　university　should　tend　to　the　setting　up　of　a　commonwealth。　Of　this　I　am　sure；　that　the　perfection　of　a　commonwealth　is　not　to　be　attained　without　the　knowledge　of　ancient　prudence；　nor　the　knowledge　of　ancient　prudence　without　learning；　nor　learning　without　schools　of　good　literature；　and　these　are　such　as　we　call　universities。　　　　　〃Now　though　mere　university　learning　of　itself　be　that　which　（to　speak　the　words　of　Verulamius）　'crafty　men　contemn；　and　simple　men　only　admire；　yet　is　it　such　as　wise　men　have　use　of；　for　studies　do　not　teach　their　own　use；　but　that　is　a　wisdom　without　and　above　them；　won　by　observation。　Expert　men　may　execute；　and　perhaps　judge；　of　particulars　one　by　one；　but　the　general　councils　and　the　plots；　and　the　marshalling　of　affairs；　come　best　from　those　that　are　learned。'　Wherefore　if　you　would　have　your　children　to　be　statesmen；　let　them　drink　by　all　means　of　these　fountains；　where　perhaps　there　were　never　any。　But　what　though　the　water　a　man　drinks　be　not　nourishment；　it　is　the　vehicle　without　which　he　cannot　be　nourished。　　　　　Nor　is　religion　less　concerned　in　this　point　than　government：　for　take　away　your　universities；　and　in　a　few　years　you　lose　it。　〃The　holy　Scriptures　are　written　in　Hebrew　and　Greek；　they　that　have　neither　of　these　languages　may　think　light　of　both；　but　find　me　a　man　that　has　one　in　perfection；　the　study　of　whose　whole　life　it　has　not　been。　Again；　this　is　apparent　to　us　in　daily　conversation；　that　if　four　or　five　persons　that　have　lived　together　be　talking；　another　speaking　the　same　language　may　come　in；　and　yet　understand　very　little　of　their　discourse；　in　that　it　relates　to　circumstances；　persons；　things；　times　and　places　which　he　knows　not。　It　is　no　otherwise　with　a　man；　having　no　insight　of　the　times　in　which　they　were　written；　and　the　circumstances　to　which　they　relate；　in　the　reading　of　ancient　books；　whether　they　be　divine　or　human。　For　example；　when　we　fall　upon　the　discourse　about　baptism　and　regeneration　that　was　between　our　Saviour　and　Nicodemus；　where　Christ　reproaches　him　with　his　ignorance　in　this　matter。　'Art　thou　a　doctor　in　Israel；　and　understandest　not　these　things？；　What　shall　we　think　of　it？　or　wherefore　should　a　doctor　in　Israel　have　understood　these　things　more　than　another；　but　that　both　baptism　and　regeneration；　as　was　showed　at　large　by　my　Lord　Phosphorus；　were　doctrines　held　in　Israel？　I　instance　in　one　place　of　a　hundred；　which　he；　that　has　not　mastered　the　circumstances　to　which　they　relate；　cannot　understand。　Wherefore　to　the　understanding　of　the　Scripture；　it　is　necessary　to　have　ancient　languages；　and　the　knowledge　of　ancient　times；　or　the　aid　of　them　who　have　such　knowledge；　and　to　have　such　as　may　be　always　able　and　ready　to　give　such　aid　（unless　you　would　borrow　it　of　another　nation；　which　would　not　only　be　base；　but　deceitful）　it　is　necessary　to　a　commonwealth　that　she　have　schools　of　good　literature；　or　universities　of　her　own。　　　　　〃We　are　commanded；　as　has　been　said　more　than　once；　to　search　the　Scriptures；　and　which　of　them　search　the　Scriptures；　they　that　take　this　pains　in　ancient　languages　and　learning；　or　they　that　will　not；　but　trust　to　translations　only；　and　to　words　as　they　sound　to　present　circumstances？　than　which　nothing　is　more　fallible；　or　certain　to　lose　the　true　sense　of　Scriptures；　pretended　to　be　above　human　understanding；　for　no　other　cause　than　that　they　are　below　it。　But　in　searching　the　Scriptures　by　the　proper　use　of　our　universities；　we　have　been　heretofore　blest　with　greater　victories　and　trophies　against　the　purple　hosts　and　golden　standards　of　the　Romish　hierarchy　than　any　nation；　and　therefore　why　we　should　relinquish　this　upon　the　presumption　of　some；　that　because　there　is　a　greater　light　which　they　have；　I　do　not　know。　There　is　a　greater　light　than　the　sun；　but　it　does　not　extinguish　the　sun；　nor　does　any　light　of　God's　giving　extinguish　that　of　nature；　but　increase　and　sanctify　it。　Wherefore；　neither　the　honor　bore　by　the　Israelitish；　Roman；　or　any　other　commonwealth　that　I　have　shown；　to　their　ecclesiastics；　consisted　in　being　governed　by　them；　but　in　consulting　them　in　matters　of　religion；　upon　whose　responses　or　oracles　they　did　afterward　as　they　thought　fit。　　　　　〃Nor　would　I　be　here　mistaken；　as　if；　by　affirming　the　universities　to　be；　in　order　both　to　religion　and　government；　of　absolute　necessity；　I　declared　them　or　the　ministry　in　any　wise　fit　to　be　trusted；　so　far　as　to　exercise　any　power　not　derived　from　the　civil　magistrate　in　the　administration　of　either。　if　the　Jewish　religion　were　directed　and　established　by　Moses；　it　was　directed　and　established　by　the　civil　magistrate；　or　if　Moses　exercised　this　administration　as　a　prophet；　the　same　prophet　did　invest　with　the　same　administration　the　Sanhedrim；　and　not　the　priests；　and　so　does　our　commonwealth　the　Senate；　and　not　the　clergy。　They　who　had　the　supreme　administration　or　government　of　the　national　religion　in　Athens；　were　the　first　Archon；　the　rex　sacrificulus；　or　high…priest；　and　a　polemarch；　which　magistrates　were　ordained　or　elected　by　the　holding　up　of　hands　in　the　church；　congregation；　or　comitia　of　the　people。　The　religion　of　Lacedaemon　was　governed　by　the　kings；　who　were　also　high…priests；　and　officiated　at　the　sacrifice；　these　had　power　to　substitute　their　pythii；　ambassadors；　or　nuncios；　by　which；　not　without　concurrence　of　the　Senate；　they　held　intelligence　with　the　oracle　of　Apollo　at　Delphos。　And　the　ecclesiastical　part　of　the　Commonwealth　of　Rome　was　governed　by　the　pontifex　maximus；　the　rex　sacrificulus；　and　the　Flamens；　all　ordained　or　elected　by　the　people；　the　pontifex　by　the　tribes；　the　King　by　the　centuries；　and　the　Flamens　by　the　parishes。　　　　　〃I　do　not　mind　you　of　these　things；　as　if；　for　the　matter；　there　were　any　parallel　to　be　drawn　out　of　their　superstitions　to　our　religion；　but　to　show　that　for　the　manner；　ancient　prudence　is　as　well　a　rule　in　divine　as　human　things；　nay；　and　such　a　one　as　the　apostles　themselves；　ordaining　elders　by　the　holding　up　of　hands　in　every　congregation；　have　exactly　followed；　for　some　of　the　congregations　where　they　thus　ordained　elders　were　those　of　Antioch；　Iconium；　Lystra；　Derbe；　the　countries　of　Lycaona；　Pisidia；　Pamphilia；　Perga；　with　Attalia。　Now　that　these　cities　and　countries；　when　the　Romans　propagated　their　empire　into　Asia；　were　found　most　of　them　commonwealths；　and　that　many　of　the　rest　were　endued　with　like　power；　so　that　the　people　living　under　the　protection　of　the　Roman　emperors　continued　to　elect　their　own　magistrates；　is　so　known　a　thing；　that　I　wonder　whence　it　is　that　men；　quite　contrary　to　the　universal　proof　of　these　examples；　will　have　ecclesiastical　government　to　be　necessarily　distinct　from　civil　power；　when　the　right　of　the　elders　ordained　by　the　holding　up　of　hands　in　every　congregation　to　teach　the　people；　was　plainly　derived　from　the　same　civil　power　by　which　they　ordained　the　rest　of　their　magistrates。　And　it　is　not　otherwise　in　our　commonwealth；　where　the　parochial　congregation　elects　or　ordains　its　pastor。　To　object　the　Commonwealth　of　Venice　in　this　place；　were　to　show　us　that　it　has　been　no　otherwise　but　where　the　civil　power　has　lost　the　liberty　of　her　conscience　by　embracing　popery；　as　also　that　to　take　away　the　liberty　of　conscience　in　this　administration　from　the　civil　power；　were　a　proceeding　which　has　no　other　precedent　than　such　as　is　popish。　　　　　〃Wherefore　your　religion　is　settled　after　the　following　manner：　the　universities　are　the　seminaries　of　that　part　which　is　national；　by　which　means　others　with　all　safety　may　be　permitted　to　follow　the　liberty　of　their　own　consciences；　in　regard　that；　however　they　behave　themselves；　the　ignorance　of　the　unlearned　in　this　case　cannot　lose　your　religion　nor　disturb　your　government；　which　otherwise　it　would　most　certainly　do；　and　the　universities　with　their　emoluments；　as　also　the　benefices　of　the　whole　nation；　are　to　be　improved　by　such　augmentations　as　may　make　a　very　decent　and　comfortable　subsistence　for　the　ministry；　which　is　neither　to　be　allowed　synods　nor　assemblies；　except　upon　the　occasion　shown　in　the　universities；　when　they　are　consulted　by　the　Council　of　State；　and　suffered　to　meddle　with　affairs　of　religion；　nor　to　be　capable　of　any　other　public　preferment　whatsoever；　by　which　means　the　interest　of　the　learned　can　never　come　to　corrupt　your　religion；　nor　disturb　your　government；　which　otherwise　it　would　most　certainly　do。　Venice；　though　she　does　not　see；　or　cannot　help　the　corruption　of　her　religion；　is　yet　so　circumspect　to　avoid　disturbance　of　her　government　in　this　kind；　that　her　Council　proceeds　not　to　election　of　magistrates　till　it　be　proclaimed　fora　papalini；　by　which　words　such　as　have　consanguinity　with　red　hats；　or　relation　to　the　Court　of　Rome；　are　warned　to　withdraw。　　　　　〃If　a　minister　in　Holland　meddles　with　matter　of　state；　the　magistrate　sends　him　a　pair　of　shoes；　whereupon；　if　he　does　not　go；　he　is　driven　away　from　his　charge。　I　wonder　why　ministers；　of　all　men；　should　be　perpetually　tampering　with　government；　first　because　they；　as　well　as　others；　have　it　in　express　charge　to　submit　themselves　to　the　ordinances　of　men；　and　secondly　because　these　ordinances　of　men　must　go　upon　such　political　principles　as　they　of　all　others；　by　anything　that　can　be　found　in　their　writings　or　actions；　least　understand：　whence　you　have　the　suffrage　of　all　nations　to　this　sense；　that　an　ounce　of　wisdom　is　worth　a　pound　of　clergy。　Your　greatest　clerks　are　not　your　wisest　men：　and　when　some　foul　absurdity　in　state　is　committed；　it　is　common　with　the　French；　and　even　the　Italians；　to　call　it　'pas　de　clerc；'　or　'governo　de　prete。'　They　may　bear　with　men　that　will　be　preaching　without　study；　while　they　will　be　governing　without　prudence。　My　lords；　if　you　know　not　how　to　rule　your　clergy；　you　will　most　certainly；　like　a　man　that　cannot　rule　his　wife；　have　neither　quiet　at　home　nor　honor　abroad。　Their　honest　vocation　is　to　teach　your　children　at　the　schools　and　the　universities；　and　the　people　in　the　parishes；　and　yours　is　concerned　to　see　that　they　do　not　play　the　shrews；　of　which　parts　does　consist　the　education　of　your　commonwealth；　so　far　as　it　regards　religion。　　　　　〃To　justice；　or　that　part　of　it　which　is　commonly　executive；　answers　the　education　of　the　inns　of　court　and　chancery。　Upon　which　to　philosophize；　requires　a　public　kind　of　learning　that　I　have　not。　But　they　who　take　upon　them　any　profession　proper　to　the　educations　mentioned　　that　is；　theology；　physic；　or　law　　are　not　at　leisure　for　the　essays。　Wherefore　the　essays；　being　degrees　whereby　the　youth　commence　for　all　magistracies；　offices；　and　honors　in　the　parish；　hundred；　tribe；　Senate；　or　prerogative；　divines；　physicians；　and　lawyers　not　taking　the