a treatise on good works-第17章

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of　God　and　St。　Peter；　just　as　if　God's　Name　and　the　spiritual

power　were　instituted　to　blaspheme　God's　honor；　to　destroy

Christendom；　body　and　soul：　we　are　indeed　in　duty　bound　to　resist

in　a　proper　way　as　much　as　we　can。　And　here　we　must　do　like　pious

children　whose　parents　have　become　insane；　and　first　see　by　what

right　that　which　has　been　founded　for　God's　service　in　our　lands；

or　has　been　ordained　to　provide　for　our　children；　must　be　allowed

to　do　its　work　in　Rome；　and　to　lapse　here；　where　it　ought　to

serve。　How　can　we　be　so　foolish？　



Since　then　bishops　and　spiritual　prelates　stand　idle　in　this

matter；　offer　no　opposition　or　are　afraid；　and　thus　allow

Christendom　to　perish；　it　is　our　duty　first　of　all　humbly　to　call

upon　God　for　help　to　prevent　this　thing；　then　to　put　our　hand　to

work　to　the　same　end；　send　the　courtesans　and　those　who　bear

letters　from　Rome　about　their　business；　in　a　reasonable；　gentle

way　inform　them　that；　if　they　wish　to　care　for　their　parishes

properly；　they　shall　live　in　them　and　improve　the　people　by

preaching　or　by　good　example；　or　if　not；　and　they　do　live　in　Rome

or　elsewhere；　lay　waste　and　debauch　the　churches；　then　let　the

pope　feed　them；　whom　they　serve。　It　is　not　fitting　that　we

support　the　pope's　servants；　his　people；　yes；　his　knaves　and

whores；　to　the　destruction　and　injury　of　our　souls。　



Lo！　these　are　the　true　Turks；　whom　the　kings；　princes　and　the

nobility　ought　to　attack　first：　not　seeking　thereby　their　own

benefit；　but　only　the　improvement　of　Christendom；　and　the

prevention　of　the　blasphemy　and　disgracing　of　the　divine　Name；

and　so　to　deal　with　the　clergy　as　with　a　father　who　has　lost　his

sense　and　wits；　who；　if　one　did　not　restrain　him　and　resist　him

（although　with　all　humility　and　honor）；　might　destroy　child；　heir

and　everybody。　Thus　we　are　to　honor　Roman　authority　as　our

highest　father；　and　yet；　since　they　have　gone　mad　and　lost　their

senses；　not　allow　them　to　do　what　they　attempt；　lest　Christendom

be　destroyed　thereby。　



XI。　Some　think；　this　should　be　referred　to　a　General　Council。　To

this　I　say：　No！　For　we　have　had　many　councils　in　which　this　has

been　proposed；　namely；　at　Constance；　Basel　and　the　last　Roman

Council；　but　nothing　has　been　accomplished；　and　things　have　grown

ever　worse；　Moreover；　such　councils　are　entirely　useless；　since

Roman　wisdom　has　contrived　the　device　that　the　kings　and　princes

must　beforehand　take　an　oath　to　let　the　Romans　remain　what　they

are　and　keep　what　they　have；　and　so　has　put　up　a　bar　to　ward　off

all　reformation；　to　retain　protection　and　liberty　for　all　their

knavery；　although　this　oath　is　demanded；　forced　and　taken

contrary　to　God　and　the　law；　and　by　it　the　doors　are　locked

against　the　Holy　Spirit；　Who　should　rule　the　councils。　But　this

would　be　the　best；　and　also　the　only　remedy　remaining；　if　kings；

princes；　nobility；　cities　and　communities　themselves　began　and

opened　a　way　for　reformation；　so　that　the　bishops　and　clergy；　who

now　are　afraid；　would　have　reason　to　follow。　For　here　nothing

else　shall　and　must　be　considered　except　God's　first　three

Commandments；　against　which　neither　Rome；　nor　heaven　nor　earth

can　command　or　forbid　anything。　And　the　ban　or　threatening　with

which　they　think　they　can　prevent　this；　amounts　to　nothing；　just

as　it　amounts　to　nothing　if　an　insane　father　severely　threatens

the　son　who　restrains　him　or　locks　him　up。



XII。　The　third　work　of　this　Commandment　is　to　obey　the　temporal

authority；　as　Paul　teaches；　Romans　xiii；　and　Titus　iii；　and　St。

Peter；　I。　Peter　ii：　〃Submit　yourselves　to　the　king　as　supreme；

and　to　the　princes　as　his　ambassadors；　and　to　all　the　ordinances

of　the　worldly　power。〃　But　it　is　the　work　of　the　temporal　power

to　protect　its　subjects；　and　to　punish　thievery；　robbery；　and

adultery；　as　St。　Paul　says；　Romans　xiii：　〃It　beareth　not　the

sword　in　vain；　it　serves　God　with　it；　to　the　terror　of　evil

doers；　and　to　the　protection　of　the　good。〃　



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　forbi