第39章

Acrimearisingfromasuddenpassionisnotsogreataswhenthesamearisethfromlongmeditation：forintheformercasethereisaplaceforextenuationinthecommoninfirmityofhumannature；buthethatdothitwithpremeditationhasusedcircumspection，andcasthiseyeonthelaw，onthepunishment，andontheconsequencethereoftohumansociety；allwhichincommittingthecrimehehathcontemnedandpostponedtohisownappetite。Butthereisnosuddennessofpassionsufficientforatotalexcuse：forallthetimebetweenthefirstknowingofthelaw，andthecommissionofthefact，shallbetakenforatimeofdeliberation，becauseheought，bymeditationofthelaw，torectifytheirregularityofhispassions。

Wherethelawispublicly，andwithassiduity，beforeallthepeoplereadandinterpreted，afactdoneagainstitisagreatercrimethanwheremenareleftwithoutsuchinstructiontoenquireofitwithdifficulty，uncertainty，andinterruptionoftheircallings，andbeinformedbyprivatemen：forinthiscase，partofthefaultisdischargeduponcommoninfirmity；butintheformerthereisapparentnegligence，whichisnotwithoutsomecontemptofthesovereignpower。

Thosefactswhichthelawexpresslycondemneth，butthelawmakerbyothermanifestsignsofhiswilltacitlyapproveth，arelesscrimesthanthesamefactscondemnedbothbythelawandlawmaker。Forseeingthewillofthelawmakerisalaw，thereappearinthiscasetwocontradictorylaws；whichwouldtotallyexcuse，ifmenwereboundtotakenoticeofthesovereignsapprobation，byotherargumentsthanareexpressedbyhiscommand。Butbecausetherearepunishmentsconsequent，notonlytothetransgressionofhislaw，butalsototheobservingofitheisinpartacauseofthetransgression，andthereforecannotreasonablyimputethewholecrimetothedelinquent。Forexample，thelawcondemnethduels；thepunishmentismadecapital：onthecontrarypart，hethatrefusethduelissubjecttocontemptandscorn，withoutremedy；andsometimesbythesovereignhimselfthoughtunworthytohaveanychargeorprefermentinwar：ifthereuponheacceptduel，consideringallmenlawfullyendeavourtoobtainthegoodopinionofthemthathavethesovereignpower，heoughtnotinreasontoberigorouslypunished，seeingpartofthefaultmaybedischargedonthepunisher：whichIsay，notaswishinglibertyofprivaterevenges，oranyotherkindofdisobedience，butacareingovernorsnottocountenanceanythingobliquelywhichdirectlytheyforbid。Theexamplesofprinces，tothosethatseethem，are，andeverhavebeen，morepotenttogoverntheiractionsthanthelawsthemselves。Andthoughitbeourdutytodo，notwhattheydo，butwhattheysay；yetwillthatdutyneverbeperformedtillitpleaseGodtogivemenanextraordinaryandsupernaturalgracetofollowthatprecept。

Again，ifwecomparecrimesbythemischiefoftheireffects；first，thesamefactwhenitredoundstothedamageofmanyisgreaterthanwhenitredoundstothehurtoffew。Andthereforewhenafacthurteth，notonlyinthepresent，butalsobyexampleinthefuture，itisagreatercrimethanifithurtonlyinthepresent：fortheformerisafertilecrime，andmultipliestothehurtofmany；thelatterisbarren。TomaintaindoctrinescontrarytothereligionestablishedintheCommonwealthisagreaterfaultinanauthorisedpreacherthaninaprivateperson：soalsoisittoliveprofanely，incontinently，ordoanyirreligiousactwhatsoever。Likewiseinaprofessorofthelaw，tomaintainanypoint，ordoanyact，thattendethtotheweakeningofthesovereignpowerisagreatercrimethaninanotherman：alsoinamanthathathsuchreputationforwisdomasthathis