LEVIATHAN

第79章

andthatthenonlyishemadekingbythefavourofGodwhenheiscrownedbytheauthorityofGod’suniversalvicegerentonearth;andthateverybishop,whosoeverbehissovereign,takethathisconsecrationanoathofabsoluteobediencetothePope。ConsequenttothesameisthedoctrineofthefourthCouncilofLateran,heldunderPopeInnocenttheThird(Chapter3,DeHaereticis),“Thatifaking,atthepope’sadmonition,donotpurgehiskingdomofheresies,andbeingexcommunicateforthesame,donotgivesatisfactionwithinayear,hissubjectsareabsolvedofthebondoftheirobedience。“WherebyheresiesareunderstoodallopinionswhichtheChurchofRomehathforbiddentobemaintained。Andbythismeans,asoftenasthereisanyrepugnancybetweenthepoliticaldesignsofthePopeandotherChristianprinces,asthereisveryoften,therearisethsuchamistamongsttheirsubjects,thattheyknownotastrangerthatthrustethhimselfintothethroneoftheirlawfulprince,fromhimwhomtheyhadthemselvesplacedthere;and,inthisdarknessofmind,aremadetofightoneagainstanother,withoutdiscerningtheirenemiesfromtheirfriends,undertheconductofanotherman’sambition。

Fromthesameopinion,thatthepresentChurchisthekingdomofGod,itproceedsthatpastors,deacons,andallotherministersoftheChurchtakethenametothemselvesoftheclergy;givingtootherChristiansthenameoflaity,thatis,simplypeople。ForclergysignifiesthosewhosemaintenanceisthatrevenuewhichGod,havingreservedtoHimselfduringHisreignovertheIsraelites,assignedtothetribeofLevi(whoweretobeHispublicministers,andhadnoportionoflandsetthemouttoliveon,astheirbrethren)tobetheirinheritance。ThePopetherefore(pretendingthepresentChurchtobe,astherealmsofIsrael,thekingdomofGod),challengingtohimselfandhissubordinateministersthelikerevenueastheinheritanceofGod,thenameofclergywassuitabletothatclaim。AndthenceitisthattithesandothertributespaidtotheLevitesasGod’sright,amongsttheIsraelites,havealongtimebeendemandedandtakenofChristiansbyecclesiastics,juredivino,thatis,inGod’sright。Bywhichmeans,thepeopleeverywherewereobligedtoadoubletribute;onetothestate,anothertotheclergy;whereofthattotheclergy,beingthetenthoftheirrevenue,isdoubletothatwhichakingofAthens(andesteemedatyrant)exactedofhissubjectsforthedefrayingofallpubliccharges:forhedemandednomorebutthetwentiethpart,andyetabundantlymaintainedtherewiththeCommonwealth。AndinthekingdomoftheJews,duringthesacerdotalreignofGod,thetithesandofferingswerethewholepublicrevenue。

FromthesamemistakingofthepresentChurchforthekingdomofGodcameinthedistinctionbetweenthecivilandthecanonlaws:thecivillawbeingtheactsofsovereignsintheirowndominions,andthecanonlawbeingtheactsofthePopeinthesamedominions。Whichcanons,thoughtheywerebutcanons,thatis,rulespropounded,andbutvoluntarilyreceivedbyChristianprinces,tillthetranslationoftheEmpiretoCharlemagne;yetafterwards,asthepowerofthePopeincreased,becamerulescommanded,andtheemperorsthemselves,toavoidgreatermischiefs,whichthepeopleblindedmightbeledinto,wereforcedtoletthempassforlaws。

FromhenceitisthatinalldominionswherethePope’secclesiasticalpowerisentirelyreceived,Jews,Turks,andGentilesareintheRomanChurchtoleratedintheirreligionasfarforthasintheexerciseandprofessionthereoftheyoffendnotagainstthecivilpower:whereasinaChristian,thoughastranger,nottobeoftheRomanreligioniscapital,becausethePopepretendeththatallChristiansarehissubjects。ForotherwiseitwereasmuchagainstthelawofnationstopersecuteaChristianstrangerforprofessingthereligionofhisowncountry,asaninfidel;orrathermore,inasmuchastheythatarenotagainstChristarewithhim。

FromthesameitisthatineveryChristianstatetherearecertainmenthatareexempt,byecclesiasticalliberty,fromthetributesandfromthetribunalsofthecivilstate;forsoarethesecula

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