第 13 节
作者:
两块 更新:2021-02-21 10:51 字数:9322
again; and by tearing off as well the skins as the wool of those that are scabbed; whereas Almighty God will rather require the blood even of them that have been devoured; from the shepheards themselves。 26。 Wherefore if the Minister should lose part of the Tythes of those whom he suffers to dissent from the Church; (the defector not saving; but the State wholly gaining them) and the defector paying some pecuniary Mulct for his Schisme; and withall himself defraying the charge of his new particular Church and Pastorage; me thinks the burthen would be thus more equally born。 27。 Besides; the judicious world do not believe our Clergy can deserve the vaste preferments they have; onely because they preach; give a better accompt of Opinions concerning Religion then others; or can express their conceptions in the words of the Fathers; or the Scriptures; etc。 Whereas certainly the great honour we give them; is for being patterns of holiness; for shewing by their own self…denials; mortifications; and austerities; that 'tis possible for us to imitate them in the precepts of God; for if it were but for their bare Pulpit…discourses; some men might think there is ten thousand times as much already printed as can be necessary; and as good as any that ever hereafter may be expected。 And it is much suspected; that the Discipline of the Cloisters hath kept up the Roman Religion; which the Luxury of the Cardinals and Prelates might have destroyed。 28。 The substance therefore of all we have said in this discourse concerning the Church is; that it would make much for its peace; if the Nursery of Ministers be not too bigg; that Austerities in the Priests lives would reconcil them to the people; and that it is not unrasonable; that when the whole Church suffers by the defection of her Members; that the Pastours of it by bearing a small part should be made sensible of the loss; the manner and measures of all which I leave unto those unto whom it belongs。 29。 Concerning Penalties and Penal Laws I shall adde but this; that the abuse of them is; when they are made not to keep men from sin; but to draw them into punishment; and when the Executors of the keep them hid until a fault be done; and then shew them terrible to the poor immalcious offender: Just like Centiels; who never shew men; the advertisements against pissing near their Guards; till they have catcht them by the coats for the forfeiture the claim。
Chapter 11
Of Monopolies and Offices
Monopoly (as the word signifies) is the sole selling power; which whosoever hath can vend the commodity whereupon he hath this power; either qualified as himself pleases; or at what price he pleaseth; or both; within the limits of his Commission。 2。 The great example of a Monopoly is the King of France his Gabel upon Salt; whereby he sells that for sixty which costs him but one; now Salt being a thing of universal use to all degrees of men; and scarce more to the poor then the rich; it seems to be of the same effect with the simplest。 Poll…money abovementioned; in case all men spent equally or it; or if men be forced to take it whether they spend it or not; as in some places they are。 But if men spend or eat Salt unequally; as they commonly do; nor are bound to take or pay for more then they spend; then is no other than an accumulative Excize; especially if the salt be all of one uniform goodness; otherwise it is a distinct species of Leavy; viz。 a monopoly。 3。 The use or pretence of instituting a Monopoly is; First; Right of Invention; forasmuch as the Laws do reward Inventions; by granting them a Monopoly of them for a certain; (as here in England for fourteen years) for thereby the Inventor is rewarded more or less according to the acceptance which his Inventory findes amongst men。 Where note by the way; that few new Inventions were ever rewarded by a Monopoly; for although the Inventor oftentimes drunk with opinion of his own merit; thinks all the world will invade and incroach upon him; yet I have observed; that the generality of men will scarce be hired to make use of new practices; which themselves have not throughly tried; and which length of time hath not vindicated from latent inconveniences; so as when a new Invention is first propounded; in the beginning every man objects; and the poor Inventor runs the Gantloop of all petulent wits; every man finding his several flaw; no man approving it; unless mended according to his own advice: Now not one of an hundred out…lives this torture; and those that do; are at length so changed by the various contribances of others; that not any one man can pretend to the Invention of the whole; nor well agree about their respective shares in the parts。 And moreover; this commonly is so long a doing; that the poor Inventor is either dead; or disabled by the debts contracted to pursue his design; and withall railed upon as a Projector; or worse; by those who joyned their money in partnership with his wit; so as the said Inventor and his pretences are wholly lost and vanisht。 Secondly; a Monopoly may be of real use for a time; viz。 at the first introducing of a new Manufacture; whrein is much nicety to make it well; and which the generality of men cannot judge of as to the performance。 As for example; suppose there were some most approved Medicament which one certain man could make most exacltly well; although several others could also make the same less perfectly: in this case this same chief Artist may be allowed a Monopoly for a time; viz。 until others have had experience enough under him; how to make the Medicament as well as himself。 First; because the world may not have Medicament variously made; when as they can neither discern the diffrence by their senses; nor judge of the effects thereof a posteriori; by their reasons。 Secondly; because others may be fully instructed by him that can best do it: and thirdly; because he may have a reward for such his communications: But forasmuch as by Monopolies of this kinde; great Leavies are seldom made; they are scarce pertinent to our design。 Offices instituted by the State of Fees of their own appointment; are of parallel nature to Monopolies; the one relating to actions and employments as the other to things; and have the same to be said for and against them as Monopolies have。 As a Kingdom encreaseth and flourisheth; so doth variety of things; of actions; and even of words encrease also; for we see that the language of the most flourishing Empires was ever the more copious and elegant; and that of mountainous Cantons the contrary: Now as the actions of this Kingdom encreased; so did the Offices (that is; the power and faculty of solely executing and performing the said actions) encrease likewise; and on the contrary; as the business of Offices encreased; so did the difficulty and danger of discharging them amiss decrease proportionably: from whence 'tis come to pass; that the Offices which at their first erecting were not performed but by the ablest; most inventive; and versatile Instruments; (such as could wrestle with all emergent difficulties; and collect Rules and Axioms out of the Series of their own Observations; (with reference to the various casualties of their employments) whereby to direct Posterity) are now performed by the most ordinary; formal; pack…horse Deputies and Sub…Deputies。 And whereas at first such large Fees were allowed as (considering even the paucity of them which might then be received) should compensate the Art; Trust; and Industry of the Administratour; yet the large said Fees are still continued; although the skill and trust be lessened; and the number of the said Fees so extreamly multiplyed: so as now the profits of such Officers (being become cleer; and the work so easie as any man is capable of it; even those that never saw it;) are bought and sold for Years or Lives; as any other Annuity may be; and withal; the splendor arising from the easie gaines of those places in Courts of Justice; is called the Flourishing of the Law; which certainly flourisheth best; when the Professors and Ministers of it have least to do。 And moreover; when the burthen and uselessness of such an Office is taken notice of; 'tis nevertheless spared as a Subjects Freehold in favour of him that bought it。 Of these Offices are many in this Nation; and such as might be a Revenue to the King; either by their Annual profits; or the Sale of them for many years together。 And these are the Offices that are properly saleable; viz。 where the Fees are large; as appointed when the number of them was few; and also numerous; as multiplying upon the increase of business; and where the business is onley the labour of the meanest men: length of time having made all the work so easie; and found out security against all the frauds; breaches of trust; and male…administrations; whereunto the infancies of those place were obnoxious。 The Offices are therefore Taxes upon such as can or will not avoid the passing through them; and are born as men endure and run themselves into the mischiefs of Duelling; the which are very great; which side soever prevails; for certainly men do not alwayes go to Law to obtain right; or prevent wrong; which judicious neighbours might perform as well