第 32 节
作者:打倒一切      更新:2021-02-21 15:40      字数:9322
  For till the mischief be grown general; and the ill designs of the
  rulers become visible; or their attempts sensible to the greater part;
  the people; who are more disposed to suffer than right themselves by
  resistance; are not apt to stir。 The examples of particular
  injustice or oppression of here and there an unfortunate man moves
  them not。 But if they universally have a persuasion grounded upon
  manifest evidence that designs are carrying on against their
  liberties; and the general course and tendency of things cannot but
  give them strong suspicions of the evil intention of their
  governors; who is to be blamed for it? Who can help it if they; who
  might avoid it; bring themselves into this suspicion? Are the people
  to be blamed if they have the sense of rational creatures; and can
  think of things no otherwise than as they find and feel them? And is
  it not rather their fault who put things in such a posture that they
  would not have them thought as they are? I grant that the pride;
  ambition; and turbulency of private men have sometimes caused great
  disorders in commonwealths; and factions have been fatal to states and
  kingdoms。 But whether the mischief hath oftener begun in the
  people's wantonness; and a desire to cast off the lawful authority
  of their rulers; or in the rulers' insolence and endeavours to get and
  exercise an arbitrary power over their people; whether oppression or
  disobedience gave the first rise to the disorder; I leave it to
  impartial history to determine。 This I am sure; whoever; either
  ruler or subject; by force goes about to invade the rights of either
  prince or people; and lays the foundation for overturning the
  constitution and frame of any just government; he is guilty of the
  greatest crime I think a man is capable of; being to answer for all
  those mischiefs of blood; rapine; and desolation; which the breaking
  to pieces of governments bring on a country; and he who does it is
  justly to be esteemed the common enemy and pest of mankind; and is
  to be treated accordingly。
  231。 That subjects or foreigners attempting by force on the
  properties of any people may be resisted with force is agreed on all
  hands; but that magistrates doing the same thing may be resisted; hath
  of late been denied; as if those who had the greatest privileges and
  advantages by the law had thereby a power to break those laws by which
  alone they were set in a better place than their brethren; whereas
  their offence is thereby the greater; both as being ungrateful for the
  greater share they have by the law; and breaking also that trust which
  is put into their hands by their brethren。
  232。 Whosoever uses force without right… as every one does in
  society who does it without law… puts himself into a state of war with
  those against whom he so uses it; and in that state all former ties
  are cancelled; all other rights cease; and every one has a right to
  defend himself; and to resist the aggressor。 This is so evident that
  Barclay himself… that great assertor of the power and sacredness of
  kings… is forced to confess that it is lawful for the people; in
  some cases; to resist their king; and that; too; in a chapter
  wherein he pretends to show that the Divine law shuts up the people
  from all manner of rebellion。 Whereby it is evident; even by his own
  doctrine; that since they may; in some cases; resist; all resisting of
  princes is not rebellion。 His words are these: 〃Quod siquis dicat;
  Ergone populus tyrannicae crudelitati et furori jugulum semper
  praebebit? Ergone multitudo civitates suas fame; ferro; et flamma
  vastari; seque; conjuges; et liberos fortunae ludibrio et tyranni
  libidini exponi; inque omnia vitae pericula omnesque miserias et
  molestias a rege deduci patientur? Num illis quod omni animantium
  generi est a natura tributum; denegari debet; ut sc。 vim vi repellant;
  seseque ab injuria tueantur? Huic breviter responsum sit; populo
  universo negari defensionem; quae juris naturalis est; neque
  ultionem quae praeter naturam est adversus regem concedi debere。
  Quapropter si rex non in singulares tantum personas aliquot privatum
  odium exerceat; sed corpus etiam reipublicae; cujus ipse; caput est…
  i。e。; totum populum; vel insignem aliquam ejus partem immani et
  intoleranda saevitia seu tyrannide divexet; populo; quidem hoc casu
  resistendi ac tuendi se ab injuria potestas competit; sed tuendi se
  tantum; non enim in principem invadendi: et restituendae injuriae
  illatae; non recedendi a debita reverentia propter acceptum
  injuriam。 Praesentem denique impetum propulsandi non vim praeteritam
  ulciscendi jus habet。 Horum enim alterum a natura est; ut vitani
  scilicet corpusque tueamur。 Alterum vero contra naturam; ut inferior
  de superiori supplicium sumat。 Quod itaque populus malum; antequam
  factum sit; impedire potest; ne fiat; id postquam factum est; in regem
  authorem sceleris vindicare non potest; populus igitur hoc amplius
  quam privatus quispiam habet: Quod huic; vel ipsis adversariis
  judicibus; excepto Buchanano; nullum nisi in patientia remedium
  superest。 Cum ille si intolerabilis tyrannis est (modicum enim ferre
  omnino debet) resistere cum reverentia possit。〃… Barclay; Contra
  Monarchomachos; iii。 8。
  In English thus:
  233。 〃But if any one should ask: Must the people; then; always lay
  themselves open to the cruelty and rage of tyranny… must they see
  their cities pillaged and laid in ashes; their wives and children
  exposed to the tyrant's lust and fury; and themselves and families
  reduced by their king to ruin and all the miseries of want and
  oppression; and yet sit still… must men alone be debarred the common
  privilege of opposing force with force; which Nature allows so
  freely to all other creatures for their preservation from injury? I
  answer: Self…defence is a part of the law of Nature; nor can it be
  denied the community; even against the king himself; but to revenge
  themselves upon him must; by no means; be allowed them; it being not
  agreeable to that law。 Wherefore; if the king shall show an hatred;
  not only to some particular persons; but sets himself against the body
  of the commonwealth; whereof he is the head; and shall; with
  intolerable ill…usage; cruelly tyrannise over the whole; or a
  considerable part of the people; in this case the people have a
  right to resist and defend themselves from injury; but it must be with
  this caution; that they only defend themselves; but do not attack
  their prince。 They may repair the damages received; but must not;
  for any provocation; exceed the bounds of due reverence and respect。
  They may repulse the present attempt; but must not revenge past
  violences。 For it is natural for us to defend life and limb; but
  that an inferior should punish a superior is against nature。 The
  mischief which is designed them the people may prevent before it be
  done; but; when it is done; they must not revenge it on the king;
  though author of the villany。 This; therefore; is the privilege of the
  people in general above what any private person hath: That
  particular men are allowed; by our adversaries themselves (Buchanan
  only excepted); to have no other remedy but patience; but the body
  of the people may; with respect; resist intolerable tyranny; for
  when it is but moderate they ought to endure it。〃
  234。 Thus far that great advocate of monarchical power allows of
  resistance。
  235。 It is true; he has annexed two limitations to it; to no
  purpose:
  First。 He says it must be with reverence。
  Secondly。 It must be without retribution or punishment; and the
  reason he gives is; 〃because an inferior cannot punish a superior。〃
  First。 How to resist force without striking again; or how to
  strike with reverence; will need some skill to make intelligible。 He
  that shall oppose an assault only with a shield to receive the
  blows; or in any more respectful posture; without a sword in his
  hand to abate the confidence and force of the assailant; will
  quickly be at an end of his resistance; and will find such a defence
  serve only to draw on himself the worse usage。 This is as ridiculous a
  way of resisting as Juvenal thought it of fighting: Ubi tu pulsas; ego
  vapulo tantum。 And the success of the combat will be unavoidably the
  same he there describes it:
  Libertas pauperis haec est;
  Pulsatus rogat; et pugnis concisus; adorat;
  Ut liceat paucis cum dentibus inde reverti。
  This will always be the event of such an imaginary resistance; where
  men may not strike again。 He; therefore; who may resist must be
  allowed to strike。 And then let our author; or anybody else; join a
  knock on the head or a cut on the face with as much reverence and
  respect as he thinks fit。 He that can reconcile blows and reverence
  may; for aught I know; deserve for his pains a civil; respectful
  cudgelling wherever he can meet with it。
  Secondly。 As to his second… 〃An inferior cannot punish a
  superior〃… that is true; generally speaking; whilst he is his
  superior。 But to resist force with force; being the state of war
  that levels the parties; cancels all former rela