Gladstone’sdoctrines，asitwouldbetoaccuseLockeofwishingforanarchy，becauseherefutedFilmer’spatriarchaltheoryofgovernment，ortoaccuseBlackstoneofrecommendingtheconfiscationofecclesiasticalproperty，becausehedeniedthattherightoftherectortotithewasderivedfromtheLeviticallaw。Itistobeobserved，thatMr。Gladstonerestshiscaseonentirelynewgrounds，anddoesnotdiffermorewidelyfromusthanfromsomeofthosewhohavehithertobeenconsideredasthemostillustriouschampionsoftheChurch。HeisnotcontentwiththeEcclesiasticalPolity，andrejoicesthatthelatterpartofthatcelebratedwork"doesnotcarrywithittheweightofHooker’splenaryauthority。"HeisnotcontentwithBishopWarburton’sAllianceofChurchandState。"Thepropositionsofthatworkgenerally，"hesays，"aretobereceivedwithqualification";andheagreeswithBolingbrokeinthinkingthatWarburton’swholetheoryrestsonafiction。HeisstilllesssatisfiedwithPaley’sdefenceoftheChurch，whichhepronouncestobe"taintedbytheoriginalviceoffalseethicalprinciples，andfulloftheseedsofevil。"HeconceivesthatDr。Chalmershastakenapartialviewofthesubject，and"putforthmuchquestionablematter。"Intruth，onalmosteverypointonwhichweareopposedtoMr。Gladstone，wehaveonoursidetheauthorityofsomedivine，eminentasadefenderofexistingestablishments。
Mr。Gladstone’swholetheoryrestsonthisgreatfundamentalproposition，thatthepropagationofreligioustruthisoneoftheprincipalendsofgovernment，asgovernment。IfMr。Gladstonehasnotprovedthisproposition，hissystemvanishesatonce。
Wearedesirous，beforeweenteronthediscussionofthisimportantquestion，topointoutclearlyadistinctionwhich，thoughveryobvious，seemstobeoverlookedbymanyexcellentpeople。Intheiropinion，tosaythattheendsofgovernmentaretemporalandnotspiritualistantamounttosayingthatthetemporalwelfareofmanisofmoreimportancethanhisspiritualwelfare。Butthisisanentiremistake。Thequestionisnotwhetherspiritualinterestsbeorbenotsuperiorinimportancetotemporalinterests;butwhetherthemachinerywhichhappensatanymomenttobeemployedforthepurposeofprotectingcertaintemporalinterestsofasocietybenecessarilysuchamachineryasisfittedtopromotethespiritualinterestsofthatsociety。
Withoutadivisionoflabourtheworldcouldnotgoon。Itisofverymuchmoreimportancethatmenshouldhavefoodthanthattheyshouldhavepianofortes。Yetitbynomeansfollowsthateverypianofortemakeroughttoaddthebusinessofabakertohisown;for，ifhedidso，weshouldhavebothmuchworsemusicandmuchworsebread。Itisofmuchmoreimportancethattheknowledgeofreligioustruthshouldbewiselydiffusedthanthattheartofsculptureshouldflourishamongus。YetitbynomeansfollowsthattheRoyalAcademyoughttounitewithitspresentfunctionsthoseoftheSocietyforPromotingChristianKnowledge，todistributetheologicaltracts，tosendforthmissionaries，toturnoutNollekensforbeingaCatholic，BaconforbeingaMethodist，andFlaxmanforbeingaSwedenborgian。FortheeffectofsuchfollywouldbethatweshouldhavetheworstpossibleAcademyofArts，andtheworstpossibleSocietyforthePromotionofChristianKnowledge。Thecommunity，itisplain，wouldbethrownintouniversalconfusion，ifitweresupposedtobethedutyofeveryassociationwhichisformedforonegoodobjecttopromoteeveryothergoodobject。
Astosomeoftheendsofcivilgovernment，allpeopleareagreed。Thatitisdesignedtoprotectourpersonsandourproperty;thatitisdesignedtocompelustosatisfyourwants，notbyrapine，butbyindustry;thatitisdesignedtocompelustodecideourdifferences，notbythestronghand，butbyarbitration;thatitisdesignedtodirectourwholeforce，asthatofoneman，againstanyothersocietywhichmayofferusinjury;thesearepropositionswhichwillhardlybedisputed。
Nowthesearemattersinwhichman，withoutanyreferencetoanyhigherbeing，ortoanyfuturestate，isverydeeplyinterested。
Everyhumanbeing，beheidolater，Mahometan，Jew，Papist，Socinian，Deist，orAtheist，naturallyloveslife，shrinksfrompain，desirescomfortswhichcanbeenjoyedonlyincommunitieswherepropertyissecure。Tobemurdered，tobetortured，toberobbed，tobesoldintoslavery，theseareevidentlyevilsfromwhichmenofeveryreligion，andmenofnoreligion，wishtobeprotected;andthereforeitwillhardlybedisputedthatmenofeveryreligion，andofnoreligion，havethusfaracommoninterestinbeingwellgoverned。
Butthehopesandfearsofmanarenotlimitedtothisshortlifeandtothisvisibleworld。Hefindshimselfsurroundedbythesignsofapowerandwisdomhigherthanhisown;and，inallagesandnations，menofallordersofintellect，fromBaconandNewton，downtotherudesttribesofcannibals，havebelievedintheexistenceofsomesuperiormind。Thusfarthevoiceofmankindisalmostunanimous。ButwhethertherebeoneGod，ormany，whatmaybeGod’snaturalandwhatHismoralattributes，inwhatrelationHiscreaturesstandtoHim，whetherHehaveeverdisclosedHimselftousbyanyotherrevelationthanthatwhichiswritteninallthepartsofthegloriousandwell—orderedworldwhichHehasmade，whetherHisrevelationbecontainedinanypermanentrecord，howthatrecordshouldbeinterpreted，andwhetherithavepleasedHimtoappointanyunerringinterpreteronearth，thesearequestionsrespectingwhichthereexiststhewidestdiversityofopinion，andrespectingsomeofwhichalargepartofourracehas，eversincethedawnofregularhistory，beendeplorablyinerror。
Nowherearetwogreatobjects:oneistheprotectionofthepersonsandestatesofcitizensfrominjury;theotheristhepropagationofreligioustruth。Notwoobjectsmoreentirelydistinctcanwellbeimagined。
Theformerbelongswhollytothevisibleandtangibleworldinwhichwelive;thelatterbelongstothathigherworldwhichisbeyondthereachofoursenses。Theformerbelongstothislife;
thelattertothatwhichistocome。Menwhoareperfectlyagreedastotheimportanceoftheformerobject，andastothewayofobtainingit，differaswidelyaspossiblerespectingthelatterobject。Wemust，therefore，pausebeforeweadmitthatthepersons，betheywhotheymay，whoareintrustedwithpowerforthepromotionoftheformerobject，oughtalwaystousethatpowerforthepromotionofthelatterobject。
Mr。Gladstoneconceivesthatthedutiesofgovernmentsarepaternal;adoctrinewhichweshallnotbelievetillhecanshowussomegovernmentwhichlovesitssubjectsasafatherlovesachild，andwhichisassuperiorinintelligencetoitssubjectsasafatheristoachild。Hetellsusinloftythoughsomewhatindistinctlanguage，that"Governmentoccupiesinmoraltheplaceoftopaninphysicalscience。"Ifgovernmentbeindeedtopaninmoralscience，wedonotunderstandwhyrulersshouldnotassumeallthefunctionswhichPlatoassignedtothem。Whyshouldtheynottakeawaythechildfromthemother，selectthenurse，regulatetheschool，overlooktheplayground，fixthehoursoflabourandofrecreation，prescribewhatballadsshallbesung，whattunesshallbeplayed，whatbooksshallberead，whatphysicshallbeswallowed？Whyshouldnottheychooseourwives，limitourexpenses，andstintustoacertainnumberofdishesofmeat，ofglassesofwine，andofcupsoftea？Plato，whosehardihoodinspeculationwasperhapsmorewonderfulthananyotherpeculiarityofhisextraordinarymind，andwhoshrankfromnothingtowhichhisprinciplesled，wentthiswholelength。Mr。Gladstoneisnotsointrepid。Hecontentshimselfwithlayingdownthisproposition，thatwhateverbethebodywhichinanycommunityisemployedtoprotectthepersonsandpropertyofmen，thatbodyoughtalso，initscorporatecapacity，toprofessareligion，toemployitspowerforthepropagationofthatreligion，andtorequireconformitytothatreligion，asanindispensablequalificationforallciviloffice。HedistinctlydeclaresthathedoesnotinthispropositionconfinehisviewtoorthodoxgovernmentsoreventoChristiangovernments。Thecircumstancethatareligionisfalsedoesnot，hetellsus，diminishtheobligationofgovernors，assuch，toupholdit。Iftheyneglecttodoso，"wecannot，"hesays，"butregardthefactasaggravatingthecaseoftheholdersofsuchcreed。""Idonotscrupletoaffirm，"headds，"thatifaMahometanconscientiouslybelieveshisreligiontocomefromGod，andtoteachdivinetruth，hemustbelievethattruthtobebeneficial，andbeneficialbeyondallotherthingstothesoulofman;andhemusttherefore，andoughttodesireitsextension，andtouseforitsextensionallproperandlegitimatemeans;andthat，ifsuchMahometanbeaprince，heoughttocountamongthosemeanstheapplicationofwhateverinfluenceorfundshemaylawfullyhaveathisdisposalforsuchpurposes。"
Surelythisisahardsaying。BeforeweadmitthattheEmperorJulian，inemployingtheinfluenceandthefundsathisdisposalfortheextinctionofChristianity，wasdoingnomorethanhisduty，beforeweadmitthattheArianTheodoricwouldhavecommittedacrimeifhehadsufferedasinglebelieverinthedivinityofChristtoholdanycivilemploymentinItaly，beforeweadmitthattheDutchGovernmentisboundtoexcludefromofficeallmembersoftheChurchofEngland，theKingofBavariatoexcludefromofficeallProtestants，theGreatTurktoexcludefromofficeallChristians，theKingofAvatoexcludefromofficeallwhoholdtheunityofGod，wethinkourselvesentitledtodemandveryfullandaccuratedemonstration。Whentheconsequencesofadoctrinearesostartling，wemaywellrequirethatitsfoundationsshallbeverysolid。
ThefollowingparagraphisaspecimenoftheargumentsbywhichMr。Gladstonehas，asheconceives，establishedhisgreatfundamentalproposition:
Wemaystatethesamepropositioninamoregeneralform，inwhichitsurelymustcommanduniversalassent。Whereverthereispowerintheuniverse，thatpoweristhepropertyofGod，theKingofthatuniverse——hispropertyofright，howeverforatimewithholdenorabused。Nowthispropertyis，asitwere，realised，isusedaccordingtothewilloftheowner，whenitisusedforthepurposeshehasordained，andinthetemperofmercy，justice，truth，andfaithwhichhehastaughtus。Butthoseprinciplesnevercanbetruly，nevercanbepermanentlyentertainedinthehumanbreast，exceptbyacontinualreferencetotheirsource，andthesupplyoftheDivinegrace。Thepowers，therefore，thatdwellinindividualsactingasagovernmentaswellasthosethatdwellinindividualsactingforthemselves，canonlyhesecuredforrightusesbyapplyingtothemareligion。"
Herearepropositionsofvastandindefiniteextent，conveyedinlanguagewhichhasacertainobscuredignityandsagacity，attractive，wedoubtnot，tomanyminds。Butthemomentthatweexaminethesepropositionsclosely，themomentthatwebringthemtothetestbyrunningoverbutaveryfewoftheparticularswhichareincludedinthem，wefindthemtobefalseandextravagant。Thedoctrinewhich"mustsurelycommanduniversalassent"isthis，thateveryassociationofhumanbeingswhichexercisesanypowerwhatever，thatistosay，everyassociationofhumanbeings，isbound，assuchassociation，toprofessareligion。Imaginetheeffectwhichwouldfollowifthisprinciplewerereallyinforceduringfour—and—twentyhours。Takeoneinstanceoutofamillion。Astage—coachcompanyhaspoweroveritshorses。ThispoweristhepropertyofGod。ItisusedaccordingtothewillofGodwhenitisusedwithmercy。ButtheprincipleofmercycanneverbetrulyorpermanentlyentertainedinthehumanbreastwithoutcontinualreferencetoGod。Thepowers，therefore，thatdwellinindividuals，actingasastage—
coachcompany，canonlybesecuredforrightusesbyapplyingtothemareligion。Everystagecoachcompanyought，therefore，initscollectivecapacity，toprofesssomeonefaith，tohaveitsarticles，anditspublicworship，anditstests。Thatthisconclusion，andaninfinitenumberofotherconclusionsequallystrange，followofnecessityfromMr。Gladstone’sprinciple，isascertainasitisthattwoandtwomakefour。And，ifthelegitimateconclusionsbesoabsurd，theremustbesomethingunsoundintheprinciple。
Wewillquoteanotherpassageofthesamesort:
"Why，then，wenowcometoask，shouldthegoverningbodyinastateprofessareligion？First，becauseitiscomposedofindividualmen;andthey，beingappointedtoactinadefinitemoralcapacity，mustsanctifytheiractsdoneinthatcapacitybytheofficesofreligion;inasmuchastheactscannototherwisebeacceptabletoGod，oranythingbutsinfulandpunishableinthemselves。AndwheneverweturnourfaceawayfromGodinourconduct，wearelivingatheistically……Infulfilment，then，ofhisobligationsasanindividual，thestatesmanmustbeaworshippingman。Buthisactsarepublic——thepowersandinstrumentswithwhichheworksarepublic——actingunderandbytheauthorityofthelaw，hemovesathiswordtenthousandsubjectarms;andbecausesuchenergiesarethusessentiallypublic，andwhollyoutoftherangeofmereindividualagency，theymustbesanctifiednotonlybytheprivatepersonalprayersandpietyofthosewhofillpublicsituations，butalsobypublicactsofthemencomposingthepublicbody。Theymustofferprayerandpraiseintheirpublicandcollectivecharacter——inthatcharacterwhereintheyconstitutetheorganofthenation，andwielditscollectiveforce。Whereverthereisareasoningagencythereisamoraldutyandresponsibilityinvolvedinit。Thegovernorsarereasoningagentsforthenation，intheirconjointactsassuch。Andthereforetheremustbeattachedtothisagency，asthatwithoutwhichnoneofourresponsibilitiescanbemet，areligion。Andthisreligionmustbethatoftheconscienceofthegovernor，ornone。"
Hereagainwefindpropositionsofvastsweep，andofsoundsoorthodoxandsolemnthatmanygoodpeople，wedoubtnot，havebeengreatlyedifiedbyit。Butletusexaminethewordsclosely;
anditwillimmediatelybecomeplainthat，iftheseprinciplesbeonceadmitted，thereisanendofallsociety。Nocombinationcanbeformedforanypurposeofmutualhelp，fortrade，forpublicworks，forthereliefofthesickorthepoor，forthepromotionofartorscience，unlessthemembersofthecombinationagreeintheirtheologicalopinions。Takeanysuchcombinationatrandom，theLondonandBirminghamRailwayCompanyforexample，andobservetowhatconsequencesMr。Gladstone’sargumentsinevitablylead。WhyshouldtheDirectorsoftheRailwayCompany，intheircollectivecapacity，professareligion？First，becausethedirectioniscomposedofindividualmenappointedtoactinadefinitemoralcapacity，boundtolookcarefullytotheproperty，thelimbs，andthelivesoftheirfellow—creatures，boundtoactdiligentlyfortheirconstituents，boundtogoverntheirservantswithhumanityandjustice，boundtofulfilwithfidelitymanyimportantcontracts。Theymust，therefore，sanctifytheiractsbytheofficesofreligion，ortheseactswillbesinfulandpunishableinthemselves。Infulfilment，then，ofhisobligationsasanindividual，theDirectoroftheLondonandBirminghamRailwayCompanymustbeaworshippingman，Buthisactsarepublic。Heactsforabody。Hemovesathiswordtenthousandsubjectarms。Andbecausetheseenergiesareoutoftherangeofhismereindividualagency，theymustbesanctifiedbypublicactsofdevotion。TheRailwayDirectorsmustofferprayerandpraiseintheirpublicandcollectivecharacter，inthatcharacterwherewiththeyconstitutetheorganoftheCompany，andwielditscollectivepower。Whereverthereisreasoningagency，thereismoralresponsibility。TheDirectorsarereasoningagentsfortheCompany，andthereforetheremustbeattachedtothisagency，asthatwithoutwhichnoneofourresponsibilitiescanbemet，areligion。AndthisreligionmustbethatoftheconscienceoftheDirectorhimself，ornone。Theremustbepublicworshipandatest。NoJew，noSocinian，noPresbyterian，noCatholic，noQuaker，must，bepermittedtobetheorganoftheCompany，andtowielditscollectedforce。"WouldMr。Gladstonereallydefendthisproposition？Wearesurethathewouldnot;butwearesurethattothisproposition，andtoinnumerablesimilarpropositions，hisreasoninginevitablyleads。
Again"Nationalwillandagencyareindisputablyone，bindingei...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：