A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
_Answ._ It must be considered in what times and places the
ancient Greek and Roman historians did live.[89] They that lived where
popular government was in force and credit, wrote according to the
time and government which they lived under; yet do they extol the
virtues and heroic acts of monarchs, and often speak of the vulgar
giddiness and unconstancy. And for my part, I think he that readeth in
them those popular tumults, irrationalities, furies, unconstancies,
cruelties, which even in Rome and Athens they committed, and all
historians record, will rather find his heart much alienated from such
democratical confusions. And the historians of other times and places
do write as much for monarchy, as they did for democracy.
_Object._ IV. Some of them revile at Aristotle and all universities,
and say, That while multitudes must be tasters and pretenders to the
learning which they never can thoroughly attain, they read many
dangerous books, and receive false notions; and these half-witted men
are the disturbers of all societies. Do you not see, say they, that
the two strongest kingdoms in the world, are kept up by keeping the
subjects ignorant. The Greek and Latin empires were ruined by the
contention of men that did pretend to learning. The Turk keepeth all
in quiet by suppressing it: and the pope confineth it almost all to
his instruments in government, and keepeth the common people in
ignorance; which keepeth them from matter of quarrel and
disobedience.[90]
_Answ._ I hope you will not say, that Rome or Athens of old did
take this course. And we will not deny, but men of knowledge are more
subject to debates, and questionings, and quarrels about right and
wrong, than men of utter ignorance are. Beasts fall not out about
crowns or kingdoms, as men do. Dogs and swine will not scramble for
gold, as men will do, if you cast it among them: and it is easier to
keep swine or sheep, than men; and yet it is not better to be swine or
sheep, than men; nor to be governors of beasts, than men. Dead men are
quieter than the living, and blind men will submit to be led more
easily than those that see; and yet it is not better to be a king of
brutes, or blind men, or dead men, than of the living that have their
sight. A king of men that have many disagreements, is better than a
king of beasts that all agree. And yet true knowledge tendeth to
concord, and to the surest and constantest obedience.
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