《基督教要義》肆卷二十章31-32 Calvin, Institutes of theChristian Religion. IV.20.31-32
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《基督教要義》肆卷二十章31-32
John
Calvin著，任傳龍譯，麥種傳道會出版
個人應有的一般服從
31. 但是，不管我們怎樣看待人自己的行為，主總是藉著他們公正地完成祂自己的工作，祂折斷侮慢之君王的血腥王權，推翻他們不可容忍的統治。君王應當傾聽、畏懼；但是，我們同時應當極其謹慎，不要藐視或侵犯統治者可敬、威嚴的權柄，這權柄是神藉著最確切的法令所分別為聖的，儘管那些獲得此權柄的人最為不配得，並且又用他們的不義竭力將其污染。雖然主報應不羈的統治，我們卻不能由此揣想神將報應這件事交給了我們，因為我們除了服從和忍受之外，並沒有接受其他命令。我只是指私人而言。因為，當任命了官員來遏止君王的暴政時（如五長老〔Ephori〕對斯巴達王，護民官對羅馬執政官，鄉區長官〔Demarchs〕對雅典元老院；可能各國的三個等級在召開議會行使權力裡面，也有類似的含義），我非但絕不禁止他們行使職權制止君王過度的放肆，而且，如果他們縱容君王施行暴政、壓迫百姓，我要宣佈他們的護短乃是邪惡的背信，因為他們明知自己是按照神的設立來護衛百姓的自由，卻欺詐百姓，將其出賣了。
順服統治者不能使我們因此而沒有順服神
32. 但是，我們在順服統治者的命令這件事上，必須總要有一個例外，事實上，我們必須特別注意此例外，即順服統治者不能使我們因此而沒有順服神，神的旨意是所有君王的願望都當臣服的，神的定旨是他們的命令必須讓步的，神的威榮是他們的權杖必須下拜的。我們是為了神的緣故才順服人的，如果為了討人的喜悅而得罪這位神，真是何等的荒謬！主乃是萬王之王。當祂張開聖口，我們應該唯獨聽從祂，而不是其他所有人。我們服從那些治理我們的人，但是單單在主裡面服從。如果他們的命令違背神，我們就當絲毫不予理會，並且不要為他們作為官員所擁有的全部尊貴所動—這一尊貴，當它服從神特別的、真正至高的權能時，並不受傷害。按照這一原則，當但以理拒絕遵守王不敬虔的法令時，他否認自己有絲毫的犯罪（但六22），因為王已經越過了他的界限，不僅對人有損，而且舉起角來反對神，從而已經實際上廢除了自己的權力。另一方面，以色列人由於太過爽快地遵守王不敬虔的法令而被定罪。當耶羅波安製造金牛犢時，百姓離棄神的殿，他們順服王而反叛神，陷入新的迷信（王上十二28）。他們的後裔也是同樣輕易地順從王的法令。因此，先知嚴厲地譴責他們「樂從人的命令」（何五11）。王宮內的諂媚者，當他們否認拒絕王的強求為合法時，是以謙遜為幌子來掩飾自己和欺騙愚蒙人，絕不能博得謙遜的美名，彷彿主任命必死之人來治理百姓就因此放棄了祂自己的權利，或者彷彿地上的權力會因為服從那位賜權力者—在祂面前，甚至天上的掌權者也像哀告者一樣戰抖—而貶低一樣。我知道，百姓如果如此堅貞，立即會有大禍臨頭，君王如果受到蔑視，就要暴跳如雷。如所羅門所說：「王的震怒如殺人的使者」（箴十六14）。但是，既然屬天的使者之一彼得已經頒佈法令：「順從神，不順從人，是應當的」（徒五29），我們就要安慰自己說，當我們忍受任何苦難但沒有離棄敬虔時，就真是行出了神要求我們的順從。保羅為使我們不至喪膽，他這樣來激勵我們，即我們是基督用救贖所費的重價買來的（林前七23），好叫我們不對人的墮落欲望顯出奴性的順從，更不向他們的不敬虔致敬。
31.
But whatever may be thought of the acts of the men themselves, the Lord by
their means equally executed his own work, when he broke the bloody sceptres of
insolent kings, and overthrew their intolerable dominations. Let princes hear
and be afraid; but let us at the same time guard most carefully against
spurning or violating the venerable and majestic authority of rulers, an
authority which God has sanctioned by the surest edicts, although those
invested with it should be most unworthy of it, and, as far as in them lies,
pollute it by their iniquity. Although the Lord takes vengeance on unbridled
domination, let us not therefore suppose that that vengeance is committed to
us, to whom no command has been given but to obey and suffer. I speak only of
private men. For when popular magistrates have been appointed to curb the
tyranny of kings (as the Ephori, who were opposed to kings among the Spartans,
or Tribunes of the people to consuls among the Romans, or Demarchs to the
senate among the Athenians; and perhaps there is something similar to this in
the power exercised in each kingdom by the three orders, when they hold their
primary diets). So far am I from forbidding these officially to check the undue
license of kings, that if they connive at kings when they tyrannise and insult
over the humbler of the people, I affirm that their dissimulation is not free
from nefarious perfidy, because they fradulently betray the liberty of the
people, while knowing that, by the ordinance of God, they are its appointed
guardains.
32.
But in that obedience which we hold to be due to the commands of rulers, we
must always make the exception, nay, must be particularly careful that it is
not incompatible with obedience to Him to whose will the wishes of all kings
should be subject, to whose decrees their commands must yield, to whose majesty
their sceptres must bow. And, indeed, how preposterous were it, in pleasing
men, to incur the offence of Him for whose sake you obey men! The Lord,
therefore, is King of kings. When he opens his sacred mouth, he alone is to be
heard, instead of all and above all. We are subject to the men who rule over
us, but subject only in the Lord. If they command anything against Him let us
not pay the least regard to it, nor be moved by all the dignity which they
possess as magistrates—a dignity to which no injury is done when it is
subordinated to the special and truly supreme power of God. On this ground
Daniel denies that he had sinned in any respect against the king when he
refused to obey his impious decree (Dan 6:22), because the king had exceeded
his limits, and not only been injurious to men, but, by raising his horn
against God, had virtually abrogated his own power. On the other hand, the
Israelites are condemned for having too readily obeyed the impious edict of the
king. For, when Jeroboam made the golden calf, they forsook the temple of God,
and, in submissiveness to him, revolted to new superstitions (1 Kings 12:28).
With the same facility posterity had bowed before the decrees of their kings.
For this they are severely upbraided by the Prophet (Hosea 5:11). So far is the
praise of modesty from being due to that pretence by which flattering courtiers
cloak themselves, and deceive the simple, when they deny the lawfulness of
declining anything imposed by their kings, as if the Lord had resigned his own
rights to mortals by appointing them to rule over their fellows, or as if
earthly power were diminished when it is subjected to its author, before whom
even the principalities of heaven tremble as suppliants. I know the imminent
peril to which subjects expose themselves by this firmness, kings being most
indignant when they are contemned. As Solomon says, “The wrath of a king is as
messengers of death” (Prov 16:14). But since Peter, one of heaven’s heralds,
has published the edict, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29),
let us console ourselves with the thought, that we are rendering the obedience
which the Lord requires, when we endure anything rather than turn aside from
piety. And that our courage may not fail, Paul stimulates us by the additional
consideration (1 Cor 7:23), that we were redeemed by Christ at the great price
which our redemption cost him, in order that we might not yield a slavish
obedience to the depraved wishes of men, far less do homage to their impiety.
Calvin,
Institutes of the Christian Religion. IV.20.31-32
