Of wisdom three books / written originally in French by the Sieur de Charron ; with an account of the author, made English by George Stanhope ...

CHAP. XLV. Of Command and Obedience.

THese, as I said, are the Ground-work, upon which all Humane Society is built; And the many different Conditions, Professions, and Rela∣tions, that go to making it up, do all arise from, and depend upon Them. These Two are Relative Terms; they mutually Regard, Produce, Preserve and Support each other; and are equally necessary in all Companies and Communities of Men; but are not∣withslanding liable to Envy and Opposition, Misre∣presentation and Complaint; All which are the Na∣tural and Constant Effects, even of That, without which we are not able to Subsist. The discontented Populace would reduce their Sovereign to the Condi∣tion of a Car-Man; The Ambition of Monarchs would represent him greater than a God. In Com∣mand is imply'd Dignity, Dissiculty (These Two commonly go together) Goodness, Ability, and all the Characters and Qualities of Grandeur.

The Command it self, that is, The Sufficiency, the Courage, the Authority, and other Qua∣lifications of it, are deriv'd from above, and the Gift of God.* 1.1 Empire and Dominion are bestowed by the Divine Appointment, and There is no Power but of God (says the Apostle to the same Purpose.) From whence it was that Plato said, God did not place some Men over others, that is, not Mere Men, and such as were of the Common Sort and Vul∣gar

Qualisications; but the Persons whom he set apart, and exalted for Government, were such as exceeded others; were more sinished, eminent for some singular Virtue, and distinguishing Gift of Heaven; in short, were somewhat more than Men, and such as former Ages gave the Title of Heroes to.

Obedience is a Matter of Benesit and Advantage; of Ease and Necessity; The Obeying well, is of the Two, more conducive to the Publick Peace, and Safety, than the Commanding wisely; and the Consequences of withstanding and refusing the Commands of our Superiours, or the complying with them Imperfectly and Negligently, are much more Dangerous and Destructive, than Ill and Improper Commands Themselves are, or want of Skill to Govern. Just as in the Case of a Married Life, the Husband and Wife are equally obliged to Con∣stancy of Affection and Fidelity to the Bed; and the Words in which they Solemnly engage for This, are the very Same for both Parties; the same Ce∣remonies and Formalities to signifie and confirm it; but yet the Consequences are by no means equal, but the Mischiefs of Disloyalty are incomparably More, and Greater in an Adulterous Wife, than an Adulterous Husband: So likewise Commanding and Obeying are equally Duties, and necessary in all manner of Societies which unite Men to one an∣other; but yet the Disobedience of the Subject draws much greater Inconveniences after it, than the Unskillfulness or the real Faults of the Gover∣nour. Several States and Kingdoms have held out a long Course, and been reasonably Prosperous and Flourishing, under, not only Ignorant, but very Wicked Princes and Magistrates, by the mere Force of the Unity, and Compliance, and ready Obe∣dience of the Subjects. Which agrees well with the Answer made by a Wise Man to that Question,

How it came to pass, that the Republick of Sparta was so remarkably Flourishing? and Whe∣ther it proceeded from the Wisdom and good Conduct of their Governours? Nay, (said he) I impute it not to their Princes Commanding well, but to the Subjects Obeying well.

But when the People break their Yoak, or throw it off, and refuse Obedience, there is no Remedy but such a State must be ruin'd, and fall to the Ground.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Imperium non ••i••i divino fato datur. Rom. xiii. 1.