46 - /
The right and custom of nations is pretty generalin this matter. Foreign states are truly obliged by the
*Christina, Queen of Sweden, put to death, while she resided in France, one of her secretaries for betraying her counsels. The French justly resented it as an exercisingforce in their country.
TreatiesofPeace. 363 Law of Nature to give no protection to any infamousChap. 10.criminal, or notoriously fraudulent bankrupt, whoflees to them; they should deliver them up. And yetthe state from which they fled has not a right to pur-sue them by force in the bounds of another country.If a state is zealous to bring them to justice, a com-mission should be demanded from the foreign state,and it is unjust to deny it upon proper security against doing any damage to its subjects; and then the force is exercised by the authority of the governors of that state. But as to smaller criminals, or common bank-rupts, the custom received is on the merciful side to-ward them; they are generally protected, and seldomdemanded to justice.47 - /
VII. Die geringern Arten der Gewalt, die die höchsten Regenten gemeiniglich zugleich mit besitzen,
* Einige nennen dieses Recht dominium eminens, andre aber noch besser jus mperii eminens, weil es noch andre Sachen als das Eigenthum unter sich begreift.
Drittes Buch.838 Vom Ursprunge der Staaten, sind in einem bürgerlichen Regimente nicht unumgänglich nothwendig. Einige davon können von vielen Staaten gar entbehrt werden, oder sind dem ganzen Staate so eigen, daß sie keiner obrigkeitlichen Person oder keiner Versamlung ohne grossen Schaden aufgetragen werden können; wie z. E. das Recht alle Geldbussen oder verwirkte Sachen einzutreiben, das Recht auf schiffbrüchige oder andre Güter, deren Eigenthümer unbekant sind, wie auch über gewisse Arten von Bergwerken. Die Rechte, Würden und Ehren mitzutheilen, Geld zu prägen, Kinder zu legitimiren, verdamten Personen Gnade widerfahren zu lassen, oder die Art der Strafe zu ändern, Schuldnern Schutz zu verschaffen und so weiter, die in allen monarchischen Staaten dem Prinzen, in aristokratischen aber der Versamlung der Grossen oder einem Vorsitzer derselben gebühren, von welchen sie wieder andern aufgetragen werden.48 - /
Das Recht und die Gewohnheit ist in diesem Stücke sehr unbestimmt. Auswärtige Staaten sind wirklich nach dem Rechte der Natur verbunden, keinen Missethäter oder offenbar boshaften
* Die Königin von Schweden, Christina, lies einen Secretair, der ihre Anschläge verrathen hatte, während ihres Aufenthalts in Frankreich hinrichten, die Franzosen nahmen dieses als einen Gebrauch der Gewalt in ihrem Lande sehr übel.
und Friedens. 997Zehnter Abschnitt. Bankerotierer, der zu ihnen flieht, in Schutz zu nehmen, und gleichwohl hat der Staat, aus welchem sie flüchten, kein Recht, sie mit Gewalt in den Gränzen eines andern Landes zu verfoigen<verfolgen>. Wenn ein Staat nun bemüht wäre, sie der Obrigkeit zu übergeben, so sollte man von dem fremden Staate eine Commission verlangen; und es würde unbillig seyn, wenn man es bey gnugsamer Sicherheit vor allen Schaden abschlagen wollte, alsdenn würde die Gewalt der Beherrscher eines solchen Staats auf diese Weise ausgeübt. Jn Ansehung der geringern Uebelthäter und gewöhnlichen Bankerotierer, gehet man der Gewohnheit nach den Weg der Gnade und Gelindigkeit, man beschützt sie gemeiniglich, und liefert sie selten der Obrigkeit aus.49 - /
As he thus removes from all appearance of evil, so he hastens and aspires after every instance of goodness. He does not ask what is allowable and pardonable, but what is commendable andpraiseworthy. He does not ask, whether God will forgive thefolly of our lives, the madness of our pleasures, the vanity of our expenses, the richness of our equipage, and the careless consumption of our time; but he asks, whether God is pleased with these things, or whether these are the appointed ways of gaining his favour? He does not inquire, whether it be pardonable A Serious Call to to hoard up money, to adorn ourselves with diamonds, and gild our chariots, whilst the widow and the orphan, the sick and theprisoner, want to be relieved; but he asks, whether God has required these things at our hands, whether we shall be called to account at the last day for the neglect of them; because it is not his intent to live in such ways as, for aught we know, God may perhaps pardon; but to be diligent in such ways, as we know, that God will infallibly reward.
50 - /
This doctrine does not suppose, that we have no need of divine grace, or that it is in our own power to make ourselves perfect. It only supposes, that through the want of a sincere intention of pleasing God in all our actions, we fall into such irregularities of life, as by the ordinary means of grace, we should have power to avoid.
51 - /
I would not be thought to plead for the necessity of long prayers at these times; but thus much I think may be said, that if prayer is proper at these times, we ought to oblige ourselves to use such a form of words, as should show, that we solemnly appeal to God for such graces and blessings, as are then proper to the occasion. Otherwise the mock ceremony, instead of blessing our victuals, does but accustom us to trifle with devotion, and give us a habit of being unaffected with our prayers.
53 - /
Though you have no employment, yet as you are baptized into the profession of Christ’s religion, you are as much obliged to live according to the holiness of the Christian spirit, and perform all the promises made at your baptism, as any man is obliged to be honest and faithful in his calling. If you abuse this great calling, you are not false in a small matter, but you abuse the precious blood of Christ; you crucify the Son of God afresh; you neglect the highest instances of divine goodness; you disgrace the church of God; you blemish the body of Christ; you abuse the means of Grace, and the promises of Glory; and it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgment, than for you.
54 - /
Again, if we consider mankind in a further view, as a redeemed order of fallen spirits, that are baptized into a fellowship with the Son of God; to be temples of the Holy Ghost; to live according to his holy inspirations; to offer to God the reasonable sacrifice of an humble, pious, and thankful life; to purify themselves from the disorders of their fall; to make a right use of the means of grace, in order to be sons of eternal glory: If we look at mankind in this true light, then we shall find, that all tempers that are contrary to this holy society, that are abuses of this infinite mercy; all actions that make us unlike to Christ, that disgrace his body, that abuse the means of grace, and oppose our hopes of glory, have everything in them, that can make us for ever odious unto God. So that though pride andsensuality, and other vices of the like kind, do not hurt civil society, as cheating and dishonesty do; yet they hurt that society, and oppose those ends, which are greater and more glorious in the eyes of God, than all the societies that relate to this world.
55 - /
And as for those satisfactions, which we dare not offer to a holy God, which are only invented by the folly and corruption of the world, which inflame our passions, and sink our souls into grossness and sensuality, and render us incapable of the divinefavour, either here or hereafter; surely it can be no uncomfortable state of life, to be rescued by religion from such self-murder, and to be rendered capable of eternal happiness.
56 - /
If religion requires us sometimes to fast, and deny our natural appetites, it is to lessen that struggle and war that is in our nature, it is to render our bodies fitter instruments of purity, and more obedient to the good motions of divine grace; it is to dry up the springs of our passions that war against the soul, to cool the flame of our blood, and render the mind more capable of divine meditations. So that although these abstinences give A Serious Call to some pain to the body, yet they so lessen the power of bodilyappetites and passions, and so increase our taste of spiritual joys, that even these severities of religion, when practised with discretion, add much to the comfortable enjoyment of our lives.
58 - /
Let it therefore be supposed, that instead of the continual hurry of business, he was frequent in his retirements, and a strict observer of all the hours of prayer; that instead of restless desires after more riches, his soul had been full of the love of God and heavenly affection, constantly watching against worldly tempers, and always aspiring after divine grace; that instead of worldly cares and contrivances, he was busy in fortifying his soul against all approaches of sin; that instead of costly show, and expensive generosity of a splendid life, he loved and exercised all instances of humility and lowliness; that instead of great treats and full tables, his house only furnished a sober refreshment to those that wanted it.
59 - /
Sometimes the light of God’s countenance shines so bright upon us, we see so far into the invisible world, we are so affected with the wonders of the love and goodness of God, that our hearts worship and adore in a language higher than that of words, and we feel transports of devotion, which only can be felt.
60 - /
Again, if you ask any particular grace of our blessed Lord, let it be in some manner like this: