Chap. VIII.—Of the Errors of Philosophers, and the Variableness of Law.

This is the way which philosophers seek, but do not find on this account, because they prefer to seek it on the earth, where it cannot appear. Therefore they wander, as it were, on the great sea, and do not understand whither they are borne, because they neither discern the way nor follow any guide. For this way of life ought to be sought in the same manner in which their course is sought by ships over the deep: for unless they observe some light of heaven, they wander with uncertain courses. But whoever strives to hold the right course of life ought not to look to the earth, but to the heaven: and, to speak more plainly, he ought not to follow man, but God; not to serve these earthly images, but the heavenly God; not to measure all things by their reference to the body, but by their reference to the soul; not to attend to this life, but the eternal life. Therefore, if you always direct your eyes towards heaven, and observe the sun, where it rises, and take this as the guide of your life, as in the case of a voyage, your feet will spontaneously be directed into the way; and that heavenly light, which is a much brighter sun1116    Multo clarior sol est, quàm hic. Others read, “Multo clarius sole est, quàm hic,” etc.   to sound minds than this which we behold in mortal flesh, will so rule and govern you as to lead you without any error to the most excellent harbour of wisdom and virtue.  

Therefore the law of God must be undertaken, which may direct us to this path; that sacred, that heavenly law, which Marcus Tullius, in his third book respecting the Republic,1117    [Repub., iii. cap. 22, 16.]   has described almost with a divine voice; whose words have subjoined, that I might not speak at greater length: “There is indeed a true law, right reason, agreeing with nature, diffused among all, unchanging, everlasting, which calls to duty by commanding, deters from wrong by forbidding; which, however, neither commands nor forbids the good in vain, nor affects the wicked by commanding or forbidding. It is not allowable to alter1118    Abrogo is to repeal or abrogate wholly; “derogo,” to abrogate in part, or modify; “obrogo,” to supersede by another law.   the provisions of this law, nor is it permitted us to modify it, nor can it be entirely abrogated.1119    Abrogo is to repeal or abrogate wholly; “derogo,” to abrogate in part, or modify; “obrogo,” to supersede by another law.   Nor, truly, can we be released from this law, either by the senate or by the people; nor is another person to be sought to explain or interpret it. Nor will there be one law at Rome and another at Athens; one law at the present time, and another hereafter: but the same law, everlasting and unchangeable, will bind all nations at all times; and there will be one common Master and Ruler of all, even God, the framer, arbitrator, and proposer of this law; and he who shall not obey this will flee from himself, and, despising the nature of man, will suffer the greatest punishments through this very thing, even though he shall have escaped the other punishments which are supposed to exist.” Who that is acquainted with the mystery of God could so significantly relate the law of God, as a man far removed from the knowledge of the truth has set forth that law? But I consider that they who speak true things unconsciously are to be so regarded as though they prophesied1120    Divinent. [Illustrative of the Sibyllina, and, in short, of Balaam; and not less of Rom. ii. 14, 15.]   under the influence of some spirit. But if he had known or explained this also, in what precepts the law itself consisted, as he clearly saw the force and purport of the divine law, he would not have discharged the office of a philosopher, but of a prophet. And because he was unable to do this, it must be done by us, to whom the law itself has been delivered by the one great Master and Ruler of all, God.  

CAPUT VIII. De erroribus Philosophorum, ac varietate Legum.

0659C Haec est via, quam philosophi quaerunt: sed ideo 0660A non inveniunt, quia in terra potius, ubi apparere non potest, quaerunt. Errant ergo velut in mari magno, nec quo ferantur intelligunt, quia nec viam cernunt, nec ducem sequuntur ullum. Eadem namque ratione hanc vitae viam quaeri oportet, qua in alto iter navibus quaeritur; quae nisi aliquod coeli lumen observent, incertis cursibus vagantur. Quisquis autem rectum iter viae tenere nititur, non terram debet aspicere, sed coelum: et (ut apertius loquar) non hominem sequi debet, sed Deum; non his terrestribus simulacris, sed Deo servire coelesti; non ad corpus referre omnia, sed ad mentem; non huic vitae dare operam, sed aeternae. Itaque si oculos in coelum semper intendas, et solem, quo oritur, observes, eumque habeas vitae quasi navigii ducem, sua sponte in viam 0660B pedes dirigentur; et illud coeleste lumen, quod sanis mentibus multo clarior sol est, quam hic quem carne mortali videmus, sic reget, sic gubernabit, ut ad summum sapientiae, virtutisque portum sine ullo errore perducat.

Suscipienda igitur Dei lex est, quae nos ad hoc iter dirigat: illa sancta, illa coelestis, quam Marcus Tullius in libro de Republica tertio pene divina voce depinxit; cujus ego, ne plura dicerem, verba subjeci: «Est quidem vera lex, recta ratio, naturae congruens, diffusa in omnes, constans, sempiterna; quae vocet ad officium, jubendo; vetando, a fraude deterreat: quae tamen neque probos frustra jubet, aut vetat; 0660C nec improbos jubendo, aut vetando movet. Huic legi 0661A nec obrogari fas est, neque derogari ex hac aliquid licet, neque tota abrogari potest. Nec vero aut per Senatum, aut per populum solvi hac lege possumus. Neque est quaerendus explanator, aut interpres ejus alius. Nec erit alia lex Romae, alia Athenis, 0661A alia nunc, alia posthac: sed et omnes gentes, et omni tempore una lex, et sempiterna, et immutabilis continebit; unusque erit communis quasi magister, et imperator omnium Deus, ille legis hujus inventor, disceptator, lator; cui qui non parebit, ipse se fugiet, ac naturam hominis aspernatus, hoc ipso luet maximas poenas, etiamsi caetera supplicia quae putantur effugerit.» Quis sacramentum Dei sciens, tam significanter enarrare legem Dei posset, quam illam homo longe a veritatis notitia remotus expressit? 0661B Ego vero eos, qui vera imprudentes loquuntur, sic habendos puto, tanquam divinent spiritu aliquo instincti. Quod si, ut legis sanctae vim rationemque pervidit, ita illud quoque scisset aut explicasset, in quibus praeceptis lex ipsa consisteret: non philosophi functus fuisset officio, sed prophetae. Quod quia facere ille non poterat, nobis faciendum est, quibus ipsa lex tradita est ab illo uno magistro et imperatore omnium Deo.