培根经典散文随笔：论宗教一统
弗朗西斯·培根是英国文艺复兴时期最重要的散文家、哲学家。他不但在文学、哲学上多有建树，在自然科学领域里，也取得了重大成就。他的第一部重要著作《随笔》最初发表于1597年，以后又逐年增补。该书文笔言简意赅、智睿夺目，它包含许多洞察秋毫的经验之谈，其中不仅论及政治而且还探讨许多人生哲理。下面小编为大家带来培根经典散文随笔，希望大家喜欢!
培根经典散文随笔：论宗教一统
Religion being the chief band of human society, it is a happy thing, when itself is well contained within the true band of unity. The quarrels, and divisions about religion, were evils unknown to the heathen. The reason was, because the religion of the heathen consisted rather in rites and ceremonies than in any constant belief.
宗教既是人类社会底主要维系，那末要是它本身能居于统一底真正维系之中，自然是一件很好的事。关于宗教的争执和分裂是异教徒所没有的恶事。原因是异教徒底宗教并无任何固定不移的信仰而只有仪式和典礼。
For you may imagine, what kind of faith theirs was, when the chief doctors, and fathers of their church, were the poets. But the true God haul this attribute, that he is a jealous God; and therefore, his worship and religion will endure no mixture, nor partner. We shall therefore speak a few words, concerning the unity of the church; what are the fruits thereof; what the bounds; and what means?The fruits of unity (next unto the well pleasing of God, which is all in all) are
two; me one, towards those that are without the church; the other, towards those that are within. For the former, it is certain, that heresies, and schisms are of all others the greatest scandals; yea more than corruption of manners. For as in the natural body, a wound or solution of continuity is worse than a corrupt humour, so in the spiritual. So that nothing, doth so much keep men out of the church, and drive men out of the church, as breach of unity: and therefore, whensoever it cometh to that pass, that one saith, ecce in deserto; another saith, ecce in penetralibus; that is, when some men seek Christ in the conventicles of heretics, and others in an outward face of a church, that voice had need continually to sound in men's ears, nolite exire, go not out. The doctor of the gentiles (the propriety of whose vocation drew him to have a special care of those without) saith: If an heathen come in and hear you speak with several tongues will he not say that you are mad? And certainly, it is lime better when atheists, and profane persons, do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion; it doth avert them from the church, and maketh them to sit down in the chair of the scorners. It is but a light thing, to be vouched in so serious a matter, but yet it expressed! well the deformity.
他们教会中底主要宗师和长老乃是诗人，从这个就可以想到他们底宗教是什么样的一种宗教了。但是真正的上帝有这种性质，就是他是个“忌邪的神”;因此他底崇奉和宗教便决不容有混杂和伴侣。所以我们想关于教会底统一说几句话，所说的是其结果如何;其界限如何;其方法如何。统一底结果(仅次于得上帝底喜悦，而得上帝底喜悦是至善至美的)有二，一是对教会以外的人的，一是对教会以内的人的。对于前者，无疑地异端和分裂是各种丑事之最丑者;真的，这两桩事甚至比伤风败俗还坏。因为，如同在肉体上创伤或割裂是比一时不良的体液为劣，在精神上亦复如此。所以再没有比“统一底破坏”更能使在外者不入教堂，在内者急欲出外的了。因此，到这种情形的时候——就是，有的人说“看哪，他在旷野之中”。又有人说：“看哪，他在密室之内”。那就是说，有的人在异端的秘会里找寻基督，又有人在教堂的外表上找寻基督——在这种时候我们底耳中须常有那话——“不要出去”。那“外邦人底宗师”(他底使命底特性使他对于在教会以外的人特别地在意)曾说：“假如一个异教徒进来，听见你们七嘴八舌地说话，他难道不要说你们是疯了么?”再者，那无神论者和世俗之人听见宗教之中有如许冲突矛盾的意见，他们底意见比上面所说的异教徒底意见必然好不了多少;这种情形使他们要离开教堂，去“坐在亵慢人底座位之上”
There is a master of scoffing, that in his catalogue of books, of a feigned library, sets down this title of a book: the moms dance of heretics. For indeed, every sect of them hath a diverse posture, or cringe by themselves, which cannot but move derision in worldlings, and depraved politics, who are apt to contemn holy things. As for the fruit towards those that are within; it is peace; which containe infinite blessings: it establisheth faith; it kindleth charity; the outward peace of the church distilleth into peace of conscience; and it turneth the labours of writing, and reading of controversies, into treaties of mortification, and devotion.Concerning the bounds of unity; the true placing of them importeth exceedingly.
有一位“亵慢底大师”在他底幻想的丛书中间列了这样的一本书名：《异端派的摩尔舞》。这件事在这样严重的问题中提出为证，似嫌不庄，然而它把那过失之处表现得很好。因为异端诸派真是各有其不同的态度和卑鄙模样，这些态度不能不使世俗轻薄儿和下流的政客心生讥笑，这些人本来就是易于污蔑神圣的事物的。至于宗教统一对教中人的结果，那就是和平;和平是有无限的福祉的。和平树立信仰。和平燃起仁心。教会底外观上的和平纯化而为内心的和平。它并且把写读争论文章的工夫移到写读忏悔和敬神的著作方面去。关于统一底界限，这种界限底真正位置是极重要的。
There appear to be two extremes. For to certain zealants all speech of pacification is odious. Is it peace, Jehu? What hast thou to do with peace? Turn thee behind me. Peace is not the matter, but following and party. Contrariwise, certain Laodiceans, and lukewarm persons, think they may accommodate points of religion by middle ways, and taking part of both; and witty reconcilements; as if they would make an arbitrement, between God and man. Both these extremes are to be avoided; which will be done, if the league of Christians, penned by our saviour himself, were in the two cross clauses thereof soundly and plainly expounded; he that is not with us, is against us; and again, he that is not against us is with us: that is, if the points fundamental and of substance in religion were truly discerned and distinguished from points not merely of faith, but of opinion, order, or good intention.
在这个问题上好象有两个极端。在某种激烈派看来，所有的调和的话都是可恨的。“耶户，是和平么?你与和平有什么相干?你转到我后面罢”这一派人是不问和平但问党派的。反之，某种老底嘉派的人和不冷不热的人们以为他们可以把宗教上的问题用不南不北，亦南亦北的手段和巧妙的调和来迁就解决;好象他们要在上帝与人类之间公断似的。这两种极端都是应当避免的;避之之道就在以基督自己为基督徒手订的盟约中那两条相反相成的条文切实并清楚地解释那盟约。这两条条文就是“不帮助我们的就是反对我们的”和“不反对我们的就是帮助我们的”。所谓以这两条条文解释基督底盟约者，就是说，要把宗教中基础的实际的要点同那些并不纯粹属于信仰的而是关于意见、教派、居心的问题的要点真实地辨别与分开也。
This is a thing may seem to many a matter trivial, and done already: but if it were done less partially, it would be embraced more generally. Of this I may give only this advice, according to my small model. Men ought to take heed, of rending God's church, by two kinds of controversies. The one is, when the matter of me point controverted is too small and light, not worth the heat and strife about it, kindled only by contradiction. For, as it is noted by one of the fathers;'Christ's coat, indeed, had no seam: but the church's vesture was of divers colours;' whereupon he saith, in veste varietas sit, scissura non sit; they be two things, unity, and uniformity. The other is, when the matter of the point controverted is great, but it is driven to an over-great subtlety, and obscurity; so that it becometh a thing, rather ingenious, then substantial.
这在许多人看起来也许是件小事，并且是已经做到了的。但是这件事要是做的时候党派之见少些，那末拥护它的人就要更为普遍了。关于这个我只可以小规模地贡献这点意见。人们应该注意，勿以两种争论分裂上帝底教会。一种是当所争之点过于微细，不值得那热烈与争执，这些热烈与争执都是因为有辩驳才引起来的。基督教中的早期著作家中有一位曾经说过：“基督底外衣确是无缝的，但是教会底衣服却是多色的”。因此他说：“让这件衣服有变换之处，却不要有分裂之处”。原来“统一”与“划一”是两件事啊。还有一种就是所争之点是很重要的，然而争论到了后来趋于过为微妙或幽晦，以致这种争论巧慧而不切实了。一个有判断力和了解力的人有时会听见一些无知识的人表示不同的意见，然而他心里很明白这些人底意思其实是同一件事，但是他们自己是决不同意的
A man that is of judgement and understanding, shall sometimes hear ignorant men differ and know well within himself, mat those which so differ, mean one thing, and yet they themselves would never agree. And if it come so to pass, in that distance of judgement which is between man and man, shall we not think, that God above, that knows the heart, doth not discern that frail men, in some of their contradictions, intend the same thing, and accepteth of both? The nature of such controversies is excellently expressed by St Paul, in the warning and precept that he giveth concerning the same, devita profanas vocum novitates,et oppositiones falsi nominis scientiae. Men create oppositions, which are not; and put them into new terms, so fixed, as whereas the meaning ought to govern the term, the term in effect govemeth the meaning. There be also two false peaces, or unities; the one, when the peace is grounded, but upon an implicit ignorance; for all colours will agree in the dark: me other, when it is pieced up, upon a direct admission of contraries, in fundamental points. For truth and falsehood, in such things, are like the iron and clay in the toes of ebucadnezzar's image; they may cleave, but they will not incorporate.
一个有判断力和了解力的人有时会听见一些无知识的人表示不同的意见，然而他心里很明白这些人底意思其实是同一件事，但是他们自己是决不同意的。在人与人之间判断力不同之处既有如此的情形，那末我们就不可以相信天上的上帝(他是明白世人底心的)能看出愚弱的世人在他们底争论之中有时其实是意思相同的，因而接受双方底意见的么?象这样的争论其性质曾经圣保罗在他底关于本题的警告和教训中优越地表现了。“避免世俗的新说以及敌视真道的似是而非的学问”。人们造出实际并无其事的冲突;并且把这种冲突装入新的名词之中，又把这些名词定得以致本来应当意义支配名词的，在事实上名词反而支配意义了。“统一”亦有两种假的：一种是以盲从的愚昧为基础的，因为在黑暗之中所有的颜色都是一样的。另一种是以干脆接受根本要义上矛盾之处为基础而弥补成的。在这些事情里真理与伪说就象尼布甲尼撒王梦中所见的偶像底脚趾底铁和泥一样;他们也许可以互相依附，但是不会化为一体的。
Concerning the means of procuring unity; men must beware that in the procuring, or muniting, of religious unity, they do not dissolve and deface the laws of charity, and of human society. There be two swords amongst Christians, the spiritual, and temporal; and both have their due office, and place, in the maintenance of religion.
说到取得统一的方法，人们须要注意，不可在为了取得或增强宗教底统一的过程中，消灭和毁损了博爱底大义和人世底准则。基督徒有两口剑，精神的和尘世的;二者在护持宗教上都有相当的责任和地位。
But we may not take up the third sword, which is Mohammed's sword, or like unto it; that is, to propagate religion by wars, or by sanguinary prosecutions, to force consciences; except it be in cases of overt scandal, blasphemy, or intermixture of practice against the state; much less to nourish seditions; to authorise conspiracies and rebellions; to put the sword into the people's hands; and the like; tending to the subversion of all government, which is the ordinance of God. For this is but to dash the first table against the second; and so to consider men as Christians, as we forget that they are men. Lucretius the poet, when he beheld the act of Agamemnon, that could endure the sacrificing of his own daughter, exclaimed; tantum religio potuit suadere malorum.
但是我们不可以拿起那第三口剑来，那就是谟罕默德底剑，或是它一类的剑。这话底意思就是不可以战争为传教底工具，或者以流血的压迫手段强迫人底良心，除非是遇见有明目张胆的丑事，亵渎神明的行为，或者将宗教混于不利国家的阴谋的时候;更不可暗蓄异志;明助阴谋和反叛;授平民以刀剑。诸如此类，意在倾覆朝廷的举动都应力避，朝廷者，天意所立也。如不避上述种种，就等于把纪录上帝旨意的第一块石牌与第二块石牌猛撞;把人类当作基督徒看，而忘了他们是人也。诗人卢克莱修见阿加曼木侬忍心以他底女儿为牺牲，遂叹曰：“宗教能叫人为恶有如斯之大者”。
What would he have said, if he had known of the massacre in France, or the powder treason of England? he would have been seven times more epicure and atheist, than he was. For as the temporal sword is to be drawn with great circumspection, in cases of religion; so it is a thing monstrous, to put it into the hands of the common people.
假如他能知道法国底大屠杀和英国底火药阴谋他又当作何语?恐怕他要变得比原来的他更要是七倍的享乐主义者和无神论者了。因为那口尘世的剑，在为了宗教而拔出的时候，既需极端审慎，所以把它放在一般平民底手里，就是一种荒唐之极的举动了
Let that be left unto the Anabaptists, and other furies. It was great blasphemy, when the devil said; I will ascend, and be like the highest; but it is greater blasphemy, to personate God, and bring him in saying; I will descend, and be like the Prince of Darkness; and what, is it better, to make the cause of religion to descend to the cruel and execrable actions of murdering princes, butchery of people, and subversion of states, and governments? Surely, this is to bring down the holy ghost, in stead of the likeness of a dove, in the shape of a vulture, or raven: and to set, out of the bark of a Christian church, a flag of a barque of pirates, and assassins. Therefore it is most necessary, that the church by doctrine and decree; princes by their sword; and all learnings, both Christian and moral, as by their mercury rod; do damn and send to Hell, for ever, those facts and opinions, tending to the support of me same; as hath been already in good part done. Surely in counsels concerning religion, that counsel of the apostle would be prefixed; ira hominis non implet justitiam dei. And it was a notable observation, of a wise father, and no less ingenuously confessed; that those, which held and persuaded pressure of consciences were commonly interested therein, themselves, for their own ends.
这种事情留给那些再洗礼论者和别的妖魔罢。当魔鬼说：“我要上升并且要和至尊一样”的时候，那是很厉害的渎神之言;但是把上帝安排成某种角色并使这角色登台说：“我要下降并要和黑暗之王一样”是更厉害的渎神之言了。如使宗教底大义堕落到谋杀君主，屠戮人民，颠覆国家与政府的那些残忍而可恨之极的行为上，那末比上述的渎神的言行又有何较胜之处呢?这样的行为真有如把圣灵底象不绘作鸽子模样而画成一只兀鹰或渡乌，把基督教会底船舶挂上一面海贼或凶徒底旗帜一样了。因此必须教会借教义和教律，人君借威力，一切的学问界(属于教会的及属于伦理的)借诱导底力量(如接引神底杆杖一样)把那些倾向于拥护上述诸恶的行为和意见明定其罪并投之地狱，和有一大部分已经做到了的一样。在关于宗教的言论中，无疑地那位使徒底话应当是为首的：“人底怒气并不能成就上帝底正义”。又有一位明智的早期的教会作家说：“凡是施行或劝人压迫他人底良心的人多半是为了自己底利益的”。这话很值得注意，并且说法也是很巧妙的。
相关阅读：什么是宗教
宗教是人类社会发展到一定历史阶段出现的一种文化现象，属于社会特殊意识形态。旧时由于人对自然的未知探索，以及表达人渴望不灭解脱的追求，进而相信现实世界之外存在着超自然的神秘力量或实体，使人对该一神秘产生敬畏及崇拜，从而引申出信仰认知及仪式活动体系，与民间神话一样，其也有自己的神话传说，彼此相互串联，其是一种心灵寄托。
宗教之成立，其种类甚多，型态亦有种种不同，有现存者，亦有已衰微乃至不存者。其型态可大别为个人心理之宗教，与集团社会之宗教。个人心理之宗教，指个人独自之宗教信念与体验，而不论其是否参与特定之宗教组织，或具有何种特定之信仰型态。若经由个人之虔诚信仰、深切体验，而积极向他人弘传，集合具有相同信仰之人群，即成为宗教团体，产生新兴宗教，主倡者称为此宗之开祖。若致力于对固有宗教之改革运动，则 称改革者。