Chapter 2
A Dialogue, Part ui, Tract it would be against law, therefore either against natural law or against positive law. But it is not against natural law, because then it would always have been wicked, and thus no one would ever have been a true emperor of the world, since empire usurped against natural law is not a true empire. And it is also not against positive law, because a positive law by which it is decreed that ne one should be emperor of the whole world could not be established except by the totality of mortals; but the totality of mortals never established this, but rather the opposite. Therefore it is not wicked for one to have empire over the whole world; it must therefore be regarded as beneficial.
Chapter 2 Student [ think you have touched on rather strong arguments for the above assertion, and those who have plenty of books can strengthen them in many ways with the opinions of the fathers.
So relate another opinion concerning my question.
Master Another opmion is the opposite, that it is not beneficial to the world for the totality of mortals to be subject to one emperor or secular ruler.
Student I would like to hear the arguments for this opinion.
Master This opinion can be argued for in many ways. [1] Nothing of which the opposite was ordained by God is beneficial to the world, for everything contrary to a divine ordinance must be regarded as pernicious and bad and not beneficial. But a division of kingdoms so that they are under different kings with no superior is fram God; for, as is clear in 3 Kings, 12 and 13, God wished the children of Israel to have two kings who would neither of them be subject to the other and would not have a superior king.
Therefore it must not be judged beneficial for one secular ruler to have lordship over all mortals.
[2] Further, the same right exists in great and in little, in whole and in part, as was shown above by means of many sacred canons.
But that any one king or secular ruler, no matter who, should preside over a part of mortals, even the part that uses the justest laws, is not beneficial. For what displeases God is not beneficial; but thar the Israelite peopie, which was a part of mortals and used the justest
{because divine} laws, should be subject to a king or secular ruler was displeasing to God, so that, when that people asked for a king,
William of Ockham he said to Samuel, as we read in 1 Kings 8:7}: 'Listen to the voice of the people in ail they say to you. They have not rejected you, but me, that| should not reign over them." Therefore, a fartion, for one secular ruler to reign over the whole world, even if the whole were converted to the faith, is not beneficial.
[3] Besides, that form of government is more beneficial to the totality of mortals in the state of fault that is more like the form of government that would have existed if mankind had remained in the state of innocence, because that which is more like the SS VR SAE Rs PEREEETRsMU eeone tne OgOE se entsarscapeos hafe oeoeaOe fis oer states aSeteewats ene iea ae: ae Beeae iE aes oat ri Leenaae :Senees:
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