part20-第4章
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autem negabit Deum esse corpus; etsi deus spiritus? Spiritus etiam
corporis sui generis; in sua effigie。' Tertullian。 These two fathers
were of the 3d。 century。 Calvin's character of this supreme being
seems chiefly copied from that of the Jews。 But the reformation of
these blasphemous attributes; and substitution of those more worthy;
pure and sublime; seems to have been the chief object of Jesus in his
discources to the Jews: and his doctrine of the Cosmogony of the
world is very clearly laid down in the 3 first verses of the 1st。
chapter of John; in these words; ‘{en arche en o logos; kai o logos
en pros ton Theon kai Theos en o logos。 ‘otos en en arche pros ton
Theon。 Panta de ayto egeneto; kai choris ayto egeneto ode en; o
gegonen}。 Which truly translated means ‘in the beginning God
existed; and reason (or mind) was with God; and that mind was God。
This was in the beginning with God。 All things were created by it;
and without it was made not one thing which was made'。 Yet this
text; so plainly declaring the doctrine of Jesus that the world was
created by the supreme; intelligent being; has been perverted by
modern Christians to build up a second person of their tritheism by a
mistranslation of the word {logos}。 One of it's legitimate meanings
indeed is ‘a word。' But; in that sense; it makes an unmeaning jargon:
while the other meaning ‘reason'; equally legitimate; explains
rationally the eternal preexistence of God; and his creation of the
world。 Knowing how incomprehensible it was that ‘a word;' the mere
action or articulation of the voice and organs of speech could create
a world; they undertake to make of this articulation a second
preexisting being; and ascribe to him; and not to God; the creation
of the universe。 The Atheist here plumes himself on the uselessness
of such a God; and the simpler hypothesis of a self…existent
universe。 The truth is that the greatest enemies to the doctrines of
Jesus are those calling themselves the expositors of them; who have
perverted them for the structure of a system of fancy absolutely
incomprehensible; and without any foundation in his genuine words。
And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus; by the
supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed
with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter。
But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in
these United States will do away with all this artificial
scaffolding; and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of
this the most venerated reformer of human errors。
So much for your quotation of Calvin's ‘mon dieu! jusqu'a
quand' in which; when addressed to the God of Jesus; and our God; I
join you cordially; and await his time and will with more readiness
than reluctance。 May we meet there again; in Congress; with our
antient Colleagues; and recieve with them the seal of approbation
‘Well done; good and faithful servants。'
THE SUPREME COURT AND THE CONSTITUTION
_To Justice William Johnson_
_Monticello; June 12; 1823_
DEAR SIR; Our correspondence is of that accommodating
character; which admits of suspension at the convenience of either
party; without inconvenience to the other。 Hence this tardy
acknowledgment of your favor of April the 11th。 I learn from that
with great pleasure; that you have resolved on continuing your
history of parties。 Our opponents are far ahead of us in
preparations for placing their cause favorably before posterity。 Yet
I hope even from some of them the escape of precious truths; in angry
explosions or effusions of vanity; which will betray the genuine
monarchism of their principles。 They do not themselves believe what
they endeavor to inculcate; that we were an opposition party; not on
principle; but merely seeking for office。 The fact is; that at the
formation of our government; many had formed their political opinions
on European writings and practices; believing the experience of old
countries; and especially of England; abusive as it was; to be a
safer guide than mere theory。 The doctrines of Europe were; that men
in numerous associations cannot be restrained within the limits of
order and justice; but by forces physical and moral; wielded over
them by authorities independent of their will。 Hence their
organization of kings; hereditary nobles; and priests。 Still further
to constrain the brute force of the people; they deem it necessary to
keep them down by hard labor; poverty and ignorance; and to take from
them; as from bees; so much of their earnings; as that unremitting
labor shall be necessary to obtain a sufficient surplus barely to
sustain a scanty and miserable life。 And these earnings they apply
to maintain their privileged orders in splendor and idleness; to
fascinate the eyes of the people; and excite in them an humble
adoration and submission; as to an order of superior beings。
Although few among us had gone all these lengths of opinion; yet many
had advanced; some more; some less; on the way。 And in the
convention which formed our government; they endeavored to draw the
cords of power as tight as they could obtain them; to lessen the
dependence of the general functionaries on their constituents; to
subject to them those of the States; and to weaken their means of
maintaining the steady equilibrium which the majority of the
convention had deemed salutary for both branches; general and local。
To recover; therefore; in practice the powers which the nation had
refused; and to warp to their own wishes those actually given; was
the steady object of the federal party。 Ours; on the contrary; was
to maintain the will of the majority of the convention; and of the
people themselves。 We believed; with them; that man was a rational
animal; endowed by nature with rights; and with an innate sense of
justice; and that he could be restrained from wrong and protected in
right by moderate powers; confided to persons of his own choice; and
held to their duties by dependence on his own will。 We believed that
the complicated organization of kings; nobles; and priests; was not
the wisest nor best to effect the happiness of associated man; that
wisdom and virtue were not hereditary; that the trappings of such a
machinery; consumed by their expense; those earnings of industry;
they were meant to protect; and; by the inequalities they produced;
exposed liberty to sufferance。 We believed that men; enjoying in
ease and security the full fruits of their own industry; enlisted by
all their interests on the side of law and order; habituated to think
for themselves; and to follow their reason as their guide; would be
more easily and safely governed; than with minds nourished in error;
and vitiated and debased; as in Europe; by ignorance; indigence and
oppression。 The cherishment of the people then was our principle;
the fear and distrust of them; that of the other party。 Composed; as
we were; of the landed and laboring interests of the country; we
could not be less anxious for a government of law and order than were
the inhabitants of the cities; the strongholds of federalism。 And
whether our efforts to save the principles and form of our
constitution have not been salutary; let the present republican
freedom; order and prosperity of our country determine。 History may
distort truth; and will distort it for a time; by the superior
efforts at justification of those who are conscious of needing it
most。 Nor will the opening scenes of our present government be seen
in their true aspect; until the letters of the day; now held in
private hoards; shall be broken up and laid open to public view。
What a treasure will be found in General Washington's cabinet; when
it shall pass into the hands of as candid a friend to truth as he was
himself! When no longer; like Caesar's notes and memorandums in the
hands