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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

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