Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-02-05

ZdtlOu hot Oh THIS PECULIAR ana HmIteu Dd- {
ture, from which we may learn something +
of Gods will respecting human govern |
ment."
Now the question is, aohat are the "many
Institutions designed for them THE He |
breaos] only, with which we have now
nothing to do BY way Of imitation?" And
what are the "other featm es of their or
ganizatlon not of this peculiar and limited
na'ure? Why all this generalizing and
vagueness2 | can account for it only BY
supposlng tina. he wisely foresaw and es-
cheWed the inextricable difficulty in which
he would be inevitably involved, the mo-
ment he commenced defining. Let us ex-
anime 1t for moment and see Would he
receive all the Jewish institutions that per-
tanned TO their government? Not he. Their
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, bruse for
bruise, blow for blow-lhe stoning 10 death
for various ofenses, and their bloody wars
oil determination against their enemies, he
would repudiare and abjure. Now ask
BY what authority he rejects the penalty Of
stoning TO death for adultery, and extermin-
atlng wars against our enemies? When
he has shown me his authority for these, |
will show him my authority for rejecting
every physical penalty annexed TO the Jew
ish code.
The moral law-which, bv the way. is
Ln1iJ.- I.rrr j 4
Ten Com nandments, first revealed TO the
Jews, is Of eternal obligation, and binding
on all Gods rational creatures to whom il
comes. But the physical penalties which
he annexed to that law, as il per.
tanned 10 the Jews, is altogether another
and different rhing-aS The treatment of
thetn by friend Curtis himself will fully
show he believes for he rejects as many
OF them as he thinks have passed awav
with the times which required their estab-
llshment." Non -ResiStants maintain that
the arhole of them "have passed away with
| the times which required their establish
| ment." They call on their opponents 10
lind. mark and show the stopping place
They affirm that authority for rejecting anu
OF those penalties is authority for rejecting
all of them.
He goes on. quoting scripture and COM
menling, to show that God approved of
human government among the Jews. Sup
pose 1t granted for the sake Of the argu-
ment. What then? Suppose it to be
granted that God, by special revelation,
appointed and regulated government among
the Jews? Call it human government if
you please. 1t was Gods way, at thai
time, and under tho,e circumstances, under
his special direction, 10 accomplish his
! special purposes. So was circumcision a
part OF his means for accomplishing the
same purposes. So were sacrifices. So
were bloody wars. But how does all this
prove that human governments in general
are Gods ordinances? Can any one show?
Is special revelation a general rule of
action? 1t is most egregious non-seoui
tur to say that because the Jeus, for the
accomplishment of Gods special purposes.
were sufered-or needed, if this word suit
friend Curtis better-to have certain laws
and penalties of Gods appointment THERE
FORE God has approvingy ordained that all
other men should have governments of
thelr o1on making, based on physical pen
altles of their own appointing, involving
the destruction of human life at their own
discretion. That they are suffered of God
1t is true. But that they are ordained Of
him, it is denied.
They who take special revelations for
general rules Of action do as great violence
to the scriptures as they who take prophecy
for rules Of duty.
All his scriptures quoted showing Gods
recognition OF government with physical
penalties amounts TO the same thing. Re
cognlt'ons are no more rules of duty than
are sufferances and prophecies. A hundred
fold more of scripture than he has brought
TO show the recognition of violent govern
ments, might be brought TO show the recoq
milton of human deprayity, of which human
governments are the offspring. Are we
therefore TO conclude that human deprayitv
is the ordinance of God !?
Friend Curtis says of the Jews:
GOD WAS THE SUPREME LEGISLATOR OF
THE NATION. HIS EXPRESS COMMANDS MADE
Up TIE CONSTITUTION, AND STATUTE BOOK.
AND COMMON LAwoF THE REALM. But under
thIs supreme authority these princes and
| heads of families, or heads of thousands.
| and hundreds, and iliies, exercised civil
and Judicial authority as truly as any of