The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-12-28


disturb despo,ism with their remonsirances,
and tina, consciences illuminated and puri-
fed cannot be perverted 10 error that God
has delegated TO no human tribunal author
ity 10 interfere between Himself and the
monitor which He has implanted in the
bosom Of every moral being, and which is
responsible 10 its Author alone; and that
the boundaries Of human authority are The
boundaries OF eternal justice, ascertained
by the teachings Of that monitor which,
where IL is free and fully awakened, must
always be the same. They answered far
Their, and with decisive energy, tina, ,radit'
ions and compacts subyersive OF freedom,
were altogether void, because the masses OF
ways have supreme control over their own
conduct, in all tina, concerns their duty 10
God and their own happiness.
II was especially To-
licitous that the lives Of the puritans yindi-
Gated their sincerity, magnanimity and pie,y.
Equally in domestic and social life, and in
the great transactions Of the State in which
they became concerned, their conduct was
without fear and reproach. With oil these
advantages, the Puritans, as naturally as
wisely. referred themselves to the Divine
Revelations for the principle which they
promulgated. With effective simplicity,
they confined themselves to the main point
in debate. They neither pretended TO define
nor to make summaries OF all the natural
rights OF man which tyranny might invade,
nor 10 trace out The ultimate secular conse.
quences Of the great principle on which they
insisted. They rested tho defence OF the
one natural right, which was distinctly in.
vaded, on no grounds Of expediency or OF
public utility, but on the grounds alone
that God had given il, and that man could
not either invade or surrender il, without
sin against the Divine Majesty. IL was the
peculiarly Of the right thus invaded and de-
tended, that lent to the Puritans their crown
ing advantage. Religion is the profoundest
and most universal affection Of our nature.
Apparently the cause Of innumerable differ
ences and endless controversies, il is, never
theess, the one common and principal ele.
ment which controls the actions Of all men.
II sustained the Puritans. IL gradually
won for them the respect and sympathies Of
men and Of nations. The right assaied
brought equally conscience and the love OF
liberty, the two most elastic and enduring
springs oil activity, into resistance. Its in
yasion was sacrilegious because it assumed
TO add to the Divine commandments, and to
take away from disobedience to them the
curses that are written against II in the
Book OF Life.
y
Let US consider now the scope and full
import Of the Puritan principle. That scope
is not narrowed by any failure Of the Puri.
tans themselves TO comprehend it, or even
by any neglect on their part to cover It full
ly in their own political conduct. Christian
ity is the same, however narrowed or per-
yerted by erroneous creeds or practices
among the faithful Nor Is the real merit
Of the Puritans diminished, because they did
no, fully comprehend all possible applica-
tons Of the principle they maintained. HUI
man progress is only the following Of an
endless chain, suspended IRON the throne OF
God The links OF that chain are infinite.
The human hand can grasp only one ofshem
at once.
The Puritan principle OF the inviolability
Of the light OF conscience, necessarily COW
ers the inviolability OF all the acknowledged
natural rights Of man, as we'll those which
concern his duty to himself and his duty
to others, as those which arise out Of his
direct duties towards God. Certainly the
Creator and Ruler OF the Universe. the be-
nefceni Father and Preseryer OF all life, the
universal Lawgiyer and Judge Of oil moral
beings, Is not in any human sense jealous
aud exactiug God, incen cd by the with
holding Of homage due to himself, and yet
regardless OF the neglect Of other human
duties which he has prescribed. Assuredly,
when he commands US not only to walk
humbly before Himself, but also to perfect
our own nature, and 10 do justice, and love
mercy towards other men, he has given us
the same absolute right to the free exercise
of our faculties. in performing these latter
duties, that he has given US for the per-
lormance OF the FIRST. Nor is there any
homage to God so acceptable as the upright
heart and pure. He that loyeth not his
brother, whom he hath seen, how can he
love God whom he hath not seen
The Puritan principle further involves the
political equality Of all men. Absolute
rights arise on, Of the moral constitution Of
man. There is only one moral constitution
OF all men. The absolute rights of all men
are therefore the same. Political equality
is nothing else than the full enjoyment, by
every member of the State, OF the absolute
rights which belong equally to all men,
Any abridgcment Of that equality, on what.
ever consideration, except by discriminating
justice in the punishment of crimes, is there
fore forbidden to humln government by the
Divine authority. The Puritans so under
stood their own great principle in its bear
ing upon the right Of conscience.
@ *l
The Puritan principle draws closely after
il the consequences OF an absolute separation
Of Church and State, for the reason that the
liberation Of conscience can in no other way
BE- practically and completely established |
That separ lion has been made in the Amer
lean constitutions, with abundant advantage
10 both the cause OF religion and the cause |
of GOOD government. Great Britain is ad- |
yancing steadily towards the adoption Of the |
same broad, Just and beneiicent policy. The |
separation Of Church and State may there
fore be regarded as contribution made by |
the Puritans towards perfecting the art Of
government.
Inc pOutlCai SQua'ty '" ASu nas aiso uiot Il
with obstinate resistance, and has also
achieved many and suspicious tiiumphs.-l
After one hundred and fifty years OF con-
troyersy, il was carried into the British con.
stitulion BY the judicial decision in Somer-
sets case, that slave could not breathe tho
air of England. Ten or fifteen years later,
il was theoretically adopted and promulgat
ed in the Declaration OF American lndepend
ence. The suppression OF the African slave
trade, by convention Of the States Of Chris
tendon, transferred the same principle to the
law Of nations. The abolition OF slavery by
all the European nations, and with few ex-
ceptious, also by all Of the American States,
Is Indicative Of the universal adoption Of the
same grcat principle by all Christian nations,
ut some period not far distant.
You are now prepared, trust, for anoth-
or and still more comprehensive view OF the
Puritan principle, namely: that lis iull and
,na,Cec, DEVELOPMENT is the pure system OF