第113章

Butcantheybemadeunchangeable?Canonegenerationbindanother，andallothers，insuccessionforever?Ithinknot。TheCreatorhasmadetheearthfortheliving，notthedead。Rightsandpowerscanonlybelongtopersons，nottothings，nottomerematter，unendowedwithwill。Thedeadarenoteventhings。Theparticlesofmatterwhichcomposedtheirbodies，makepartnowofthebodiesofotheranimals，vegetables，orminerals，ofathousandforms。Towhatthenareattachedtherightsandpowerstheyheldwhileintheformofmen?Agenerationmaybinditselfaslongasitsmajoritycontinuesinlife；whenthathasdisappeared，anothermajorityisinplace，holdsalltherightsandpowerstheirpredecessorsonceheld，andmaychangetheirlawsandinstitutionstosuitthemselves。

Nothingthenisunchangeablebuttheinherentandunalienablerightsofman。

Iwasgladtofindinyourbookaformalcontradition，atlength，ofthejudiciaryusurpationoflegislativepowers；forsuchthejudgeshaveusurpedintheirrepeateddecisions，thatChristianityisapartofthecommonlaw。Theproofofthecontrary，whichyouhaveadduced，isincontrovertible；towit，thatthecommonlawexistedwhiletheAnglo-SaxonswereyetPagans，atatimewhentheyhadneveryetheardthenameofChristpronounced，orknewthatsuchacharacterhadeverexisted。Butitmayamuseyou，toshewwhen，andbywhatmeans，theystolethislawinuponus。Inacaseof_quareimpedit_intheYear-book34。H。6。folio38。(anno1458，)

aquestionwasmade，howfartheecclesiasticallawwastoberespectedinacommonlawcourt?AndPrisot，ChiefJustice，giveshisopinioninthesewords，`Atielleisqu’ilsdeseintegliseonten_ancienscripture_，covientanousadonnercredence；carceocommonleysurquelstoutsmannersleissontfondes。Etauxy，Sir，noussumusoblegesdeconustrelourleydesainteglise：etsemblablementilssontobligesdeconustrenostreley。Et，Sir，sipoitappereroranousquel’evesqueadfaitcomeunordinaryferaentielcas，adongnousdevonsceoadjugerbon，ouautermentnemy，’&c。

SeeS。C。Fitzh。Abr。Qu。imp。89。Bro。Abr。Qu。imp。12。Finchinhisfirstbook，c。3。isthefirstafterwardswhoquotesthiscase，andmistakesitthus。`Tosuchlawsofthechurchashavewarrantin_holyscripture_，ourlawgivethcredence。’AndcitesPrisot；

mistranslating_`ancienscripture，’_into_`holyscripture。’_WhereasPrisotpalpablysays，`tosuchlawsasthoseofholychurchhavein_antientwriting_，itisproperforustogivecredence；’towit，totheir_antientwritten_laws。Thiswasin1613，acenturyandahalfafterthedictumofPrisot。Wingate，in1658，erectsthisfalsetranslationintoamaximofthecommonlaw，copyingthewordsofFinch，butcitingPrisot。Wing。Max。3。AndSheppard，title，`Religion，’in1675，copiesthesamemistranslation，quotingtheY。

B。FinchandWingate。Haleexpressesitinthesewords；

`ChristianityisparcelofthelawsofEngland。’1Ventr。293。3Keb。

607。Buthequotesnoauthority。Bytheseechoingsandre-echoingsfromonetoanother，ithadbecomesoestablishedin1728，thatinthecaseoftheKing_vs。_Woolston，2Stra。834，thecourtwouldnotsufferittobedebated，whethertowriteagainstChristianitywaspunishableinthetemporalcourtatcommonlaw?Wood，therefore，409，venturesstilltovarythephrase，andsay，thatallblasphemyandprofanenessareoffencesbythecommonlaw；andcites2Stra。

ThenBlackstone，in1763，IV。59，repeatsthewordsofHale，that`ChristianityispartofthelawsofEngland，’citingVentrisandStrange。Andfinally，LordMansfield，withalittlequalification，inEvans’case，in1767，says，that`theessentialprinciplesofrevealedreligionarepartofthecommonlaw。’ThusingulphingBible，Testamentandallintothecommonlaw，withoutcitinganyauthority。

Andthuswefindthischainofauthoritieshanginglinkbylink，oneuponanother，andallultimatelyononeandthesamehook，andthatamistranslationofthewords_`ancienscripture，’_usedbyPrisot。

FinchquotesPrisot；Wingatedoesthesame。SheppardquotesPrisot，FinchandWingate。Halecitesnobody。ThecourtinWoolston’scase，citeHale。WoodcitesWoolston’scase。BlackstonequotesWoolston’scaseandHale。AndLordMansfield，likeHale，venturesitonhisownauthority。HereImightdefythebestr