JBY Notes:

1.  Text was scanned from Book II and is a translation from
     Bruder's 1843  Latin  text  by  R.H.M.  Elwes  (1883). 
     JBY  added  sentence  numbers.  
 
2.  (y:xx):   y = Chapter  Number,  if  given;    xx = Sentence  Number.
 
3.  Page  numbers  are  those  of  Book II.
 
4.  Citation abbreviations.
 
5.  ( Spinoza's Footnote or the Latin word ) , 
     ] Shirley's Bk. XI (or XIII) translation variance or note [, 
     { JBY comment, emendation, or endnote }.    LINKS 
    Metaphor of Commandment of G-D, Referred to G-D.                       G:Shirley:42, Metaphors  

6.  Please e-mail errors, clarification requests, disagreement,
     or suggestions to josephb@yesselman.com. 

7.  TEXT version of TTP1; without links and without commentary. 
     This HTML version was abridged and formatted for conversion to an eBook.
     The abridged version is available to be read on various eBook Readers
 
8.  There  is  much  in  this  work that you will not agree with or, even          Graetz's Censure
     think  nonsense—although  keep  in mind that Spinoza was under 
     the constraints of religious  intolerance.    Spinoza was born in the       apparent modesty 
     very year (1632)  that the inquisitorial denunciation of Galileo took  
     place.  However,  partake  of  the work (and my commentaries) as  
     you  would  a  pomegranate; relish  the  flesh,  but spit-out the pits. 
   { Bk.XIB:143. } apparent modesty

9.  EL:[7]:viii, EL:[11]:xi, EL:[17]:xiii, EL:[22]:xvi, EL:[64]:xxxi, EL:xxxiii:J6, 
     L19:296, L20:297, L23:301, L49:364,  New Wine in Old Bottles. 
                                                             {Scriptural Theology}              Hampshire:205
10. The  chief  aim  of  the whole treatise is to separate  faith ^ {Religion}          Smith:Divine Law
      from philosophy.  ]Shirley:37—What emerges in the TTP, as far as is Spinoza           Hampshire:203 & 205
      concerned, is the possibility of a this-worldly blessedness for both the rational person               TL:L36(23):345
       (through philosophy) and the common person (through purified religion),[                    EL:L21:(73):298
      {By my defining Religion as an hypothesis, the two are synthesized.}                     Philosophy / Religion
 
11. Links - To differentiate links from quotations (both blue text) set your
                  browser options to show links underlined.  
 
12.  Suggestion:  Do  not  read this Spinoza electronic text consecutively       Durant's Story
       as  you  would a novel, but rather follow a thread  by following all its          EL:[3]:vi
       links  in  turn.   You will then be putting hypertexting to its fullest and         Schorsch
       best advantage—the fuller discussion of a thread. If you do not stick 
       to one thread (idea) at a time,  this Web Site will be very convoluted,        Tickle the Fancy
       confusing, and an annoying maze. 

       If you prefer to read linearly, read these plain vanilla text versions,
       abridged versions, e-book versions, or best, study the printed book—
       book page numbers are given for most scanned books.
 

Preface  BKII:Pg. 3

   Part                   Chapters

Author's, Shirley's, and JBY Endnotes to Theologico-Political Treatise - Part 1 :269

JBY Endnotes
 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS:                                                             Bk.II:Page Numbers

   
A Theologico-Political Treatise , PART 1 , PART 2 , PART 3 , PART 4

Author's Notes to the Treatise

xxxiii:J6           Photocopy  of  Title  Page  of   the  first  edition  of  the                     Wolf
                 Tractatus Theologico-Politicus with sub-title omitted by Elwes.  
              The photo and translation are taken from Shirley's Book XI:46 & 47.  

                               

                                                TRACTATUS
                                     THEOLOGICO-POLITICUS

containing  a  number  of  dissertations,    wherein  it  is  shown  that
freedom  to  philosophise  can  not  only  be  granted  without  injury 
to   Piety   and   the   Peace   of   the  Commonwealth,  but  that  the 
Peace  of  the  Commonwealth  and  Piety  are  endangered  by  the 
                             suppression of this freedom.                                          Bk.XI:36103; Bk.XIA:272.   


                        John Epistle 1 Chapter 4, verse 13.                              Logos - 1 John 1:1

    "Hereby we know that we dwell in G-D and He in us, because             Immanent
                          He has given us of his Spirit."                               Bk.XIA:273.

                                           Hamburg. 
                         Published by Henry Kunraht 1670.                          Bk.XX:269. 

fortune: but being frequently driven into straits where rules are use-

less,  and  being  often  kept  fluctuating pitiably between hope and

fear  by  the uncertainty of fortune's greedily coveted favours, they

are consequently, for the most part, very prone to credulity. (P:2) The

human  mind  is  readily  swayed  this way or that in times of doubt,

especially  when  hope  and  fear  are  struggling  for  the  mastery,

though usually it is boastful, over-confident, and vain.



(P:3)  This  as  a  general fact I suppose everyone knows, though few,

I believe, know their own nature; no one can have lived in the world

without observing that most people, when in prosperity, are so over-

brimming  with  wisdom (however inexperienced they may be),  that

they  take  every  offer  of  advice  as a personal insult,  whereas in

adversity they know not where to turn, but beg and pray for counsel

from every passer-by.  (P:4)  No plan is then too futile,  too absurd,  or

too  fatuous  for  their adoption;  the most frivolous causes will raise

them  to  hope,  or  plunge  them  into despair—if anything happens

during their fright which reminds them of some past good or ill, they

think  it portends a happy or unhappy issue,  and therefore  (though

it may have proved abortive a hundred times before) style it a lucky

or  unlucky  omen.   (P:5)  Anything  which  excites  their astonishment

they  believe  to  be  a  portent signifying the anger of the Gods or of

the Supreme being, and, mistaking superstition for religion, account

it  impious  not  to avert the evil with prayer and sacrifice.  (P:6)  Signs

and wonders   page 4    of this sort they conjure up perpetually, till one

might think Nature as mad as themselves,  they interpret her so fan-

tastically.



(P:7)  Thus  it is brought prominently before us, that superstition's chief

victims  are  those persons who greedily covet temporal advantages;

they  it  is, who (especially when they are in danger, and cannot help

themselves)  are  wont  with  Prayers and womanish tears to implore

help  from  G-D:  upbraiding  Reason  as  blind, because she cannot            Metaphors  

show  a  sure path to the shadows they pursue, and rejecting human

wisdom  as  vain; but believing the phantoms of imagination, dreams,

and  other  childish  absurdities,  to  be  the  very  oracles of Heaven. 

(P:8)   As  though  G-D  had  turned away from the wise, and written His

decrees,  not  in  the  mind of man but in the entrails of beasts, or left

them  to  be  proclaimed  by  the inspiration and instinct of fools, mad-
           Bk.XIA:3123.
men,  and  birds.   (P:8a)  Such is the unreason to which terror can drive

mankind!


        Bk.XIA:2914.
(P:9)  Superstition,  then,  is  engendered,  preserved,  and  fostered by

fear.  (P:9a)  If  anyone  desire  an example, let him take Alexander, who

only  began  superstitiously  to  seek  guidance  from seers, when he

first learnt to fear fortune in the passes of Sysis (Curtius, v.4); where-

as  after  he  had  conquered Darius he consulted prophets no more,

till  a  second  time  frightened by reverses.  (P:10)  When the Scythians

were  provoking a battle, the Bactrians had deserted, and he himself

was  lying  sick  of  his wounds, "he once more turned to superstition,

the  mockery  of  human  wisdom,  and  bade Aristander, to whom he

confided  his  credulity, inquire the issue of affairs with sacrificed vic-

tims."  (P:11)   Very  numerous  examples  of a like nature might be cited,

clearly  showing  the  fact,  that only while under the dominion of fear

do  men  fall a prey to superstition; that all the portents ever invested

with  the  reverence  of  misguided religion are mere phantoms of de-

jected  and  fearful minds; and lastly, that prophets have most power

among  the  people,  and  are  most formidable to rulers, precisely at

those times when the state is in most peril.   (P:12)  I think this is suffici-

ently  plain  to  all,  and  will  therefore  say  no  more on the subject.


                              Bk.XIX:27040.
(P:13)  The  origin of superstition above given affords us a clear reason

for  the  fact,  that it comes to all men naturally, though some refer its

rise  to  a  dim  notion  of  G-D,  universal  page 5  to mankind, and also

tends  to  show, that it is no less inconsistent and variable than other
                                                     Bk.XIA:3022.
mental  hallucinations and emotional impulses, and further that it can

only  be  maintained  by  hope,  hatred,  anger,  and  deceit;  since it

springs,  not  from reason, but solely from the more powerful phases

of  emotion.  (P:14)   Furthermore,  we may readily understand how diffi-

cult  it  is, to maintain in the same course men prone to every form of

credulity.  (P:15)  For, as the mass of mankind remains always at about

the  same  pitch  of misery, it never assents long to any one remedy,

but  is  always  best  pleased  by a novelty which has not yet proved

illusive.



(P:16)  This  element of inconsistency has been the cause of many terri-

ble  wars  and revolutions; for, as Curtius well says (lib. iv. chap. 10):
                                                                     Bk.XIB:8154.
"The  mob  has  no ruler more potent than superstition," and is easily

led, on the plea of religion, at one moment to adore its kings as Gods,

and  anon  to execrate and abjure them as humanity's common bane.

(P:17)  Immense pains have therefore been taken to counteract this evil
                                                                                       Bk.XX:27283. 
by investing religion, whether true or false, with such pomp and cere-

mony,  that  it  may  rise  superior  to every shock, and be always ob-

served  with  studious  reverence  by  the  whole  people—a  system
                                                                                      Bk.XIA:3345.
which   has   been   brought  to  great  perfection  by  the  Turks,  for

they  consider  even  controversy  impious, and so clog men's minds

with  dogmatic  formulas,  that  they leave no room for sound reason,

not even enough to doubt with.



(P:18)   But if, in despotic statecraft, the supreme and essential mystery

be  to  hoodwink  the  subjects,  and  to  mask the fear, which keeps
                                         Bk.XIA:3344.
them  down,  with  the  specious  garb  of  religion,  so that men may
                       Bk.XIA:1991; Bk.XIX:27041.
fight  as  bravely for slavery as for safety, and count it not shame but

highest  honour  to risk their blood and their lives for the vainglory of
  Bk.XIB:8359.
a  tyrant;  yet in a free state no more mischievous expedient could be

planned or attempted.  (P:19)  Wholly repugnant to the general freedom

are  such devices as enthralling men's minds with prejudices, forcing

their  judgment,  or  employing any of the weapons of quasi-religious

sedition;  indeed, such seditions only spring up, when law enters the          Robinson3:63

domain of speculative thought, and opinions are put on trial and con-

demned on the same footing as crimes, while those who defend and

follow  them  are  sacrificed,  not  to  public safety, but to their  page 6
                                          Bk.XIA:3126.
opponents'  hatred  and cruelty.  (19a) If deeds only could be made the         Col:Hampshire:205

grounds  of  criminal  charges,  and  words  were  always  allowed to

pass  free,  such  seditions would be divested of every semblance of

justification,  and  would  be separated from mere controversies by a

hard and fast line.



(P:20)  Now,  seeing  that  we  have  the rare happiness of living in a re-
                          Bk.XIA:3446.
public,  where  everyone's  judgment  is  free and unshackled, where
                                                            Bk.XIA:4492. 
each  may  worship G-D as his conscience dictates, and where free-            Deus sive Natura
                                                            Bk.XIA:24107.
dom is esteemed before all things dear and precious, I have believed

that  I  should  be  undertaking  no  ungrateful or unprofitable task, in

demonstrating  that  not  only  can  such freedom be granted without

prejudice  to  the  public  peace, but also, that without such freedom,

piety  cannot  flourish  nor  the  public  peace  be  secure.



(P:21)   Such  is  the  chief conclusion I seek to establish in this treatise;

but,  in  order  to  reach  it,  I  must  first point out the misconceptions

which,  like  scars  of  our  former  bondage,  still disfigure our notion

of  religion, and must expose the false views about the civil authority

which  many have most impudently advocated, endeavouring to turn

the mind of the people, still prone to heathen superstition, away from
      Bk.XIA:287.
its legitimate rulers, and so bring us again into slavery.  (P:22)  As to the

order  of  my  treatise I will speak presently, but first I will recount the

causes which led me to write.



(P:23)   I  have  often  wondered, that persons who make a boast of pro-

fessing  the  Christian religion, namely, love, joy, peace, temperance,

and  charity to all men, should quarrel with such rancorous animosity,

and  display  daily  towards  one another such bitter hatred, that this,
                                                                                    Bk.XIA:3766.
rather  than  the  virtues  they  claim,  is the readiest criterion of their

faith.   (P:24)   Matters  have  long  since  come to such a pass, that one

can  only  pronounce  a man Christian, Turk, Jew, or Heathen, by his

general  appearance  and  attire, by his frequenting this or that place

of  worship,  or  employing  the  phraseology of a particular sect—as

for  manner  of  life,  it  is  in  all cases the same.  (P:25)  Inquiry into the

cause  of  this  anomaly  leads  me  unhesitatingly to ascribe it to the

fact,  that  the  ministries  of  the Church are regarded by the masses

merely  as  dignities,  her  offices  as  posts  of  emolument—in short,

popular  religion  may  be  summed  up  as  respect for ecclesiastics.

(P:26)   The  spread  of  this  misconception  inflamed  every  worthless

page 7  fellow  with  an  intense  desire  to  enter holy orders, and thus

the  love  of  diffusing G-D's religion degenerated into sordid avarice

and  ambition.  (P:27)   Every  church  became a theatre, where orators,

instead  of  church  teachers,  harangued,  caring  not  to instruct the

people,   but  striving  to  attract  admiration,  to  bring  opponents  to

public  scorn,  and  to  preach only novelties and paradoxes, such as

would  tickle  the ears of their congregation.  (P:28)  This state of things

necessarily  stirred  up  an  amount of controversy, envy, and hatred,

which  no  lapse  of  time  could  appease;  so  that  we can scarcely

wonder that of the old religion nothing survives but its outward forms

(even  these,  in  the  mouth  of  the multitude, seem rather adulation

than  adoration of the Deity), and that faith has become a mere com-

pound   of   credulity   and   prejudices—aye,  prejudices  too,  which

degrade  man  from  rational  being  to  beast, which completely stifle

the  power  of  judgment between true and false, which seem, in fact,

carefully  fostered  for  the purpose of extinguishing the last spark of

reason!   (P:29)   Piety,  great  G-D! and religion are become a tissue of
  Bk.XIA:3125; Bk.XIB:8257.
ridiculous  mysteries; men, who flatly despise reason, who reject and

turn  away  from  understanding  as  naturally  corrupt,  these,  I  say,

these  of  all  men,  are  thought,  O lie most horrible! to possess light

from  on  High.  (P:30)   Verily,  if they had but one spark of light from on

High,  they  would  not  insolently  rave,  but  would  learn to worship

G-D  more  wisely,  and  would be as marked among their fellows for

mercy  as  they  now  are  for malice; if they were concerned for their

opponents'  souls,  instead  of  for  their own reputations, they would

no   longer   fiercely  persecute,  but  rather  be  filled  with  pity  and
  Bk.XIB:21458.
compassion.



(P:31)  Furthermore,  if  any  Divine  light  were in them, it would appear

from  their  doctrine.  (P:32)  I  grant  that they are never tired of profess-

ing  their wonder at the profound mysteries of Holy Writ; still I cannot

discover  that they teach anything but speculations of Platonists and

Aristotelians,  to  which  ( in order to save their credit for Christianity)

they  have  made  Holy  Writ  conform;  not  content  to rave with the
      Bk.XIA:3128.
Greeks  themselves,  they  want  to  make  the  prophets  rave  also;

showing  conclusively,  that  never even in sleep have they caught a

glimpse  of  Scripture's  Divine   page 8   Nature.   (P:33)  The  very  vehe-

mence  of  their admiration for the mysteries plainly attests, that their

belief  in  the  Bible  is  a  formal assent rather than a living faith: and

the fact is made still more apparent by their laying down beforehand,

as a foundation for the study and true interpretation of Scripture, the

principle  that  it  is  in  every  passage  true  and divine.  (P:34)  Such a

doctrine  should  be  reached  only  after strict scrutiny and thorough

comprehension  of  the  Sacred  Books ( which  would  teach it much

better,  for  they  stand in need of no human factions), and not be set

up on the threshold, as it were, of inquiry.



(P:35)   As  I  pondered  over the facts that the light of reason is not only

despised,  but  by  many  even execrated as a source of impiety, that

human   commentaries  are  accepted  as  divine  records,   and  that

credulity  is  extolled  as faith; as I marked the fierce controversies of

philosophers  raging  in Church and State, the source of bitter hatred

and  dissension,   the  ready  instruments  of  sedition  and  other  ills

innumerable,  I  determined  to  examine the Bible afresh in a careful,

impartial,  and  unfettered  spirit, making no assumptions concerning

it,  and  attributing  to  it  no  doctrines,  which  I  do  not  find  clearly

therein   set   down.   (P:36)    With  these  precautions  I  constructed  a

method  of  Scriptural  interpretation,  and  thus equipped proceeded

to  inquire—what  is  prophecy?  (P:37)   In  what  sense did G-D reveal              Metaphor

himself  to  the prophets, and why were these particular men chosen

by  him?  (P:38)   Was  it  on  account  of  the  sublimity of their thoughts

about the Deity and Nature, or was it solely on account of their piety?

(P:39)   These questions being answered, I was easily able to conclude,

that  the  authority  of  the  prophets  has  weight  only  in  matters of
                               {theoretical, rather than practical}
morality, and that their speculative doctrines affect us little.



(P:40)   Next  I  inquired,  why  the  Hebrews  were  called G-D's chosen

people,  and  discovering  that  it was only because G-D had chosen

for  them  a  certain strip of territory, where they might live peaceably

and  at  ease,  I  learnt  that  the Law  revealed by G-D to Moses was            Metaphors 

merely  the  law  of  the  individual Hebrew state, therefore that it was           Constitution

binding  on  none  but  Hebrews,  and not even on Hebrews after the
                      Bk.XIA:9977. 
downfall  of  their  nation.  (P:41)  Further, in order to ascertain, whether              Runes:v

it  could  be concluded from Scripture, that the human understanding

page 9   is  naturally  corrupt,  I inquired whether the Universal Religion,            World State 

the  Divine  Law  revealed  through the Prophets and Apostles to the

whole  human  race,  differs  from  that which is taught by the light of

natural  reason,  whether  miracles  can  take place in violation of the

laws  of  Nature,  and  if  so, whether they imply the existence of G-D

more  surely  and  clearly  than  events, which we understand plainly

and distinctly through their immediate natural causes.



(P:42)  Now,  as in the whole course of my investigation I found nothing

taught  expressly  by Scripture, which does not agree with our under-

standing,  or  which  is  repugnant  thereto,   and  as  I  saw  that  the

prophets  taught  nothing,  which  is  not very simple and easily to be

grasped  by  all,  and  further,  that  they clothed their teaching in the

style,  and  confirmed  it  with the reasons, which would most deeply

move  the  mind  of  the  masses to devotion towards G-D, I became

thoroughly  convinced,  that  the Bible leaves reason absolutely free,
                                                                                                {Religion}
that  it  has  nothing  in common with philosophy, in fact, that Revela-              Sc:Note 8.
                                                        Bk.XIA:82135. 
tion  and  Philosophy  stand  on different footings. In order to set this

forth  categorically  and  exhaust  the  whole question, I point out the

way  in  which  the  Bible  should be interpreted, and show that all of

spiritual  questions  should  be sought from it alone, and not from the

objects  of  ordinary  knowledge.   (P:43)   Thence  I  pass on to indicate

the  false  notions, which  have from the fact that the multitude—ever

prone  to  superstition, and caring more for the shreds of antiquity for

eternal  truths—pays  homage  to the Books of the Bible, rather than
                Bk.XIX:57b.
to  the  Word of G-D.  (P:44)  I show that the Word of G-D has not been               Metaphor      

revealed   as   a   certain  number of books, but was displayed to the

prophets  as  a  simple  idea  of the mind, namely, obedience to G-D         Durant:641 - Theology 

in  singleness  of  heart,  and  in  the  practice  of  justice and charity;

and  I  further  point  out,  that this doctrine is set forth in Scripture in

accordance  with  the  opinions and understandings of those, among

whom  the  Apostles  and  Prophets preached,  to  the  end that men

might receive it willingly, and with their whole heart.



(P:45)   Having  thus  laid  bare  the  bases  of belief, I draw the conclusion
                                                    {peace-of-mind}                                                     Mark Twain 
that Revelation {Religion, faith} has obedience for its sole object, therefore,
                                                    Bk.XIA:286.
in  purpose  no  less   than   in  foundation  and   page 10   method,  stands

entirely   aloof  from ordinary knowledge {Reason, Philosophy}; each has its 

separate  province,  neither  can  be  called  the  handmaid  of the other.

{By defining religion as an hypothesis, I attempt to synthesize the two.}



(P:46)   Furthermore,  as  men's habits of mind differ, so that some more

readily  embrace  one  form of  faith,  some  another, for what moves
                                               Bk.XIA:15766, 2023.
one  to  pray  may  move another only to scoff, I conclude, in accord-

ance  with  what  has  gone  before, that everyone should be free to

choose   for   himself  the  foundation  of  his  creed,  and  that  faith
                                         {Cash Value}
should be judged only by its fruits; each would then obey G-D freely             Metaphors

with his whole  heart, while nothing would be publicly honoured save

justice and charity.



(P:47)  Having thus drawn attention to the liberty conceded to everyone

by  the  revealed  law of G-D, I pass on to another part of my subject,

and  prove  that  this  same  liberty can and should be accorded with

safety  to  the state  and the magisterial authority—in fact, that it can-

not  be  withheld  without great danger to peace and detriment to the

community.


                  Bk.XIA:51136  
(P:48)   In  order  to  establish  my  point, I start from the natural rights of

the  individual,  which  are  co-extensive  with  his desires and power,

and  from  the  fact  that  no  one is bound to live as another pleases,

but  is  the  guardian  of  his own liberty.  (P:49)  I show that these rights

can  only  be  transferred  to  those  whom  we  depute  to defend us,

who  acquire  with  the  duties  of  defence the power of ordering our

lives,  and  I  thence  infer  that  rulers  possess rights only limited by

their  power,  that  they  are  the sole guardians of justice and liberty,

and  that their subjects should act in all things as they dictate: never-

theless,  since  no one can so utterly abdicate his own power of self-

defence  as  to  cease  to  be  a  man,  I conclude that no one can be

deprived  of  his natural rights absolutely, but that subjects, either by

tacit   agreement,  or  by  social  contract,  retain  a  certain  number,

which  cannot  be  taken from them without great danger to the state.



(P:50)  From these considerations I pass on to the Hebrew State, which

I  describe  at  some  length,  in  order  to  trace  the manner in which

Religion  acquired the force of law, and to touch on other noteworthy             Constitution 

points.  (P:51)  I then prove, that the holders of sovereign power are the
                               Bk.XIA:51136  
depositories  and  interpreters  of  religious  no less than of civil ordi-             Robinson3:63 

nances,  and  that they a lone have the right to decide what is just or

 page 11  unjust,  pious  or  impious;  lastly,  I conclude by showing, that

they best retain this right and secure safety to their state by allowing
                                                                       Bk.XIA:1777.
every man to think what he likes, and say what he thinks.



(P:52)   Such,  Philosophical  Reader, are the questions I submit to your

notice,  counting  on  your  approval,  for  the  subject  matter  of  the

whole  book  and  of  the several chapters is important and profitable.

(53)   I  would  say  more,  but  I  do  not want my preface to extend to a

volume,  especially  as  I  know  that  its  leading  propositions  are to

Philosophers  but  commonplaces.  (P:54)  To the rest of mankind I care

not to commend my treatise, for I cannot expect that it contains any-

thing  to  please  them:  I know how deeply rooted are the prejudices

embraced  under  the  name  of  religion; I am aware that in the mind
                               Bk.XIB:8154.
of   the   masses  superstition  is  no  less  deeply  rooted  than  fear;

I recognize  that  their constancy is mere obstinacy, and that they are
                  Bk.XIA:4390. 
led  to  praise or blame by impulse rather than reason.  (P:55)Therefore

the  multitude,  and  those  of  like  passions  with the multitude, I ask

not  to  read  my  book;  nay,  I  would  rather that they should utterly

neglect   it,  than  that  they  should  misinterpret  it  after  their  wont.

(P:56)   They  would  gain no good themselves, and might prove a stum-

bling-block  to  others,  whose  philosophy  is hampered by the belief

that  Reason  is  a  mere  handmaid to Theology, and whom I seek in
                                                                                     Bk.XIA:4076. 
this  work  especially  to  benefit.  (P:57)   But  as there will be many who

have   neither   the   leisure,   nor,  perhaps,  the  inclination  to  read

through  all  I  have  written,  I  feel  bound  here, as at the end of my

treatise,  to  declare  that  I  have written nothing, which I do not most

willingly  submit  to  the  examination  and  judgment  of  my country's

rulers,  and  that  I  am  ready  to  retract  anything,  which  they shall
                                                                                            Bk.XIA:51137
decide  to  be  repugnant to the laws or prejudicial to the public good.

(P:58)  I know that I am a man and, as a man, liable to error, but against

error  I  have  taken scrupulous care, and striven to keep in entire ac-
                                                                                          Bk.XIA:51138ff
cordance  with the laws of my country, with loyalty, and with morality.

{Read EL:L49(43), a must.}    Bk.XIA:4077. 

page 13

CHAPTER I.—Of Prophecy


        Bk.XIA:9028.                                                                       {Metaphor}                          Yirmiyahu Yovel 
(1:1)   Prophecy,  or  revelation  is  sure  knowledge revealed by G-D to

man.  (1:2)  A  prophet  is  one  who  interprets  the  revelations  of G-D

{insights} to those  who are unable to attain to sure knowledge of the

matters  revealed, and therefore can only apprehend them by simple

faith.


                                         {EL:[65]:xxxi.}     Bk.XI:591. 
(1:3)  The  Hebrew  word  for  prophet is "naw-vee' " {Strong:5030}, (1)

i.e. speaker or interpreter, but in Scripture its meaning is restricted to

interpreter  of  God,  as  we  may learn from Exodus vii:1, where God

says  to  Moses,  "See,  I  have  made  thee  a  god  to Pharaoh, and

Aaron  thy  brother  shall be thy prophet;" implying that, since in inter-

preting  Moses'  words to Pharaoh, Aaron acted the part of a prophet,

Moses  would  be  to  Pharaoh  as  a  god, or in the attitude of a god.



(1:4) Prophets I will treat of in the next chapter, and at present consider

prophecy.



(1:5)  Now  it is evident,  from the definition above given, that prophecy

really  includes  ordinary  knowledge;  for  the  knowledge  which we

acquire  by  our  natural faculties depends on knowledge of G-D and
                                                                          Bk.XIX:293.
His  eternal  laws;  but  ordinary  knowledge is common to all men as

men,  and  rests  on  foundations  which all share, whereas the multi-

tude  always  strains  after rarities and exceptions, and thinks little of

the  gifts  of  Nature;  so  that,  when  prophecy is  talked of, ordinary

knowledge  is not supposed to be included.  (1:6)  Nevertheless  page 14

it  has  as  much  right  as  any  other  to  be  called Divine, for G-D's

Nature,  in  so  far  as  we share therein, and G-D's laws, dictate it to

us;  nor  does  it  suffer  from  that to which we give the preëminence,

except  in  so  far  as  the  latter  transcends  its  limits and cannot be

accounted  for  by  natural  laws  taken in themselves.  (1:7)  In respect

to  the  certainty  it  involves,  and the source from which it is derived,
                                                                        Bk.XIA:9030.  
i.e.  G-D,  ordinary  knowledge is no whit inferior to prophetic, unless

indeed  we  believe,  or  rather  dream,  that the prophets had human

bodies  but  superhuman  minds,  and therefore that their sensations

and  consciousness  were  entirely  different  from  our  own.



(1:8)  But, although ordinary knowledge is Divine, its professors cannot
          Bk.XIA:9031.  
be called prophets (2), for they teach what the rest of mankind could

perceive  and  apprehend,  not merely  by simple faith, but as surely

and honourably as themselves.



(1:9)  Seeing  then  that  our mind subjectively contains in itself and par-

takes  of  the  nature  of  G-D,  and  solely from this cause is enabled

to  form  notions explaining natural phenomena and inculcating moral-

ity, it follows that we may rightly assert the nature of the human mind
                                                                            Bk.XIA:9135.  
(in  so  far  as  it  is  thus  conceived) to be a primary cause of Divine

revelation.  All that we clearly and distinctly understand is dictated to

us,  as  I have just pointed out, by the idea and nature of G-D; not in-            Deus sive Natura 

deed  through  words,  but  in a way far more excellent and agreeing

perfectly  with  the  nature  of the mind, as all who have enjoyed intel-

lectual  certainty  will  doubtless attest.  (1:11)  Here, however, my chief

purpose  is  to  speak  of  matters  having  reference to Scripture, so

these few words on the light of reason will suffice.



(1:12)  I  will  now  pass  on  to, and treat more fully, the other ways an