Seeking the lowest form of worldly wisdom--political science applied as
the agent for promoting general welfare--we may look in vain for a
beginning thus to apply such science, in any nation unblest by
revelation.
They on whom the light has shone, have generally so imperfectly
comprehended it, that they have only attained to that vulgar love of
liberty, which Guizot defines to be removed but a step from the love of
power. Rather, we might say, that step is not--the two are but the
same thing. Viewed on one side, it is the hatred of being domineered
over; on the other, it is the love of domineering.
Only where the Christian account of human character has been taken for
a sober reality, has been taken for a sober reality, has been
practically understood the rule of dividing power equally, because so
universal is the tendency to grasp it inordinately. Only (we may add)
where, better still, some good deference has been paid to the charge,
"Call no man master on earth, for one is your Master in heaven." If
this is the instruction, after which one becomes a republican, and
shapes his love liberty; the conclusion is equally obvious and
inevitable-call no man slave or vassal on earth, for One in heaven
is the common Master of all.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64