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第27章

theologico-political treatise p2(神学与政治专题研究2)-第27章


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assert   that   the   Pharisees   alone   selected   the   books   of   the   Old   Testament; 

and    inserted    them    in   the  canon;    from    the   fact  that   in  Daniel    ii。  is 

proclaimed the doctrine of the Resurrection; which the Sadducees denied; 

and; furthermore; the Pharisees plainly assert   in the Talmud that they  so 

selected them。 (99) For in the treatise of Sabbathus; chapter ii。; folio 30; 

page 2; it is written: R。 Jehuda; surnamed Rabbi; reports that the experts 

wished   to   conceal   the   book   of   Ecclesiastes   because   they   found   therein 

words opposed to the law (that is; to the book of the law of Moses)。 (100) 

Why did they not hide it? (101) Because it begins in accordance with the 

law; and ends according to the law;〃 and a little further on we read: 〃They 

sought     also   to  conceal    the  book    of  Proverbs。〃     (102)   And    in   the  first 

chapter   of   the   same   treatise;   fol。  13;   page   2:   〃Verily;   name   one   man   for 

good; even he who was called Neghunja; the son of Hezekiah: for; save for 

him; the book of Ezekiel would been concealed; because it agreed not with 

the words of the law。〃 

     (103) It is thus abundantly clear that men expert in the law summoned 

a council   to   decide   which   books   should be   received   into   the  canon;  and 

which excluded。 (104) If any man; therefore; wishes to be certified as to 

the authority of all the books; let him call a fresh council; and ask every 

member his reasons。 

     (105) The time has now come for examining in the same manner the 

books in the New Testament; but as I learn that the task has been already 

performed by men highly skilled in science and languages; and as I do not 

myself possess a knowledge of Greek sufficiently exact for the task; lastly; 

as we have lost the originals of those books which were written in Hebrew; 

I prefer to decline the undertaking。 (106) However; I will touch on those 

points which have most bearing on my subject in the following chapter。 

       End of Part 2。 



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     AUTHOR'S ENDNOTES TO THE 

         THEOLOGICO…POLITICAL 

TREATISE Part 2 … Chapters VI to X 



                                    CHAPTER VI。 

    Endnote 6。 (1) We doubt of the existence of God; and consequently of 

all else; so long as we have no clear and distinct idea of God; but only a 

confused one。 (2) For as he who knows not rightly the nature of a triangle; 

knows not that its three angles are equal to two right angles; so he   who 

conceives the Divine nature confusedly; does not see that it pertains to the 

nature of God to exist。 (3) Now; to conceive the nature of God clearly and 

distinctly;   it   is   necessary   to   pay   attention   to   a   certain   number   of   very 

simple notions; called general notions; and by their help to associate the 

conceptions   which   we   form  of   the   attributes of the   Divine  nature。  (4)   It 

then; for   the   first   time; becomes   clear   to   us; that   God   exists   necessarily; 

that He is omnipresent; and that all our conceptions involve in themselves 

the nature of God and are conceived through it。 (5) Lastly; we see that all 

our adequate ideas are true。 (6) Compare on this point the prologomena to 

book; 〃Principles of Descartes's philosophy set forth geometrically。〃 

                                    CHAPTER VII。 

    Endnote 7。 (1) 〃It is impossible to find a method which would enable 

us   to   gain   a   certain   knowledge   of   all   the   statements   in   Scripture。〃   (2)   I 

mean impossible for us who have not the habitual use of the language; and 

have lost the precise meaning of its phraseology。 

    Endnote   8。   (1)   〃Not   in   things   whereof   the   understanding   can   gain   a 

clear and distinct idea; and which are conceivable through themselves。〃 (2) 

By things conceivable I mean not only those which are rigidly proved; but 

also those whereof we are morally certain; and are wont to hear without 

wonder; though they are incapable of proof。 (3) Everyone can see the truth 

of Euclid's propositions before they are proved。 (4) So also the histories of 

things both future and past which do not surpass human credence; laws; 

institutions; manners; I call conceivable and clear; though they cannot be 



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proved mathematically。 (5) But hieroglyphics and histories which seem to 

pass the bounds of belief I call inconceivable; yet even among these last 

there    are  many     which    our   method     enables    us  to   investigate;   and    to 

discover the meaning of their narrator。 

                                     CHAPTER VIII。 

     Endnote 9。 (1) 〃Mount Moriah is called the mount of God。〃 (2) That is 

by the historian; not by Abraham; for he says that the place now called 〃In 

the mount of the Lord it shall be revealed;〃 was called by Abraham; 〃the 

Lord shall provide。〃 

     Endnote   10。   (1)   〃Before   that   territory   'Idumoea'   was   conquered   by 

David。〃   (2)   From   this   time   to   the   reign   of   Jehoram   when   they   again 

separated from the Jewish kingdom (2 Kings viii:20); the Idumaeans had 

no   king;   princes   appointed   by   the   Jews   supplied   the   place   of   kings   (1 

Kings   xxii:48);   in   fact   the   prince   of   Idumaea   is   called   a   king   (2   Kings 

iii:9)。 

     (3)   It   may   be   doubted   whether   the   last   of   the   Idumaean   kings   had 

begun to reign before the accession of Saul; or whether Scripture in this 

chapter     of   Genesis     wished    to   enumerate      only   such    kings   as   were 

independent。      (4)   It  is  evidently   mere   trifling  to  wish    to  enrol   among 

Hebrew       kings   the   name    of  Moses;     who    set  up   a  dominion      entirely 

different from a monarchy。 

                                      CHAPTER IX。 

     Endnote 11。 (1) 〃With few exceptions。〃 (2) One of these exceptions is 

found in 2 Kings xviii:20; where we read; 〃Thou sayest (but they are but 

vain words); 〃the second person being used。 (3) In Isaiah xxxvi:5; we read 

〃I say (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war;〃 

and in the twenty…second verse of the chapter in Kings it is written; 〃But if 

ye say;〃 the plural number being used; whereas Isaiah gives the singular。 

(4) The text in Isaiah does not contain the words found in 2 Kings xxxii:32。 

(5) Thus there are several cases of various readings where it is impossible 

to distinguish the best。 

     Endnote 12。 (1) 〃The expressions in the two passages are so varied。〃 (2) 

For instance we read in 2 Sam。 vii:6; 〃But I have walked in a tent and in a 

tabernacle。〃 (3) Whereas in 1 Chron。 xvii:5; 〃but have gone from tent to 



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tent and from one tabernacle to another。〃 (4) In 2 Sam。 vii:10; we read; 〃to 

afflict them;〃whereas in 1 Chron。 vii:9; we find a different expression。 (5) 

I could point out other differences still greater; but a single reading of the 

chapters   in   question   will   suffice   to   make   them   manifest   to   all   who   are 

neither blind nor devoid of sense。 

     Endnote       13。   (1)   〃This     time    cannot     refer   to   what    immediately 

precedes。〃 (2) It is plain from the context that this passage must allude to 

the time when Joseph was sold by his brethren。 (3) But this is not all。 (4) 

We may draw the same conclusion from the age of Judah; who was than 

twenty…two       years    old   at  most;   taking    as  basis   of   calculation    his   own 

history 

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