Note at top of page: ‘sic utere tuo ut alienum non lædas’: a legal maxim, meaning ‘so use your own as not to injure another’s property’.

1817 Sept. 1

Not Paul

4 2 o

Ch. Paul’s Doctrine

§ Causes of Paul’s Asceticism

§. 2. Sacrifices necessary

§. 2. Cause II. Notion that heaven is not to be purchased but by sacrifices.

That even among the most zealous votaries of that Sect practice was in any very strict union / conformity / with profession need not for this purpose be supposed. To what was supposed to be the practice was the honour paid / homage manifested /: and what / that which / was professed to be the practice that it was that was professed / seen / to be the practice.

Another circumstance there was, by which the way to the prohibition in question―a prohibition in which was comprized so large a portion of the whole stock of pleasure / comfort / of which human nature is susceptible―was smoothed / prepared /. In the character of a reward The boon held up to view by Jesus was no less than a new life as yet indeed but future, but filled / replete / with felicity, and that felicity without end. But without some return made, a boon such as this was it was thought too great to be granted. In those days With the idea of the Almighty the idea of sacrifice was connected in almost every mind especially in every Jewish as well as in every Grecian mind the idea of sacrifice. Not without sacrifice―sacrifice in some shape or other was his favour / so great a favour / to be acquired / obtained /. Between the benefit purchased and the sacrifice by which it was hoped to be purchased no exact proportion it is true, could be established. But the greater the sacrifice, the greater the chance of the benefit: and, for any chance were / be / it ever so small of / for / so immense a benefit no sacrifice that could be made could be too great. / The gratification belonging to the sexual appetite presented itself as / This was the shape in which the greatest sacrifice it was thought could be made / In this shape it was that the greatest /. Sentence breaks off here.

In the race[?] of sacrifice this gratification presented itself without a competitor / rival /, this alone was capable of being entire and constant. From the gratification belonging to the appetite for food or from that belonging to the appetite for drink total abstinence was not possible without suicide.

Thus it was that the / this / most copious source of enjoyment was in preference selected to be sacrificed: to be taken for the subject of a prohibition: a prohibition sanctioned by a punishment the magnitude of which was to be proportioned to the value of the sacrifice.