John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

13. VI:15. Thursday

The children, recommenced their morning reading to me, with the 17th. chapter of Numbers—their mother was taken unwell and confined to her chamber all the day— The Revd. Dr Follen, the German Unitarian Clergyman, paid me a morning visit, and I had a long conversation with him upon the unitarian doctrines, and upon the Covenants of the old and new Testaments, which seem to me to sanction the political principle that by the Law of Nature all legitimate Government is founded in compact— I asked him if he had considered the influence first upon the History of the Jews through the old and new Testament, next upon the Christian Religion—thirdly upon the theory of human rights and the foundations of Government of this primary historical fact— He said he had not, and that it opened to him an entirely new view of the Scriptures— I believe this is the case with many others, and that I should do well to write a Dissertation or Lyceum Lecture upon it. The Scriptures represent man, as having at his creation a Law prescribed to him by his Creator— He is placed in Eden thereto remain in a happy state of connubial felicity, upon one condition— This is not a covenant, but a Law— The consent of Adam was not required to this Law—there is permission given him to subsist upon the fruit of all the trees, excepting one—but no promise is made to him; no covenant contracted with him— He violates the condition imposed upon him, and suffers expulsion from Paradise— There is no mention of a Covenant till after the Deluge, but immediately after that there is a Covenant, express and formal with Noah— This however is of a general character, and Noah himself by his curse upon Ham, deprived one third part of his descendants of the benefit of it. But the Covenants with Abraham are the most remarkable both for their solemnity and for their import— They were covenants of 246of Religion and of Government— The first was at Sichem—Gen: 12.7. the second at Bethel—Gen. 13.14— The third and most solemn covenant is related in the 15th. chapter with all its particulars and specially stated, in the 18th. verse— The 4th. is related in the 17th. Chapter when Abraham was 99 years of age; and the covenant was sealed by the rite of circumcision— In the 22d. chapter—verses 17.18 the covenant is again renewed, after the call for the sacrifice of Isaac and its release. In Chapter 26. v. 2. the Covenant is repeated with Isaac— The blessing was afterwards transferred to Jacob, and the covenant renewed with him, in the dream at Bethel—ch. 28. v. 13.–20.22—and again ch: 35. v. 10 where his name is changed to Israel—and in ch. 46 v. 3. when he is ordered to go down to Egypt— The subsequent covenants were with the whole People, from that of Mount Sinai, down to the Babylonian captivity—and then came the New covenant of the gospel of Christ—all this is to be elucidated— I walked before dinner—stopped at the Office of the National Intelligencer where I saw Mr Gales, with whom was Mr Featherstonhaugh— Seaton afterwards came in— Evening disoccupied— There was a gathering this morning of perhaps a hundred labourers in the front yard of the President’s House— It was said their object was to remonstrate against working more than ten hours a day— It was said the President sent them word that he could not parlay with them so long as they should present themselves in that manner.