Butcantheybemadeunchangeable?Canonegenerationbindanother，andallothers，insuccessionforever?Ithinknot。TheCreatorhasmadetheearthfortheliving，notthedead。Rightsandpowerscanonlybelongtopersons，nottothings，nottomerematter，unendowedwithwill。Thedeadarenoteventhings。Theparticlesofmatterwhichcomposedtheirbodies，makepartnowofthebodiesofotheranimals，vegetables，orminerals，ofathousandforms。Towhatthenareattachedtherightsandpowerstheyheldwhileintheformofmen?Agenerationmaybinditselfaslongasitsmajoritycontinuesinlife；whenthathasdisappeared，anothermajorityisinplace，holdsalltherightsandpowerstheirpredecessorsonceheld，andmaychangetheirlawsandinstitutionstosuitthemselves。
Nothingthenisunchangeablebuttheinherentandunalienablerightsofman。
Iwasgladtofindinyourbookaformalcontradition，atlength，ofthejudiciaryusurpationoflegislativepowers；forsuchthejudgeshaveusurpedintheirrepeateddecisions，thatChristianityisapartofthecommonlaw。Theproofofthecontrary，whichyouhaveadduced，isincontrovertible；towit，thatthecommonlawexistedwhiletheAnglo-SaxonswereyetPagans，atatimewhentheyhadneveryetheardthenameofChristpronounced，orknewthatsuchacharacterhadeverexisted。Butitmayamuseyou，toshewwhen，andbywhatmeans，theystolethislawinuponus。Inacaseof_quareimpedit_intheYear-book34。H。6。folio38。anno1458，
aquestionwasmade，howfartheecclesiasticallawwastoberespectedinacommonlawcourt?AndPrisot，ChiefJustice，giveshisopinioninthesewords，`Atielleisqu’ilsdeseintegliseonten_ancienscripture_，covientanousadonnercredence；carceocommonleysurquelstoutsmannersleissontfondes。Etauxy，Sir，noussumusoblegesdeconustrelourleydesainteglise：etsemblablementilssontobligesdeconustrenostreley。Et，Sir，sipoitappereroranousquel’evesqueadfaitcomeunordinaryferaentielcas，adongnousdevonsceoadjugerbon，ouautermentnemy，’&c。
SeeS。C。Fitzh。Abr。Qu。imp。89。Bro。Abr。Qu。imp。12。Finchinhisfirstbook，c。3。isthefirstafterwardswhoquotesthiscase，andmistakesitthus。`Tosuchlawsofthechurchashavewarrantin_holyscripture_，ourlawgivethcredence。’AndcitesPrisot；