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653 ' Review—The Danger ofreading Improp...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Art. Iv.—The Danger Of Reading Improper ...
who can have but little * time for reading , to peruse the objections which have been brought against divine truth "—that is , against Mr . J _, Clayton ' s creed— -but" it may be right for a minister or magistrate to read them ; " and in the next
page we ar « informed that the "human mind is in direct enmity against the truth of God ; * ' and that there is not a more successful method of
confirming this natural enrhity , than readin _g the productions of than reading the productions oi those who have boldly opposed , or _ijinidiously denied the peculiarities of evangelic testimony ; " alias , the peculiar opinions in which Mr . J . C
has been educated . Thus , by working upon the fears of the private Christian , he is to be deterred from free inquiry , andis to be induced to take every thing upon trust from tbe priest . The priest will kindly
take charge of his soul ; while he , simple creature ! has nothing to do but to shut his eyes and open his mouth , and swallow whatever spiritual food the priest shall be pleased to provide for him .
These , gentle reader , are the avowed sentiments of a _protcstant dissenting divine ! May it not fairly be asked , in what _respect do they differ from Popery ? Or _sH least , c _! o they come any thing short of a direct denial of that best and
noblest principle of protestantism , THE RIGHT AND DUTY OF PRIVATE JUD 6 MENT ? What says the Romish priest ? The vul & ar are
not judges of truth ; and if they attempt to read and think for themselves the consequence will be that they will become _heretics and be damned * They must not be permitted therefore to see heretical
books . Nothing must be put into their hands that is not perfectly consistent with the orthodox
Art. Iv.—The Danger Of Reading Improper ...
_i faith . It is true that they extend this prohibition to the reading of the scriptures , and with great con * sistency J since the universal prevalence _' of this practice , _though it
would _< not in the least injure the Chri ( stian religion , would be certain ruin to the pretended orthodox faith . Mr , C . is not quite so
consistent . He permits the reading-of the scriptures ; he even speaks of the _fue nobility of tbe Berceans whose practice it was to search them . But we cannot commend
the prudence of this _permission since we have ho hesitation in saying , that if this practice be encouraged _^ and the study of the scriptures upon just and liberal principles of criticism become general , it will be in vain for Mr * J . C . to
think of keeping his young friends u out of the reach of the contaminating influence of those principles " which he holds in such abhorrence . Mr . J . C . truly remarks ( p . U . ) that * no man can embrace error
without suffering injury" But _what , in MrJ . C / s opinion , are the most effectual means of guarding the human mind against etior ? Does lie recommend a diligent and careful inquiry after truth ? Dots he advise his hearers , in order that
they may enter upon this inquiry _wjth every advantage , and pursud it with the greatest probability or success , to endeavour as fair as possible to divest themselves . of prejudice and _prepocscssiou , to free themselves fnitn every undue bias * and to seek the truth in the lov ©
of it ? In the study of the scriptures , does he exhort them to suffer no man to have dominion over their faith , but to avail _themselves of _assistance from every quarter ? Docs he warn ihem _against the
653 ' Review—The Danger Ofreading Improp...
653 ' Review—The Danger ofreading Improper Books .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1807, page 658, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_02121807/page/38/
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