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Here we have another specimen of that unfairness , if not " cowardice , " which so often distinguishes Infidels ! Why did not Chiron give his own frank opinion , whether these states- ^ men are Christians , in the New Tes
tament sense of the word ; or whether they were known by the fruits of genuine Christianity " , as justly as beautifully represented by the apostle James ( chap . iii . 17 . ) '•• The wisdom that is
from above is first pure , then peaceable , gentle , and easy to be in treated , full of mercy and good fruits , without partiality , and without hypocrisy . " It is , indeed , curious to observe , that modern Infidels seem to follow the
example of the ignorant and prejudiced Jews in forming their opinion respecting the Messiah , " Have the rulers or the Pharisees believed on him ? " Christians , v * ho examine and
judge for themselves , have no occasion to appeal to fashionable court-lawyers , or time-serving or passionate judges , as to what constitutes Christianity . But allowing , for the mere sake of the argument , that our modern statesmen are bond fide Christians ; did it never occur to Chiron , that there are
different degrees of light and knowledge in the minds of Christians 5 that there are many who do not enter into the spirit of their profession y and thatthe numerous inconsistencies abounding in the world of professing Christians , form no argument against the system
itself ? Every one can perceive the force of this mode of reasoning , w hen applied to other subjects . What should we say to tVie man who would charge the mistakes and abuses of many who have called themselves friends to liberty , on the glorious system itself ! Your correspondent Thomas , commences his attack on the friends of Christianity , with an insinuation
P ty ? proposed to the society of persecutors by whicli he was employed ( amongst whom it is sad to read the names of Mr . Wilberforce and Dr . Porteus , lute Bishop of London ) , that ?» s the end of preventing * the farther circulation of the offensive
pamphlet was answered , whether it might not most properly display a Christian spirit , to decline bringing- up the prisoner for jud gment : but these Christian persecutors resolved " not to interfere in any way , " in arresting- the course of justice ; on which « **" . Erskine returned his brief , and withdraw from the dishonourable cause !
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ag ^ fnst " Mr . Whitbread and others , f < £ jt \ their speeches about the Spanish ( Inquisition , and heir universal silence about the English one / ' As to the " others" alluded to , as their names
are not mentioned , nor their speeches quoted , it is impossible to reply to secret insinuations ; and as to what the writer means by the " English Inquisition , " we are equally left in the dark ; but if he means to affirm ,
that Mr . Whitbread has not frequently expressed his abhorrence of intolerance in every shape , he discovers his own ignorance . Marry of your readers , I doubt not , as well as myself ,
have been enlightened and charmed by the energetic reasoning and firstrate eloquence of that distinguished senator , on various occasions , in favour of unlimited freedom in religion . But such is the real or affected
blindness of lhomas on this subject , that " he can hardly tell which of these circumstances , " the conduct of persecutors , or that of theuniformopposers of persecution , " appears , " to him ,
" the most shocking } " and he will not express his " deep detestation and horror , at the proceedings" of Mr . Whitbread and others , " that being impossible ! " The best advice I can give him in this lamentable case is , that when the horrific ideas to which
he appears to be so unfortunately subject , again take possession of his brain , he would " screw" up all his courage , and endeavour to expel them in the language of Macbeth — " Hence — horrible shadows ! —Unreal , mockery , hence ! '
But what Thomas wishes you , Sir , particularly to notice is , " The cruelty , the baseness , the detestable cowardice , while things are in this situation , of writing defences of the Christian
religion , of challenging its adversaries , provoking them to the combat , when it is known the more strong and unanswerable their arguments may be , the more certain will be their personal ruin ! ' *
Here , Mr . Editor , I trust I shall be excused for affirming , that a more gross and unfounded calumny was never cast on the defenders of Christianity , than by the author of the above paragraph . The plain truth is , that the greatest , the strongest , as well as the most sarcastic effusions against Christianity , have been suffered to be published , for this half
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Mr . B . Flower ' s Defence of Christians against Infidels . 93
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1815, page 93, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1757/page/29/
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