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On Natural Religion * ( Concluded from p . 622 . ) IT is objected , that the advocates of this system , take of the things of the yospeU and exhibit them to the world , as parts of the religion of w « - Utre . But , how does this appear ?
They do not , in this view , trench up * on any of the peculiarities of Christianity : no sober writer of this class , ever thought of comparing natural , with revealed religion , us a whole ; or Socrates with Jesus Christ , as a
Divine Teacher ; or the heathen moralists with the sacred writers ; or the profoundest reasonings , with complete and absolute assurance . The super-added authority of revelation , independent of other circumstances , must ever turn the scale . Nor are we
to consider the actual state of the heathen world in different periods , and especially at the time of our Saviour ' s advent ; or the extravagant sects and opinions of some of the ancient philosophers , as solid arguments against the verity and importance of natural
religion . Are there no extravagant sects among the professors of the gospel ? No reveries among Christian philosophers and Christian divines > It is an old but important maxim—The abuse , or neglect of a rule , is no
reasoft against the rule . The gospel is a perfeot law ; but , has it abolished private and public robbery ; murder and adultery ; bigotry and superstition ; war and slavery ? Human sacrifices , and the dereliction of diseased
and mis-shapen children , from mistaken principles of piety and benevolence , were practised by some of the ancient heathens ; and Christian Bishops and Inquisitors , have persecuted and destroyed the body for the good of the soul : and holy wars have been
undertaken , professedly for the glory of ( rod and the propagation of the trwe religion : but certainly , nature no mare teaches the one , than the goapel the other . « The Romans , says Montesquieu , deserved well of Imwian * i atare , for making it a
coodftion , in their treaty with the Carthaginians , that they rihowld abstain in future , from otffertfig their children to the GUxis . " Some of their Writers have been supposed to justify suicide ; hat there are passages in Seneca agatwst tltis opinion ; a « d Epictetiwexpre ^ Sy WHskrans it : J * e < ***
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6 t $ On Natural Religion .
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a very small volume , now before me , published in 1652 . It is entitled ,. " Two Discourses . I . Of God and his Providence . 2 Of Christ , his Miracles and Doc t rine , out of the illustrious Husfo Grotius , * with An 1
Appendix concerninghis judgment in sundry points controverted . By the Translator of the same Author de Imperio" The translator was
Clements Barksdale , who dates from Hawling . The Appendix consists of passages selected from the Votum pro pace ecclesiastica contra Rivetum , and classed under different heads , among which is the following ;
" Of Servetus . Servetus ' s books , by the diligence of Calvin , were burnt , riot only at Geneva , but in other places . Yet I confess , in my life time , I have seen one copy of Servetus ' s book in Lfctin ; wherein truly I found not those things
which Calvin objects against him . Michael Servetus , by the procurement of Calvin , was burnt aHve at Geneva , in the year 1553 . What Melancthon wrote of Servetus , after that time , he had from Calvin . CEcolompadius seems to have known him in Helvetia
before that ; but he thought hitn fit to be exploded , not killed . But Calvin speaketh of himself , * I willingly acknowledge and own it that the accuser came forth from me . ' He adds , * It is not only free for the magistrate
ta punish the corrupters of heavenly doctrine , but that which unskilful * nen will not allow to be lawful fox them is commanded them by God . ' And in an Epistle to Farellus touching- the same Servetus , I hope at least he will be sentenced to death "
From tlie translators taste in his selection , preceding that I have quoted with GrotiusV Apology for Ms Letter * to &omni < ms + and following it with one , Of Cakmis Impatience ^ I suspect that Mr . Barksdale was not very othodox . N . L . T .
by comparing the index ,, with the text , in an edition of the Institutio n printed at Geneva , 1602 , that Calvin has named Servetus , a doze ? n times , at least , generally adding sotne reproachful epithet .
* Be Veritate , &c , On the Truth of the ChrJiiitUifc Religion ; the two fort Sooto ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1815, page 696, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1766/page/32/
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