On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Untitled Article
11 £ , Biblical Critieistn . 'r—On John xiu 31 , 32 .
Untitled Article
nut ooserve ; in opposition to tne argument I am endeavouring to establish , I eannot admit of any instances of the propagation of Christianity in any Pagan country , as proofs of the probability or practicability of
extirpating idolatry and false religion , and of establishing the worship of the one true God , by human means only : all these instances are our own property , and plead in our cause , In all these cases the influence of this prediction of our Saviour operated . Christianity
attacks idolatry , and recommends itself by arguments , which human reason alone could never discover ; and supports those arguments with evidences , which human reason dbuld never produce ; and is attended with
the secret energy of a power , which human reason could never pretend to . All I aim at , * at present , is only to shew , that from the best knowledge we are capable of gaining- of the state of mankind , at and before the time
when this prediction was delivered , and from the exactest observations on human nature , and the ordinary course of human affairs , there appears little probability , yea , many and great improbabilities , and scarcely a
possibility , that the events foretold in this prediction should have been effected by any merely human means ; that nothing like them had ever been done in the world before ; and one cannot discover by what human means they could be effected : from whence it will
follow , that if Jesus , who delivered this prediction , and undertook these things , had depended only upon human abilities , he must , in all likelihood , most certainly have miscarried , and his prediction failed . I shall only add , by way of confirmation of the
observation I made above , that as the state of the world then stood , it was much more practicable to overthrow , and to establish the greatest empire that ever was on the globe , than to suppress idolatry , and reform the religion of a single people by mere human means . Two examples of facts , which
happened a few centuries before our Saviour ' s time : Alexander set out from Macedon with about 33 , 000 men , to attack the vast , populous and wealthy empire of Persia . The enterprise was daring and hazardous , and had he , at his departure , publicly declared , by way of prediction , " With
Untitled Article
these forces I will certainly overthrow the Persian empire , and establish my dominion over all its numerous and extensive provinces , " the declaration would justly have been accounted rash and arrogant ; , yet he had several fair probabilities on his side : partly
from his own military and political skill , and the experience , intrepidity and discipline of his veteran commanders and troops , and partly from the degeneracy of the Persians , In fact , he accomplished his andertaking , overturned the Persian , and
established the Macedonian empire . On the other hand , Socrates attempted to reform the morals of the people of Athens , and to introduce amongst them some juster sentiments in religion ; a very honest and laudable design , in which he had some apparent
probabilities and means of success , in his own great knowledge , engaging way of reasoning , and in the friendship and support of several of the principal persons of the city . Had he at the first presumed to foretell , " I will certainly reform the manners
and improve the religion of the people of Athens , " or had he delivered any thing like this prediction of Christ in the text , how shamefully would he have been disappointed and confuted by the event I For , in fact , though Socrates did not pretend to set aside
the idolatrous worship then practised , and to establish the spiritual worship of the one true God only , but merely endeavoured to introduce gradually a few j uster sentiments concerning the Deity and religion , the people took fhe alarm ; he was dragged to the
tribunal , accused of subverting the established religion ; and Socrates , though still a Heathen , and worshiper of idols himself , was condemned and executed by a decree of the people , out of zeal and jealousy for the support of idolatry .
1 hus I have endeavoured to shew , that if we attentively consider the nature of the things themselves , and the generally-prevailing principles of human nature , there will appear no probability , but many and great improbabilities , that the events foretold in this prediction , should ever have taken place by any human means . V 1 GILIUS POSTHUMUS .
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1819, page 112, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1769/page/44/
-