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< f > $ oyeiv , eiq to < rG > 4 > £ ovsi * tOj be wise itftto sodri ^ ff ^ ^ th ^ holy apostle with gi ^ at wisdom requires * And now I humbly Jiope and trust in the infinite mercyr of that God . against whom I had audaciously opened nay unhallowed mouth , that He who hath promised that all
sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men , ( excepting only that resolved malicious blasphemy against the Holy Ghost ^ will he grajknisly pleased to glorify his mercy ^ P the forgiveness of my most detestable errors and abominable sins . And I
thank God that he hath awakened * me in good measure to a just detestation of the accursed positions asserted by me , and of all other like wicked principles . " Wherefore , I do here in the presence of God , angels and men , cast
myself down in a deep dread of the just judgments and vengeance of God upon the accursed Atheism of this age , acknowledging myself to be highly guilty of the growth and spreading thereof , having contributed what
my profane wit could devise , or my foul mouth express , to iustil it into others , or confirm them therein . And I do profess , I believe , ( and judge it most reasonable so to believe , ) that the openly professed Atheism of some , and the secret Atheism of others , is
the accursed root of all that abounding wickedness , perjury , sacrilege , debauchery and uncleanness in this present age : that in a deep sense of that wretched part I have acted in the
propagating thereof , I do now abhor myself in dust and ashes , and that , from the bottom of my heart , I do disclaim , renounce , detest and abhor those execrable positions asserted by me or any other : particularly
u 1 . That all right of dominion is founded only in power . " 2 . That all moral righteousness is founded only in the law of the civil magistrate . " 3 . That the Holy Scriptures are made law only by civil authority . " 4 . That whatsoever the civil
magistrate commands is to be obeyed , notwithstanding , contrary to Divine moral laws . " , 5 . That there is a desirable glory in being , and being reputed an Atheist ; which I / implied when I expressly affirmed Jthftt J glpried to be an HooMst and aR . AtfteisU >
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A 1 * dp or \ jfchese unhallowed assertions ana expressions , I now Jtad suc ^ iiaward contrition and remorse , that I pray ; God Ms . mercy may withhold me from relapse , or . his judgments ^ prevent it . But do I ' thiuik that a b&re
recantation can satisfy for my prodigious , offences ? , No , let me do penance all my days , submitting * myself to ( rod ' s will , and the charity of pious minds : and whatsoever my portion may be in this world , let me live and die in the fear of God and the faith of
Christ . Amen . " Now , lest any one should mistake or suspect this confession and unfeigned renunciation of nay sinful and accursed errors , for an act of civil obedience or submission in ine > perfdtnied according to my former
principles , at the command of my superiors , in outward expression of words , though contrary to my judgment and inward thoughts of my heart ) or that I have not now expressed the most sincere : and secret sense of my soul ; I ¦ call the . Searcher of all hearts to
witness , that I loath and abhor such practices as the basest and most damnable hypocrisy : that from my heart and soul I detest such principles in all persons , as worse than the basest villainies and reservations , which the
Jesuits are sa > dto practise or allow . And I openly avow , that I do acknowledge , that all persons so principled ought to be held by all mankind as the most dangerous and declared enemies of the common faith amongst
men . That they are not to be trusted upon any obligation of their faith , or pretensions to piety , loyalty or common honesty , ia any corporation , college , university , city , commonwealth or kingdom : but that , by those principles , destructive to all society , and
commerce amongst men , they inay and do delude and defeat all Qaths and protestations , all faith givennto God or man : tliey may and will comply , if their own interest or advantage prompt them to it > with any invader or usurper :, with any faction or
grooving sect , however ; destructive to all order and Uie very beitig of hunsan society in , the world . I , believe al $ o , and openly avouch , that no povyer upon earth , no persuasion , or imagination a ^ out natural right , no opinionin pretended piiUoaophy : concerning selfptfsjaefvation , can , fire ^ me , fjw ? ua , | hs
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- Recantaiii > notDa ^ el Scarg-itt , 1 ^ 69 . # 49
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1823, page 149, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1782/page/21/
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