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tn «^ jaM ^* ^^ a religion . of > &f&ti $ jfWi resting upoa moral »> <^ a ^« I ^^ i ^ 1 for its authority iiulh ^> fi ^ p 4 acfiV and for , its influence ummiafli ^ Wate und society £
Can the power of the law , multiply the evkle ^ ees > « tf &his religion , or . exhibit them ;> idtbgmsite ^ advantage to the minds of > uabeBei 5 er 8 ? Ort c ^ n it even counteract , t&e * Misrepresentations of srroffers a $ d rey&ers , which , may be
convened in a whisper as * wejllias ra . a book ? TJie law can i only provoke aud injure - the i enemies ' ' oi : ouc faitk , without in a&y e ^^ tuiinmnaierzchecdime the progress of infidelity * while all its u ^ t
the od \ vm ^ o £ rayg proceedings , is reflected qpofc Qgfotilttiity ; for which the enlight ^ e ^ pendau > f this religion cannot be expecieel to . be yery , forw . af d in the expression of thjeir gratitude . ,
I cannot refrsm f $ Qm . obeying ,, in this place ; tfeat ithere ; felqae ^ ense in which it seeras possifeleithat Christianity may be maoea portion of the ; law of the land j * I mean / by . infusing its just and bej 3 Jgiijint 3 pi ? itinto jthe whole system Q . f our jurisprudeiice . and domesxic gaverament . DouJ > tles 35 > e # ery
Christian ; woujd rmojee to , . see jour belaved < jou « i ( ay * etev ^ ted . ab ^ ve the nations of tlie . e ^ rth ^ by the justice and lijiLdnessrof / her criminal cQ ( le , and by the equitahlQ na&itner ia whicU : all the operatioxis of ; tke , Ja ^ s hou ld provide 4
for the M \ mity > anfa wel&ne . o £ aU . classes otf the c ^ miuunil ^ c Aq y ^ heu , this systein of wiadQiUiUldbeBiCvpleiice had Ueen cpmpl ^ tft d iiQ /> tr , i | e , ^ of his , Master . wqi £ [ 4 \ fclufcahute > * owj \~ iti i \ s the work of Ghri&ti ^ nUy . But , can it be true , tlmt CUmtiamty , is , yet a .
part of tte j $ vir ^ its first iiy ^^ ti ^ s , a ^ e viqlat ^^ b fightiqg ag 6 tin&t ^ r . wcun ^ aita-i ^ wi ^ ) Uie vveappi ^ ^^ Qp ^ e ^ iou , ^ erff where the heurt qf Uum ^ ty i ^ dailyj a ^ icted , with bQhoWvajf ; j crov ^ d ^ of ' upliappy beings cut p ^ T froflCi ^^^ 0 ^ i&DWfi t , m iH ^ yho ^ fprta . fi ^^ Qir > rqb bery ? Ye archtw ^ pa ^^ ibfefePI ^ y ^ chancellors , W& * 4 Mmm % theijointtfinmrdiaiis
Qf ojw ht ) b i ^ Bpa < makes / pad ; the maxinj « €#£ l £ W : 5 # !^ SiS ^ W > fia yoip ') Earned ^ nd , jTlght . r ^ eyeretidi bei ^ hjes .- * . - Porti a of Otei spirit ^ ^^ fi ^^ CMiiwi Lawflfiv ^ t , ^ jp | pi 5 e % ^ € ^ le gislators to establis h th ^ Irtimftae , e Q < te * viMca of RomUly wd WkqKi n ^ tosh , and to clestn&Q &e reputation of
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oui country from ooe of Its foulest stains . - Whpiice is Ijt **; we may ask > that the governments of th ^ ¦ world have manifested so much readiness to take under their patronage the truth and- the dactrines ^ ^ of Christfei ^ t ^ , which , admit o » f no beneficial alKance
with temporal * power , while -sa little reverence has boen paid to its gulden lessons of jtistice and humanity , which ra ^ ht . so . vrei l he made the basis of Iegislatii 5 « r ^ It * cannot be * t ? hcftight s ^ trau ^ e , if this circumstance shouM
excite ^ . suspicion , that when government ^ display so muc&Zeal in defence of Christianity ; they have usually other objects hi . view , than , the . interests of . true relifii ( Hi and the moral welfare of thepeople * ; . * .- > < w . ' *> - Little attention seems due to
theplea for regarding / Christianity , as part of the law , drawn from the supposition . tha £ itis necessary to support the civil : regulations oi > society , and the validity © f judicial oaths . That Christianity is the foundation of all the institutions of the country , as has
been , asserted , appears to . -be , * a v « ry vague and extravagant position . Some of our most valuable institutions , it has . been thought , may be traced to a time . pn © r ta . the introduction of Christianity into the country ; and , at least r this ¦; religion professes no direct / interferencewiAh the political relations of
^ nd establishmeuts mankind . Yet it may be readily granted ^ that Ghristianlty , by its t $ pd ! ency to render men . upright , peaceable and lovers of truth , adds strength to judicial testimony , and in varioua ways affects the / best intereata of scleiety .. This ^ Howe ver , : is not becausef it : > wJ the- law of' the land , ' but
because it ^ isj' the belief of : the people : andyunless we can be furaished with ^ better evidence than experience has hi- ' tji e «* o ^ fforded-, that the interference of thetow is likely toprompte . thebelief and : reverence o £ Cfhrktianity among the people , wje cannot admit ,, that such ¦ intesfereace is conducive to thot
good Order Q& thetcouuntlnity . 1 \\> && A jB $ t ) eMl :: glm < $£ , ftt ; the - history , -fijf the Chrfetian religion ^ ^ is not very likely tar ^ iv ^ its enlightened helievcrs ewygf ® & pitet ^ flily for its ; closfr alii * ance with Jaw ; a » 4 temporal authority , bn . proportion to the extent in which the -civile power ,- in every cauntry of Chri&t ^ ndQff >> has been permittw to
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VOI * , X ? f | L 2 O
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The Nonconformist . No * XXVI * 22 ^
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1823, page 225, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1783/page/33/
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