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% than Deism . " €€ To the neutral mind of the Atheist , unfurnished as it is with any previous conception , we offer the historical evidence of Christianity . " He <( has no presumptions upon the subject $ for to his eye the phenomena of nature sit so loose and
unconnected with that intelligent Being to whom they have been referred as their origin , that lie does not feel himself entitled from these phenomena to ascribe any existence , character , attributes or method of administration to such a Being . Those difficulties which perplex the Deists , who cannot reconcile in the God of
the New Testament , the same features in which they have invested the God of nature , are no difficulties to him . " What are these but arguments to shew that the appearances of nature
furnish no ground for inferring that the world is under the government of a wise and good Being ; and eulogies on Atheism at the expense of natural religion , or , indeed , of all belief founded on reason ?
What can have a greater tendency also to degrade religion than the representation of the lawyers engaged in these prosecutions ? The hackneyed maxim that Christianity is part and parcel of the law of England , puts its authority on a level with that of a
Turnpike Bill ; giving us the same authority to expect a future existence , that we have had for believing a £ { note and a shilling to be of equal value to a guinea . And we are to believe in the existence of a God , not because " the heavens declare his
glory , and the firmament sheweth his handy work / ' in obedience to some enactment in the Statute-book , subject to be amended or repealed whenever it shall seem good to the collective wisdom of Parliament .
There are , however , greater interests at stake than those of the sufferers—the interests of liberty and of Christianity . \^ hat is there more val u able either to individuals or to society than the ht
rigof coin 113 ujaicating our opinions and freel y discussing those of others ? As to the privilege of hpjding what opinions weypleas ^ it is st upid tolly to talk of it , fii ^ ce It is * dut of the power of tyranny to interfere with it . Without freedom of dteeussipn ^ Xl other
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freedoip would be in comparison worthless , and soon be at an end . This is true liberty , when frfeeborn men Having t * advise the public , may speak free :
And who shall draw the line as to what opinions shall be tolerated and what not ? The attempt to do it originates in the detestable selfishness of wishing that liberty for ourselves which we will not allow to others . With
respect even to Atheism ; what can be more absurd than to put forth arguments relative to the existence and attributes of God , thus calling men to reason on the subject , and then to punish any who may not come to the same conclusion with ourselves ? It is
quite consistent with the character of a sincere Christian jealously to maintain the right of opposing Christianity should he ever be convinced of its falsehood . And if the right of free discussion upon thi 3 subject is suffered to be put down , arguments of a similar kind may be brought for putting down the liberty of the press altogether .
But in addition to the calls of justice , humanity and liberty , let us attend to those of Christianity herself . In the first place , she expressly forbids persecution ; it is wholly contrary to her spirit , and subversive of her emr pire of peace and love : an 4 next , if we look to the conaplexion of the present times and the circumstances to
which allusion has been made ;—here are zealous and mighty efforts made to press the subject of religion upon the people , and to furnisty them with the means of examining and discussingit - y how important is it , then , that they should not cotne to the inquiry
with unfavourable impressions ! And yet what are they likely to infer from all this persecution , a njd these attempts to suppress the writings qf unbelievers ? Why , that ChristiajEiity cannot bear investigation;— - ^ tbat * as
has been said of Other religions , it is only a source of enmity and per&ecution : that those who persecute havfc an interest in maintaining' it for their own profit , and that it is all tin affair of \ priestcrkft and state contrivance ; a notion which the connexion of JQ ^ urch &nd State ^ , and t )^ e exorbitant exactions X >{ ( he clergy juaost marvellously £ ayoux >
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The Nonconformist . No . XXVIII . 37 ]
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1823, page 371, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1786/page/3/
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