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Untitled Article
teiqgt to take any advantage of what micjr -appear to me to be iicpnr&it in ! ter 4 noae of exprefcsibiiw I vraltng p y field to Mr . T the jialm far I>afi acumen and definition : I only vtiib
to argue for trtith aad not for nctorjr . I am no polemic , and perh&ps may by some be considered as a bmy intruder in the literary republic : be that as it nray , I cioinQ . the right of rfcmblrag ih
the field t > f inquiry , and ftesamc liberty I most ardently consent that others should enjoy . 1 have early in life read Hartley , Hume , Stewart , Heftretius , Price , ind other writers on the human mind , and the
coaclnsions I drew from this mass of inquiry were , that I must judge for myself ; and that if I pinned my faith upon the sleeve of any individual
indiscriminately , I was as likely to be wrong * as if I had no such literary authority whatever . I revere their powers of mind , and I give them credit for sincerity ; but , after all , I believe common sen&e to be the best touchstone
ot opinions and practical merit . Mrs * C says , "It was the intention of a gracious Providence by these rteamr , at that time , to preserve my life . " Now , what are we to understand by the word €€ intention" t To mv conception ,, it implies the result of choice or deliberation . Thus , if
tfrtfr . event is permitted to take place , ** all . the salutary convictions will be felt , whidbt similar dangers ^ uid sittufar deliverances are intendedto produce ;"
if it vs net perntitted ; then thpse consequences wffl be lost- —therefore ; It 8 haH \ proceed . If this be not fr tpecinl ov fnrracutptis interference forthe particular purpose , there must surely be eh end W- all ^ ttemprtr at argument :
or , &t ^ ny rate , is it possible , after mature c ? onsideration , to deny that suck tois tier view of the project ? That % e effect was produced by x ^ hat we agjsee to understand by a combhiatlon of ^ Lflttiiral causes , I admfT ; but I cannot separate the idea fit > m the conctosion , tnat she believed that these natural causes or agents were
purposely and specially appointed 'by PjroVwepce fon ihe case in proint . Aha « m wot right in believing that her * q | n % wm was , that though these events wet ; e : » H ? arently trivial and unconnected , ^| ^ ^ ifiBtiiictly , and in tlktit te ^ gu&r'wniitfi ttt % hxtt th ^ arraMisirtefit and com !> iBtatfen ofiiietn wks pradtteffed ^
Untitled Article
ih her fam * p ^ f tfag tote ^ & btten thirt * of W ^ f ^ it ^ -B . mTtffcB ' ftr 1 * e cothtnuMiSr fl ^ E W v # Wble alife should Be prbmtdke 4 tp ^ ffpe old age ; but what had tftfe eveiit , tftkinV it
throughout , to Ao [ with prolonging it ? Her cfeath dhl not * then tak * e ^ lace ; and tar&LY i ^ aflier i | fe was prolbn ^ ed by these t ^ encies " Ih&t arie often employed td ts&e awayiife or to restore it , at the very n / bment when it
is about to ebepire , " appears to me a strange an < I Incomprehensible confusion of ideas . In sliort , I think myself fully warranted in the conctu ' sion , that the pass ^ g-e I qu oted at full length
^ ives me no authority to extend her conceptions of an overruling Providence beyond those of kind and beneficent protection . I very readily acknowledge that I did not know from whence my
quotation was taken , " one event , " &c . I borrowed it solely from recollection . Mr . T . indirectly , and somewhat exultingfy , asks , whether I am competent to undertake a commentary on the took which contains the passage ? Most assuredly I am not : but this I
can tell him , that when life shall be prepared to explain all the gradktions whifch the sacred volume contains bptween pleiiary inspif'ation and acknowledged mfetpolations , I will take care to b < i ready , so' that we may both enter
the arena together . I come hoW to Mi-. T / s explanation of the plans and jprocfeedirtfifs of \ providence ; and if ! understana him right , it is his opinion , that all possible everrW , moral as weH as physical , were distinctly atfo sep ^ irfetely appointed by Otnniscielrce frpm ^ tne creation of the
World , enr frbm flie p * 6 foTind and inconcc ^ vaMe depths of eterMty . He nevertheless " appears aroinewhat nnmHirig io a « nit * n nnlimited investigation Sttto the subject , and afraid of the eott& ? quehc < £ s of $ ) iirauing : the argument to it ^ eirfe ine ^ , lest vter ' should be milled Dy ^ ' - wfit minrrte particulariof
ties , " a # d fp » fe ^ Mft fceti&m pr inciplee . It ' mWt , fidWeifer , lit > hy csti- ' matioii , W& a -vvealc cduse ^ hat will not be « £ T to ti ^ nM ^ im ^ trilf lfe pbints }
and Jf . sdnle of theinXsfeWWfet more vtiln « ji * me * Ji % o « iei % ; k ^ I % ittknt is Mrbf- ttnthorizexf ^ t 6 waHe MBr attach whd ? 6 tfer it stdttf ttitti Jbest . wiittd ^ J otJ ^ UttJMr Hb ^ Mr-tt&k ^^ KtS * ^ freffAetttly nmylfflpf ? rirt incBepiiiable
Untitled Article
& 6 Mr . LwkcocKs foefence 0 / his Bem * tths <»* PnmSkriM
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1823, page 520, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1788/page/24/
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