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substantiate the dates of ancient history ; and he might , perhaps , with some degree of justice , declare us to be stark mad , if we were to bid him bring vouchers for the existence and the writings of such men , as Livy , Caesar , or Tacitus ; if , however , his reasoning be conclusive , because
these pagan books were uninspired " they must also be " left without a known author T' could any argument more preposterous issue from the humjin brain ? I would only add one more observation ,
on this point ; it is this : that he Will perhaps be much more puzzled , than he now supposes possible , to find either in the east , the west , the north , or the south , a sect of Christians , who have
ventured to assert , " that the Scriptures are fully equal to complete instruction in religion , though not inspired ; " there may be , and without doubt there are many , who think , that even if they were
altogether uninspired , they contain so much sound wisdom and such admirable rules or conduct , such general simplicity of doctrine , ami such an appearance of unvarnished veracity , that they would deserve the closest attention of mankind ; and would be found to promote their most
important interests , even jn the present life ; but surely the churchman , is sufficiently skilled in logic to perceive the difference between inferring or believing ; and boldly declaring probatum cst . It the doctrines are , themselves , founded upon the eternal basis of truth , the consideration o ( their beiny
the dictates of inspiration , though it assuredly adds to their dignity , can make little change in their real character . Buc has- thix bold
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combatant ever learned from the writings of Dr . Priestley or Mr . Belsham , that they have had doubts concerning the inspiration of by far the largest portion of
the Scriptures ? although they may have discovered , . and assigned , what they deem sufficient reasons , for doubting of the universal operation of this illuminat
ing power ; but because they have not had faith sufficient to swallow * mountain ^ , this unkind Christian will not allow them enough , even to give room for the passage of-an atom . There is , however , no
occasion for persons of inferior knowledge to advocate their cause , the one though " now dead , yet speaketh , '' and the other , is not unwilling to buckle on his armour , when an antagonist enters the fwld
of controversy whom he consitiers as worthy of his prowess . The second opinion which the churchman calls the unreasonable doctrine of the Unitarians , is u that human actions , are all
under the law ot necessity , and yet that they subject men hereafter to punishment . ' Mr . Belsham has assured him , and without this declaration , his own common sc : i .-e
might have informed him , thai this is by no means a generally received doctrine , even among thcfUnitiV * rians , nor is the belief of it at all peculiar to some who belong to their church ; he will upon
inquiry find this shocking bugbear , this behemoth of Christianity , stalking among the gowns and enssocks of the establishment ^ trotting about with '' the humble cloaks of Geneva , and boldly charging at the he <» d of our methodist armies ; why then , are the patient ., unambitious Unitarians , who , like Diogenes , in solitu . de
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Casiigator * Answer to the Churchman . 415
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1808, page 415, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2395/page/15/
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