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by the Almighty should have beer * left uncffectccJ . The sentiments of TjTnitarians , however , respecting the mission of Christ , are npt quitq so extravagant . They believe that he came
to preach virtue to jnanfcind , to § et them an eminent example of it in his own conduct , to assure them - that the consequences of their-actions woqld extend far
beyond the present life , to give thern a pledge of futurity in his own resurrection , and then to leave the doctrines which he had inculcated , with their attendant evidence ^ to produce their natural effect on the human mind . Who
ci \ n say that these doctrines have not h $ d all the effect which it was reasonable to' expect from them ? The religion soon began , to be corrupted according as i ^ ts founder had foretold . Could it then produce
its genuine fruits ? Aq ^ I , so far &s it was rightly underwood , it wa , s prevented from effectually operating on tlie niip 4 ^ of men , by the cafes and pleasures of life . Could improperly influence those whose
^ hoje attention was engrossed by different objects ? Yet amidst all these impediments , A Church-Tium" wjU n , ot surely maintain that m * m y excellent and useful characters were not forced
chiefly by its principles , who evjnced their sincerity by their sufferings , $ nd who took infinite pp . in $ to proinote what they regarded as the highest welfare of their
spe-Cies ; rl mean peir ynoral improvement , He insists niuch on the vices prevalent among nomijkiI Christians , aqd imputes tliem lo the inefiicacy of the Ch : *» tian doctrines . But is he sure that
those unmoral characters believe in the truth of our religion ? Or that they ' h * ive ever nxqdc it the
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object of their particular attention ? If not vvhy does he asfc " could heaven make no impression upon courts ? ' * Could any thhtg make an impression on thpse who refuse to attend % <\ it ? And thp evidences of this religion seem not
intended io produce conviction irresistibly , but to leave room for the exercise of honest inquiry . But where Christianity is publicly professed , it certainl y has niade some vices infamous which were
not so before its introduction ,. It is very difficult to say how far the world is reformed from its an ? cient state ; and < 6 A Churchy man" says " perhaps not q whit . ' * ^ ut if he wil l build on * ' perhaps' * he may imagine what he pleases . F $ rhajji& he may some time lay aside his con tern ptr for Unitarian ? and become one himself . Suck is
^ in event least possible ; but I should think it wrong to deduce any inference from it ut \ m less it were certain : whereas he conjectures that " perhaps the world is not a whit reformrdj " and immediately concludes tha , t
u according ( o tliis scheme the mission o / Jesus is absurd and in ,-e fficient /' The iifth absurdity pointed out in the creed of Unitarians is , that
man , although purely material , shall be raised from the dead . " <} that / ' s < iys > " A Churchman /' * may be fa irly pronounced to be irrational . Avhich is contuu ry to all appearances , qU . analogy , arul consequently all prothen
baUility , '' Does ^ e suppose ' thfi t our belief in a future st * 4 te ^ s fourided on appraranevs qn <^ analogy I If so he is greatly mistaken . We readily acknow ; - led ^ e that neither fro m natural appearance ^ nor fvonpi any lav . 's of nature , so' far as they arc
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428 Mr . Alieftin ' s Answer to the Chytrchniqn .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1808, page 428, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2395/page/28/
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