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    according to the necessarian scheme , can only be another name for pleasure , or simply the mean of pleasure . The true

    statement therefore of this hypothesis is , that pain is necessary , for its own destruction , or that pain is necessary to teach us to avoid it . There may be something plausible in Mr . Allchin ' s reasoning , if it

    could be proved , that the supposition of one pang which is felt , bcinsr excluded , involves a contradiction , for contradictions are not within the divine power ; but I fear that he will never be able

    to bring men so ito conceive of the subject . Besides , if all the pa | n that is felt were necessary to teach us virtue , what can he dp with the pains which oppress . the irrational-animal , creation ? Is it capable of instruction in virtue ? Perhaps that the number of men ,

    compared with that of other sensible beings , may be in the

    proportion of one to a million , upon nine-tenths of which the conduct of man has no influence , the pain therefore with , which this mighty mass of beings is oppressed ,

    remains without explanation of- any kind . With all proper deference to those , who are satisfied with Mr . Allchin ' s hypothesis , I must beir leave to dissent from them .

    He replies to my observations under the thiid head , that as the laws of nature are merely the effects of the divine will- miracles

    arc probable and reasonable , even upon the necessarian hypothesis . Has the divine will then , established no regular uniform laws of nature ? Then no miracle is possible , if a miracle be a deviation from established laws . Has

    God established settled uniform laws of nature ? Then any devia-

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    tion from them , though it imply no impossibility , is surely improbable , if these laws of nature , operate uniformly upon mind afad matter , according to the original determination of the divine mind . From this simple statement , every thinking mind may easily satisfy itself .

    Mr .- All chin in reply to my fourth head , states that Unitarians do not maintain that more of

    reformation was intended by the mission of Jesus , tjian what h # s or will be accomplished in the world . On this 1 have nothing to observe , but earnestly to wish that a more complete reformation may soon be effected .

    Upon the fifth head , your respectable correspondent remarks , that Unitarians do not expect ^ resurrection from the dead , from any analogy or appearances of nature , but merely from the divine promise .

    Being accustomed in my youth to read Butler ' s analogy with great pleasure , and still to think it a great and valuable work , I may lay too much stress perhaps

    on antilogy and appearances , and I cannot bring my inind to think ,

    that what contradicts all appearances , is as probable as what corresponds with them , and with the exception of Pascal I have mot with few celebrated authors , who maintain that what is most unlike nature is most like God .

    That the Unitarians , the sons of reason , which Pascal disclaims in religion altogether , should be of this opinion is remarkable . I admit however , that the

    declaration of the Lord of nature , is a sufficient warrant for any- expectation contrary to her appearances and ]* ws : but I object to

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    The Churchman s Answer to Mr . BelsAam and Mr . Allchin . 549

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    VGJU HI . 4 D

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1808, page 549, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2397/page/25/