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revelation . A Deist can scarcely be a Trinitarian : he may be an Unitarian * ( It should however be observed , Mr , Ediior , that on the one baud , the doctrine of s * Trinity forms no obstacle to the Deism of a certain continental
school of divinity ; whilst on the other , scarcely any Deist has been an Unitarian who has not in effect reaped the benefit of the sublime principles of the gospel . ) 6
To proceed , * It has been ably maintained by Christians of every fWty * that Nature gives imperfect and uncertain information respecting our duty and expectations ; $ hat though she may confirm and illustrate , it is to revelation that
^ ve must loo k for knowledge and conviction respecting every principle necessary for religion or virtue . It is important then , that some doctrine should forcibly and constantly direct our attention to this revelation ; and what , be will
Sr « ty , so fitted for this purpose as the doctrine which teaches that in the person of its promulgator we behold God himself . By consi - dering Jesus , not only as the
divinely commissioned and inspired messenger of the New Covenant , but also as a person essentially sharing the nature of the infinite Jehovah , we secure in the most
powerful manner , u \ e acknowledgment so important , and in practice so difficult to be kept in view , tbat be spoke with an heavenly authority , an 4 demands the roost unreserved obedience . This
beliefipust necessarily Chri s tianize all our religJQUs notions ; the gospel will occupy its , proper p lace in our devotions iind We shall qot fail Ita obey Cbjist if > # ur 1 ives . ^ This ^ rgv * menta | Uon reminds me of a story which I have heard of
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a person who having b ^ entak ^ it to an Unitarian place of Worship said to his conductor , "I like your religion very much , it is rational and sensible , but I think I err bn
the right side when I believe too much /* Now the fact is , Mr . Editor , that by endeavouring to believe too much / there is great danger of not believing at all : and that the orthodox by attempting to prove more than scripture warrants , do in effect prove nothing ; if men do , indeed , surmount the
stumblihg-block , it is well ; but if this stops them , they seldom suspect that' there is another more accessible approach to the temple of Christiani ty , but retire straightway to the dreary abades of infidelity . How many itigetiutms minds have been driven altflosi to
distraction at the contemplation of the dread alternative ( as ttfcey have imagined ) by which th ^ V art obliged to do violence ti > nvety principle of reason and cotnfribn sense on the orie hand , or on the
other to give up all that is pute in precept , animating in promises , sublime in expectations . And when the decision ti # s been toade and reason sacrificed , it is t ^ be
feared that int many t-stsefi-Chfistiahity so received , is deprived of nearly all '' influence ^ over the heart and life' knd is reduced ! to
the importance of ii lirieWspeculative assent . TM < ti&fy by which the priestess , OrtHoduxy , leads her votary to the ^ gtorf of Christian Faith , seerris to me vd begir a
close resemblance to-ffiW by which Virgil represent his Hero to have visited the Elysikn Fields ; for when by aid , 'df ¦ ttfe Athana ^ ian whip of s < iorpibH ^ or by virtue of the golden branch of preferment * she has carried » hixxi pasr the
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404 Supposed * Advantages of the Doctrine of the Trinity .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1814, page 404, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2442/page/20/
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