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upon and choosing in respect of two modes of action , which is the wisest the safest or the best , whether in its present or its future consequences ; or , in other words , of the freedom of the
will-, 4 th . J |» the ppwer of speech , aaid of inventing or adopting various wetfeods pf giving stability and permanence to numerous classes of ideas ond discoveries , which ifoujd othjCfwise have been merely fiagitive , or which at least must Jaave perished with th . e inventors or their immediate
successors ; such as tfre discovery of letters , and of various ingenious machinery , which enable the people of one age to possess as it were jby inheritance the moraj and mental acquirements of past generations , and thus jbo begin their career at nearly the same point where that of their predecessors closed . '
5 thly , and preeminently . The powder of discovering and of looking up to the great Source of aH these endowments , " in whom we live and xnove and have our being , " whether as discoverable thron g )) the medium
of his works , or by express revelation from himself ; of earnestly deprecating Ms displeasure j of humbly and devoutly adoring his goodness 3 of thanking him for all his mercies ; and of putting our whole trust and confidence in his parental care .
These primary qualities distinctly mark the species , and are equally found to discriminate between the brute creation and man , who is permitted to rule . over them , whether in his most highly cultivated and civilized state , or in Ahat of the wild
hunter of the forest 3 for it is abundantly evideut that the magnificent structure 0 $ virtue a » d knowledge raised by « Uvine revelation , and by tl > e successful cultivation of the arts and sciences , and wfeich places the one at such an
immeasurable distance frotn the , o . $ her , rests equally for its basis on these original eupeijior endowments . Jn respect of the first of Qrese , namely , the power of discriminating between virtue and vice , and thus of
detennining our choice , provision is made for its cultivation and improvement in the very frame of nature ^ by the opposite effects visibly consequent pn the two mpde £ of conduct whenever ^ wpif ^ oWrjCircinm ^ Qc ^ ^ at all similar 5 the one , producing
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health , peace and tranquillity j tfje other * disease , iqgijietupc ^ discontent and remorse ; together with tjie loi )^ train of malignant tprmentjng pp $ - sionsy which render the wicked * like the troubled sea that cannot rest * " But as these most important consequences , however demonstrable , canr
not produce conviction in the mind unless calmly weighed and duly cpnr sitjered , it would appear highly jprqbable , antecedent to all inquiry into the fact , that some additional am would be vouchsafed by the great Fa r - ther pf mercies during the early agep
of the world , and when such a mental process would be impracticable , for the guide and direction of his fear ble , erring children \ and as we fin $ that in the Jewish and Christian dispensations , this most desirable aid has actually been afforded , the strongest presumption Jhence arises that they are what they assume to be , diving
revelations . But it is not from the mere probability that our great and merciful Creator , considering the goodness manifested io all the works of his creation , would in some other way supply the unavoidable defects of want of
knowledge and experience , the wisdom and fitness of the manner in which this is done , by prohibition and command , is a still stronger presumptive evidence in favour of the reality pf ^ u ch a revelat ion . ^ Uen an infant , allured by the brilliancy x > f
a lighted tape * -, stretchqs out his han ^ d to grasp the flame , a jprudept parent would not merely jpjecyent his doin ^ g it at the mqment , Jpiut ; yyould gt ^ ajd against similar attempts * n fu ^ ture ^ j pot indeed by endeavouring Xo c , p ; n ^ ce him of tfee fatal consequences of ; # ie the
experiment ^ edyced from watufe of ' ^ ie destructive element , ^ wit jby an expi ; eys prohibition qn paiij of feis highest displeasure ; and it is , a striki « g feet , ^ hat on this yery principle , ihe pos , itiye comuiqnds of ^ be 4 eca - lpgue are founded .
Again , it is remarkable tjhat t ^ . e Jewish and CJtinsi £ a * i dispensations rpay particular attention to ti ^ e | mprovernent and expansiqu , of it ) & faculty of the human ipind whiq ^ fprms the eecQPtl lipe , o / ( Jema ^ catjqn , # p d upp » w ) iiQh . * q mwh 4 ^ , tbc re ^ pecta-Jt > i « ty , virtue ttyd li ^ ppjne ^ t * 0 # ie character depends 5 namely > jtp fih e ppw ^ r ^ f Jeokii > giforwa ^ b ^ ild pf e-
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m Mrs . Cappe , on the Aduptat *» of JHvme Jlmfa&m to the Human 9 Qq 4
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1816, page 30, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2448/page/30/
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