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nature . The Gnostics , with their celestial pre-existent spirit and phantom humanity ; the Cerinthians , with their incorporation of the celestial and
human natures ; the ancient Platonizing fathers , with their incarnate second God , hear witness to something extraordinary , and out of the course of nature in the acts of Jesus . The
Jewish converts , familiar with the signs wrought of old by Moses and other prophets , and with the ascension of Elijah , continued Unitarians like the apostles before them ; but the . Gentiles were ready to exclaim Deus , Deus ille V * This is unaccountable on
the hypothesis of mere moral reformation 5 it is unaccountable on any other theory , than that of actual signs and wonders performed through Jesus in the sight of men , by the finger of
Your Correspondent quotes Luke ix . 49 > as a proof that the power of working cures was common to others , and was therefore no evidence of a direct communication from God to Jesus . The reference is unhappy . " Master ,
we saw one casting out devils in thy name" It was on an appeal to the name of Je * u& , accompanied , no doubt , with faith in him as the Christ , that God poured out his energy in the healing of lunacy .
To call Newton a messenger from God , seems little better than playing upon words . What is meant by a messenger from God , is an immediate and extraordinary messenger : and the only test of a divine commission is , * a power to suspend the ordinary laws of nature by the working of miracles .
But it is asked , why such a supernatural exertion of power should have been necessary ? And it is urged , that if the doctrines of Jesus were true , truth is its own evidence , and needs no
proof . This , position is contradicted by all human experience . Mankind are not disposed te embrace truth . In despite of philosophy , they are not even agreed as to *« what is truth . "
If Jesas be only a moralist and reformer , raised up , like Socrates , in the ordinary course of God ' s providence , what is to render his precepts obligatory ? They who acknowledge the supernatural character of his mission , however they may differ as to its desiga , or as to the pennon of the messenger , agree in tweir submission to
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the gospel laws of morality , because they conceive them to have a divine sanction . . They who question their divine authority , are not so unanimous in admitting their self-evident truth . Some cavil at their want of philosophical precision ; others at their justness or fitness . Truth then is not its >
own evidence . The writer ' s scepticism seems founded on an idea that the . object of Christ ' s mission was to teach morals . The Christian covenant was prepared from
the very infancy of the world 5 announced by prophets ; aad hailed with triumph by those who ' * saw the day of Christ / ' which had been appointed * ' before Abraham was . * ' What was
this day of Christ ? What were these prophecies , and wherefore this exultation ?—That a reformer was to arise > That a new system of morals was to be promulgated > Increduiu * odi . Jesus , indeed , taught the love of God and man ; but he taught more : he
confirmed the free pardon of " his God and oar God , " his " Father and our Father , " on the condition of •« our ceasing to do evil and learning to do well . ' * If he had not divine authority for this joyful message , what is its value ? Does it demand assent by intrinsic truth and fitness ? Will such
an assurance , proceeding from a sage and benevolent moralist , supply a balm to remorse , or an opiate to despair ? But neither was this the grand object of Christ ' s mission . Jt is said , that Jesus taught none but natural doctrines . Is the resurrection of the dead a natural doctrine ?
Jesus was sent to lay down his life that he might receive it again . He was sent to reveal the stupendous mystery that the grave should yield up its dead . Was not a supernatural interference of Deity necessary for such an object as this ? But , it may be said , we knew that the soul was immortal ;
Plato knew it - Deists recognise it : on what proof ? All the phenomena of our nature are against it . The natural immortality of the soul— -the very existence of a soul at all independent
of the corporeal organisation of man , is mere hypothesis : it rests on conjectural philosophy ; it stands on heathen inventions ; it is disowned by Scripture . " Dust thov art , and unto dust fthalt thou return : ' but 44 the dead shall be raised incorrupti-
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396 Reply to Objections to Christianity .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1817, page 396, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2466/page/20/
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