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of civiLpatrftn ^ g ^? K \ t ^ J >}> M $ < 4 tldat such a m <^ ^ tf promutoting Clii ^ tiaiiity wpuW have exposed *^ p evidences to ? suspicion , is it not to be prejudice ^ excited againstpbmtianity by its affiaa ^ the
< m ^ m ^^^ 0 m ^ ^^ lgfeo ^ ra ^^^ of ciwl support—did he not mm , sGri ^ ulously avoid depending on tlje voluntary off ferings which his , grateful proselytes would have m ^ t }^ ; tp , M $ ^ necessities * working with j ^ is % owi ^ ands , lest he should become a burthen to them ?
" If he appealed toC !? e $ ar , it was to judge his innocence , not his religion . " Did the Church In subsequent ages require more at the bands of the magistrate than abstinence from direct
persecution , and permission to provide for the government and due order of their religious assemblies , according to their circumstances and exigencies ? And is it not to be feared that the liberality of the early proselytes had , without any aid from the public purse ,
but too profusely endowed the offices mid professors of religion ? Did the apostles and primitive disciples of Christ look forward to the period when the religion of the poor would be smiled upon by princes , and when the
cross should supplant the eagle , as the rallying point of embattled hosts ? Yes , they did anticipate such a period ; not , indeed , as an sera in which truth would flourish , and pure religion extend her benign siVay , but as the working of that mystery of iniquity which
fpy ages was to sully the purity and almost overwhelm the existence of the Saviour ' s kingdom . Surely if any thing Cj&n be satisfactorily deduced from Christian prophecy , the woeful corruptions of our religion , and the vindictive character of that discipline which has been coupled with it , we primarily ascribable to the unnatural union otf the { rewards and terrors , the smiles aiicl the fro \ yns of Ceesar , with the avvful inqUeraents and threatenings of the g 6 ^ et ^^ lt «|? ower s of the wQJrjtf sou otpfam 0 / t&b m&w % , p »« r
P # f wwftft ; # rt mom Ilty 5 in vain will enlightened individuals indicate the precise line , beyond which his interference \ yould violate those k
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S ^ i ^^^ ^ -1 ^^^ # ^ f ^^^^^^ # . : ^^ ii extenjfc . , . rtf % f . i ^^ l ^^ s ^^ m ^^ spiritual , simple ,, j f ^^^|| fe ^^ fpfa tipiy is , m 00 ^ Mmm ^ ft ISP ^ try be ^ p ^ ^ K me ^^ r , & ¥ > Wm 9 M ^ 0 ^! U 0 Sm ^ 0 Wi § A fa ^ w ^ % ; ae ^^^ a ^ o ^ hpQPiir ^ t ^ in H ^ ii ^ m ^ m ^ e js ^ ^ th our eyes rt ;^^ *^ ! ^^ pp ^ r md . ppritjfv & £ ) i % h % ci $ * $ g * tl into t& ? o ^ t ^^ d carnality of the law y eva ^ poratnig and exhaling the internal worship into empty conformities and vahi shows / 5 * f ¦
The Mpw prpgrps ^ ra ^ d comparative ^ pty of the gospel in the period preceding its establishment by Constantine , ( stated as & fifth Objectioa , ) are admitted , subject to great deductions : amongst which this event is regarded as tending to check the multiplication of error , by protecting the errors which then existed—as if the mere existence
of unpatronized errors in speculation , could be an evil comparable in magnitude with that of persecution . The case of Paul of Samosata is cited as an instance of the J udicious exercise ; of temporal authority in restraining the bigoted zeal of theologians ; in protecting his person and property , Zenobia merely ftilfilled her magisterial duly ; her shielding a generally reputed heretic from the consequences of his sentence maybe very wrong upon general principles , though almost justified by
circumstances . circumstances . The objection to establishments , grounded upon the unfitness of the magistrate to distinguish between truth and error is Fully admitted ,
( and this is a large concession , ) but in order to obviate it , he as called upon to give his patronage tjo Christianity in general , without distinction ^ sects . If by patronage is here intended , what the argument requires , all
the distribution of emoluments ty , thp professors , of Christianity , ^ po-^ ient ' s glance wjli deterjnine $ & ^ heme , Jo ; fc ^ is ^ iB ^^ . - ^^ mm - flW ^ il ! wP | ffli * w p ^ 4 i n- /» mMJmi wwK
mjmmm ' p mW ^^ p ^^^ , f mwow * f *^ p ^^ tymm ?»> ' ' ' ' ; t 1 ' //
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236 Wr ^ m ^/ m ^^ M ^ J ^ W ^
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1820, page 226, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2487/page/34/
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