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anlongst rival sects ^ fcmt afteF a % : why * g ^ feiofrJfoit ^^ sincerely zealdua widi ^ WlH ) Uovv fessor , by b& enffoxed contribution fr am , $ ffep ^ t «> i * y ?« f It has t ) eett > ft « ther objected that the
evils whfch lia ^ e resulted from an union of Churchi and Stat ^ have been enormous , perpetuating errors the most grbss , such as tiranSubstantiation , pur ^ toiy , ifcc * , and arming : t | ie bigot with racks , tortures . andvrrinqufeitioais : and
here again £ tie facts' Jate admitted * but a preponderance of good is still febntendied for ; nay / it is boldly maintamefi that without the aid of the civil power , Christianity and its professors and advocates must Jiave been swept from off the face of the earth * This
astounding proposition undoubtedly deserves the attention of Nonconformists , as , if toleraJ ^ l y well substantiated ,, it goes near to a decision of the controversy :
But where is the proof or semblance of proof , of an allegation which would ripenl > r . Paley / sconjectures-Hito actual experience ? We are indeed called to look at the desolate condition of the once-flourishing churches of Asia and Africa : " Wheraure t&e seven churches
of Asia , addressed in the Apocalypse ; the apostolic church of * Antioch ? the metropolitan church of Jerusalem ; the Illustrious churches of" Alexandria , Carthage and Hippo ? The Cross has every where yielded to the Crescent * What , it is asked , could have saved the European churches from similar
devastation except the support of the civil power * " Perhaps , nothing . But when it is recollected that the sword of the prophet of Mecca was directed against the civil liberties and independence , not less than the religious opinions of the countries which were visited with
its scourge , and when in many of those countries Christianity enjoyed the niuch desiderated : countenance of the- Civil Power , it is lfcm ? fy marvelloustfo hear the allianec of the ( Church ^ ytlfi the State assigned * as i the uftttse * Why * tih& M ahometan dynasty and religion did not overrun tlifc rfest ofeflie !^ € hi * 9 ftfeii
* orfe Would not thefEuropean states have been equally conceriied to t resifet l agg ^ esste of such a : ^| M «^ WIjemer ^ tlfey had adopted Clirifetianity as ^ e State Religion , ^ t had slnlplf tote-^' --tede , $ ttffl ^^ m& Wmfov ** * lirdy II is n # to ? bt
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taken forr granted that the refusal to mitet hare iwcessarfl y fi ^ dered th ^^^ wm-jm ^ m ^ m ^^^^ l * & the point $ f 4 hfN ^^^ . ^ f ^^ meBet ^
vattDn of the EuTO ^ eaii ehtu « hes- and the subveraon of 4 hx >^ in Asia an * Africa , must ther ^ G ^ rer be traced ^ some other / cause than the existence or the want of civil patronage . ; € ij > bon / though an enemy , may be listened to
wluls t thus accounting for the triumphs 9 ^ Mahommedauism ^ . rrf' i ^ tere - pure than , $ he system of Zoroaster more liberal than the law of Moses , % && religion of Mahomet might seem less inconsistent with reason than the creed
of mystery and superstition which in the 7 ih century disgraced the simple city of the ffQspeL ^ - " The : northern coast of Afiica is the only land iu which the Ughti of the gospel , after a long and perfect establishment , has been totally extinguished . Tlie arts * which had been taught by Carthage and Rome , were Involved in a cloud
of ignorance ; the doctrine of Cyprian and Augustin was no longer studied Five hundred Episcopal churches were overturned by the hostile fury of the Donatists , the Vandals and the Moors . The zeal and numbers of the clergy declined ; and the people ^ without discipline or knowledge or hope , submissively sunk under the yoke of the Arabian prophets * . *
It would be easjj to trace the extermination of Christian churches to the previous decay of the vital and spiritual dominion of the religion of Jesus in the hearts of i ^ s professors ; nor would
it be difficult / m most case 3 , to date the progress of 4 ^ cay from the period \ ! ' "i " * , ¦¦¦ ' »• ¦ -- . j " ; " ¦ . i- ¦ ¦ ;• 'I : ;¦ «¦¦¦¦ , < ¦ ¦ -- « .. . l ; * . Qf the Asian churches the same author remarks , that « fj Philadelphia alone has been saved by prophecy or courage . At / fonen
a . mpwe m > m , m ^ ^ ^ theJgmpWdrs , encompassed on aU sides by the Turks / her Pliant citizens defended their religion audfrfeedoin above fourscore fe ^ BM ^ t m % g q ^^ proudest of the # ttomans . Among the Greek colonies ilttd churches , of A ^« , Philadelphia is stiU erect , aicc ^ mn ia a * && # && ruins ; , ¦ *; tl ^ ai ^ jte ^ pffip ^ the paths of lio ^ fi ^ JiM ^ MpI ^ ^ , !^ soinetimes-be- ^ kf ^ mn ^ cline ^ andb F ^ W ^^ ^ 'T ' ' ' " ^'^^ ' * .
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The NoncM 30 mm < No . XVII . 2 ^
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1820, page 227, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2487/page/35/
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