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Christian brethren , as \ V « 11 as to distinguish the ^ views ' of Christianity from Deism $ but ho wev&r well adapted they in ^ ght ? be to ^ the latter purpose , the pectilianties of the Unitarian doctrines are not sufficiently discoverable by the general reader—the unexplained use of one phrase ^ viz . < r the Son of
God , " will suffice as an example . So impressed was I with this conviction oil * tfceH first fcerrusal of that statement of the Unitarian creed , that the importance of some compendious book of reference lo >> a candid and
enlightened explanation of scriptural terms , appeared ta ihe fteyohd tjuestion ; ana a few weeks afterwards I took the liberty to suggest to the Rev . Dr , John Evans , the * certaM good e £ - fects which a dictionary of theological terms must produce , giving the various
constructions upon which the respective opinions of a few of the leading sects are founded , with the etymology as far as practicable ; and I am persuaded , that if one of your literary Correspondents could be induced to undertake such a work , he could not
render a greater service to the religious inquirer . I have been told that the Author of the Sketch of the several Denominations obtained the sanction of a leader in each sect , before he sent the Article which described them to the press . S . C— .
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Sir , IN a former Letter , [ XIV . 82 and 293 , ] I have considered the opinions of the modern reasoning orthodox on the doctrine of future punishment , as reducible to this standard :
namely , that though the Sdriptures clearly indicate a distinction in toe degrees of suffering , yet they hold out no prospect qf a termination of the state itself , or , of a final restitution and recovery . In offerincf a few further remarks on
this view of the question , in order to avoid circumlocution , and treading as little as possible over beaten ground , I shall briefly state the sentiments of two eminent divines' iDr ; tt Si Clarke i
and Bishop NewtoH . > < n . . *• > E | r . Clajke , in his great work on ^ ' The Evidences , ^ &C ., observes , that No man can say it is unreasonable , that they who # dfilftil aiid stittbb&wi disobed ience' to flfifiid , * - aftd unrepented wickedness , have , during the state of
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trial , made thei ? &seJeep ufiifci ; fejr mOm tiat happuiess , shouldtfe ^ iCttei ^ iffll ^^ - jeeted aijd excluded from it / ' Bkh <^ Newton ;^ in * Ms ; l > e 3 # ^ Restoration , says , W 8 fa \ WtB * wM
man ' s happiness or misery to ^ all eteiv nity , should be absolutely ? tod unchangeably fixed and deteitoined by the uncertain behaviour # v a few years in this life , is a supposition everimore unreasonable and unnatural , than that
a man ' s mind and manner should be completely formed and fashioned in his cradle , and Ms whole future fortune and condition depend altogether upon his infancy—infancy being much greater , in proportion to this life , than the whole of this life to eternityi" He
then proceeds to obviate any misconceptions which may arise in this view , as to the case of the righteous , whose state of future happiness hath been always justly regarded by the Christian Church as strictly and properly everlasting ; stating his meaning only to be , that all created intelligences are comparatively imperfect , and
necessarily fallible ; but that the righteous having passed through a state of probation , sufficient , in the eye of Omriipotence , to have formed a character , and being now delivered from trial and temptation , and placed in a state of
glorious reward and progressive improvement , under the more immediate auspices of the Alnaighty , their defection or apostacy will be morally impossible : but that it by no means follows , that a state 6 f punishment , strictly eternal , will be the portion of
the wicked , , the two cases being so immensely different . We need not stay to prove thajt the opinions of these two eminent men , on the latter topic , are as diametrically
opposite , as the East is to the West ; and , in any sober discussion , it is of great use , and serves to lessen our labour , to compare ideas s 6 directly repugnant to one another , ^ since , by th& collision of discordant sentiments , truth
is frequently struck out ; v m the . qgfa flicting : elements purify fa&Mri «« »! ## length unfold the beauties of creftti ^ ii in « T bright and Unfcbii ^ r ' : Mow ^ whoever ex « uto ^| t |||^| pfe ^ sage of Dr . Clarke ' s ^ , ^^^ mtiM ^^ f 1 mk' flii ^ tbat ^ he ' ha | fei ^ f > t |»| iM point : with his iistia ^ p 1 ^ p |||| pli ^ b ^ 4 f % M" 9 IfQ / lIf ' ¦ 1 ' > ' * + * 5 rt"AHV" t' * ¦ % ' > a 1 * * ' \ 1 ' 1 curucy . , _ > . ** , ^ , m i * f *\ $ . ^ ;¦ : n \ First , he ta ^ kes for granted what is 1 j
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M&d ^ 6 * 1 faiftmfoh u _ Notiort of Future Punishment . 337
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1820, page 337, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2489/page/13/
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