On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
« tie «» -wbea arguing mtb tho * e that thinjc freely orr religion , quote the name * © f Locke and Newton as defenders of Christianity ; but they totally forget that the Christianity which those illustrious persons professed did not contain the doctrine of the Trinity , which our divines
esteem as the fundamental principle of this religion . For the conviction o ( the public as to the accuracy of thus assertion , I beg to be allowed to extract here a few lines of their respective worts , referring my readers to their publications upon religion for more complete
informa-« . < Locke ' s JVorks 9 VII . 421 : * But that neither he nor others may mistake my book , this is that in short which it says—1 st . That there is a faith that makes men Christians . 2 nd ! y . That this faith is the believing * Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah . ' 3 rdly . That the
believing Jesus to be the Messiah , includes k it a receiving him for our Lord and Khigj promised and sent from God ; and so lays upon all his subjects an absolute and kidigpensable necessity of assenting to all that they can attain of the knowledge that he taught , and of sincere obedience to all that he commanded . '
"' Sir / . Newton ' s Observations upon the Prophecies , p . 262 : * The beasts and elders therefore represent the Christians of all nations ; and the worship of these Christians in their churches is here represented under the form of worshiping
God and the Lamb in the Temple . God , for his benefaction io . creating all things , and the Lamb for his benefaction in redeeming us with his blood . God as sitting upon the throne and living for ever , and the Lamb exalted above all by the merits of feis death . '
" ' It cannot be alleged that these personages , in imitation of several Grecian philosophers , published these sentiments only in conformity to the vulgar opinion , and to the established religion of their country ; for both th # vulgar opinion and the religion of the government of England in th « ir days were directly opposite- to the opinions which ttnema celebrated men
entertained . " ' The indention &f $ he name of Sir Isauc Newton , one of the greatest nia ^ themftticiaus ( if not the greatest ) that ever existed , baa brought to nay recoflpotion a mathematical argument whi ^ h I some time ago heard a ( livine adduce hi
?« ppon of true Trinity ., - * n 4 w hich I feel laclinocl tq consider her . e , though I am a fra U * 4 some of my readers * nay censure * ne for repeating an argument of thie J " d . it ig as follows : that as three » tes ejfcju po ^ g triangle' , % o l ) Mec pn-
Untitled Article
sww coui ^ se aae . l £ * & afi topi $ biug that a mind so conversant . with mathematical truth as was that of Sir Isaac Newton ^ did not discover this argum&nt la favour of the possible existence of a Trinity , brought to light by ^ Trinitarians , considering that it must haye lain so
much in his way . If it did occur to him , its force may possibly have given way to some such considerations as the fpliowiag : This analogy between the Godhead and a triangle , in the first instance , < Jeuies to God , equally with a Hue , real existence ; for extension of all kinds , abstracted from position or relative
situation , exists only in idea . Secondl y * It destroys the unity which they attempt to establish between Father , Sou and Holy Ghost ; for the three sides of a triangle are conceived of as separate existences ^ Thirdly , It denies to each of the three
persons of God , the epithet ' God , ' inasmuch as each side cannot be designated a triangle ; though the Father of the universe is invariably called God in the strict sense of the term . Fourthly ,, ] Lt will afford to that sect among Hindoos who
suppose God to consisjt of four persons , an opportunity of using the same mode of arguing , to shew the reasonableness of their sentiments , by con > pariag the compound Deity with the four si ^ es pf a quadrilateral figure . Fifthly , This maian < er of arguing may be esteemed better ; adapted to support the polytheisni of the majority
of Hindoos , who believe in numerous persons under one Godhead ; for , instead of comparing the Godhead with a triangle , a figure containing the fewest sidj ? s , and thereby proving the three persons of the Godhead , they might compare God
with a polygon , more . suitable to the-dignified rauk of the Deity , and thus establish the consistency with reason of the belief , tb&t the Godhead may be pomposed of numerous persons . SixjJWy , TJhLa mode of illustration would , in feet .
equally suit tbe Atheist as tlm pojytbeist . For , as t } ie Trinity is represented by the three sides of a triangle , so the eternal revolution of nature , without any divine person , may be com . par . ed to the circle , which is eoasidered as having no sides nor
angles . Or , seventhly , as some great mathematician ^ consider tins circle as a polygon , having an infinite number of Hides , the illustration of the TrinUuri&n . doctrine by the form of , the triangle , wUl , by analogy , justify those sect ^ jw P maintain the existence of an innnite
number of persons mi the QtojdhBad , in referring for an Hlustration of their opinions to t | ie wular , or XMh ** * per ^ p * , fo ithfc globular figure , in which in to bp foimd an infinity of cu ' ~
Untitled Article
Vntivrian Q > ntrQuer * y <* Calcutta . 3 $ E
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1822, page 395, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2514/page/3/
-