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join in wx worship * and softie have refused to send their ^ children to tfee public instruction © f the catechumens , under the jMtetext feat that SMtWicHfttm was hot consistent with Christk ^ fty ,
or to ratify their own baptismal vo # in omr temples * u ^ der the fxretefct tliit the oflkiarifcg pastor was ftot evangelical .
'' Next * how shall we addf ^ ss yo \ i on your manifest usurpation of the title and fch& functions of 4 , pastor ; © & the permission you have glvea to yottag ; people , of fourteen or sixteen years of age , to receive the ootnmu * - nion wherever they please , either ift
the National Church , or amongst the Separatists ; on the fatal pride With w&ich ytm inspire thetii , by leading * them to believe that tttey are directed fey the Spirit of God , and € hat they cannot earn , whatever they tfi&y thiftk proper to do- ¦?
f * What shall we say to you of those insulting expressions you have more than oace employed in spfcakitig * df eur religious assemblies , and of the prohibition you have given t ^ those whom you denominate your ffl ^ ck , tb be ipr ^ sent at our public worship , when the officiating pastor is not one of
th « srmdl number whom you approve ! iC Do you not feel , Sir , that this conduct is altogether intolerable ? < 3 oasidfer what wonld be tlie effetft , if the authority of the Co ^ n sfetary were aot employeil to | w * t a stop to it . The < efffect woakl be , thut the oath of the « nitibter 6 would be accounted as
no-Chmg ; that every minister would think himself entitled to erect an oratory to conduct public worship in whatever -way he chose , to set hitnself over fr flock without being legally appointed Its pastor , to receive at the ctimtnuaioQ those catechumens whom he alone
had instructed aruLexaimned / without any title 'to admission but that conferred kin $ hein by his arbitrary will . " A ^ ain , the ^ ffe ^; would be that iileuibers of the Romish Church would btecoiiite «» embOTsbf-i [ mr 9 > wit } iotit a » y previous declaratacm tof their opinio ** s , Mflitliout examination of their iik > lives
iiiul tiaeir religioiie ^ knowtecjtgfe , ^ mtbottt auoaiia of ttscertainiiiff to ivhat OhxH ^ h they belong . " The effect w ^> uld bft - tha ^ very y ^ WK / p ^ rson ^ qwb ev ^ xi chiWr ^ ft , WQiiid think thaaoaelves ca |> al » le pf acting without the direction of $ heir
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ptm > T& $ or theif p ^ fetor ^; tliat they ^^ ould take the sugges tions of selfl ^ i ^ e ^ aftd the operatioti of ^ tlde fw the inspiration of the l £ ol ^ SpMt , and fail into serious errors % imagining 4 ^^ d ^^ b 6 infallible . be
x The ^ fect wo \ 5 iM dfedordi , fe-Urily di ^ Ufil ^ i ^ , < of which live have seen to 6 » jany ^ xKiM ^ tes ^) ^ ad the des truction of all order a ^ d discipline 5 » 4 ; he Q hurth . " Reflect seriously , then , Sir , tod ^ kaowledge that a Christian Church , like ^ vei * y other society , has need tff fewfe , of regulation , of rulers , vtnd that he who will kot submit t 6 tfee
^> rder that Chui ^ eh , ought freely ami foott&stly to avoAv that tie does f * ot reckon hitnself atnong ^ t its meBabws . " Ackno wJ ^ d ge your mistakes a ^ yotir faults ; the iavmval would shew greatness of mind , it would entitle yoti . to your otvn esteem and $ be ^ es ^ e ^ m of your & « pei ^ ris ; you would
enjoy the approbation of your conscience , &n& the approbation of ' 4 btft XJrod who , as we ® re taught in the gospel , regards humility and e&arity * ms ^ h ^ dfetinctive ^ arks of aQiiS ^ an , and the chief virtue df Ms ministier < s . '
' Yes , my bratfeer , if you are not desirous of troubling the Churek and -af makiBg youmelf conspicuous at any rate ; if you are aware of the duty of a true disciple < if Jesus ) you witl not fefetse to be convinced , tto to
observe proper disci p line , ^ nd make reparation for the injury you have done , - which i $ ' already -too extensive , and the fearful responsibiiity of which , will r ^ t on your own head , tftjthe g ^ reat day of retribution *
* 6 Yon formerly inspired us with delightful hopes : what lias thus led you astray ? Is it not tiie influence «© f the enemies of our pesaee , wh 6 feave excited you to enthusiasm and < saused you to swerve into the patti
you have hastily chosen ? If when you entered it , you had been shewn wMther it would lead ; if it had been possible to ^ ive you a foresight df division in your own family , of i < e
bellion ^ sgamst thfe discipline of the CJfertircfe , of calumny uttered nyainst those who ins ^ rucl ^ d you and ordained ybu 710 the ministry 6 f the gospel , of schism , of ^ tfee abmitlo ^ m cnt of tfhfe
evangelical prmciples 6 » f feitnllityand love , you would toave ^ iMfler ^ d l # @tutn to nvore httmble . ' more ^ ari-
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TheologimlI t ^ ftwm ^ ^ Getoem * l M
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1824, page 71, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2521/page/7/
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