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of mankind are unable to judge of the evidences of revelation , and added , that it is not the evidence of a doctrine , but the ' belief of it , which is practically useful . " This language , " says Mr . Sturch , " from the pen of a liberal Dissenting minister , is surely very singular and extraordinary . " For aught I know it may be very singular
and very extraordinary , but of this I am very sure , that what it expresses is true . And it is to me very extraordinary that any sensible man should call its truth in i question . And had not Mr . Sturch ' s mind been haunted
by the unsightly forms of those spiritual directors of whom he speaks ., he could not surely have confounded two things which have no affinity to each other , or have attributed to me a sentiment which lie might have known could not be mine . To submit to
spiritual tyranny is one thing , and to rest in the judgment of those whom we consider as wiser than ourselves , in cases where we are conscious that our own judgment will not avail us , is another thing ; and , much as it may €€ savour of the credulity of a child , " is conformable to the constitution of
nature , and the universal experience of mankind . With respect to the insolent demands of inen who call upon you to prostrate your understanding before the dogmas which they choose to erect into articles of faith , I should certainly urge it upon the most illiterate Christian
strenuously to Resist them , believing it to be infinitely better that he should think for himself as well as he can , than that any man should assume the right of thinking for him . But I still
maintain , that there are multitudes in every Christian country who are altogether Incapable of deciding upon the truth or falsehood of the Christian religion . But if Mr . Sturch , who is himself a
believer , would point out any principles which would enable them to determine the question , he would effectually refute me , and confer a benefit upon them . But it seems , if my remark is just , " Protestantism and every thing
connected with it as at an end . " This , did T believe it , I should be sorry for . But truth is truth , whatever becomes of consequences . Therein , however , no ground of apprehension . As it has been judiciously observed , " The right of private judgment is uniques *
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tionable , but the ability , to exercise that right Is quite another thing . " Nor is it at all necessary in order to refute the arrogant claims of the Church of Rome , to maintain that every Christian , whatever hare been his means of improvement , js competent to judge of the evidences of revelation .
Mr . Sturch has the good fortune to possess two indestructible and divine religions , one of which he believes to be true , the other ( Natural Religion ) he certainly knows to be so . In this , Mr . Sturch , who does not seem to have distinguished very accurately
between faith and knowledge , differs somewhat from that zealous champion of Natural Religion , the author of Apeleutherus , who * if I rightly reeollect , when speaking of an important article of this religion , says , that certainty is entirely out of the question . Were
I called upon to decide between Mr . Sturch and this anonymous author , I should pronounce judgment in favour of the latter , and should give it as my opinion that Mr . Sturch , in a moment of inadvertency , has mistaken a strongpersuasion for certain knowledge . E , COGAN .
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138 * Knowledge and Belief- * -a Distinction of Mr . Sturch *« $
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Sir , WITH OUT presuming to enter into controversy with such able writers as Mr . Cogan and Mr . Sturch , will you allow me to put a question to the latter , with reference to the
last paragraph ia his letter ? ( p . 112 . ) Mr . S . has there made a distinction between knowledge and belief \ implying that the former is descriptive of his own mental feelings with reference to the evidences of Natural Religion , and the latter with reference to the evidences of Revealed Religion : this , of course , seems to lead to the
conclusion that higher regard is due to the former than to the latter . Now the question I wish to ask is , How any one can be said to know the truth of Natural Religion , or at any rate
what part of the religion of nature can be the subject of this knowledge ? To me it appears that belief 9 though proceeding on different grounds in either case ,, belief , which has be ^ n well
deiined to be " a state of mind betweea knowledge and doubt , with reference to the truth of a proposition / ' is the only appropriate term we can employ . Mr . Sturcn , ia pursuing a train of
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1824, page 138, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2522/page/10/
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