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character , " yet " with regard to the supposed particulars of this religion the case is different , " and that " cer ~ tainty may be entirely out of the ques tion . Here I am led to observe , that he who certainly knoivs that what
nature teaches must be true , but does not certainly know what is is that nature does teach , knows no more than what is known to every other man . Every man is aware that " the heavens which declare the glory of God
cannot be imagined to bear false testimony . But as Mr , Starch observes , ( l the question arises , what is the testimony that they give , and to what extent does it go ? " Ami to this question different answers will be returned
which may perplex the inquirer quite as much as " interpolated texts and various readings . " But , it seems , while certainty may be out of the question with respect to the truths of Natural Religion , it mast always be out of the question with regard to the
truths of revelation . But why so ? If Christianity is allowed to be true , (then , as it confirms the Religion of Nature , and * is fundamentally the same with this religion , " it must partake of the same certainty , which- is
indeed no certainty at all , if Natural Religion is only certain as to its authority 9 and this certainty cannot be transferred to the principles which it inculcates . * But Christianity , moreover , has its separate and independent evidence . And the value of this
evidence appears from the fact , that it is this by which Christianity has thrown that " splendid and glorious light over the prospect of futurity , " for which Mr . Sturch very properly says that he can never be sufficiently thankful . But supernatural religion is * ' always in some degree dependent upon things which are in their own nature
fallacious . " Here Mr . Sturch probably alludes , in part , to historical testimony , * Blr . Sturch observes , thai " whatever can be proved to be a principle of Natural Religion must be true . " But as some difficulty atteuds this proof , and Mr . Sturch has not enabled us to
distinguish between those truths which Nature teaches with certainty , and those in which probability isi the utmost that we can obtain , I am at liberty to suppose tbat some little uncertainty is attached to most of thej o , if not to all .
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of which h ^ s vipws are somewhat sin * gular , and which he is disposed to distrust in exact proportion to the importance of the conclusions which are to be , drawn from it . Aad hence , perhaps j he not only allows with me
that multitudes are incapable of deciding on the external evidence of Christianity , but maintains , that not one man upon the face of the . earth is competent to the decision—a decision whichj it seems , involves the necessity of determining on the ti ; uth of every miracle related in the New Testament .
However , that these miracles collectively and singly are worthy of belief , I am happy to proaouace , upo » the authority of Mr . Sttireh himself , who in Apeleutherus expresses himself in
words to this effect—that tUe doctrine of Jesus and his apostles is so far beyond their natural means of knowledge as to constitute a miracle , and a miracle which renders all the rest
credible . If this be so , I need give myself little uneasiness about those passages of Scripture which " defy all human power of interpretation . " But though the external evidence of Christianity is so difficult to decide
upon , yet " men ia general * . , being properly educated , " are capable of judging how far its truths are worthy to be received , by their conformity to the principles of Natural Religion . This is so far well . But what are
they to do who have not been " properly educated , " or who have not been educated at all ? I am afraid that they must be contented to believe upon authority , that is , to ta&e upon trust the opinions which prevail ii > the
communities to which they belong . However , I have the satisfaction to feel assured , that their incapacity of judging for themselves does not confer upon any man , or body of men , aright to judge for them ; so that the interests ot" Protestantism are still secure .
Upon the whole , from the descrtp ^ tions which are given of the Religion pf Nature , 1 find it utterly impossible to ascertain what is its true character and value . It is sometimes said to be " intelligible to every human being who is willing to open his eyes and fix jthem attentively on its luminous and
instructive lessons j" sometimes its principles require that meq should be 44 properly educated" in order to understand them . Its authority is higher
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Mr . Cogan , in Reply to Mr . Sturch , on Natural Religion . 267 *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1824, page 267, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2524/page/11/
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