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ji Friendly Correspondence between an Umlarian and a Calvinmt . 7 $$
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spiritaal knowledge . I by ao means undervalue the labours of good men , * though uniaspired ; but , afefer all , their value , will b $ precisely in proportion % o their conformity t to t ^ doctrines and precepts of the religion wfiicli they profess tp teach $ t a&d in order
to judge of this conforaajty , what they say must be compared with the sacred text . You " will nott allow in e to per * form this operation for you >§ ( it would }> e very wtoag if you did »> nor will you expfet that I should exonerate
myself of this obligation , ancl permit you to dj&cjiarg ? it ia my behalf . If air * to read with other men ' s eyes , I had as lief ; thpy were those of the p an witl * the triple crown , as of him in the Geneva cloak .
Tkis assumption || of a right to think and judge for each other , is the world ' s disease . It manifests itself ii * a thousand shapes ; and more or less infects all sects and parties . Spiritual pridej % has 4 ? ver been the bane of free inquiry . It matters not whether the
cry be ** The temple of the Lord are w $$ " w , ^ S tand as ide , I am holier thaa thou ?* gjv < €€ 1 ana the ehiefestoi sinners , *¦* but nevertheless a choseu vessel $ ' * ^ jr , "I au * $ real Christian , and you merely a nominal Christian ;" or , " The Lord has beea pleased to
open pay eyes , tf but yoxx are Wind / 'J J I say it r » atterg npt what the cant of the day is ; the thing is stall the same . The Pope will style himself the ser . vant of servants * while he is in the act of kicking the crowu from the head of an emperor ; and the Calvinist will confess himself to be the vilest of the
vile , at the moment that he claims an * 1 think little of authors in general very few awatoeiied men among them . t What an unawakencd maw says , goes for little * i Yea .
§ God only caij do this . Let us say , Lord open mine eyes I c * For judgment am I come into the world , " $ e * All are therefore htind till Christ give © them sight . II If God alarms and awakena oae , he must endeavtwar to aw ^ y ^ en those who are
asleep , though wide awake as to suffering . U Is it pride to say , ' * I am alarn&ed , a » cl endeavour to alarm you ? ** True Calvinists feel that they are siiM wcra * Hiey l ^ iatnist tbe mselves . tt Yes , to see danger . + t Yes . Here the whole matter i * solved
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exclusive J * iglit to interpret the oracles of God . * Our Lord has- s ^ id tU ^ t publicans and harlots are mom likely tjo enter into the kingdom ot Be ^ ven than men who ftr ^ thu s pui&d up ivith spiritual pride , f It is , iadeecf , well said , that the heart is deceitful
above all things ; for we are aLways the last to detect this ( teleterious poison m ourselves , J although it tioge ^ our conversatiqn , powrs our tenapers ^ and is conspicuous in its general efifects . TLink not thWt I am all this
while congratulating myself upon my freedom from this pestilent disease . I have , I dare say , a good share of it . ; it is manifest whenever I betray anger or impatience at opposition . This is the test which few can abide /§ I observed , in effect , « it an early period of this debate , that I could not
expect any beneficial result from it » unless you would waive the claim to inspiration , || and agree to discuss the question upon equal ground . ^ " You did appear at one time to be inclined thus to condescend ; bi | t you have jerked back to your old station , and
it only remains for me henceforth to hear without replying . ** I will not say that I have no wish to effect a change in your opinions , ff ( for this would be to acknowledge myself inr different to your happiness , which is
far from being the case , ) but I see little or no probability that any thing coming from me will have any weight with you , and therefore it is my present determination to observe silence . If it is agreeable to you to prosecute the attempt to convert me ftona my
* Through awakenings of which you can form no just conception until you are awakened . -f- Pride cannot allowedly exist in a true , awakened Calvinist . Is it pride to discover danger ? % God does it for us 5 and in us > by Him we are made to know and feel it .
§ Opposition to divike convictions is impotent . || Inspiration of alami . % Cannot be equal , while you remain unalarrned , ** The expense of time is to be lamented .
ft The change to be effected is to make me feelingly and unreservedly to confer that God might justly consign me aud all to eternal perdition . Nature revolts at this .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1824, page 715, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2531/page/11/
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