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Untitled Article
blazed through the heavens ; yet , in its rapid and fiery course , it has not impeded the motion of a single star . Consistently with these ideas , the Christian religion was ushered into the world by miracles and wonders—and why ? Because those principles , which we have called secondary causes were not calculated to effect the first
introduction of a new dispensation ; but they were applicable to its diffusion ^ and , therefore , that purpose has been confided to their influence . That the order of natural events might be disturbed as little as possible , that free scope might be allowed them whenever they are sufficient to effect the object to which the Divine Will may be directed , a peculiar energy was displayed solely for the purpose of planting in the earth the tree of life , under whose shadow all nations are ultimately to repose : —its nutrition and growth were
left to time and nature . But the signs of the Divine interposition displayed at the introduction of Christianity , will for ever be an unanswerable argument against those cavillers who are unwilling or unable to perceive the hand of a superior being in the exact , and regular , and finished workings of nature ; and for this reason we have never , since that period , been favoured by particular displays of almighty power , nor have we any reason to expect a repetition of them in future ag ^ es .
Now , if the argument is valid , that the diffusion of the gospel dispensation must be effected solely by natural causes , it may easily be established , 1 st , that such diffusion has , in point of fact , been as rapid as the state of the world allowed ; and , 2 dly , that every hope may now be entertained for its continued , more vigorous and extended sway in future . At the time when Jesus appeared , Polytheism universally prevailed , except in Judea ; and not only were " gods many" every where worshiped , but ,
what is more to the present purpose , so general a toleration was practised amongst the Heathens , that every form of religion was permitted , no statepreference being given to the worship of any deity where all were equally entitled to religious culture . It would be impossible that , where gods of every character and description were honoured with worship , offence should be taken at any one which a nation or even an individual chose to prefer . So innumerable were these gods , that to add to their number was a matter
of little moment , and quite unworthy the not > ce of the government ; and as no reason could be given for the worship of any one of them more than of another , except what arose from the peculiar locality of the deification , of course every different place possessed its distinct deities . In such a state of religious tolerance and indifference , it would be necessary , in order to attract the general attention of mankind to any new faith , that it should condemn all other forms of worship , that its avowed object should be to displace all other goas in favour of its own . Thus our reli g ion had to destroy all the prejudices ( on a subject where prejudices are the most strong ) of a whole world . Vast undertaking ! And the great wonder consists in the success which it has already attained . The spirit of opposition was at first the peculiar and distinguishing feature of the gospel , and this circumstance drew down upon our faith that persecution which in reality tended so much to its
rapid extension . This object of the Christian dispensation was peculiarly promoted by the circumstance that the new doctrine opposed the strict unity of God to the Polytheism of the ancients , and , therefore , in the earliest ages of Christianity , and while the influence of the extraordinary workings of the Divinity were more immediately felt , that doctrine in its purity and simplicity was the peculiar feature of the new faith . Q radually , however , as the promulgation of the system was left to the
Untitled Article
Slow Progress of Christian Truth . 225
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1828, page 225, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2559/page/9/
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