On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
tnauim « c ^ cer&iBg «; i ) a % ioifs ^ ft ) ertvv '« arrd the , < wgkfc * rf * p wjdtB ijjudgpie ' ntJ ^ bm * m iiotbiBg ; dfiftTttte ) lAr ) Vr 5 B ~ S 8 d 8 iianr ^ at a floss > iwktK > iFrr trHether * i » geteKtenteii who > ha ^ e snpporte db ifee * amend trient > mean !) itheito&Kriib feBgions ? iitjetty ^ « nd right tof vprh at * judgment , ot "those « f their > brethrenr > Huteithercase , 1 would htrai WV recommend them ' to remember
onfe beantiful-passage of Scripture : ** If any mart trust to himself that he is Christ ' s , let him of himself think this agairvthat as he is Christ's , even so are we Christ ' s . " Notwithstanding the highsounding phrases which have been used in ' . connexion with religious liberty , I am surprised that this liberty is so badly
understood and so sadly abused , lu the exercise of the right of private judgment , I have taken Christ for my Master ; and , however much some may be alarmed , I teii you candidly and boldly , that I have now no liberty to serve other masters : and I trust , that neither the fear of persecution nor of death shall influence me
to" break nay engagement , and choosd Synods or Councils in his stead . " One is my Master , even Christ , and all ye are brethren : —** No man can serve two masters . "—Even the apostles , who were divinely inspired , said to the early disciples , " Not for that we have dominion over your faith , but are helpers of your joy . " I have heard long and loud speeches respecting the sufficiency of the Scriptures as a perfect rule of faith and
practice ; and , if I be not much misinformed , there have been long and loud lectures delivered , by some of my Orthodox brethren now present , to convince the Roman Catholics of the perfection of the Sacred Scriptures for these purposes . But how unaccountably strange is it , that these very gentlemen are attempting to establish , in this place , the very things which they wished to free the Roman Catholics of in another
placet ; It would be a most glorious boaat , if theifl conduct were in unison witfo theSr profession j but the gentlemen who ate one moment strenuous in urging the importance and sufficiency of Scripture ) in all matters of religion , are , the next * wrisy in advocating the necessity of human creeds and confessions .
Be it remembered , that Jesus Christ is , to every humble disciple , not only " the author , hut the finisher of his faith . " ' AM Scripture given by inspiration of God . ia profitable ! for doctrine , for reproof *( Jfo ^ coiwectfonj , for instruction in rigbttfoueness . j tfcafcthe mau of God may be pwrfecj ^ tbwoi ^ h ^ y fwr « Wbed untp all good hmukpi tt' i wot / meutdy furnished ,
Untitled Article
bnt mr < mg % ** to * mim . ^ aaes ^ if tifa * irfli ! lie 6 ' > 09 f < m » e rtffi&U& Wk tmtwfcifc < W ^ nA « t" « drfo « 4 ^« ! 8 supMfoxmdf aril , ^^ m ^ mi hm ^ m cbm ^ n ^ W'Scni&ft ^ , it ^ h % t iia be rtjeete& ' b i ^ asj ^ wfpo s ^^ saffiturt ^ ikK&A * -tomtit to bfc ^ fufe tm Centre of uni ^ nr ^ o ^^ hftll ^ ^ e 6 a iKe -rtkx tet ? Can we + e ^ r ^ ss « hc * 1 de' ^ 6 f J ^ sits Christ in clearer Shd'letter Mfcer ^ rris fhan
bl ^ D ' self ? Can we express i ! he ideas of his apostles , who wrote' and preached under the inspiration of God , in plainer aiifl better words than they ? Can we put our ideas on an equal footing with any of these ? Can we improve that which we declare to be perfect ? If all the Synods and Councils in the world should make this presumptuous attempt , they canuot have my concurrence . For there cau be no medium between an
earthly infallible head of the church , and the sufficiency of the word of God : if auy such medium can be found , let it be pointed out . No individual in this large assembly dare assume the right of dictating to me in matters of faith ; and if no individual will attempt it , how can numbers create the right ? You might
as well , Sir , think to make an arithmetical sum out of noughts . We must understand the Scriptures before we can make a rule by which the Scriptures are to be understood ; and yet , according to the views of my brethren on the other side , we must apply that rule for understanding the Scriptures , which we must have understood before it was made !
This is evidently most strange and preposterous . If we cannot bind a man ' s conscience by the divine word of God , no human composition , however excellent , can bind him ; and , in proportion as we fix our affections on human and fallible creeds , and tests , and artioles , in the same proportion must we forget the divine and infallible creed contaiued in
the Holy Bible . And it is absolute mockery to grant the right of private judgment in the examination of the Bible , and then reproach and injure a man , because he cau not see every passage in the same light as his neighbour , who is as liable to err as himself . It has been
said , that the object of human creed /) 19 to establish uniformity . When and where , Sir—in what church or country or kingdom has this * uniformity been established ? Attempts without number have been made , and tney have all failed . The celebrated Lo , r » 4 v Chatham ,, wiheu speaking in , his c ^ paqfy ^ aa * a < ^ nato ^ said of one of th «( m 9 aj lea ^ e 4 ehurch ^» in the world , " W » , fawP a , Calviofefcic
Untitled Article
Imdli ^*? J ^ ty }^ ± of ^ Mi ¥ ^ 6 ^ 1
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1828, page 641, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2564/page/57/
-