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sound reason , and shews that the language of Scripture is not to be pressed in its most obvious sensfctoo closely , but ' that we mtjst 4 clolibey 6 r ' ' idtheletter to the spirit . . ; i The analogy which the Trinity bears to this point is , that it is . supported by some obvious passages of Scripture . The Trinitarian is convinced of the truth of the doctrine by certain texts in which a triple distinction of tfo * Divine
nature is implied , or by passages which appear to invest Jesus Christ with the attributes of the Deity . But are these passages as numerous or as forcible as those which the Catholic alleges in favour ot Transubstantiatioh ? Why do we not receive them in their literal sense ? Plainly , because we exercise our reason and cannot admit an impossibility . On the same grounds I interpret the texts , apparently in favour of the Trinity , according to my reason . If the argument is just against the
Catholic , mine is just against the Trinitarian . To maintain consistency , a man must become a Catholic or a Unitarian . If he adopt an opinion from the literal import of Scripture , without regard to the real import , he must believe in Transubstantiation ; but if he refuse to believe a contradiction , though capable of a plausible support from Scripture , he must renounce the Trinity . The Catholic can retort upon him with precisely the same arguments with which he attacks the Unitarian ; why , then , will he not allow the latter the same advantage which he assumes in contending with the former ?
3 . The two doctrines agree in the mode of argument by which they are supported . A Protestant , reasoning wkh a believer in Transubstantiation , would argue something in this way : " I cannot believe as you assert , that the bread and wine of the eucharist are the real body and blood of our Lord , for the supposition contradicts the evidence of my senses . The bread which is before me , to all appearance , is unchanged . It has all the properties which belonged to it before . I perceive its form , colour , taste , smell ; and I am sure that these are the qualities of real bread . "
But to this the Catholic replies , " I admit all that you have asserted . If you think you have made out any argument , you mistake the ground of dispute . You have proved nothing by proving that the element in question has the visible properties of bread ; that is granted : but the ground we take is this : thatj allowing all you have said , the bread is still in a mysterious manner the true body of Christ ; its retaining the appearance of bread is nothing against the conclusion ; for our Saviour expressly said , ' This is my body . * Now we must admit this to support the consistency of Scripture ; and after
all , the whole subject is a solemn mystery , which is not to be investigated too closely by our carnal reason . " How similar the mode of reasoning adopted by the Trinitarian ! We say , " that we do not believe the doctrine of the Trinity because it is inconsistent with the Divine Unity . We are convinced by the united testimony of na ^ ture and revelation , that the Lord our God is one Lord . Now , we cannot think at the same time that he is Three . Again , we find our Saviour continually spoken o £ in the New Testament as the Son of God , distinct from the Father , and inferior to him : we cannot then believe that he is God ,
equal with the Father . " > ; To this the Trinitarian replid , What you say is true . No one doubts it . To press this jjoint bo closely betrays ignorance of the controversy . Trinitarians hold the Unity of God , and the inferiority of the Son td the Father ; but at the same time , they Wieve in the Trinity and the equality of the Son with'the Father . Yoti gainhothfog by prdving that the knowledge of Jeteas Chrisd is Krmteidj- 'Wd admit that , but ; belieVtf V 66 , that
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Doctrines of the Trinity and of Transubstantiation , 813
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1828, page 813, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2567/page/13/
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