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Untitled Article
to have no existence with respect to the Divine Being . We suffer evil ; and the endurance affects , favourably or otherwise , our moral constitution . To us the future is contingent ; and from this contingency do our purposes and our actions derive their character . But it would be unphilosophical to suppose that the thoughts of God are as our thoughts ; that in the one case , He , by whom all things exist , is unable to discern their tendencies and issues ; or , in the other , that the infinitely wise and good Author of all
should have created , or should allow to exist , any thing which is in its permanent constitution evil . The perversions of the doctrine of Divine Influence are declared to be , 1 st , the desire to bring the presence of the Divine agent under palpable examination ; 2 d , the supposition that it operates without the intervention of means ; 3 d , the belief that Divine communications may supersede
Scripture . The disastrous consequences of such perversions are described with . great truth and beauty . We cannot , however , agree with the writer , that the sect most addicted to these perversions is remarkable , among other characteristics , " for the chilliness of its piety . " Neither are we convinced that the " frightful apathy and culpable negligence of some instructors and parents , " is owing to difficulties respecting the doctrine of Philosophical Necessity ; " a metaphysical problem , " as our author terms it , " which ought never to have been heard of beyond the walls of colleges . " This might be very well if this were a doctrine which did not imperiously demand the attention of every reflecting mind . But whether heard of or not beyond the walls of colleges , it is , and ever will be , pondered by minds who cherish an intelligent desire to compare the agency of Providence with the course of human life . We speak from experience when we say , that the difficulty of reconciling Divine agency with human responsibility perplexes the early operations of the reasoning powers in the youthful mind , and
remains a painful subject of doubt , continually recurring , till the difficulty is fearlessly grappled with and overcome . It is not with this doctrine as with many which arise to perplex us , of little consequence whether it be understood or not ; not is it hastily to be concluded that its difficulties are incapable of solution-. As all men are practically Necessarians , it is very well that those whose minds are not , importuned with •* obstinate questionings , " should never know that others suffer from doubts from which they are free . But perplexities having once arisen , as we doubt not they do in the majority of intelligent minds , there is , in our belief , no peace and no safety till the firm ground of conviction , which we believe to be accessible to all , be attained . The result of an enlightened and complete inquiry is , by ample experience , proved to be most satisfactory ; viz . that as well might the husbandman desist from his toils until he should learn whether the harvest would rise spontaneously , as an immortal being neglect the care of his soul , because it is subjected to influences over which he has no controul . ( To be continued . )
Untitled Article
Natural History of Enthusiasm . 425
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1829, page 425, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2573/page/57/
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