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Untitled Article
ere as he pleases , and induce them to swallow any absurdity which it may please him to propose . Au enlightened teacher , on the contrary , whose object is to secure the recognition of a truth , will first biing forward his priuciple in plain language , and have recourse to metaphor only for the embellishment of his subject , aud the gratification of the tastenot the reason—of his auditory .
Such , we are sorry to find , is not the method adopted in the treatise before us . On a subject where argument itself is eloquence , and whose interest needs do adventitious aid , we find the clearness of the one obscured , and the power of the other impaired , by the adoption of an unsuitable style of expression : and in a book addressed to the people , style is
an important consideration . The enlightened reader can easily strip the argumentative matter from its iucumbrance of heterogeueous illustration ; but , it is to be feared , the multitude of readers will so occupy themselves with the types as to overlook the thing typified , —a consequence which the Society , will join with us in regretting , and we hope , endeavour in future to avoid .
Apart from this objection , the treatise before us is excellent . The obvious truth that the sway of the gospel over the external relations of men is only derived from the establishment of ita power iu the heart , that it can only rule the world of society through the world of
mind , that the kingdom of Christ , like his character , was not of this world , is illustrated by a brief allusion to the extensive evils which have arisen from the illicit union of temporal and spiritual authority , —evils so vast and protracted as to admit of little more than a
reference in the few pages before us . The abuses in our national ecclesiastical establishmeut are boldly adverted to , and the inference fearlessly deduced that the spirit of the world and , the spirit of Christ have been from the beginning at an eternal feud , and that an union
between them is as hopeless as it is undelirahle . The duty which now presses on individuals , and the conclusion at which society will at length arrive , are unquestionable by those who admit as a priuciple the spirituality of the gospel dispensation .
" It is , however , incumbent , not only on every loyal subject of Christ , but on every true friend of earthly kings , to recognize and diffuse the principle of Christ ' s undivided ecclesiastical sovereignty—a principle which is as profitable lor princes as it is honourable to Ood ;
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and is required as much by the reverence due to the altar as by the protection we should afford to the throne . That relaxation of the usurped authority of king * , which is the glory of modem times , has giveu to those in high places * a feeling of security before unknown ; and the expansion of the principle of toleration into perfect religions liberty ,, will fix on a still firmer basis the thrones
which have been hitherto shaken by struggles for ecclesiastical rule . Tha Sovereign Prince of the kings of the earth , who has shewn himself affronted by the usurpation of erring mortals , over his unique and most delicate rights , will equally display his approbation of their retirement within the limits of that do- *
minion which he himself assigned to them , for the welfare of the world . The public mind is becoming so enlightened on this subject , that justice may be dona without raking the public peace . The clamour of a few who linger behind their age , will scarcely be heard among the
plaudits of the many who demand the restitution of long alienated rights . Ever * within the bosom of the monopoly the principles of free trade are advocated , and some of the established clergy are beginning to feel , that a rich benefice cannot calm a perturbed conscience ; that state connexion does little or
nothing , or worse than nothing , for real religion ; that , with all their supposed advantages , a state clergy cannot accomplish the legitimate objects of their ministry by any other means than those which they might adopt , without this amalgamation of the church and the world , and that , by false helps , they are really hindered .
" Those who approve of an episcopal hierarchy , of a liturgy , and of the rites of the establishment , are entitled to full liberty to practise aud recommend these thiugs ; and as they reckon among their admirers the nobility , and the rich of the land , why may not the system be trusted to the decision of an unbiassed judgment , and the voluntary support of heart-felt zeal ? Whatever animosity Dissenters may have eutertaitied towards the
Anglican church would be greatly diminished , if not totally extinguished , by the relinquishment of unjust power aud ill-gotten gain . The ecclesiastical edifices built by the public purse , should be appropriated to the public use , the majority in each parish retaining the building called the church ; and the support of the ministers should be thrown entirely upon the principle aud affection of their hearers . " Are there any who tremble at the
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Critical Notices . — Theological . > 18 S
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1830, page 183, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2582/page/39/
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