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the sun in the firmament , stud pour its cheering aud invigorating light ou those who sat long in ' the region and the shadow of death . * Let there be no concealment — no time-serving — none of that * fear of man which bringeth a snare , '—a snare for the conscience , the integrity , the honour , and the happiness
of all who have the misfortune or the folly to be caught by it . Let there be no sneaking , shuffling , simpering , sycophantic complaisance — no compromise of principle for fear of changing a patron's smile to a frown ; but state honestly aud fearlessly , especially you who are ministers of the word , what your faith is , and he ready always to give an
answer , ( or to make a defence , ) with meekness and reverence , to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you ; having a good conscience , that in whatsoever they speak against you as evil-doers , ( or heretical thinkers , ) they may be ashamed who slanderously accuse your good behaviour in Christ . * Let your speech be always with grace ,
seasoned with salt , that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man . ' Lore for our fellow-creatures should prompt us to diffuse among them the blessings which we ourselves enjoy , and lead them , if possible , to make their escape from mental bondage and spiritual darkness — love for God , and for his Christ , should induce us to do all we
can for the extension of his kingdomand a regard for our own honour and happiness , and for the approbation of our Sovereign Judge , at the great day of reckoning , when we must give an account of our talents , should stimulate to activity and industry in that great and good cause which we believe to be the cause of heaven . "—Pp . 31 , 32 .
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Art . II . — The Principle ^ Dissent . By Thomas Scales . London : Simpkin and Marshall . 12 mo . Pp . 269 . It gives vs much pleasure to observe the greatly increased and rapidly increasing interest which is excited by the subject of Dissent amongst those who call themselves orthodox . It was allowed to
remain in abeyance much too long ; uor can we wonder that the leaders of the popular sects should at length begin to feel that if the co-operation , in their missionary and other societies , of members of the Establishment , was onl y to be purchased by silence on the topic of fionconformity , they were paying a cost-
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ly price for it . They are evidently resolved to pay that price no longer . Cheap publications on the principles of Dissent have of late multiplied amongst them . We rejoice in the fact , not merely because there is so much connected with the Establishment which we can
only consider as a nuisance which all good Christians should labour to abate ; but also because we anticipate much good to the sects themselves from the popular exhibition of those principles . Too many of their churches are as yet only in the alphabet of Christian Liberty ; and both themselves and their neighbours will be benefited by their getting on a little further , and being enabled to spell out a sentence which
may perhaps be a sentence of condemnation on the spiritual domination and indirect persecution by which they are not unfrequently characterized . In shewing why Dissenting churches cast off the yoke of Episcopacy , it may chance to appear that the individual members of those churches have rights of conscience too ; and that the imposition of a creed is as truly an usurpation and a tyranny in the one case as in the other .
Mr . Scales , who is a Congregationalist Minister at Leeds , lays down the three following propositions as " Geueral and Fundamental Principles : " " 1 . We hold and assert the Liberty of Human Conscience from all external and legislative restraints , and the right of every man to judge and act for himself in the concerns of religion without the interference of human authority to coerce or controul him . " —P . 24 .
" 2 . The Word of God is the only rule by which his church must be organized and governed , is entirely sufficient for all the purposes of faith and discipline , and exclusively aud authoritatively prescribes both the credenda and agenda of Christianity , the doctrines which God requires his people to believe , and the duties and services which belong to his worship . "—Pp . 44 , 45 .
" 3 . The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Head of the church , and holds and exercises , by special and divine appointment , an undivided and legislative authority and sovereignty on all the affairs of religion , and over the faith and consciences of Christiana , as his professed disciples and subjects . "—Pp . (> 5 , 66 . It would have been better to have
allowed the first proposition , which is the real strength of the case , to stand alone . The second assumes a particularity of direction about organizing and governing churches which is not to be found in
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402 Critical xXottces . — Theolog-ical .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1830, page 402, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2585/page/42/
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