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tures . It is remarkable that these disputes were produced much less through the old religious rites of the new converts , than through the different philosophical views which they brought along with them . Against strange religions Christianity displayed a victorious power ; it had no forces to bring into the field when it was forced to mingle in the fray of philosophical systems , because its original and essential character was that of a pure religion , and no philosophical doctrine was in its elements . The fathers of the
church , combining the doctrines of their schools with the facts of Christianity , formed a sort of Christian philosophy . Many of them had been educated among the Greeks , and had embraced the new Platonic philosophy . Antiquity , with its literature , was at their side . It was necessary to defend Christianity against the attacks of the learned , and , unfortunately , they judged it a useful policy to arm themselves out of the magazine of the pagan philoso phy . For this purpose the doctrines or the terms of New-platonism were transplanted into Christian ground . Thus the boundaries of the church
may have been enlarged , but this was not the way to preserve peace within its walls . With the attempt to expound the simple Christian faith into a doctrinal system arose new conflicts . And how could it be otherwise ? In Christianity itself there was no philosophical doctrine which could prescribe the rule , or prevent the application of the new philosophy . To supply the supposed want , the dogma of church unity was assumed . This must be maintained by the decisions of councils convoked for the purpose : church authority must be consolidated , and the foundation was laid of that Roman
Catholic Church which was to bind in fetters of iron for centuries both philosophy and Christianity . The supposed necessity of defending the Christian faith by philosophical reasonings , had now ceased to exist . The pagan world was converted , and the building of the church stood firm . The last remains of ancient science gradually disappeared ; the spirit of philosophical speculation was departed ; even in the theological school of Alexandria it was no more . The better part of the popes and ecclesiastics offered some opposition to the prevailing darkness ; but without effect . Even
Charlemagne was able to preserve a trembling light but for a short time . New articles were added to the public creed , and all now rested securely , but separately , on the traditions of the church , when John Damascenus , with the help of the Aristotelian philosophy , constructed them into one system . "—44 The oldest religions were theocratical . Under their authority the rude inhabitants of the earth were composed into social states , and their natural ferocity was made to bend to the necessary conditions of peace and good order . Accordingly , the laws of morality and of religion and civil ordinances
were bound together in one code , and the commandment which enjoined a moral duty was coupled with precepts that respected cleanliness and diet . This mixture of laws gave to these religions and their pr iests great influence over the people . But it was impossible that they should not prepare an easy entrance for many positive ordinances which would ultimately usurp the place of moral duties . Christianity removed the whole leaven ; religion was purified from the earthly mixture ; and morality began to blossom and put forth its fruits and authenticate the faith that bore them But the purity of Christian doctrine was not to be of loasr duration . It was sooa rilled with .
dogmas and loaded with precepts , like the ancient religions of" the pr iesthood . The ecclesiastics coveted power , and would that their religion should be all in all . The moral religion must retreat ; and instead of the command of duty , the prescription of the church must be obeyed - The belief thai moral instruction had no other basis than the doctrines of their church was
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Letters from Germany . 269
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1831, page 269, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2596/page/53/
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