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11 Church Church
Uniformity of
sentiment is in
itself neither good desirable
nor undesirable.
If diversity is
undesirable it is
either
1. Because error
in the point of
question has a bad
tendency with respect
to practice: or
2. Because diversity
of opinion
leads to strife
Where strife takes
place it is a
thing to be lamented,
but can
not be lessened
by any diverse
means.
Coercive measures
can never put
an end to strife
where there is strife
already
This natural
and sole tendency
is to increase
strife where there
is strife already
and to beget strife
where there is none.
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Controverted points
Governor of the adherence
to.
1. Notion of the merit
of believing a thing proposition
in proportion to its
improbability
The disposition to believe
it, is compliment
paid to the Deity
as the believing
such a thing upon
the credit of a man
would be a compliment
paid to his
judgment or veracity
or both.
2. Notion of its being
a proof & measure
of obedience to the
Deity.
3. Improbable tenets
are likely to
meet with opposition
in proportion as
they are improbable;
and where
opposed, the uneasiness
of the defender
is as the difficulty
of the defence.
4. This uneasiness
results partly from
the difficulty of satisfying
themselves,
partly from the difficulty
of satisfying
others.
5. Where pressed by
adverse arguments
which are too powerful
for them him the
main effect of such
arguments upon a
man may be not
only to his
hope
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hope of enjoying
the satisfaction of
gainsaying others,
but to inspire him
with the apprehension
or even consciousness
of seeing
his char reputation
for wisdom suffer
in the eyes of others
6. Under these
impressions, nothing
more natural
than that this
uneasiness should
seek to vent itself
in the mortification
of the adversary,
and that for that
purpose it should
strive to get a censure
passed upon
his opinions, to
include under that
censure as many
of his opinions as
possible, and to
get that censure
backed by as much
punishment as
opportunities allow
of, and so is sufficient
to give vent
to the uneasiness.
Incredulity renders
a man an object of
jealousy; credulity
of contempt.
credulity being a species
of mental weakness, is
never affected, as incredulity
is.
to
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The notion of
The parallel line
made does
not hold. True it
is that in the case
of a man, the
believing no upon
the credit of his
assertion a proposition
in itself
improbable, is a
mark of deference
to his judgment
and of confidence
in his veracity.
But the believing this is not the case with
belief bestowed or
attempted to be
bestowed upon an
s article or pretended
article of
religion. Why? Where lies the difference
here is that
because in the
case of a man
his having delivered
the proposition as
true is matter
of fact by the
very supposition:
Whereas the fact
of God's having delivered
the proposition
in question
as true is by the
supposition the
very fact in controversy.Upon
the supposition
Were I convinced
that God really
delivered this as
a truth I should
ask if the appearance of it
have
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have no more a
doubt of its being
so, says the gainsayer <add>unbeliever</add> than you
have; but this
is the very thing
which to me seems
dubious or improbable,
though to
how probable soever
it may appear
to you: this
is the very thing point
about which we
disagree.
Whatever be
the point in qu
the question is always
whether
God does or does
not deliver it
as true: and
for
forming my
judgment concerning
this question, I
have no other means
than by the consideration
of its probability.
On the probability
of the system, taking
the evidence for
and against it into
the account
rids my persuation
of the truth of
the whole system
---page break---
It is to your own
judgment assertion in fact &
not to Gods that you
expect and call upon
me to pay deference
to.
But a proposition
which purports to be
Gods you ought owe
at least so much
as to attend to it,
& diligently weigh
the arguments &
this only where
the question is between
believers & unbelievers
— Then do you know
that I have not attended
to it? But
why ought I to attend
to it? — Because it
purports to be God's.
Because at least it
may be his — That
is I am to treat it
as if it were Gods
because you say it
is. I am to take
for granted in some
degree the truth of
the proposition preparatory
to any examination
of it —
But what if upon
the first blink of
it in full of its
being Gods wears not
in my eye the smallest
degree of probability?
---page break---
7. The inferring
as it were mechanically
without staying to
examine the justness
of the inference, the
inferring from the apparent
truth of a
proposition the obligation
to believe it.
Whereas
1. There is no
ground for such
inference, in theology
any more
than in any other
science such as
human physiology
and
2. The idea of an
obligation to believe
sanctioned by frivolities
is repugnant
to every idea of justice
Questioning the truth
of a pretended article
or religion is no
more a disrespect
to God than the questioning a suspicion
of forgery is the authority
of an endorsement
is an imputation
upon the credit
of the supposed endorser person whose
hand is suspected to a
forged
The due to
the subject is to prevent
me from so much as
enquiring for myself and is not to
prevent my neighbor from
to me
---page break---
Controverted points
| proper to be avoided
| passed in silence
1. All tenets that
have no influence
on morality.
All tenets which
if taken in a certain
way according to a
liberal too strict construction
of particular texts
present conclusions
unfavourable to morality.
3. or to the credibility
of the system.
Did Jesus ever command
us to believe every
thing that should be related of him?
4. No decision to
be given upon the
reasonable side, but
the question passed
over in silence.
Tyrannised by past
ages — by barbarians
whose opinion on a
of any less importance
woud not weigh
a feather
Mischief continued
This general habit
of insincerity one of the
causes of the insincerity
in argument in
the H of Commons
& other public assemblies
— a general relaxation of all principle.
13. It renders them
haters of innovation
of reform in every
line — of inquiry as
tending to promote
reform, and of reason
as tending to progress
& suggest inquiry
To
---page break---
Modes of deciding
on Controverted points
1. Inserting them in
creeds
2. Requiring subscription
to them
3. Inserting them in
the service
Mischief of deciding
on controverted points
1. Wh To all such needless
as are already would be of that mind of
otherwise that mind, the decision
is needless
Pernicious by
Expenses
2. To those who by
refusing to join in the
decision were debarred
from the benefits in
question, they are it
is oppressive & tyrannical.
Disquiet of mind
3. To those who join
in it against their
opinion, if they suffer
in conscience for doing
so it is oppressive
and immediately painful.
Vitiated understanding
4. If they do not suffer,
it is pernicious by
corrupting their understanding
in their affections.
Vitiated Affections
5. It leads them to
employ their affections
to corrupt vitiate their understanding
6. Or it it renders cultures them
conscious cultures &
to the
---page break---
The Lords prayer
is from
His Deists may
join in it.. His
design as implied
in this prayer was
to include them.
The design as frequently
expressed
was to include Jews.
The professed design
is to exclude not only
Deists, but Jews, and
the greatest part of
others.
He says on his form of prayer nothing of
too as a
the fr, much less
of the Holy Ghost —
The We Ch. of England
turn aside from that
model in the worst
way and for the
worst of purposes. </p>
Unbelievers
view quiet in having
more of contempt in
it.
Believers view action
as having more uneasiness.
of immorality with
their eyes open &
without remorse
Vitiate understand.
7. It habituates them
to a disregard of
reason
8. It vitiates the general
mass of their
understanding
False
9. It inures them
to habits of insincerity.
others
10. It inspires them
with hatred & contempt
of the whole
of others
Discredit their cause
11. — is against those
who use their endeavours
to support it as to use their endeavours to amend it.
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