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11 Church Contents Church Contents 11
Ch.
Of Forms of religious
exercise.
1
Qualities here to be
spoken of as desirable
in a form of religious
exercise are
chiefly negative. p.1
1. Shewing how most
good may be done
a work of divinity.
2. It belongs to politics
to shew how harm
may be best avoided.
in this line.
2
1. It ought to be
inoffensive. p. 2
If offensive it
either keeps up
uneasiness or occasions
secession
In case of secession
a man either loses
the benefit altogether
or pays doubly for it.
3
2. - not dogmatical
p.3.
4
3. It ought to disclaim
assuming
unreserved assent. p.3
5
4. Thence it ought
to contain no creed.
p.3
6
5. or at least to declare
the joining in
it optional p.3.
Allowing dissent to
be signified by posture.
7
Advantages of
these precautions.
p. 4
1. Concision undisturbed
2. Veracity unviolated
3. Liberty uninvaded.
8
Mischiefs of the
contrary practice
p.5
1. Disquieting conscience -
or
9 2. Exclusion from
all religious society
10 3. Doubling the expense.
p. 5
10
The express obligation
of joining
is a distinct
mischief depending
upon a distinct
cause. p. 6.
2 (a)
Every offensive
word is an infringement
of liberty,
and tends
to operate as a
fine. p 5x
Other modes of
infringing religious
liberty referred to.
Intolerance Cause
1
Use of tracing this
species of error to
its source. p.1
genealogy operates
confutation
Every practise has
its cause.
2
Source 1. -Want
of distinguishing
between the truth
of a proposition,
& the religious obligation
to believe
it. p.1.
3.
If this notion be
just, God on every
controverted point
punishes somebody
for not believing
what is not true.
p.2.
Apparent truth probability to
each man is to him
the only mask of
truth
4
And those who
start these questions,
though they were
infallible always to discover
the truth would
be the worst enemies
of mankind.
p.3.
If the obligation
to believe depends not
on the contingency
of having the thing
present to mind
divine justice is a
contradiction in terms
Intolerance Cause
Addendum
Obligation can have
no place in belief
If the thing appears
credible, it is impertinent
& unnecessary.
If otherwise, the efficacy
of it is impossible.
What the opinion of
obligation can do towards
producing belief
Source 4. Inferring
a coercive precept
from free &
voluntary practice
Sundry facts finds,
5.
Source 2. Want of
distinguishing betwixt
the case of disbelieving
God's word - and
disbelieving man's
account of it. p.4
This error the source
of the former.
If it would be irreverence
to disbelieve
a father &c how
much more God?
Answer In case of a
father &c the fact
of his speaking &c
is supposed to be determined
by experience
In the case of God it
is the very & only fact
questioned.
The disbelief is never
of God but of man
The question is never
between God & man,
but between man & man.
6
Source 3. Want of
distinguishing between
importance & Sublimity.
p.13
Important what
sublime, what.
Trinity sublime but
not important
6 (a)
Mars & Jupiter
important to know
which was the strongest
Jehovah no longer
jealous of Baal
In the Trinity no
scramble for income.
Justice which in requiring
homage prevents
jealousy.
6 7
Disbelief of Gods
word as such, so
the sin of nobody,
not even of Atheists
p.5.
Hell, if damnation
depended on this might
wait long enough for
inhabitants.
8
True ground practical
ground of the
importance of question
relative to religion.
p.11
Infidels want some
of the motives which
have -
If punished, are
so not as such, but
as bad men.
So in disbelief
or error
What is of no importance
in practice
is of no importance
at all.
9.
False fundamentals
what.
Polemics give into
this rational System
to gain or combat
unbelievers, but quit
it when contending
with one another.
10
From the notion
thus shewn to be erroneous
if the necessary
connection between
religious error
and guilt results
that of the duty or
propriety of Separation.
p 6.
1. Infidels and heretics
reprobates.
2. Aversion to them
cannot be too publickly
shewn nor
frequently repeated.
11
From the notion of
the dement of unbelief
& heterodoxy results
that of the
duty and merit of
belief and orthodoxy.
p. 6.
The most negative
at least
And the greater the
the more difficult &
rare.
12
Hence a propensity
to adhere to the
least probable side
of every question in
divinity. p.7.
Utter absurdity, merit
in the extreme.
See Addendum Col. VI.
13
The difficulty
attending the gratification
of this propensity
produces
uneasiness. p.7.
Which is heightened
by contradiction.
The greater more
cogent the reasons
& therefore the better
the cause of any adversary
the greater
any uneasiness.
Thus the difficulty
which ought to produce
mutual indulgence
produces
mutual wrath.
Addendum
2 Uneasiness and
wrath heightened
by publication of
the adverse arguments,
since in
proportion as they
are strong they expose
a man to public
contempt
1. Ill success in
argument being a
proof of weakness
of want of power augments
uneasiness
3. The uneasiness produced
by adverse arguments
produce a
disposition to turn a
deaf ear to them.
This a further cause
of voluntary deafness.
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