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3 Decr. 1814 W. C.
II Doctrine
Ch. Persuasion
§. Merit & Demerit of
4
1
From the notion of merit
or demerit in belief or unbelief,
no consequences
but evil ones — Application
of punishment
and reward the consequence,
and this shewn
supra to be evil. p.1
2
As a man is guided as
to his own interest by
prudence as to the interest
of others by justice
or benevolence, so he will
bestow equal attention
on both sides of a question
— To bestow on
either most attention
is the self deceptive
process. — p.1
3
To keep the attention
impartial is all a man
can do to gain a right
judgement. p.1.
4
If there were any propriety
in thus applying
the political or moral
sanction to belief,
it could only be in so
far as the subject of
belief was influential
as to the temporal welfare
of the community
But to this influence
good or evil, the idea of
merit or demerit have
borne no determinate
ratio — E contrà the demerit
greatest as to the most
unimportant doctrines
& punishment and reward
accordingly.
(continued
4
continued
Ex. gr. transubstantiation
and the divinity of
Christ — i.e. the facts of
God having been eaten &
killed. p.2
5
Conceditur from the
truth or falsehood of
these points, consequences
influential as to the
future if not present
happiness of man may
be deduced ex. gr. by the
eating God unworthily
you are damned. —
— by God having been
killed, you are saved.
p.4
6
The Composition of the
God head, at any rate
immaterial — p.5
7
Person in discourse a
substitute for man —
so for God: — but in
this last case it is said
to mean only 1/3 of a
God. — As a whole God
is said to be composed
of 3 persons — & there
is no contradiction in
terms or expressive
of a truth the disbelieving
of which subjects the
party to everlasting
torments. p.5
8
The truth of this statement
no matter here
— but whatever side
a man takes on the subject
no practical difference
can arise as to human
happiness. — p.6
9
Trinitarians and Unitarians
the two sects as to this
subject — some believe in
two persons — call these
Dualitarians. — p.6
10
The members of all establishments
Trinitarians.
p.6
11
If there were a separate
will in the persons of
the Godhead, important
consequences might arise
from the plurality. p 6
12.
In this case each religionist
would be distressed
to know to which
of the persons to pay
obedience. The strongest
no doubt, but who of
three almighties could
be stronger than the
others. p 7.
13
Experience says all
would not decide alike.
Under each banner
would be a party and
thence a general war
of which there have
been too many specimens
14
Thus the war of God and
the Devil in Revelation
ended too long ago to
create parties here: thus
the Devil has no open
friends. p.7
15
In this hypothetical war
no question of right &
power could have arisen.
— the war must have
been eternal as the persons.
p.8
16
On this supposition the
doctrines of Trinity or
Duality had been mischievous.
But this supposition
serves but for illustration.
p.8
17
This supposition how
untrue soever is not unlike
the established notions
evidenced by practice.
By the formers
of the Romish and English
liturgies the
three persons seem to
have been thought as
jealous as the one God.
Thus the praise is equally
distributed — though this
had not been necessary
to joint tenants at common
law.
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walter coulson |
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