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even the happiness, of the creature, will any longer be considered as an acceptable sacrifice to the Creator.

98. Though God has sometimes permitted the privation of Good; and the existence of accidental and individual evil, to prove their resignation.

99. Though God has given the knowledge of natural good, and artificial good and evil, that they may have the merit and peculiar felicity of avoiding evil, and embracing and diffusing good.

100. Though God has even allowed Truth to be in a degree of obscurity, only for the exercise of their rational faculties, and as the test of Rationality.

101. They admit that Reason cannot form correct ideas of the origin of Natural Causes, in general, nor even of its own abstract existence; much less can it comprehend the Essence of the First Cause, and that their hum lity is best expressed in acknowledging their ignorance; and admitting, farther, that there are an immensity of causes, more especially those on which First Truths are founded, of which, though in contact with rational Nature, the essences are unknown and

generally, that whatever is supernatural, being beyond the organs of sense, must be more particularly beyond the comprehension of Reason; and that scrutinies and enquiries are equally

vain.

102. Yet they maintain that the faculty of Reason comprehends whatever is necessary for Universal Salvation; while, thus limited in perception, it confines itself to its own and proper sphere, the contemplation of Natural Causes and Effects; deducing therefrom, in general, the end of the creation, and concluding from that end, and by what is given, what is required.

103. In Nature, they find continual delineations of Supreme Power, Wisdom and Goodness.

104. They recognize these Attributes, as pervading the Universe; and trust in the immutable Attributes of its God.

105. They believe that Universal Goodness will have all men to be saved.

106. That Omniscient Wisdom will bring them unto the knowledge of the Truth.

107. They consistently believe that anterior to any local or temporary religion-Eternal Goodness

willed, and Eternal Wisdom shewed unto man

what was good.

108. The Members of this Church reflecting that Goodness and Wisdom, require of each other no stronger Test than that Power requires and delegates,

109. For, as to them, nothing is more evident, "than that" their "intellectual faculties are not formed by one general standard, and consequently, that diversity of opinion is of the very essence of their nature," they hold, that, "it would be the highest degree of folly to attempt bringing all mankind to think uniformly in metaphysics;" though they have no doubt but religious principles, if left to their fair balance, would find their natural and proper level.

110. When mankind, generally, as of "those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised, to discern both good and evil. *** GO ON UNTO PERFECTION, ***** As" we will do if God permit." And thus, under the invitation of the Apostle to the Gentiles, in the adoption of a

prominent Apostolic link, uniting the principles of Nature with Scripture, clearly allowing local and temporary, to merge into the Universal and more permanent System.

111. "Then, on the ruins will be raised, a system clear and right:

A lanthern that will guide the lame into a Temple bright; Then comes the day by th' faithful seen, glad tidings to them bring:

We hail the dawn, of such a morn, and Hallelujah sing."

SCRIPTURAL AND SCRIPTORY

ILLUSTRATION.

INTRODUCTION.

112. Introductory to our Scriptural and special, and also to our subsequent and miscellaneous illustration

113. We protest, in the most extensive sense, against our scriptural authorities, as generally needful, but produce them as adapted to the conviction of those who require our greatest exertions;

those who, with the use of their natural faculties, need such conviction, being, yet, as appear to us, in their metaphysical embryo.

114. Our object being to reconcile nature and Revelation, wherever they may be reconcilable, we receive and admit all kind of evidence, but depend most on facts, as most incontrovertible.

115. We fully admit, that men ought sincerely to make use of their best understanding; and, in order thereto, to take in all the helps they can find, either from living instructors, or ancient writers, but, only as the means to assist their own understanding, in their preparatory endeavours to distinguish between right and wrong, independent of notions which happen at any time to prevail; especially in making human authority appear the same as divine; and more especially in forming their own religion.

116. We concede, that even quotations of our own prepossessions are not here introduced as proofs of any of our natural propositions; for proofs are to be taken from Nature alone; but as Illustration only.

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