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These sentiments, concerning religious truth in ge neral, are accompanied with a conviction of the particular importance of the doctrine of the Divine Unity, which they consider as the fundamental principle both of the Jewish and Christian religion; conceiving that to offer divine worship, or to ascribe divine attributes to a creature, is a branch of that gross corruption of religion, which, in Scripture, is stigmatised with the appellation of idolatry; the introduction of which, in whatever form, has been the source of unspeakable mischiefs to the world. They are convinced, that to the deification and worship of Jesus Christ, they are to attribute the worship of Mary the mother of Jesus, the worship of angels, the worship of dead men and women without number, and last of all, the worship of a piece of bread, with an infinite number of superstitious rites and ceremonies, which such worship drew after it; that this one errour, therefore, has been the principal source of all the other errours of the church of Rome.

While they entertain this opinion of the importance of truth, they find room for the exercise of candour toward those who are in errour. They are persuaded that mistakes, which are involuntary, cannot be criminal, and that those, who have fallen into them after diligent and impartial inquiry, are not the objects of divine wrath, but of tender compassion, and ought to be regarded with the same compassion by all those who are better informed. Every deviation from the truth must indeed be inju

rious to the happiness of men; but all deviations are not equally so, much less are all to be regarded as fatal to their everlasting welfare. A few important truths, firmly believed and carefully attended to, will counteract the destructive tendency of many errours.

From men, who entertain such opinions of the nature of truth in general, and of the importance of the doctrine of the divine Unity in particular, we may expect every exertion, which can be necessary to make it generally received by the world. For in such persons we find a firm conviction of the truth, an open profession of it in spite of all obstacles, and an earnest zeal for it's propagation-a zeal too, not founded in vanity and the love of distinction, which excites disgust against the cause which it is employed to support, but proceeding from a generous concern for the welfare of the human race, and therefore amiable and conciliating.

But thirdly, the hope of success to the principles we support may be derived, as well from the temper and circumstances of our opponents, as from those of our friends and fellow labourers.

· Books upon every branch of science are multiplied. The number of readers is increasing. Knowledge must, therefore, be advancing and becoming more generally diffused. These are circumstances, which cannot fail to prove favourable to the cause which we have espoused: for men, who have been accustomed to exercise their reason upon one subject, will employ the same faculty in investigating another,

if their attention should be directed toward it; and whenever they do this, there can be no doubt of the issue of their inquiries. The fear of losing the rich emoluments of an establishment, or of incurring the disgrace of being connected with a small and despised party, is indeed a strong temptation to avoid enquiry and to suppress the result of it. But we know from several recent examples, that these obstacles, powerful as they may be, are not sufficient to withstand the force of genuine virtue and integrity. We have seen persons resign honourable and lucrative situations in the church, because they could not join in worship addressed to any being besides the one God, and expose themselves to poverty and contempt, with all the fortitude of primitive Confessors. These are noble instances of the influence of truth on the human mind, and will no doubt induce many others to follow so excellent a pattern,

That state of things is the most unfavourable to the speedy progress of truth, in which the efforts of those who support it are viewed with perfect indifference; when their when their arguments are deemed so absurd or so impious, as to be incapable of doing mischief, or as not to deserve notice, and when therefore no opposition is made to them. In vain is it, in this case, that men preach, or write, or speak, in behalf of what they regard as important doctrines: they gain no attention, and can make no impression. But this is not the light, in which the doctrine, of which I have been speaking, is regarded at the pre,

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sent day. The writings of Unitarians, published in defence of their own principles, or for overthrowing those of their opponents, are read with attention by great numbers. Their arguments are deemed at least plausible, and endeavours are made to answer them. Persons of no inconsiderable eminence, for their talents, learning, or rank, have thought it an employment not unworthy of them to engage in this controversy, with a view to stop the progress of what they regard as dangerous errour. The contests, which this opposition occasions, attract the attention of the world to the subject under discussion, and enable spectators to judge, while each party labours to exhibit his own opinion to most advantage, which is supported by the greatest strength of evidence, and which has truth on it's side.

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No inconsiderable symptoms have lately appeared of a disposition to employ force to suppress the principles we profess, which is an evident proof of the fears entertained of their progress, and affords a strong presumption, that they will be more widely extended. By the inadequate redress given to those of this way of thinking, who suffered from the outrages committed by the populace, and a backwardness to punish the offenders, or to censure those who countenanced them, a strong inclination has manifested itself to deny them the protection of the laws. By refusing to repeal statutes, which inflict upon us some of the severest punishments known to our laws short of death, and to grant us the benefit of that

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toleration, which is given to every other religious sect in this country, an attempt has been made to keep up a distinction between us and other Dissenters, as professing principles peculiarly dangerous, to civil government. This treatment, which marks us out from the community as obnoxious persons, may be very unpleasant to individuals, but it may prove favourable to our cause, by exciting a greater degree of attention to our principles, than to those of other Dissenters, and hereby rendering them better understood.

Should our countrymen proceed to greater acts of injustice than those to which I have alluded, and actually inflict upon us all the penalties of these persecuting statutes, I may venture to foretell the like consequences in a still greater degree.

That the cause of truth, in this instance, will not receive the benefit of active persecution appears by no means certain. Were the present race of believers in the humanity of Christ less enlightened in mind, and not so blameless in their conduct, I might be able to assure them, that they would go to their graves in peace. But when I consider, that so great a proportion of them are upright and virtuous, and well furnished with knowledge, I can by no means be confident of their security; for such characters are the terrour of bigots, and the objects of their implacable malice. From a licentious infidel or atheist they apprehend they have little to fear ; their characters carry with them an antidote against

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