PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

~-:T:".t.-"~"
is generaliy received by the common people; th::",
caprice and vehemence with which it is sometimes
opposed; the frenzy with which men have been
brought to contend for opinions ~nd ceremonies, of
which th~y kaew ll!:~ither the proof, the meaning
nor the original; la~tly, the equal and und()ullting
confidence "rith ,vhich we hear the doctrines of
Christ or of Confucius, the la\\" of l\I~)ses or of l\tlahornet,
tile Bible, tIle Karan, 01- the Silaster., maintained
or allathematized, taught or abJured, revere(1.
or derided, according as \,:re live 011 this, or orl that
side of a river; keep within, or step over the bou-ndaries
of a state; or even in the same countrv, and
by the same people, so often as the event of a ~battle,
or the issue of a nevociation deli~:ers thelll to !he
\. ;,
donlinion of a new ma!'ter:· Points, I ~ay, of this
sort are exhibited to the as public attention, so nl~my
arguments against the, trutiJ of the Christian reiigi{#f1
-and \\~irh success. For these topics, b~~ing broUI~ht
together, and set off \vith some agg-ra\Tati{)n of- circum\\:~nCe~-,
and \vith a Vi\T!lcity of style and de~crip-
tl ' +
. r -,. .. 1 • • d
~ .... -~ .- ;.- .!~.':." \\"'I·lt"'-·:r~ aI) conv'.J}",·-
\.J I.:. , __ ._-•• _ ... ,,"~~Uu'\'t' _..;- ~.__ _ .11 ... ,_. (..... J .. _ ... £1-
(~ ~
• roo .- ,. 1 • • ~ 1 I ... 1
• • ,.
tlon or Iree .. tnIn~ers, 111senSlUl v eL~\'~ L;~ ;!~~7!natiull
J
•
intO a 11abit of classing Christianity with the ~: ~-
IG~;!ons, that have taken posseSSi()11, by t~rns_ of tl~e
ptlblic belief; and of r~gard~!1g it ~ as ,\~hat tIle scof.
- f r-h · 1" •. r
• •
J.£1,4'" ...,. 0'·1· .... ·~l... l··-~'f·~sent It to ",~
... !,,~. rll"'-rstl~lO}l OJ
1,-_!j LI ~l J.e, l' "-,.I ... \..... L '""~ .. I_·~., 1.'- i
tl]~" ,10·,'- But is this to deal 11one~tlv bv t~le sul)l€ct •
•/ .! J ,~
or \vith the world? l\1ay not the ~anle thillgS be
said, Illay not the same prejudices be excited by these
l·epresentations, \'Thether Cllristiat1ity be true 01"
f:1!S(~,
or l))T whate\-er pr:lof:, its trutl1 l)e attested?
l\Ja)T not truth as well as f ~lsf~hood b2 t,li,-en UPC)Jl
credit? ]\iay not a reii(~if)n 11c [c)und 1 :d t.1j;Oll e\·i ..
(lence, accessible and sati~f lctory to e\rer)T 111illCl corn·
1)et(~11t t() tile illquiry, ,~~·11icll y~t, l)y the greatest
part of its profes:-ors, is received U}Yln ;mlhority ?
Ti\'lt if tIle iJlllttcr of tl1'~se 01-)jcC~.ic~il'\ l)c re)Jreben ..
~ i b Ie, ~lS ca leu I at 2 d top r 0 (I tl C \. ~ ~! : 1 c tJ ~'C t II P () 11 the
J-c(ldcr) bey9 0nd \vl!at their rca) ,·.·'_~it.~llt ,ltld })lacc in
~.llC c.lrf!\!l11cnt deserve, stilllllurv '~!1:1 ~l \ve di~covc~ e)i
(.,-