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Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

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420 RELIGIOUS ERRORS OF MR. MAIIAN.The Evidence icldch is insufficient to estahlish <strong>the</strong> Iniquil?/ <strong>of</strong> a Sinnercannot he sufficient to establish <strong>the</strong> Divine Authority <strong>of</strong> a Booh.2048. " One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity orany sin : at <strong>the</strong> mouth <strong>of</strong> two witnesses^ or three witnesses, shall <strong>the</strong> matterbe established/' (Deut. xix. 15.)2049. Agreeably to <strong>the</strong> preceding quotation from Scripture, one witnessis not sufficient to convict a man <strong>of</strong> any iniquity. Two witnesses, at least,are necessary to establish guilt. But if a single witness be insufficient toestablish <strong>the</strong> iniquity <strong>of</strong> a man, how is it to be established, on <strong>the</strong> evidence<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> priest Ililkiah alone, that <strong>the</strong> manuscript, which, as he represented,he had found in <strong>the</strong> temple, was <strong>the</strong> inspired code <strong>of</strong> Moses, or, as Mahanand o<strong>the</strong>rs would have it, <strong>the</strong> word <strong>of</strong> God?2050. Should <strong>the</strong> righteousness <strong>of</strong> a religious code be established byevidence insufficient to establish <strong>the</strong> iniquity <strong>of</strong> an individual ? A fortiori^when, by proving <strong>the</strong> righteousness <strong>of</strong> a code, a whole generation was to beconvicted <strong>of</strong> iniquity, was <strong>the</strong> evidence <strong>of</strong> one individual sufficient, especiallywhen <strong>the</strong> iniquity thus to be adjudged was to draw down <strong>the</strong> unquenchablewrath <strong>of</strong> God, agreeably to Huldah <strong>the</strong> prophetess ?Word <strong>of</strong> God, impiously so called, or <strong>the</strong> Golden Rule inverted hy God'salleged Commands.2051. "When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, <strong>the</strong>nproclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it make <strong>the</strong>e answer <strong>of</strong> peace,and open unto <strong>the</strong>e, <strong>the</strong>n it shall be that all <strong>the</strong> people that is found <strong>the</strong>reinshall be tributaries unto <strong>the</strong>e, and <strong>the</strong>y shall serve <strong>the</strong>e. And if it willmake no peace with <strong>the</strong>e, but will make war against <strong>the</strong>e, <strong>the</strong>n thou shaltbesiege it. And when <strong>the</strong> Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands,thou shalt smite every male <strong>the</strong>re<strong>of</strong> with <strong>the</strong> edge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sword : but <strong>the</strong>women, and <strong>the</strong> little ones, and <strong>the</strong> cattle, and all that is in <strong>the</strong> city, evenall <strong>the</strong> spoil <strong>the</strong>re<strong>of</strong>, shalt thou take imto thyself: and thou shalt eat <strong>the</strong>spoil <strong>of</strong> thine enemies, which <strong>the</strong> Lord thy God hath given <strong>the</strong>e. Thusshalt thou do unto all <strong>the</strong> cities which are very far <strong>of</strong>f from <strong>the</strong>e, whichare not <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se nations. But <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se peoplewhich <strong>the</strong> Lord thy God doth give <strong>the</strong>e for an inheritance, thou shalt savealive nothing that brea<strong>the</strong>th : but thou shalt utterly destroy <strong>the</strong>m, namely,<strong>the</strong> Hittites, and <strong>the</strong> Amorites, <strong>the</strong> Canaanites, and <strong>the</strong> Perizzites, <strong>the</strong>Ilivites, and <strong>the</strong> Jebusites, as <strong>the</strong> Lord thy God hath commanded <strong>the</strong>e,"(Deut. XX. 10-17.)

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