truth of Christianity as it is manifested in Spain and Portugal. When a
patriot in those benighted countries, who knows Christianity only as a
bulwark of despotism, as a rearer of inquisitions, as a stern jailer
immuring wretched women in the convent, as an executioner stained and
reeking with the blood of the friends of freedom,—I say when the
patriot, who sees in our religion the instruments of these crimes and
woes, believes and affirms that it is not from God, are we authorized to
charge his unbelief on dishonesty and corruption of mind, and to brand
him as a culprit? May it not be that the spirit of Christianity in his
heart emboldens him to protest with his lips against what bears the
name? And if he thus protest, through a deep sympathy with the
oppression and sufferings of his race, is he not nearer the kingdom of
God than the priest and the inquisitor who boastingly and exclusively
assume the Christian name? Jesus Christ has told us that ‘this is the
condemnation’ of the unbelieving, ‘that they love darkness rather than
light;’ and who does not see that this ground of condemnation is
removed, just in proportion as the light is quenched, or Christian truth
is buried in darkness and debasing error?”—_Channing._
* * * * *
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is True. It is true;
and its truth is to break forth more and more gloriously. Of this I have
not a doubt. I know that our religion has been questioned even by
intelligent and good men; but this does not shake my faith in its divine
original or in its ultimate triumphs. Such men have questioned it,
because they have known it chiefly by its corruptions. In proportion as
its original simplicity shall be restored, the doubts of the
well-disposed will yield. I have no fears from infidelity; especially
from that form of it which some are at this moment labouring to spread
through our country (America). I mean, that insane, desperate unbelief,
which strives to quench the light of nature as well as of revelation,
and to leave us, not only without Christ, but without God. This I dread
no more than I should fear the efforts of men to pluck the sun from his
sphere; or to storm the skies with the artillery of the earth. We were
made for religion; and unless the enemies of our faith can change our
nature, they will leave the foundation of religion unshaken. The human
soul was created to look above material nature. It wants a Deity for its
love and trust, an Immortality for its hope. It wants consolations not
found in philosophy, wants strength in temptation, sorrow, and death,
which human wisdom cannot minister; and knowing, as I do, that
Christianity meets these deep wants of men, I have no fear or doubts as
to its triumphs. Men cannot long live without religion. In France there
is a spreading dissatisfaction with the sceptical spirit of the past
generation. A philosopher in that country would now blush to quote
Voltaire as an authority in religion. Already atheism is dumb where once
it seemed to bear sway. The greatest minds in France are working back
their way to the light of truth. Many of them cannot indeed yet be
called Christians; but their path, like that of the wise men of old, who
came star-guided from the East, is towards Christ. I am not ashamed of
the Gospel of Christ. It has an immortal life, and will gather strength
from the violence of its foes. It is equal to all the wants of men. The
greatest minds have found in it the light which they most anxiously
desired. The most sorrowful and broken spirits have found in it a
healing balm for their woes. It has inspired the sublimest virtues and
the loftiest hopes. For the corruptions of such a religion I weep, and I
should blush to be their advocate; but of the Gospel itself I can never
be ashamed.”—_Channing._
NOTE 9, page 39.
“Having found that _pride of reason is an aggression upon other men’s
reason_, arising from an over-estimate of the worth of the aggressor’s
own, we may now proceed in our inquiry, who are justly chargeable with
pride of _reason_? Is it those who, having examined the Scriptures,
propose their own collective sense of those books to the acceptance of
others, but blame them not for rejecting it? or those who positively
assert, that their own sense of the Scriptures is the only one which an
honest man, not under diabolical delusion, can find there? The answer is
so plain, that a child, who could understand the terms of the question,
might give it. And yet experience has taught me that there is no chance
of unravelling the confused ideas which prevent many a well-meaning
Christian from perceiving that the charge of the pride of reason falls
upon the Orthodox. Their own _sense_ of the Scripture (such is the dizzy
whirl which their excited feelings produce) must be the _word of God_,
because THEY cannot find another. _My sense_ of the Scripture must, (for
instance,) on the contrary, be a damnable error, because it is the work
of my _reason_, which opposes the word of God, _i.e._, THEIR sense of
the Scriptures: hence the conclusion that I am guilty of _pride of
reason_. ‘Renounce that _pride_, (they say,) and you will see in the
Scriptures what we propose to you:’ which is to say, _surrender your
reason to ours, and you will agree with us_. * * *
“It is remarkable that Christians are accused of _Pride of reason_ in
proportion as their view of Christianity contains fewer _doctrines of
inference_ than that of the accusers. Compare the creed of the
Trinitarian with that of the Unitarian. The former may be true, and the
latter erroneous, though I adhere to the latter; but unquestionably the
_Trinitarian Creed_ is nearly made up of _inferences_, it is almost
entirely a work of _reason_, though, in my eyes, sadly misapplied. Why,
then, is the _Unitarian_ accused of _pride of reason_, when he only
employs it to show that the Trinitarian has not any _sound reason_ to
draw those inferences? which of the two is guilty of encroaching upon
another man’s _rights of reason_? Is it not he who claims for his
inferences—the work of his own _reason_—an authority above human
_reason_?
“It is not, however, to _inferences_ alone (the work of logical reason)
that the Trinitarian creed owes its existence, and, more than its
existence, its popularity. My observation has shown me, and that of
every competent judge will find, that the strongest hold which that
creed has on the minds of its supporters, consists in _preconceived
theories_ concerning the nature of God and of sin, and of some
_necessity_ which places the Divine Nature in a state of difficulty in
regard to the pardon of sin. The work of saving the race of man from a
most horrible fate depends (according to this theory) not only on a very
mysterious method of overcoming the difficulty which prevents pardon by
an act of mercy, on repentance, but also on the acknowledgment of the
_mystery_ by the sinner. The remedy prepared by the wisdom of God is
(according to this theory) totally powerless, unless we believe a
certain explanation of the _manner_ in which it acts.
“Now people who cordially embrace this view very naturally work
themselves into a state of the most agonizing excitement: for if the
whole world is to perish because it does not know how the saving remedy
acts, or because its activity is explained in a wrong way, benevolent
men, who think themselves in possession of that important secret, must
burn with zeal to spread it, and with indignation against those who
propagate an explanation which deprives the remedy of all its power.
‘Believing,’ says an orthodox writer, though a dissenter from the
orthodoxy of the Church of England, ‘the doctrine (of the divinity of
Christ) to comprehend within itself the hopes of a guilty and perishing
world, while I would contend _meekly_, I must be pardoned if, at the
same time, I contend earnestly.’ It is this preconceived theory (one of
the strangest that was ever founded on reasonings _à priori_) that
guides most Christians in the exposition of the New Testament, and even
in that of many passages of the Hebrew Scriptures. The notion that sin
_could not_ be pardoned unless a person _equal to God_ suffered for it,
is the deeply-coloured glass through which the orthodox read the
Scriptures. I do not _blame_ them for this extraordinary conception.
What I earnestly wish is, that their religious fears may allow them to
perceive that this theory of redemption is made up of _preconceived
notions and inferences_. Even if that theory were true, it would
unquestionably be a work of _reason_ working by inference. Can, then,
the attempt to make it the very soul of the Gospel be acquitted of the
charge which is constantly in the mouth of the orthodox? Are they not
guilty of the _pride of reason_?”—_Heresy and Orthodoxy._
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Comments on Rev. F. Ould’s Lecture on the practical
importance of the Controversy with Unitarians._
Page 5.—It is here argued that the error, if an error, of denying
Unitarians to be Christians is as _innocent_, as the error, if one, of
denying Jesus to be God. Certainly, if equally involuntary and the pure
conclusion of a truthful mind. But, if an error, it involves two
errors,—first, the mistake as to the nature and offices of Jesus, and
second, the mistake of making essentials which Jesus did not make, and
of passing judgments which Jesus did not pass. It is also essentially
Anti-Protestant.
Page 6.—“But if it be a characteristic of true Christianity so to trust
in Christ, as to commit the salvation of our souls into his hands, how
can we conceive of those as true Christians who consider him only a
fellow-creature, and consequently repose in him no such trust?” Trust is
a _moral_ act of the mind. We trust Jesus spiritually. Our souls feel
him to be the Image of God: and we confide ourselves with a perfect
trust to the God of Love whom Jesus imaged. “Let not your hearts be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” Our hearts are not
troubled because our faith rests upon the God whom Jesus has made known
to us. This is the only intelligible meaning of TRUST as a spiritual
act. We trust _him_ whom we believe God to have trusted and sent.
Page 8.—“We maintain that the Bible is alone safely interpreted by its
Author and Inspirer, the Holy Ghost.” Do the Trinitarians mean that
_their_ interpretations of the Bible are the interpretations of the Holy
Spirit? If so, we can have no controversy with them. If they are
inspired to interpret, what the Apostles were inspired to write, nothing
is required but _that this should be proved_.
Pages 11, 12.—“The New Testament writers also assert their own
inspiration in language equally strong. ‘All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable,’ &c. St. Paul does _not_ here
assert _his own_ inspiration, but the inspiration of the Jewish
Prophets, the study of whom had made Timothy wise unto salvation through
faith in Christ. The Christian Scriptures were not in existence when the
words were written. It is also very doubtful whether the word
translated, ‘given by inspiration of God,’ signifies ‘breathing _of_
God,’ or ‘breathed _from_ God.’
“‘No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation,’ &c.
The inspiration of Prophecy is not denied. But can anything be more idle
than to prove the inspiration of all the books of the Old Testament by
such a quotation as this: ‘Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of
Jerusalem, believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established;
believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper’?”
Page 16.—“So then, it appears, that if these ‘rational and liberal’
critics are not allowed to Unitarianize the Bible, they are prepared to
deny its divine authority, and to give it up to its enemies!” Dr.
Channing _does not say so_. What he says is, that he cannot defend the
Scriptures unless he is allowed to interpret them by the same principles
which are applied to all other works. And this principle of
interpretation we understood Dr. Tattershall freely to admit. The use
that is made of the extract from Dr. Channing, exhibits the temptations
of controversy. There is nothing in the extract that Trinitarians
themselves would not say upon occasion. Why is it thought worthy of
being marked in italics that the dispensation of Moses is imperfect when
compared with that of Jesus? Is this denied? Why is the word _seems_
italicized, when the connected word is not rejects, but only
_distrusts_? Yet the author praises the candour of Dr. Channing.
Pages 20, 21.—“The improved Version.” It is a curious fact that most of
the Trinitarian objections to the Improved Version have been provided
for them by an Unitarian Critic and Reviewer. Dr. Carpenter in his reply
to Archbishop Magee states, “I furnished to the opponents of the
Improved Version some of the most powerful weapons against it.” Again,
“At my request a young friend undertook to draw up the table I wished.
This led him to collate the two Versions, which he did with great
patience and fidelity. He discovered some variations from the basis
which were not noticed; and I thought it right to point them out. It is
not too much to say that, but for this, neither Bishop Magee, nor any
others who have censured the Improved Version, would have been aware of
their existence.”—pp. 308, 309. Whatever becomes of the Improved
Version, the Controversy between Unitarianism and Trinitarianism remains
just where it was, to be settled upon independent principles, critical
and exegetical. So far, the whole indictment against the Improved
Version relates to the introductory chapters of Matthew and Luke.
Suppose those chapters authentic and genuine, and what follows from
them? The doctrine of the Miraculous Conception, which most Unitarians
believe. Professor Norton, the ablest, perhaps, of American Unitarian
Critics, defends this doctrine. The introductory chapters of Matthew he
rejects, chiefly on account of their inconsistencies with those of Luke,
the authenticity of which he does not doubt. Dr. Carpenter also
critically dissents from the Notes in the Improved Version on the
introductions of Matthew and Luke. Reply to Dr. Magee, p. 299. It is not
then such a _new_ thing among Unitarians, to question the authority of
the Improved Version. Will the Author inform us where he got his
knowledge respecting Ebion, his existence and opinions?
Page 25.—In an introductory Lecture on the “_practical” tendencies_ of
views, we labour under the disadvantage of being obliged to allow
scriptural language to be quoted in a sense which we do not admit. It
would be evidently quite out of place to enter here into the _textual_
controversy. This will be done abundantly in the course of these
Lectures.
Page 37.—Does the Author deny that Free Inquiry generates a degree of
scepticism—that is, not of unbelief, but of the examining and
questioning spirit? Or does he mean to object to all free inquiry on
account of this tendency? It is extraordinary reasoning to take Dr.
Channing’s _caution against a sceptical spirit_, proceeding from the
very constitution of mind, as a proof of the tendency of Unitarianism to
infidelity. If Unitarianism leads to unbelief, it is strange that so
many Unitarians should defend the Evidences of Christianity, and that
one of them, Dr. Lardner, is the great authority from which Trinitarians
themselves draw their knowledge of the external testimonies.
Page 39.—“Another leading principle, common to both systems,
(Unitarianism and Infidelity,) is _the non-importance of principle
itself to the enjoyment of the Divine favour_.” Let it be known, that by
_principle_ here, the Author means _opinions_.
Page 41.—“Does the Deist reject the Bible because God is represented as
a being who takes vengeance? So does the Unitarian for the very same
reason reject the Gospel. Does the Deist reject the Bible because it
contains the doctrine of atonement and of divine sovereignty? For the
very same reason the Unitarian rejects the Gospel.” It is melancholy to
have to remark upon this passage. The Unitarian _does not reject the
Gospel_, unless the Gospel means Trinitarianism, a use of words which,
in controversy, cannot be justified. The Unitarian does not deny that
God takes vengeance, if by vengeance is meant the infliction of
retribution. The Unitarian accepts the Gospel, but _does not find in it_
the doctrine of Atonement.
Page 46.—“How, on Unitarian principles, this reasoning can be answered,
is more than I can tell.” Jesus _did_ refer to God both his words and
his works. But Unitarians do not regard the mission of Jesus as similar
to that of any of the Prophets. It was essentially different. He was
himself the Revelation: a man in the image of God. By the Prophets, God
taught the Jews certain lessons, and inspired certain expectations. By
Jesus, in whom was the spirit without measure, God exhibited a perfect
revelation both of human perfection and of human destinies. God’s word
was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us. The purposes of the Deity were
impersonated. He was consequently the life, and the way, as well as the
truth.
Page 59.—Does the Author mean to contend that Thomas was an INSPIRED MAN
when he refused to believe in the risen Jesus? We had thought the
Trinitarian view was, that the day of Pentecost dated the inspiration of
the apostles. But it appears the Author believes Thomas to be inspired
when refusing to believe in the resurrection of Christ.
Page 60.—Is not the Author aware of the doubtful authenticity of the
second epistle of Peter, from which he quotes twice, contrary to the
judgment of Lardner, who decides that the doubtful Epistles, so stated
by Eusebius, should not be used as authority for doctrines?
There are other passages in this Lecture on which we might comment. But
we refrain. We wished to remark upon those passages which affect the
cause, and not more than was unavoidable upon those which affect only
the advocate.
------------------------------------
Footnotes for Lecture I.
Footnote 22:
John iv. 23, 24.
Footnote 23:
Luke xvii. 20, 21.
Footnote 24:
John xiv. 21; xv. 8, 9, 10.
Footnote 25:
John xiii. 35.
Footnote 26:
John xiv. 28.
Footnote 27:
John xvii. 3.
Footnote 28:
1 John ii. 3, 5, 29; iii. 7.
Footnote 29:
John x. 16; xvii. 20, 21.
Footnote 30:
Ephes. iv.
Footnote 31:
1 Cor. xii.
Footnote 32:
Note 1.
Footnote 33:
The Oxford Tracts, No. 80, as quoted in “Dr. Hook’s ‘Call to Union,’
answered.”
Footnote 34:
Newman on Justification.
Footnote 35:
Newman.
Footnote 36:
Note 2.
Footnote 37:
It is absurd to say that a work becomes a standard authority, because
a Book Society admits it into its Catalogue, or thinks its objects of
sufficient importance to aid in its publication. Doubtless the
Unitarian Society thought the “Improved Version” valuable as a
Scriptural aid.
Footnote 38:
Note 3.
Footnote 39:
Note 4.
Footnote 40:
See Rev. F. Ould’s Lecture, page 35.
Footnote 41:
Rom. xiv. 17.
Footnote 42:
Note 5.
Footnote 43:
Gal. ii. 17.
Footnote 44:
Note 6.
Footnote 45:
Note 7.
Footnote 46:
Note 8.
Footnote 47:
Note 9.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BIBLE:
WHAT IT IS, AND WHAT IT IS NOT.
---------------------
LECTURE II.
THE BIBLE: WHAT IT IS, AND WHAT IT IS NOT.
BY REV. JAMES MARTINEAU.
“AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (AND WE BEHELD HIS
GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER,) FULL OF
GRACE AND TRUTH.”—_John_ i. 14.
The Bible is the great autobiography of human nature, from its infancy
to its perfection. Whatever man has seen and felt and done on the
theatre of this earth, is expressed therein with the simplicity and
vividness of personal consciousness. The first wondering impressions of
the new-created being, just dropt upon a scene quite strange;—the
hardened heart and daring crimes of the long-resident here, forgetting
that he dwells in a hospice of the Lord, and not a property of his
own;—the recalled and penitent spirit, awakened by the voice of Christ,
when, to a world grown old and dead in custom, he brought back the
living presence of God, and to the first reverence added the maturest
love;—all this is recorded there, written down in the happiest moments
of inspiration which have fallen upon our race during the lapse of
sixteen centuries. The volume stations us on a spot, well selected as a
watch-tower, from which we may overlook the history of the world;—an
angle of coast between the ancient continents of Africa and Asia,
subtended by the newer line of European civilization. Thence have we a
neighbouring view of every form of human life, and every variety of
human character. The solitary shepherd on the slopes of Chaldæa,
watching the changing heavens till he worships them; the patriarch
pitching his tent in the nearer plain of Mamre; the Arab, half merchant,
half marauder, hurrying his fleet dromedaries across the sunny desert;
the Phœnician commerce gladdening the Levant with its sails, or, on its
way from India, spreading its wares in the streets of Jerusalem; the
urban magnificence of Babylonia, and the sacerdotal grandeur of Egypt;
all are spread beneath our eye, in colours vivid, but with passage
swift. Even the echo of Grecian revolutions, and the tramp of Roman
armies, and the incipient rush of Eastern nations, that will overwhelm
them both, may be distinctly heard; brief agents, every one, on this
stage of Providence, beckoned forward by the finger of Omnipotence, and
waved off again by the signals of mercy ever new.
The interest of this wide and various scriptural scene, gradually
gathers itself in towards a single point. There is One who stands at the
place where its converging lines all meet; and we are led over the
expanse of world-history, that we may rest at length beneath the eye of
the Prophet of Nazareth. He is the central object, around whom all the
ages and events of the Bible are but an outlying circumference; and when
they have brought us to this place of repose, to return upon them again
would be an idle wandering. They are all preliminaries, that accomplish
their end in leading us hither.—“The law,” aye, and the prophets too, we
esteem “our schoolmasters to bring us to Christ:”[48] and though, like
grateful pupils, we may look back on them with true-hearted respect, and
even think their labours not thrown away on such as may still be
children in the Lord, we have no idea of acknowledging any more the
authority of the task, the threat, the rod. To sit at the feet of Jesus
we take to be the only proper position for the true disciple; to listen
to his voice “the one thing needful;” and however much others,
notwithstanding that he is come, may make themselves “anxious and
troubled about many things” besides, and fret themselves still about the
preparations for his entertainment, we choose to quit all else, and keep
close to him, as that better “part, which shall not be taken from” us.
Whatever holy influences of the Divine Word may be found in the old
Scriptures, are all collected into one at length; “the Word hath been
made Flesh,” and in a living form hath “dwelt among us;” and from its
fulness of “grace and truth” we will not be torn away.
If the ultimate ends of Scripture are attained in Christ, that portion
of the Bible which makes us most intimate with him, must be of paramount
interest. Compelled then as I am, by my limits, to narrow our inquiry
into the proper treatment of Scripture, I take up the New Testament
exclusively, and especially the Gospels, for examination and comment
to-night.
Suppose then that these books are put into our hands for the first
time;—disinterred, if you please, from a chamber in Pompeii;—without
title, name, date, or other external description; and that with
unembarrassed mind and fresh heart, we go apart with these treasures to
examine them.