Superstition Unveiled eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 79 pages of information about Superstition Unveiled.

Superstition Unveiled eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 79 pages of information about Superstition Unveiled.
we must trust solely to revelation. [42:3] We have the Rev. Mr. Faber in his ‘Difficulties of Infidelity’ boldly affirming that no one ever did, or ever will ’prove without the aid of revelation, that the universe was designed by a single designer.’  Obviously, then, there is a division in the religious camp with respect to the sufficiency of natural Theology, unhelped by revelation.  By three of the four Christian authors just quoted, the design argument is treated with contempt.  Faber says, ’evident design must needs imply a designer,’ and that ’evident design shines out in every part of the universe.’  But he also tells us ’we reason exclusively, if with the Deist we thence infer the existence of one and only one Supreme Designer.’  By Gillespie and M’Neil, the same truth is told in other words.  By Chalmers and Watson we are assured that, natural proof of a God there is none, and our trust must be placed solely in revelation; while Brougham, another Immense Being worshipper, declares that revelation derives its chief support from natural Theology, without which it has ‘no other basis than vague tradition.’

Now, Universalists agree with Lord Brougham as to the traditionary basis of Scripture; and as they also agree with Chalmers and Watson with respect to there being no natural proof of a God, they stand acquitted to their own consciences of ‘wilful deafness’ and ‘obstinate blindness,’ in rejecting as inadequate the evidence that ‘God is,’ drawn either from Nature, Revelation, or both.

It was long a Protestant custom to taunt Roman Catholics with being divided among themselves as regards topics vitally important, and to draw from the fact of such division an argument for making Scripture the only ‘rule of faith and manners.’  Chillingworth said, there are Popes against Popes, councils against councils, some fathers against others, the same fathers against themselves—­a consent of fathers of one age against a consent of fathers of another age, the church of one age against the church of another age.  Traditive interpretations of Scripture are pretended, but there are few or none to be found.  No tradition but only of Scripture can derive itself from the fountain, but may be plainly proved, either to have been brought in in such an age after Christ, or that in such an age it was not in.  In a word, there is no sufficient certainty but of Scripture only for any considering man to build on. [43:1] And after reading this should ‘any considering man’ be anxious to know something about the Scripture on which alone he is to build, he cannot do better than dip into Dr. Watt’s book on the right use of Reason, where we are told every learned (Scripture) critic has his own hypothesis, and if the common text be not favourable to his views a various lection shall be made authentic.  The text must be supposed to be defective or redundant, and the sense of it shall be literal or metaphorical according as it best supports his own scheme.  Whole chapters

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Superstition Unveiled from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.