A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation

H >> Hosea Ballou >> A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

"As a justification of the above hypothesis (which I am very sensible
is not without its difficulties) in addition to what have said in
regard to the writings palmed upon Clemens, I will mention the
following from Priestly's Ch. Hist. vol. ii. p. 412. It appears to
have been a quotation from Sozomen, by Socrates, Lib. vii. chap. 19,
p. 307. '_The revelation of Peter_, which is rejected as a spurious
book by the ancients, is read once every year in some churches in
Palestine on good Friday, which is a religious fast in commemoration
of our Lord's sufferings. The book that is called the _revelation of
the apostle Paul_, which was unknown to the ancients, is greatly
commended by many of the monks. Some say that this book was first
found in the reign of Theodosius. For they say that in the house of
Paul at Tarsus, there was a marble chest in a subterraneous place, in
which this book was deposited, and that it was discovered by a
particular revelation.'

"Any work of this kind, got up at so late a period as that of the
reign of Theodosius, would not be likely to be generally received
among the churches; yet if it could be received by any, why might not
a similar work, or similar works, which made their appearance so soon
after the apostles, as might well be supposed to have been written by
them and when too, the churches were few in number, without the least
suspicion of fraud, have been received by all? Or if any fraud had
been suspected, yet, believing in the main thing which all these were
designed to support, those frauds whatever they _were_, might have
been considered really _pious_!

"But, sir, you will perceive that I am not altogether pleased, nor
fully satisfied, with this argument. I know it has its difficulties;
but the question is, whether it has greater than the one which it is
brought to oppose? The question is _not_, whether these things look
probable? For I acknowledge they do not look probable. But the
question is, which is the most _incredible_; either that the above
hypothesis, or something like it, should be true; or else that the
extraordinary miracles, related in the books referred to, should be
true? If there were no better evidence in favor of the miracles than
that which I have been examining, I should be obliged to decide
against the latter, let me think what I might respecting the former.
The most that we can say of this testimony is, it does not contradict
the truth of those histories, but, so far as it goes, it is perfectly
consistent with the truth of the main question. The weight of this
testimony therefore, whatever it is, seems to be on the side of the
truth of christianity.

"But what carries the most conviction to my mind is _not_ who wrote
those books; not the manner in which they have been handed down to us,
nor in which they can now be traced to the apostles; but the manner in
which the _story itself is_ told. It must be confessed that, excepting
a few things, which may be supposed to have been early interpolations,
it carries in it all the internal marks of TRUTH. When this is
admitted, we must also admit the propriety of bringing in these
external evidences as auxiliaries; and when we find that they also,
instead of being contradictory _to_, are perfectly consistent _with_
the supposed truth, they add _not a little_ to the weight of
testimony. Hence we find that our faith is strengthened by the
consideration of circumstances, which would not have been sufficient,
in themselves alone, to have originated, or produced, that faith. The
question may be still asked, why do you now believe? To which I give
this plain and simple answer. It is because, notwithstanding the
_incredibility_ of the miracles of Christ, and of the apostles, and
the resurrection, the truth of which these miracles go to confirm and
substantiate; yet, the idea that this story should ever have been told
in the manner it is, without having truth for its foundation, in spite
of all my _incredibility_, is still more _incredible_! And it is my
humble opinion that whoever will give themselves the trouble, to pay
the same attention to the subject, must be of the same opinion: for, I
am inclined to think that no one has been more predisposed to
unbelief. Not that I ever felt any real opposition to the truth of the
holy scriptures, as I now understand them, but I did not wish to be
deceived. I had rather that my hopes and expectations should never be
raised, than to have them raised upon a fruitless or spurious
foundation.

"But after all, it will be perceived that I make no pretensions to a
_miraculous_, or _mysterious_, conversion. My conversion, whatever it
is, is altogether rational. It grows out of the evidence which I
plainly have before my eyes. And it is my humble opinion that those
who pretend to such conversions ought to be able to confirm the same
by miracles, the same as the truth was first confirmed; and unless
they can do it, it ought to be considered as nothing more than mere
_pretension_.--According to the ideas of some, and of much too of that
which is termed _orthodox_, every conversion is as much a _miracle_ as
was the resurrection of Christ. But as this is a fact, which if true,
is entirely out of sight of the unconverted, and of which they can
form no conception, nor judge of it in any sense whatever, is it not
reasonable that they should have a demonstration of its truth, by some
fact, of the truth of which they can judge, that they may know that
the work is of God? And until we have such demonstration, may we not
consider all such pretensions to be of men?

"With these remarks I hasten to a _CONCLUSION_.

"In taking leave of this subject, considering it probable that these
letters will, at some future time, come before the public, it is but
just that I should more fully avow my motives in this controversy. You
will have perceived, all along, the ground on which I stood. I have
endeavoured to personate an honest inquirer after truth; but one who
was filled with doubts concerning every thing of which there is not
positive demonstration. How far I have acted up to such a character,
you and the public can best judge.

"I thought, however, I should be the most likely to do this, by
bringing those objections, and these only, which, at one time or
another, have occupied my own mind. But, that the controversy might
not appear as a mere _farce_, or like a man raising objections against
himself (in which case he generally takes care to raise none but what
he thinks he can answer) and that I might engage all your interest and
energy on the subject, I have carried the idea, through the whole,
both by my letters and by my private conversation with you during the
time (as you very well know) that those objections were now laboring
in my mind with all their force. I have therefore endeavoured to
dispute every inch of ground, and give way only as I found myself
obliged to give way, by the force of your arguments. That I have not
acted my part better must be imputed to want of ability and not to
want of good will. I have endeavoured to throw every block in your way
which I could think of, without deviating from the character which I
had assumed; and that I have not made your task more arduous, is
because I did not see how I could do it without betraying a manifest
dishonesty on my part. The result is such as I anticipated.

"My real motive must be my only apology for the part I have taken. You
know that no work of the kind has ever been really and seriously
attempted by any one who is avowedly of our order; that our religious
opponents are continualiy throwing the gauntlet of aspersions at us,
as being nothing more than mere pretenders to christianity, but in
reality, _Deists_ in disguise. To repel, therefore, those charges, as
well as to let the unbelieving world know our views on this subject, I
thought a work of this kind was really needed. And it appeared to me
that the work, in the first place, would be more likely to be read,
and, in the end, more sure of success, to have it come forth by the
way of controversy, than what it would in any other way.

"It is true, I may not have brought all the objections which some
would wish to have brought; but if what I have brought are so far
removed as not to remain a serious obstacle in the mind of candid
readers (which I conclude will be the case, with others, as it is with
me) then all objections may be as easily removed.

"That this work may be an instrument, in the hands of God, of removing
the prejudices from the minds of many of our religious opponents, of
strengthening the faith of many who are wavering, and, as it were,
halting between two opinions, and of calling up the attention of those
who, like Gallis, 'care for none of these things,' is the sincere
prayer of:

"Yours in the bonds of the gospel.

"A. KNEELAND."

* * * * *

LETTER IX.

_Dear sir, and brother_,--A careful perusal of your tenth number has
given me much satisfaction, and seems to suggest that my reply may be
general. You discover the rational ground on which your scruples are
removed, and state no difficulty that you do not surmount.

I agree with you, that the gloomy doctrine of eternal misery, when by
the imagination it becomes incorporated into the system of divine
revelation, "reverses the whole scene," and renders that, which in its
divine and native beauty possesses the most powerful attractions, the
most deformed picture that ever repelled the human affections. It is
this heaven-dishonouring doctrine, so repugnant to and irreconcilable
with the known goodness of God manifested to all nations in his divine
providence, that has, more than any thing else, so buffeted all the
best feelings of man, as in thousands of instances to drive the heart
of benevolence to lay aside the scriptures to whose authority this
unmerciful doctrine has been erroneously ascribed.

But let the scriptures be once considered as free from the above
horrible sentiment as in reality they are, they will then perfectly
correspond with the demonstrations of universal benevolence and grace,
rendered conspicuous in all the ways of God; they will also compare as
a perfect transcript of that inward light and love which renders man
an image of his ever adorable Creator.

As the christian church emerges from the city of mystery Babylon and
its suburbs, and advances into the light of the wisdom of God, the
doctrine above mentioned loses its influence and its votaries; nor
will it be in the power of our self-styled orthodox clergy, long to
chain the public mind to such a forbidding absurdity.

Nothing discovers the deplorable state of depravity, to which the
human mind is subject, by force of tradition, more than the unnatural
and absurd notion of enhancing future bliss, by beholding fellow
creatures of the nearest connexion in a state of indescribable misery,
there to remain time without end!

It seems to us astonishing that parents were ever capable of causing
their children to pass through the fire to an idol, but what is this
compared with what our pious fathers and mothers have believed
concerning their children's sufferings in the eternal world, for the
glory of that God who is the Father of the spirits of all flesh?

Tradition makes the most horrible things acceptable to the mind which
becomes blind to their deformity, and even the most detestable things,
desirable, by a certain feigned sanctity which it attaches to them.
But the charm once broken, the rational mind becomes transformed into
another image, totally different, and entirely repugnant to the things
which it before venerated as divine. You very justly remark, that if
truth be in any way connected with endless misery, you are not
reconciled to it; but the time has been when you and I viewed this
doctrine as an essential article of the faith of the gospel. What an
absurdity! Eternal misery an essential article of the faith of a
Saviour!

And this very moment there are thousands who set their feet on this
vagary, believing it to be the only rock of safety.

But we have reason to be thankful for our happy deliverance from such
a pernicious tradition; a tradition which has poisoned the doctrine of
the church, and hardened the hearts of Christian professors to such a
degree, that cruelty of the worst kind has become habitual.

Will our _pious clergy_ contend against this charge? Let them account
then for all the persecutions, the anathemas, the hangings and the
burnings, which owe their origin to this doctrine of eternal misery.
Let them account for their own sermons, in our day, which sentence
age, middle age, and infancy to endless torture, for offences they
never heard of, nor will they ever be informed of them until they find
themselves in hell for what a man and a woman did thousands of years
before they were born, and of whom they never had heard one word in
the land of the living! This they as constantly preach as they contend
that man must be sensible of his fall in Adam, of the justice of his
being eternally miserable for that offence, and of pardon through the
atonement of Christ in this life, or be miserable forever hereafter;
for thousands in all ages have lived and died who never heard this
absurd story while on earth.

Sir, we have no reason to wonder that religion is so little set by,
while it is held up in such a character. Let it put on the mild form
of the meek and humble Jesus, let it appear in the mercy of him who
said "the son of man came not to destroy men's lives but to save
them," let it be represented by its own similitude, by pouring oil and
wine into the wounds of an enemy, let it be heard when it declares in
apostolic language, God "will have all men to be saved, and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth," let its language be strictly
regarded when it informs us that charity is greater than faith or
hope, then it will be pure and undefiled before God and the Father; it
will engage the best affections of the human heart, and call to its
devotion all the energies of man. Who can count the damages which have
been occasioned by the preposterous error of setting up _faith_ as a
criterion of _charity_? Creed makers and creed defenders surely must
have been averse to St. Paul's sentiment concerning the superiority of
charity over faith; for they have sat charity at defiance with
undefined items in their creeds, which were acknowledged mysterious in
their own minds, and evidently repugnant to reason in the judgment of
those who were proscribed as heretics by their authority.

Relative to my quotations from the epistle of Barnabas and others,
your argument, as far as it is intended to lessen our belief in the
genuineness of these epistles, has no direct bearing on the argument
which I endeavoured to support by them; for it makes no difference
_who wrote_ those epistles, it is their containing quotations from the
New Testament which gives them the consequence for which they were
quoted.

In reply to what you say respecting Clement's not quoting Mat. v. 7,
xviii. 6. as the writing of St Matthew, but as the words of "our
Lord," I here set down Paley's answer.

"It may be said, that, as Clement hath not used words of quotation, it
is not certain that he refers to any book whatever. The words of
Christ, which he has put down, he might himself have heard from the
apostles, or might have received them through the ordinary medium of
oral tradition. This has been said; but that no such inference can be
drawn from the absence of words of quotation is proved by the three
following considerations:--First, that Clement in the very same
manner, namely, without any mark of reference, uses a passage now
found in the epistle to the Romans;[9] which passage from the
peculiarity of the words which compose it, and from their order, it is
manifest that he must have taken from the book. The same remark may be
repeated of some very singular sentiments in the epistle to the
Hebrews. Secondly, that there are many sentences of St. Paul's epistle
to the Corinthians standing in Clement's epistle without any sign of
quotation, which yet are certainly quotations; because it appears that
Clement had St. Paul's epistle before him, inasmuch as in one place he
mentions it in terms too express to leave us in any doubt--'Take into
your hands the epistle of the blessed apostle Paul.' Thirdly, that
this method of adopting words of scripture, without reference or
acknowledgment, was, as will appear in the sequel, a method in general
use among the most ancient christian writers. These analogies not only
repel the objection, but cast the presumption on the other side; and
afford a considerable degree of positive proof that the words in
question have been borrowed from the places of scripture in which we
now find them."[10]

[Footnote 9: Rom. i. 29.]

[Footnote 10: Paley's Evidences, p. 109, 110.]

I think, if we take into consideration the authority of external
evidence, especially if we duly consider how easily Celsus couid have
overthrown the gospels, if they had not been genuine, it must be
acknowledged sufficient, even of itself, to establish any matter of
fact however important, allowing no natural improbability were
involved in the fact. And this is as much as we want of external
evidence, of the sort refered to.

But as even the internal evidences of scripture would be insufficient
to support their authority without the concurrence of external
evidence, so would the external be found wanting without the internal.
But these together are abundantly sufficient to establish the
credibility of this gospel, which is, like every thing else of the
work and wisdom of God, the wonder and admiration of the believing
soul.

The purity of your motives in writing on the subject of our
discussion, will fully justify the exertions you have made to draw
forth such arguments as your brother has been enabled to adduce in
support of our common faith. I regret that my almost constant employ
on other subjects and other duties, has afforded so little time as I
have been able to devote to your queries, which, together with my want
of abilities to do justice to a subject of this importance is now an
embarrassment on my mind in regard to giving my consent to the
publication of this correspondence. And there is still another
circumstance which seems to operate as an objection to the publishing
of these letters, viz. the want of _extension of argument_ in many
instances, which would have been attended to, if the work had been
written for the conviction of common readers, which was not thought to
be necessary for the benefit of the mover of the queries.

However, as all human productions are imperfect and ought so to be
considered, and especially those from your humble servant, I am
willing to appear to some disadvantage if any considerable advantage
may thereby result to the cause of Jesus Christ our Lord.

I cannot close this valedictory epistle without a solemn
acknowledgement of heart felt gratitude to the merciful disposer of
all events, for the ample evidence which his providence and grace have
given of the truth of our religion, especially when consider the
glorious hope set before us; and am permitted to anticipate the
promised era when there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor
crying; when there shall be no more pain; but when tears shall be
wiped from all faces, and the rebuke of the nations removed from off
all the earth, and every creature in heaven, and on the earth, and
under the earth, and such as are in the sea shall harmoniously ascribe
blessing, and glory, and honor unto him who sitteth upon the throne
and unto the lamb forever and ever, I loose myself in the
contemplation of the transporting scene.

To conclude, as you, my brother, have laboured together with your
fellow servant, to look into, and examine these things which belong to
the kingdom of righteousness, and as we have been favoured with mutual
satisfaction in these researches, may it please the Great Head of the
church still to hold us in his hand, still to engage us in his blessed
cause, and render our mutual labours promotive of his grace among men.
And however distant from each other it may best suit the captain of
our salvation to place us, may it be his pleasure to continue our
fellowship in the bonds of the gospel.

Yours affectionately,

H. BALLOU.

* * * * *

A SERIES OF LETTERS, BETWEEN
THE REV. JOSEPH BUCKMINSTER, D.D.
THE REV. JOSEPH WALTON, A.M.
PASTORS OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES IN PORTSMOUTH, N.H.
AND THE REV. HOSEA BALLOU.

A SERIES OF LETTERS

LETTER I.

FROM THE REV. JOSEPH BUCKMINSTER TO THE REV. HOSEA BALLOU.

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 28, 1809.

_Dear Sir_,--At the close of the interview which we had at my house,
some little time since, you expressed a wish to live in habits of
friendship with the ministers of this town, and I think I expressed a
hope that I should be always disposed to treat you and all men with
those fruits of benevolence and friendship which the law of our common
nature and the spirit and principles of the Christian religion, demand
of me; with this profession, without its fruits, my conscience is not
satisfied. It was neither friendship nor piety that dictated that
early question, "_Am I my brother's keeper_?"--There is a reciprocal
responsibility among mankind, both for the interest of time and
eternity. Were I to see you or any others exposing themselves to
danger, or running into situations that I apprehend would be
prejudicial and destructive, friendship would require me to warn and
admonish, and endeavour to restrain; and can I support my pretensions
to this principle in withholding my warning and admonition, while I am
verily persuaded that the present tendency and final issue of that
system of sentiments which you have embraced, and which you have come
among us to advocate and to support, will expose you, and those that
embrace and build upon it, to danger and distress, with which no
temporal calamity or ruin can bear any sort of comparison?

I know not what system of Universalism you have embraced or advocate,
nor is it of any material consequence in my view; I presume I do not
mistake or injure you in supposing that you publicly preach and
advocate the final salvation of all mankind, their restoration and
association with Jesus Christ in realms of glory. Whatever human
ingenuity or plausible and sophistic reasoning may do with respect to
either of these systems, they each and all of them are, in my view,
destitute of divine authority, and have not a "thus saith the Lord,"
for their support.

There may be some little difference in the present tendency and effect
of these different systems upon the present conduct of men, and so
upon the interest of society; but in their general influence, and in
their final results, they meet in the same point, and will be attended
with the same dreadful consequences. They are neither of them true,
and so can have no effect in quickening into life or sanctifying the
soul, for it is the _spirit_ that _quickeneth_, and the _truth_ that
_sanctifieth_; they may exhilarate, please, and produce triumph; but
it will be a triumphing that is short, and a joy that is but for a
moment; for God, to my apprehension, has been so far from giving any
countenance to either of those systems, that he hath long ago
pronounced them false, and their tendency destructive--these are his
words:"_Because with lies ye have made the hearts of the righteous
sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the
wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him
life_." But it is not my intention to enter into a dispute upon this
subject, neither to enlarge upon arguments to support my own
sentiments, nor to disprove yours; I have no apprehension that any
good would result from it; it would be a tax upon time that might be
better employed.

When persons have adopted a system and are engaged in its support,
when the pride of peculiarity or the influence of party views are
enlisted as auxiliaries, there is little ground to hope for a
conviction of its errors by formal disputation, however temperately
conducted; nothing will effect a change of views and feelings but
"_that still small voice_" which induced the prophet to wrap his face
in his mantle. This voice is more likely to attend our calm, retired
reflections, than the perusal of arguments that tend to disprove what
we have been accustomed to advocate and support.

The object of this letter is not to revile, to censure, nor to
dispute; but, in friendship and affection, to entreat you to reflect
and consider the consequences to yourself and others of that system of
sentiments which you are advocating--anticipate the day of judgment,
and realize yourself called upon to give an account of your
stewardship. I am not disposed, my dear sir, to impeach your sincerity
and honesty. I know how far men may be deluded and deceived. I am
disposed to believe that you conscientiously think the sentiments you
advocate are true. But remember, dear sir, this does not make them
true, nor secure you from the dreadful consequences in which they may
issue. With all this moral sincerity and uprightness, if you cease to
warn the wicked, that he turn from his wicked way (and how can this be
more effectually done than by leading him to expect final, everlasting
happiness) his blood will be required at your hands. The apostle Paul
most conscientiously persecuted the christians and declared to the
council before whom he was arraigned, that he had lived in all good
conscience before God till that day. He verily thought he ought to do
many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, yet his
persuasion did not acquit him from guilt, nor would it have shielded
him from destruction had he not been renewed to repentance and faith
in Christ, while as yet Christ was in the way with him. Christ said to
his disciples, "The time will come when whosoever killeth you will
think he doth God's service;" and he has added, "many will say unto
me, in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and
in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful
works? then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me
ye that work iniquity." What must be your situation in the day of
retribution if the system you advocate should in final evidence prove
false? of which I have not the least shadow of doubt upon my mind, and
therefore have all the forebodings for my erring and deceived fellow
mortals which may be supposed to be the result of such conviction.--I
cannot cease to warn and to entreat you to consider, friendship
forbids, my withholding the voice of warning and adjuration; and both
duty and respect to my own safety require me to endeavour to save you
from the issue, of which I have such awful forebodings. We must both
stand before the Son of man, and each one must give an account of
himself and of his stewardship to God.--From our connextion here,
there will probably be some interest in each other in that day; and I
cannot bear the thought of your being able to say when the scheme of
Universalism shall all vanish like the baseless fabric of a vision,
and all the hopes built upon it will be like the spider's web and like
the giving up of the ghost, that you should be able to say, I never
warned you of this issue, nor admonished you of your danger.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24