DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9552#0012
ii INTRODUCTION" TO
cation. Amongst these opinions, the most prevalent
seems to be, that no one is justly entitled to the appella-
tion of Christian who does not believe in the divinity of
Christ and of the Hoi}' Ghost, as well as in the divine
nature of God, the Father of all created beings. Many-
allow a much greater latitude to the term Christian, and
consider it as comprehending all who acknowledge the
Bible to contain the revealed will of God, however they
may differ from others in their interpretations of
particular passages of Scripture ; whilst some require
from him who claims the title of Christian, onlv an
adherence to the doctrines of Christ, as taught bv
himself, without insisting on implicit confidence in those
of the Apostles, as being, except when speaking from
inspiration, like other men, liable to mistake and error_
That they were so, is obvious from the several instances
of differences of opinion amongst the Apostles recorded
in the Acts and Epistles.*
Voluminous works, written by learned men of par-
ticular sects for the purpose of establishing the truth.,
consistency, rationality, and priority of their own peculiar
doctrines, contain such variety of arguments, that I can-
not hope to be able to adduce here any new reasonings
of sufficient novejh/ and force to attack the notice of nix-
readers. Besides, in matters of religion particulaij
jnen in geneial, through prejudice and partiality to
opinions which the)- once form, pay little or no attend
to opposite sentiments (however reasonable they may b
and often turn a deaf ear to what is most consistent wit,,
the laws of nature* and conformable to the dictates of
Vide Acts, ch. si. 2, 3, ch. xv. 2. 7 ; 1 Corinthians, eh. i. 1:
Galatians, ch. ii. 11, 12, 1;
cation. Amongst these opinions, the most prevalent
seems to be, that no one is justly entitled to the appella-
tion of Christian who does not believe in the divinity of
Christ and of the Hoi}' Ghost, as well as in the divine
nature of God, the Father of all created beings. Many-
allow a much greater latitude to the term Christian, and
consider it as comprehending all who acknowledge the
Bible to contain the revealed will of God, however they
may differ from others in their interpretations of
particular passages of Scripture ; whilst some require
from him who claims the title of Christian, onlv an
adherence to the doctrines of Christ, as taught bv
himself, without insisting on implicit confidence in those
of the Apostles, as being, except when speaking from
inspiration, like other men, liable to mistake and error_
That they were so, is obvious from the several instances
of differences of opinion amongst the Apostles recorded
in the Acts and Epistles.*
Voluminous works, written by learned men of par-
ticular sects for the purpose of establishing the truth.,
consistency, rationality, and priority of their own peculiar
doctrines, contain such variety of arguments, that I can-
not hope to be able to adduce here any new reasonings
of sufficient novejh/ and force to attack the notice of nix-
readers. Besides, in matters of religion particulaij
jnen in geneial, through prejudice and partiality to
opinions which the)- once form, pay little or no attend
to opposite sentiments (however reasonable they may b
and often turn a deaf ear to what is most consistent wit,,
the laws of nature* and conformable to the dictates of
Vide Acts, ch. si. 2, 3, ch. xv. 2. 7 ; 1 Corinthians, eh. i. 1:
Galatians, ch. ii. 11, 12, 1;