A DIALOGUE, &c. REFORMER. WELL, Sir, have you read my Dialogue, and do you like it? CHRISTIAN. You mean, Sir, I presume, the Narrative of a Dialogue, which you have been holding lately with a member of our Christian body, a Methodist Preacher. I have read it. You thought, I suppose, that you had the best of the argument with him, and therefore judged it right to publish what passed between you. Ref. Yes; I took him to Scripture, and confuted him out of his own book. When sense and reason have had a triumph, it is fit the world should know what has been done. Chris. Excuse me, Sir; I have read your Dialogue attentively. I assure you it is very possible to do more justice to Scripture than you have been willing or able to do it; and as to sense and reason, they always follow in the train of Scripture Truth. Ref. Nay, but I wrested from him the most noted texts of the Bible by which Christians are commonly terrified, and restrained from giving their approbation to our doctrines and practices. I shewed him the sense of that command, "Fear God and "honour the king," to be no such fear, and honour, as you have the weakness to think. I applied the example of some of the Apostles themselves to our views in the doctrine of resistance. And as to that notion which some of you have, particularly the Methodists, that "life is a vale of tears,” it is a notion which you may impose upon yourselves, if you will, for your own mortification, but it is a disgust to more enlightened people. One of the mottos which I have prefixed to my publication, is enough to shew that we have Scripture on our side : for Paul says, "I am free-born." Chris. This is your own account of the matter. Now, Sir, it is because you pervert Scripture, and thereby insult it, that I am willing to have some further conversation with you. If indeed you were led by the word of God, I should then go with you. But you misinterpret its sense, and misapply its authority, and then you affirm that it speaks your doctrine. Have you any objection to discuss these subjects, which you have brought forward, a second time? Ref. I never shrink from inquiry. Chris. I am glad of that; it is the way to knowledge. First of all, let me understand in what character you wish me to consider you, whether as a Christian, or as an Unbeliever? Ref. I am not obliged to answer that question. Chris. Nay, this is hardly fair; you said just now, that you never shrink from inquiry. If you believe the Bible, and take it, as I do, to be the inspired word of God, let so much be settled between us. If you do not, say so explicitly, and I shall argue with you, in that case, on other grounds. From your Dialogue I could not gather distinctly whether you professed yourself to be a Believer or not. There is a light and irreverent tone in your expressions, when you touch upon Scripture, which left me in doubt. Ref. Perhaps I have not made up my mind to believe, or not to believe. But since I argued with my opponent the Methodist Preacher out of the Bible, I must, for this occasion, wear the character of a Christian. Chris. You could not do otherwise. For if the Bible be false, it would be a waste of words for you to deduce any thing from it. |