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A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.Ballou, Hosea

Religion

A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.

Name: A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.
Author: Ballou, Hosea

Ballou, Hosea

Revelation; Universalism -- Doctrines

But you seem much engaged to prove that martyrdom does not prove the
truth of a belief for which the martyr dies. Here you have not been
careful to distinguish cases. A _Papist, who has been brought up to
believe in the divine presence_, might perhaps suffer death rather
than renounce it; and yet we should not consider this sufficient to
prove the doctrine of _transubstantiation_; but no candid person would
doubt the _sincerity_ of the martyr. But why should we hesitate to
believe the doctrine for which he suffered? Answer, the doctrine is
not a subject of which he could have positive knowledge. He could not
be eye nor ear witness of the fact. But the testimony for which the
disciples of Jesus suffered, was a testimony concerning a matter of
fact, of which their eyes and ears could take proper cognizance; and
if their sufferings are allowed to prove their sincerity, then it is
granted that they believed in the resurrection of Jesus. If the entire
unbelief of the disciples in the resurrection could be overcome, and
they brought to believe that they saw Jesus and talked with him, and
ate with him, and were frequently in his company after his
resurrection, for forty days; and if they were willing to suffer
persecution and death rather than desist from troubling the people
with this testimony, it appears to me that reason will allow that this
is, at least, some evidence of the truth of this astonishing fact;
though this was not the evidence which carried conviction to so many
thousands of the Jews as well as of the Gentiles. This we have before
shown was the manifestation of the mighty power of God in the
miraculous wonders which God wrought by the apostles.

You speak of the honour, which was no doubt attached to the martyrdom
of Stephen, as being an inducement to others to submit to this
example, &c. You hereby allow that the testimony for which he suffered
was surely believed, otherwise no honour could attach to those who
suffered for it. Why then do you not attempt to show the probable
ground on which this testimony was erroneously believed?

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