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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

I cannot conceive how reasonable people
in the candid exercise of their judgments, could avoid believing.

Look, sir, at the account of the miraculous cure of the lame man, who
lay at the gate of the temple. Notice the words used to effect it. "In
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." "And all the
people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew that it was he
who sat for alms at the beautiful gate of the temple." Hear what Peter
says to the wondering multitude on this occasion. "Ye men of Israel,
why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by
our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of
Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath
glorified his son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the
presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye
denied the holy one and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted
unto you; and killed the prince of life, whom God hath raised from the
dead: whereof we are witnesses. And his name, through faith in his
name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, and the
faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the
presence of you all." Here we have the evidence by which about five
thousand men, besides women, believed--that is, owned their belief.
When the high priest and others called Peter and John before them, and
demanded, by what power, or by what name they had done this thing,
Peter answers, filled with the Holy Spirit; "Ye rulers of the people,
and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done
to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole: be it known unto
you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,
even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the
stone which was set at naught by you builders." Hear what these rulers
say when Peter and John were sent aside. "What shall we do to these
men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is
manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it."

Such evidence as we have noticed, which the disciples were enabled to
bring to the people, of the resurrection of Jesus, was sufficient to
remove every reasonable doubt and to bring over to this faith, those
who had been his murderers.

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