American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-08-20
Bishop vatson on the Doctrines of Ctristianitu


When we speak concerning the truth ofreyealed
religion we include not only the certainty of the
divine mission Of Moses and of Jesus, but the nature
OF the several doctrines promulgated by them to
mankind Now you may ask me, what these doc
trines are know what they are to me but Dre
tending to no degree OF infalibility, think il safer
TO tell you where they contained, than what they
are; They are contained in the Bible and il. in
the reading OF that book, your sentiments concern
ing the doctrines Of Christianity should he different
from those OF your neighbor, or from those of the
church, be persuaded on your part, that nlalIiby
appertalns as little TO you. it does to the church
OF which you are member, or to any individual who
differs from you Towards the church, Won ouvb,
TO preserve reverence and respect and in your pub
lie teaching, you ought not, whilst you continue a
minister IN IT, to disturb the public peace. by oppo-
sition to its doctrines; and towards individuals of
whatever denomination Of christians they NAV be.
who differ from you. you ought to preserve charity
OF thought, and courtesy OF conduct and If YOU do
this your discordance OF opinion will be attended
with no mischief, public or private
Many leaned men have bestowed much useless
labor in defining what the fundam n,ai yeritirs
of the christian religion useless esteem it, because
the same things are not fundamental to all men, and
there is no infallibe Judge of controversy 10 SETTLE
the dispute which may arise. papist believes thr
doctrines OF Reconsideration, of worshippinp ne
images, of invocation of saints, of purgsory Of the
insavability (if the word may be ADMITTEDLY of here
tics, and OF the intal5iity OF popes councils and
churches, to be fundamental doctrines protestant
does not believe any Of these doctrines TO be (unda
mental Protesiants differ from each other in their
sentiments concerning the eucharist, concerning the
trinity, concerning satisfaction, original sin. and
personal predestination but the wiscst amonoet
them do not esteem any particular opinion concern.
ing any OF these points, to be SO fundamentals
right, that salvation will not belong TO thosc WIZ
think otherwise. a.
Personal predestlnation appears to many to be a
doctrine full otimpiety and despair. They think II
jmpous, as II represents God to be blind or NAL.
ignant being blind, if he dooms a man tn e,srnat
destruction. without knowing whether he will 10
gond or evil and malignant, if, knowing he males
no distinction in his decrees between them wbo
obey and them who disobey him. They think !, q
doctrine pregnant with despair for now 10 b- nsr
suaded that you are inevitably doomed to eyerla.t;n
punishment, that future rectitudc of condrc, ~
pentence tor what is past, suppIication no inter
cession, nothing which can be done by vnurseIf ~
by any other Tor you, in the least avail 10 ~.
altering of your fate what is this say ,bey b,, ~
overwhelm the soul with the blackness of desno,
dent horror Is it not. they ask, more imp;oro
doctrine than that of Epcurus? For thar renre..nS
ted God as not troubling hmsefin the povernn,on,
oil the world, as making distinction between the
righteous and the wicked as suffering both r. dc
and beome extinct; but this represents him 40
consienng to everlasting torments, those whom he
mad from all eternity determined to condemn
This doctrine, which ~. Chrqsosfom amonos,
The aucients, and .9rminias amongst the moderns