A Series of Letters in Defence of Divine Revelation by Ballou, Hosea, 1771-1852

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* * * * * * * * * * To The Reader.

H. Bowen.

Letter I.

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A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Ii.

H. Ballou. * * * * *

E. Turner." * * * * *

A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Iii.

H. Ballou.

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A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Iv.

H. Ballou. * * * * *

A. Kneeland." * * * * *

A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter V.

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H. Ballou. * * * * *

A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Vi.

H. Ballou. * * * * *

A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Vii.

H. Ballou. * * * * *

A. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Viii.

H. Ballou. * * * * *

"a. Kneeland." * * * * * Letter Ix.

J. Buckminster. * * * * * Letter Ii. From The Rev. Hosea Ballou To The Rev. Joseph Buckminster. Portsmouth, Jan'y. 1, 1810.

Hosea Ballou. * * * * * Portsmouth, Jan. 10, 1810.

J. Buckminster. * * * * * Letter Iv. From The Rev. Hosea Ballou To The Rev. Joseph Buckminster. Portsmouth, Jan. 11, 1810.

J.w. * * * * * Letter Ii. From The Rev. Hosea Ballou To The Rev. Joseph Walton. Portsmouth, Dec. 11, 1810.

Hosea Ballou. * * * * * Letter. Iii.

Hosea Ballou. * * * * * Letter Iv. From The Rev. Joseph Walton To The Rev. Hosea Ballou. Portsmouth, Jan. 11, 1811.

Joseph Walton. * * * * * Letter V. From The Rev. Hosea Ballou To The Rev. Joseph Walton. Portsmouth, Jan. 15, 1811.

Hosea Ballou. * * * * * Letter Vi. From The Same To The Same. Portsmouth, Feb. 1, 1811.

Hosea Ballou

Should you be disposed to disallow the account which the scripture gives of St. Paul, I will ask the favour of you to point out and show to my understanding where in Paley's Horae Paulinae fails of proving the truth of the scripture history of St. Paul.

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What follows is designed to notice your sixth number; out of which the following subjects are selected, on which some remarks are made.

1st. You observe that "when we hear things, which to our understanding are improbable, the improbability of the facts raises a doubt in our minds; and certainly there can be no harm in suspending our judgment, nor yet in withholding our belief until we are fully satisfied." This first subject regards the degrees of evidences which are required in different cases, and the moral propriety of withholding the assent of the mind in the case of a want of evidence.

2d. You are not disposed to doubt that many of the prophets were good men; nor will you contend that they were not all such, and taught the people according to the best of their abilities--And yet you hesitate to allow the divinity of their testimony.

3d. I notice that you acknowledge that there are evidences in favour of divine revelation, which would support it, if there were nothing to counterbalance their testimony.

4th. You hardly know how to understand me where I suggest, that in disproving the religion of Jesus Christ, you disprove all religion, &c.

5th. An inquiry whether Jesus and the apostles might not be honest men, and yet their testimony in certain cases not to be relied on!

6th. You suppose that arguments equally energetic and equally conclusive might be drawn from our feelings against, as in favour of the necessity of divine revelation.

7th. In enumerating the virtues and enjoyments of one who does not even desire a future state, you mention unfeigned thankfulness for all the happiness of which he is made susceptible.

8th. You assert, that if a revelation ever was necessary, it was necessary only to reconcile man to his present state efexistence. And,

9th. You seem to fault me for supposing that in case you did not mean as I took you, on the subject of the apostles' testimony, you must mean the reverse, &c.

These nine particulars, it is true, do not comprehend every item contained in your sixth number, but I believe that a candid reply to each of them will satisfy you that a competent degree of attention has been paid to this communication.