REGARDING RELIGION:

AND

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER

THE PRESENT TIME.

BY JAMES DOUGLAS, Esa.

NEW YORK:
JONATHAN LEAVITT;

BOSTON:

CROCKER & BREWSTER,

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION

PART I.

RISE OF POLYTHEISM AND PANTHEISM.

1. Fragments of the True Religion among the Heathen.-2.

Worship of the Visible Heavens and of the Elements.-3.

Worship of Deceased Ancestors.-4. Complex and Mytholo-

gical Worship.-5. External Polytheism and Internal Mys-

teries.-6. Outer and Inner Philosophy.-7. Emanation and

Pantheism.-8. The World by Wisdom knew not God.-9.

The True Notion of Creation peculiar to the Hebrew Scrip-

tures.

PART II.

EARLY CORRUPTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY.

1. Corruption of Religion among the Jews.-2. Jewish Corrup
tions of Christianity.-3. Gnostic Corruptions.-4. Sabellian-
ism.-5. Arian and Semi-Arian Heresies.-6. Trinitarian

Page

7

13

Page

Disputes and Divisions.-7. Corruptions from Gentile Philo-
phy.-8. Corruptions from Gentile Superstition.-9. Pre-
tenders to an additional Revelation.-10. Mahommedanism 37

PART III.

POPERY.

1. Partial and General Corruption of Christianity.-2. Changes

of the Primitive Churches.-3. The Power of the Bishop of

Rome.-4. Assimilation of Christianity to Judaism and Pa-

ganism.-5. Final Identity of Paganism and Popery.-6.

Popery contains a part of many Ancient Heresies.-7. Absur-

dity of Popery impossible to be concealed.-8. Popery a gross

counterfeit of true Religion.-9. Persecutions of Pagan

and Papal Rome.-10. Popes and Emperors of Rome.-11.

Popery as described by Revelation.-12. Destruction of Po-

pery

PART IV.

MYSTICISM.

61

1. As Popery proceeds from Polytheism, so Mysticism from

Pantheism.-2. Mysticism flourishing in the East.-3. Mys-

ticism less prevalent in the West.-4. Pantheistic Mysticism.

-5. Emanative Mysticism.-6. Devotional Mysticism.-7.

Mysticism now rather practical than speculative.-8, Mys-

ticism natural to the mind.-9. Its near resemblance to Truth,

and its essential difference.-10. Mysticism first favourable

to the Reformation of Religion, then adverse

115

PART V.

HERESIES AFTER THE REFORMATION.

Page

1. Difference of Heresies before and after the Reformation.-

2. Continual protest against the Church of Rome.-3. Dif-

ferent Points of Progress in the Reformation.-4. Artificial

Systems of Truth.-5. Scriptural System.-6. Use of Rea-

son in Religion.-7. Abuse of Reason.-8. Gradual explain-

ing away the Doctrines of the Gospel.-9. All Error on a

Precipice.-10. Process of Dr. Priestly's Changes.-11. La-

titudinarianism unfavourable to Morals and Philosophy.-12.

Rational Divinity untenable in all its changes.-13. Socini-

anism rapidly terminating in Infidelity

149

PART VI.

INFIDELITY.

1. Opposition between the present and the future-the visible

and invisible.--2. Practical Infidels many; speculative

few.-3. Infidelity, ancient and modern.-4. Spinoza or Anti-

supernatural Pantheism.-5. Bayle or Academic Doubts-

6. Hume or Absolute Scepticism.-7. Voltaire or Ridicule.-

8. Gibbon or Historical Scepticism.-9. Rousseau or Senti-

mental Infidelity.-10. Peculiar Argument for Christianity

from Infidel Writings.-11. First source of Infidelity, the

Corruption of the Heart.-12. Second source, the Narrow-

ness of the Understanding.-13. Third source, the Imperfec-

tion of Knowledge.-14. Proofs of Christianity permanent;

Objections varying.—15. Evidence of Christianity indebted

to unbelievers.-16. Increase of Infidelity.-17. Consequent

increase of Christianity

181