Page:Armatafragment00ersk.djvu/417

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¬themselves? — Why do you hold up mysteries to others as tests of acceptation which you do not even agree upon among yourselves ? and if you dread such immaterial differences of opi- nion, why do you embalm bodies of men by laws and statutes, which otherwise might disperse and perish ?" ¬" We complain of their perverseness" replied the good old man, " which ought surely to have a mark set upon it, though of a gentle character. — To give you one instance, among many others, of their obstinacy and blindness, what do you say to their refusing even to attest their belief in all things visible or invisible?" I acknowledged that this was certainly most pro- voking ; though, perhaps, its generality might alarm tender consciences. — If they doubted in- deed the existence of God because invisible, I should condemn and reject them, since the Deity could not be visible to mortal sight, but all things," I said, " was rather a startling proposition." " Not at all, 1 ' said the good old ¬man. ¬