The Grounds of Christianity Examined by Comparing The New Testament with the OldEnglish, George Bethune
Religion
The Grounds of Christianity Examined by Comparing The New Testament with the Old
English, George Bethune
Rationalism
--Many instances might be adduced of conduct directly
subversive of the very design, to promote which, he said that he
was sent into the world. For example, he said that he came to
preach glad tidings to the poor, and uninformed; and yet he
declares to his disciples, that ho spake to this very multitude of
poor and ignorant people in parables, lest they might understand
him, and be converted from their sins, and God should heal, or
pardon them. In the 26th chapter of Matthew, Jesus says to his
disciples, in the garden at Gethsemane, these strange words, "
Sleep on now, and take your rest--Arise! let us be going," The
commentators endeavour to get rid of the strange contradictoriness
of these words, by turning the command into the future; and
rendering the Greek word translated "now" thus--"for the rest of
your time," or "for the future." And that he asked them "whether
they slept for the future"? which appears to be just as rational as
to have asked, "how they do to-morrow"?!!
Jo. viii. 51, "Verily, verily.(said Jesus) I say unto you, if a man
keep my saying, he shall never see death "Reader, what dost thou
think of this saying? Has believing in the Christian religion, at all
prevented men from dying as in afore time? And should we be at
all astonished at what the Jews said to him, when they heard this
assertion--"Then said the Jews unto him. Now we know that thou
hast a demon [i. e. art mad.] Abraham is dead, and the Prophets,
and thou sayest if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of
death?" So said the Jews, and if in our times, a man was to make a
similar assertion, should we not say the same?
Many instances might also be given of strange and inconsequent
reasoning; but I shall only adduce the following. He reproaches the
Pharisees, Luke xi. 47, 48, for building and adorning the
sepulchres of the Prophets, whom their wicked fathers slew; and
says to them, "Your fathers slew them, and ye build their
sepulchres," and he adds, "that thus they showed that they
approved the deeds of their fathers!" Surely this is absurd! Did
the Athenians by setting up a statue to Socrates after his unjust
death, show to the world that they "approved" the deed of them
who slew him? did it not show the direct contrary? and was it not
intended as a testimony of their regret, and repentance?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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