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From: Little Paul on 24 Jan 2008 16:34 fact would be surprising, if we did not know that the greater part of those who trouble themselves about the matter are disingenuous and not, in fact, what they say. They are people who have heard it said that it is the fashion to be thus daring. It is what they call "shaking off the yoke," and they try to imitate this. But it would not be difficult to make them understand how greatly they deceive themselves in thus seeking esteem. This is not the way to gain it, even I say among those men of the world who take a healthy view of things and who know that the only way to succeed in this life is to make ourselves appear honourable, faithful, judicious, and capable of useful service to a friend; because naturally men love only what may be useful to them. Now, what do we gain by hearing it said of a man that he has now thrown off the yoke, that he does not believe there is a God who watches our actions, that he considers himself the sole master of his conduct, and that he thinks he is accountable for it only to himself.? Does he think that he has thus brought us to have henceforth complete confidence in him and to look to him for consolation, advice, a
From: Andee on 24 Jan 2008 15:43 Book of Wisdom is only based upon the nonexistence of God. "On that supposition," say they, "let us take delight in the creatures." That is the worst that can happen. But if there were a God to love, they would not have come to this conclusion, but to quite the contrary. And this is the conclusion of the wise: "There is a God; let us therefore not take delight in the creatures." Therefore all that incites us to attach ourselves to the creatures is bad; since it prevents us from serving God if we know Him, or from seeking Him if we know Him not. Now we are full of lust. Therefore we are full of evil; therefore we ought to hate ourselves and all that excited us to attach ourselves to any other object than God only. 480. To make the members happy, they must have one will and submit it to the body. 481. The examples of the noble deaths of the Lacedaemonians and others scarce touch us. For what good is it to us? But the example of the death of the martyrs touches us; for they are "our members." We have a common tie with them. Their resolution can form ours, not only by example, but because it has perhaps deserved ours. There is nothing of this in the examples of the heathen. We have no tie with them; as we do not become rich by seeing a stranger who is so, but in fact by seeing a father or a husband who is so. 482. Morality.--God having made the heavens and the earth, which do not feel the happiness of their being, He has willed to make beings who should know it, and who should compose a body of thinking members. For our members do not feel the happiness of their union, of their wonderful intelligence, of the care which has been taken to infuse into them minds, and to make them grow and endure. How happy they would be if they saw and felt it! But for this they would need to have intelligence to know it, and
From: Paul Russell on 24 Jan 2008 12:57 her illness; but seemed to have satisfying evidences of God's mercy to her, before her death; so that she died very full of comfort, in a most earnest and moving manner warning and counselling others. This seemed to contribute to render solemn the spirits of many young persons; and there began evidently to appear more of a religious concern on people's minds. In the fall of the year I proposed it to the young people, that they should agree among themselves to spend the evenings after lectures in social religion, and to that end divide themselves into several companies to meet in various parts of the town; which was accordingly done, and those meetings have been since continued, and the example imitated by elder people. This was followed with the death of an elderly person, which was attended with many unusual circumstances, by which many were much moved and affected. About this time began the great noise, in this part of the country, about Arminianism, which seemed to appear with a very threatening aspect upon the interest of religion here. The friends of vital piety trembled for fear of the issue; but it seemed, contrary to their fear, strongly to be overruled for the promoting of religion. Many who looked on themselves as in a Christless condition, seemed to be awakened by it, with fear that God was about to withdraw from the land, and that we should be given up to heterodoxy and corrupt principles; and that then their opportunity for obtaining salvation would be past. Many
From: spike1 on 24 Jan 2008 13:14 not astonish, even though the cause is unknown; an event such as one has never seen before passes for a prodigy." [18]Allusion to Gen. 7. 14. Ipsi et omne animal secundus genus suum. "And every beast after his kind." 19Homer, Odyssey, xviii. 20Livy, xxxiv. 17. "A brutal people, for whom, when they have not armour, there is not life." 21Ecclus. 24:11. "With all these I have sought rest." 22"Terror which is more powerful than religion." [23]"From fear that they are being led by terror, without guidance, domination appears tyrannical." [24]"What will become of men who mistake small things and do not believe in greater?" 25Is. 45:15. "Thou art a God that hidest thyself." [26]Wisd. of Sol. 4:12. "Bewitching of naughtiness." [27]Wisd. of Sol. 5:15. "The remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day." 281 Cor. 1:21. 29"They have seen the thing; they have not seen the cause." St. Augustine, Contra Pelagium, iv. 30Matt. 11:27 "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." 31Is. 45:15. "Verily, thou art a God that hidest thyself." 321 Cor. 1:17. "Lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." 33Rom. 1:17. "The just shall live by faith." 34Rom. 10:17. "Faith cometh by hearing." 35"I know." "I believe." 36Ps. 119. 36. "Incline my heart, O Lord." [37]Wisd. of Sol.
From: Andee on 24 Jan 2008 16:38
the universe, without knowing who has put him there, what he has come to do, what will become of him at death, and incapable of all knowledge, I become terrified, like a man who should be carried in his sleep to a dreadful desert island and should awake without knowing where he is and without means of escape. And thereupon I wonder how people in a condition so wretched do not fall into despair. I see other persons around me of a like nature. I ask them if they are better informed than I am. They tell me that they are not. And thereupon these wretched and lost beings, having looked around them and seen some pleasing objects, have given and attached themselves to them. For my own part, I have not been able to attach myself to them, and, considering how strongly it appears that there is something else than what I see, I have examined whether this God has not left some sign of Himself. I see many contradictory religions, and consequently all false save one. Each wants to be believed on its own authority, and threatens unbelievers. I do not therefore believe them. Every one can say this; every one can ca |