"He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned."
That is the religious liberty of the New Testament. That is the "tidings of great joy."
Every one of these words has been a chain upon the limbs, a whip upon the backs of men. Every one has been a fagot. Every one has been a sword. Every one has been a dungeon, a scaffold, a rack. Every one has been a fountain of tears. These words have filled the hearts of men with hatred. These words invented all the instruments of torture. These words covered the earth with blood.
For the sake of argument, suppose that the Bible is an inspired book. If then, as is contended, God gave these frightful laws commanding religious intolerance to his chosen people, and afterward this same God took upon himself flesh, and came among the Jews and taught a different religion, and they crucified him, did he not reap what he had sown?
DOES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE A GOD OF MERCY? XI.
IS it possible to conceive of a more jealous, revengeful, changeable, unjust, unreasonable, cruel being than the Jehovah of the Hebrews? Is it possible to read the words said to have been spoken by this Deity, without a shudder? Is it possible to contemplate his character without hatred?
"I will make mine arrows drunk with blood and my sword shall devour flesh."—Deut. xxxii.
Is this the language of an infinitely kind and tender parent to his weak, his wandering and suffering children?
"Thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same." Psalms, lxviii.
Is it possible that a God takes delight in seeing dogs lap the blood of his children?