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Page 74
CHAPTER XIX.
A CONSIDERATION OF SOME SUPPOSED ADVANTAGES
ATTRIBUTED TO THE NEW, OVER THE OLD, TESTAMENT;
AND WHETHER THE DOCTRINE OF A RESURRECTION,
AND A LIFE TO COME, IS NOT TAUGHT IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT; IN CONTRADICTION TO THE ASSERTION,
THAT �LIFE AND IMMORTALITY WERE BROUGHT TO
LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL.�
From the preceding chapters, you may judge, reader, of the justice
and truth of the opinion, that �the yoke of Christian morality is
easy, and its �burthen light;� and also of the veracity and fairness
of that constant assertion of divines, �that Jesus came to remove
the heavy yoke of the Mosaic Law, and to substitute in its room
one of easier observance.�--Whether this, their assertion, be not
rash, and ill founded, I will cheerfully leave to be decided by
any cool and thinking man, who knows human nature, and is
acquainted with the human heart. I say, I would cheerfully leave it
to such a man, �whether the Mosaic Law, with all its numerous
rites, and ceremonial observances, nay, with all �the (ridiculous)
traditions of the Elders,� superadded, would not be much more
bearable to human nature, and much easier to be observed and
obeyed, than such precepts as these, �Sell all thou hast, and give it
to the poor.� �If a man ask thy cloak, give him thy coat also.�
�Resist not the injurious person, but if a man smite thee on one
cheek, turn to him the other also.� �Extirpate and destroy all carnal
affection, and love nothing, but religion.� �Take no thought for
to-morrow;�--I am confident that the decision would be given in
my favour; and have no doubt, that with thinking men, the contrary
opinion would be instantly rejected with the contempt it merits.
Whether the Mosaic Code be the best possible, or really divine, is
of no consequence in this inquiry, and is with me another question
from that of its inferiority to that of the New Testament. I do by no
means assert the former; but have no hesitation to give my opinion,
after a pretty thorough examination of the subject, that the
reflections of Paul, and those usually thrown out against the
Mosaic Code by Theologians, when comparing it with that of the
New Testament, in order to deprecate the former, appear to me
extremely partial and unjust; and so far from true, that I think, that
the ancient law has the advantage over the precepts of the New
Testament, in being, at least, practicable and consistent.*
Another unfounded reproach which Theologians, in order to
magnify the importance of the New Testament, cast upon the Old,
is this: They say, that the Old Testament represents God only as
the tutelary Deity of the Israelites, and as not so much concerned
for the rest of mankind. To show that this is a very mistaken
notion, and to manifest that the Eternal of the Old Testament is
represented therein, not as the God of the Jews only, but also of the
Gentiles, I refer to these words:--�The Lord thy God is God of
gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible; who
regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He doth execute the
judgment of the fatherless, and widow, and loveth the stranger, in
giving him food and raiment. Love ye, therefore, the stranger.
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him, for ye know the
heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously
between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
One law shall be to him that is home born, and to the stranger that
sojourneth among you. The stranger that dwelleth with you shall
be as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself. I am
the Lord your God.�
Indeed, so little truth is there in the notion, that the law and
religion of the Old Testament were established with the intention
of confining them to one people, exclusive of all others, that the
Old Testament certainly represents them in such manner, as
shows, that they were intended to be as unconfined as the
Christian, or Mahometan; its religion, in fact, admitted every one
who would receive it. And what is more, it can be proved that the
Old Testament dispensation claims, as appears from itself, to have
been given for the common advantage of all mankind. And it is
asserted in it, (whether truly or not, is not the question; it is
sufficient for my purpose, that it asserts it), that the religion
contained in it, will one day be the religion of all mankind. For it
declares that Jerusalem will be the centre of worship for all
nations, and the temple there, be �the house of prayer for all
nations;� that the Eternal will be the only God worshipped; and his
laws the only laws obeyed. It represents Abraham and his posterity
as merely the instruments of the Eternal to bring about these ends;
it is repeatedly declared therein, that the reason of God�s
dispensations towards them was, �that all the earth might know that
the Eternal is God, and that there is no other but Him.� According
to its history, when God threatened to destroy the Israelites for
their perverseness in the wilderness, and offers Moses, interceding
for them, to raise, up his seed to fulfil the purposes for which he
designed the posterity of Abraham; he tells Moses that his purpose
should not be frustrated through the perverseness of the chosen
instruments; �but, (saith He), as surely as I live, all the earth shall
be filled with the glory of the Lord,� Numbers xiv. 21. Many
passages of similar import are contained in the Psalms, and the
Prophets. In fact, there is no truth at all in the statement of the
Catechisms, that the Old Testament was merely preparatory, and
intended merely to prepare the way for �a better covenant,� as
Paul says; even for another religion, (the Christian) which was to
convert all nations; for, (if the Old Testament be suffered to tell its
own story,) we shall find, that it claims, and challenges the honour
of beginning, and completing, this magnificent design solely to
itself. I was going to overwhelm the patience of the reader with
quotations from it, to this purpose; but being willing to spare him
and myself, I will only produce one, which, as it is direct and
peremptory to this effect, is as good as a hundred, to demonstrate
that the Old Testament at least claims what I have said. Zech. viii.
20, �Thus saith the Eternal of Hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that
there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; and the
inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying: �Let us go
speedily to pray before the Eternal, and to seek the Eternal of
Hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people, and strong nations shall
come to seek the Eternal of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before
the Eternal. Thus saith the Eternal of Hosts: In those days it shall
come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all the languages
of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew,
saying, we will go with you.�
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