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diff --git a/old/40978-h/40978-h.htm b/old/40978-h/40978-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7dd2f38 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/40978-h/40978-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3328 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Watson Refuted, by Samuel Francis, M.D. + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Watson Refuted, by Samuel Francis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Watson Refuted + Being an Answer to The Apology for the Bible, in a Series + of Letters to the Bishop Of Llandaff + +Author: Samuel Francis + +Release Date: October 8, 2012 [EBook #40978] +Last Updated: January 25, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WATSON REFUTED *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + WATSON REFUTED + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + BEING AN ANSWER TO THE APOLOGY FOR THE BIBLE. <br /><br /> IN A SERIES OF + LETTERS TO THE BISHOP OF LLANDAFF. + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Samuel Francis, M.D. + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /><br /> + </p> + <h4> + Pudet me humani generis, cujus mentes et aures talia fern potuerunt.<br /> + <br /> —Div. Augustin. <br /><br />LONDON: <br /><br /> PRINTED and PUBLISHED BY R. + CARLILE, 55, FLEET STREET + </h4> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> ADVERTISEMENT. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> WATSON REFUTED </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> LETTER I. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> LETTER II. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> LETTER III. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> LETTER IV. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0007"> LETTER V. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0008"> LETTER VI. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0009"> LETTER VII. </a> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + ADVERTISEMENT. + </h2> + <p> + I had written a considerable part of another work, containing strictures + on religion. The appearance of the Bishop of Llandaff's pamphlet, and the + number of editions that have been published for the purpose of encouraging + its sale among the poorer classes, induced me to take up the pen expressly + in answer to this publication, that I might undeceive the multitude, and + show that, under the imposing title of a Bishop, Dr. Watson has been + guilty of the most gross misrepresentations, and, whether intentionally or + from ignorance, has deceived his readers, while, under the pretence of + meekness, he triumphs in the detection of a few errors, committed by a man + who does not pretend to be a Theologian, or to be possessed of any great + learning. He has uniformly passed over the weighty arguments of the Age of + Reason, and stopped at a few immaterial inaccuracies. I hope, in the + following sheets, to show, that the learned Professor of Divinity has + committed errors in the Natural Sciences and History, which would be + inexcusable in any author; but, when coming from a dignified Clergyman, + who wishes to dictate to the nation, their detection cannot fail to show + to the public, how necessary it is for men to employ their faculty of + reason, and not to yield it to those whose profession is to teach things + they acknowledge to be above reason, and incomprehensible. I shall, as + soon as my other avocations permit, give the world a tract upon religion + in general, with strictures on the Jewish and Christian systems. For this + reason, I shall not, in the present pamphlet, enter deeply into any + abstract reasoning, but confine myself chiefly to the detection of the + errors contained in the Apology for the Bible. + </p> + <p> + S. F. + </p> + <p> + London, Aug. 15, + </p> + <p> + 1790, <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + WATSON REFUTED + </h2> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER I. + </h2> + <h3> + MY LORD, + </h3> + <p> + You have thought it not inconsistent with your dignity as a Bishop, to + oppose the <i>Age of Reason by Thomas Paine</i>, and I, as a member of the + community, find myself called upon to expose your reasoning, and stop the + career of error. You disclaim controversy; but if your candour is any + thing more than a vain boast, I entertain hopes of seeing the defender of + Christianity again step forward to answer my arguments, if he deems them + of sufficient weight to disturb his quiet. I am sincerely glad to find a + dignified churchman begin a dispute with men, whom formerly the pious + members of the Church would have deemed fit victims for the fire or the + gallows; at the same time, I feel deep regret, that the Bishop has not yet + altogether laid aside the clerical passion for the extermination of the + heterodox. I hope, says Dr. Watson, that there is no want of charity in + wishing, that Mr. Paine's life had been terminated long before his + publication. This may be consistent with Christian charity, but nature and + reason teach us ugly unbelievers another doctrine: and, however inveterate + I may be against those of the clergy who persecute and deceive the + multitude, I confess, that the death of a person, whom I conceive to be + acting for what he thinks the public good, would give me no pleasure; and + the Bishop allows the purity of Mr. Paine's motives. The wish of the + philosopher is, let reason guide us, and all parties have freedom of + debate. No dogmatical dictates of bigotted priests, no passive obedience + to the mandates of inquisitors, nor to the persecutions so often fomented + by churchmen. To the progress of letters, during this century, we owe the + mildness and condescension of clergymen: till philosophy taught us, the + clergy never discovered, that persecutions for heresy and witchcraft, or + inquisitions and popery, were horrid institutions. Dares Dr. Watson + affirm, that freedom of inquiry was ever suffered on religious subjects? + that people were allowed to examine the grounds of the doctrines taught by + the Church? No, Sir, your predecessors of all beliefs have ever persecuted + philosophers and inquirers into truth, both in science and in religion. + Neither Galileus nor Rousseau escaped the malevolence of the opposers of + science; and in the Bible they found authorities for their inveterate + opposition to the progress of truth and knowledge. The New Testament + informs us, that the wisdom of God is foolishness to man, that human + learning produces nothing but pride 1, and that the poor in spirit gain + the kingdom of heaven. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + 1 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain + deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of + the world, and not after Christ." Colos. ii. 5, 8. + + "Cum sit nobis divinis literis traditum cognitiones + philosophorum stultas esse, ad ipsum re et argumentis + docendum et; ne quit bouesto sapieutię nomine inductus, aut + inanis eloquentię splendore deceptus, humanis malet quam + divinis credere." + + Lactantius, Inst. lib. i. chap. 2. +</pre> + <p> + Under these and other similar pretences, have barbarous priests led their + credulous followers to massacres in the name of their God; by means of + that touchstone word, <i>Faith</i>, they made the multitude forget that + their leaders were but men. Now, Sir, we have grown bolder: knowledge + being no longer confined to clerical seminaries, priests are not kings. + The church totters; and a single pamphlet, you say, "has unsettled the + faith of thousands." Now, that you cannot stifle reason, you pretend to + liberality of sentiment. + </p> + <p> + The natural historian, or the astronomer, fears not the publication of + opinions contrary to his own, except from a scholastic habit, learned in + the clerical seminaries, which still disgrace almost every country. The + chemist eagerly peruses all theories; the divine alone refuses to argue + with his opponents, and trembles at the very name of reason. I differ in + my philosophical opinions from Mr. Paine; my principles extend so much + farther than his, that I suspect I come under the class which you are + pleased to call madmen, and every clergyman would affect to despise, but + dare not argue with, before an unprejudiced tribunal. These, Sir, are the + effects of superstition, and the cunning policy of the Church. The Bible + is hardly suffered to be read in Catholic countries. The English reformers + could not go so far; their revolution sprung from a dawn of philosophy. + The English clergy, however, would confine us to the reading of that + unintelligible farrago, and the still more insufferable commentaries upon + it. So did the scholastics with Aristotle; their bigotted partiality to + this author was nearly of the same force with the priestly attachment to + the Bible. They retarded science; but the motives of the clergy are + stronger. By the Bible they live; and it is not uncommon to hear the + parson deride in private what he preaches from the pulpit. + </p> + <p> + But to your first letter. + </p> + <p> + After the pious wish for Thomas Paine's death, you proceed to state how + miserable the adoption of his doctrines would render the "unhappy + virtuous." Fear not such a dire event: the <i>pious</i> are few in number, + and of those, few have the courage to open a book controverting their + opinions, and which, they are taught to believe, contains nothing but + blasphemies But, should chance lead them to a detection of their errors, + they would only become less devout, and more useful citizens. Freed from + the prospect of hell and heaven, they will have leisure to think of this + world, in which they live somewhat like hermits, loving only their + priests, and ready to sacrifice victims to credulity. + </p> + <p> + You say, that guillotine massacres were not the effect of the Popish + religion, but of the disbelief of this system. This deserves some + consideration. It is not true, that the majority of the people of Paris + were unbelievers. No, Sir, they swore to the miracles of Abbe Paris, and + were as ready to give testimony to the wonderful cures and prodigies + operated by his intercession, as the Jews or Christians have been to vouch + for theirs. The fact is this: the lively disposition of the French, the + unintelligibility of their religion, and the shameful conduct of the + priests, turned their attention to the more serious object of politics; + but this event could not immediately change the nature of the murderers of + the Protestants on St. Bartholomew's day. Does your Lordship imagine, that + the peasants of La Vendee are models of morality? If you think so, I must + undeceive you. Nothing but ignorance prevails in that district; like the + ancient crusaders, they are led solely by their priests, who, by means of + certain words which early habits and superstition have made their + followers respect, and, together with want of communication with the rest + of France, have inflamed them, and driven them to slaughter: even miracles + have not been wanting in that part of the country; but in this, as in many + other instances, they have disappeared, on the arrival of incredulous + troops, whose hearts are perhaps hardened by God, like the Egyptians of + old. Since God diminishes men's faith in proportion as he gives them human + wisdom, let us not endeavour to controvert this heavenly will, by + endeavouring to make the enlightened people of the eighteenth century so + credulous as in the former days of ignorance. The Bishop allows, that the + higher classes of every country all lean towards infidelity; they are more + guided by reason, and reason is the avowed enemy of faith, it being the + criterion of faith, that it contains natural impossibilities. It is + unfortunate that so many sects pretend to faith, and differ so much among + themselves; and that to explain their faiths, they use the weapons of + reason against one another. This of itself proves, that faith is but a + cant word, since the faithful argue about what comes not under human + knowledge. Thus all religious sectaries, whether Christians, Jews, + Mahometans, Boodzoists, or Bramins, as staunchly believe contradictory + doctrines, while, in the inquiries that depend on their reason, we find + that, wherever men have long been civilized, they have, in astronomy, in + physics, or ethics, come in general to the same conclusions. The language + of the philosopher is understood in Pekin as well as in Rome; but the + religious fanatics of every country differ in their opinions, and consider + all but themselves as dreamers and impostors. The Bramin laughs at the + story of Noah and the ark, the stopping of the sun, and the incarnation of + God; while the Christian shows the same contempt for the incarnation of + Vishnu, and other articles of the Braminical faith. The exercise of reason + alone shows us the true limits of our intellectual faculties. Ignorance of + this is the cause of all reveries in science, as in religion; it is only + superstition that incites men to launch beyond their conceptions. + </p> + <p> + You accuse of infidelity all those who commit crimes against society. When + we answer, that the Jewish and Christian religions have deluged the world + with blood, you reply, that it is not as being Jews and Christians, but + because they were wicked. At the same time, I hope you allow, that the + Spartans, the Athenians, the Romans, the Chinese, did not commit half the + atrocities which disgrace Jewish history, the aera of the crusades and the + Christian persecutions, of the invasion of America, the massacres of + heretics, &c. The candid observer must therefore conclude, that right + and wrong is not confined to sects; that the Christian religion, whatever + its precepts may be, has not been able to prevent crimes, while nations + who knew not so much as the name of Moses or Christ, produced a Confucius, + an Aristides, a Socrates, an Epaminondas, a Cincinnatus. Among these + nations, who knew not the Lord Jehovah, we find Archimedes, Epicurus, + Demosthenes, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, while the chosen people of God, and + their successors, the Christians, borrowed their language, the very names + of their gods, and the little science they knew, from these despised + infidels. It was not the oracle of Delphos, the augurs, or the sybils, + that enlightened the Greeks and Romans. The rabble credited them, as the + ignorant Jews and Christians did their prophets and apostles. In short, + morals cannot be invented; there cannot be two systems of morality. The + precepts must be directed to principles existing in the heart of man. + Ignorance conceals from nations the rule of conduct, in the same manner + that it prevents them from knowing geometry; the moment they study either, + they are put in the road of truth. No wonder, then, that in the times of + the greatest oppression, when frightened into certain doctrines by the + stories of nurses and parents, many learned men should not have been able + to conquer their first prejudices. You certainly know the time when + astrology and the philosopher's stone were in fashion; the believers in + these reveries were men of science. Van Helmont, Stahl, Boyle, and + innumerable others were possessed of this madness. You can be no stranger + to the numerous wretches that suffered for witchcraft and necromancy, and, + upon the very brink of death, confessed they were guilty. + </p> + <p> + The next reflection the Doctor makes, is respecting gospel moderation, for + which purpose he quotes, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? + to his own master he standeth or falleth." Yet has this been done by all + Christian rulers; and the clergy are at this moment, in express defiance + of this maxim, about to send missionaries to disseminate principles that + have ever produced internal dissensions, and without which infidels have + lived in perfect happiness. It is, perhaps, an excess of piety; but cool + observers pretend, that it is the high priest, not the High God, that they + are going to preach: to fill their knapsacks is the first object of these + pilgrims, and their God is made subservient. Unluckily for the Bishop, he + could not adduce a more detestable maxim, to show his charity, than that + which I have just quoted: it is the pivot of Oriental despotism; it + teaches passive obedience to all classes; the father is the tyrant of his + children, the nabob of his subjects, the emperor of all: it is a maxim + whose tendency is to root in men's minds, that we are the property of one + another, and may be inherited as cattle. To those of my readers who are + pleased with it, I wish a thorough experience of its effects. + </p> + <p> + The remainder of your first letter contains observations to which I + perfectly accede. Your conclusion against Thomas Paine is perfectly fair. + Any apparent deviation from moral justice in the world must prove as much + against the goodness of God, as a similar inconsistency in his immediate + actions and commands proves against revealed religion. My Lord, we are in + the abyss of error; your question with Thomas Paine is about the + comparative absurdity of the two Opinions. The deistical notions of your + adversary do not agree with his reasonable tenets; but I readily grant, + that, to a religious person, nothing is incredible; and that the greater + the inconsistencies, the more sublime the system. But let me ask your + Lordship, what you conclude against one, who, like myself, is not a Deist? + and repeats, with the first philosopher of the age, that there are only + four possible hypotheses upon the causes of the universe: 1st. That they + are purely good. 2dly. That they are malicious. 3dly. That they are a + mixture of good and evil. And, lastly, That they neither possess + benevolence, nor any other passions. The two first hypotheses are equally + contradicted by daily experience, the mixture of good and evil is too + apparent: the third is denied, by the steadiness of the laws of nature: + the last, then, only is admissible. + </p> + <p> + You next proceed to justify several actions of the Jews, which you and the + Bible are pleased to call God's commands. I must decline following your + reasoning; for the very existence of such crimes as the Jews ascribe to + their enemies, and which, they say, were so repugnant to God, would of + themselves prove against the goodness of that Being. His frequent threats, + and the extermination of so many miserable nations, is a poor expedient; + like that of a man, who, attempting to make a machine, and foiled in his + endeavours, gloried in breaking it in a thousand pieces. How much more + ridiculous is that sublime Artificer, who employs the same means which + impotence or malevolence give rise to in his wretched children. I am glad + you have no recourse to the silly causes of atheism, as given by that + illustrious dreamer, Plato. + </p> + <p> + The world has too long been imposed upon by ridiculous attempts to vilify + atheists, and show their nonexistence. That name has been a cant word, + like Jacobin in France, and Whig and Tory in England, which every person + applies to his neighbour as it best suits him. In Catholic countries, all + who dare think are heretics; among Protestants, they are atheists. Being a + word of opprobrium, it has ever been used as a powerful engine in the + hands of the clergy. The question is upon the truth of systems, not upon + the character of those who profess them. If this were the discrimination, + and the palm given to that religion that has had the greatest number of + honest men, the Christian system would certainly lose the contest. + </p> + <p> + The Bishop seems to think, that savages have not so perfect a notion of + God as we imagine: religion, he supposes, begins as it were in express + revelation. This is but the fancy of a clergyman, unsupported by any + proofs; but at least it shows, that the Bishop involuntarily acknowledges, + that reason alone can hardly give us the idea of a ruling Being. The + savage, it is true, does not discourse in a metaphysical jargon; he wants + expressions: but I wish the Doctor would inform me in what our Catechism + definition of God is clearer than the notions of the rudest savage, who, + trembling at the approach of thunder and violent convulsions of nature, or + enjoying the genial sun and fertilizing inundations, imagines all the + world to be animated with his own passions. The thunder is a mark of + wrath, while the blessings are signs of a propitious genius. To conciliate + these imaginary beings, to avert their wrath, is the grand object of + superstition. Schoolmen conceal, under their mystical jargon, the real + materials which their gods are made of; they conceal that the Supreme + Artificer is the offspring of fancy, the figurative and unphilosophical + symbol of nature, to which they give human dispositions: in all religious + systems men are the type of their gods. Your letter concludes with a + remark sufficiently extraordinary, that most Deists of your acquaintance + disbelieve the mysterious conversations of God, his miracles, and such + other stories, because they are too wonderful, and against the order of + nature. Your reply is curious: because we never have seen the like of + them, does it follow that they are untrue? Give me leave to tell you, my + Lord, that you have forgotten the rules of logic: you know, that in all + cases, but of demonstration, the philosopher does nothing but weigh + probabilities. Any thing that is conceivable is possible: but are we + therefore to believe in the existence of witches or necromancers? Are we + to give credit to the world having sprung from an egg? That Mahomet + divided the moon? That the sun stood still? That astrology is a science? + Yet what reason have we to disbelieve them? The respective supporters of + these opinions may say with the Doctor, that nothing can be too wonderful, + and that, because these things have not happened in our time, it does not + follow they should be untrue. I acknowledge, with the Doctor, that many + Deists admit a Being as inconceivable as any religious mystery; therefore + it may seem ridiculous in them to stop their credulity; since we call God + just, when nothing but a concatenation of causes and effects can be + perceived in the world; when we proclaim him benevolent, while the world + is full of vice, while millions perish in misery, and continual calamities + befal mankind; while, in short, most men have the gloomy prospect of + damnation before them. These are greater miracles than an universal + deluge, making a woman from a rib, or God's countenancing the atrocious + murders of Jews. He that will believe one wonder, has no plea for doubting + the rest. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER II. + </h2> + <h3> + MY LORD, + </h3> + <p> + Your second letter begins with some nice distinctions between authenticity + and genuineness. The whole reasoning seems to amount to this, that a book + may be authentic, although not genuine, and <i>vice versa</i>. To this + proposition we were no strangers; but piety makes your Lordship forget + some other considerations. When the proofs of authenticity depend in a + great measure upon the genuineness of a book, then the authenticity falls + to the ground the moment we prove it spurious. Thus the Jews strenuously + maintained, that the Pentateuch had been written by an inspired man at a + particular time. But if Moses is shown not to have written these books, I + trust you will not declare them authentic, without other very solid + proofs. When a whole nation is proved to be mistaken respecting the author + of a work, we ought not hastily to credit their legends. Moreover, logic + teaches us, that in proportion as events are incredible, they require a + stronger testimony to prove that they have actually taken place. A battle + may have been fought, a city may have been destroyed, but miracles being + against the order of nature, no testimony can be strong enough to prove + them, we must again appeal to faith. It is so much easier for men to be + deceived or imposed upon, or for persons designedly to mislead their + credulous followers, that unless it were more miraculous that a man should + be mistaken, than that the miracle happened, we ought not to give credit + to such fables. If we drop this rule of logic, we shall readily believe + prodigies of all sorts, whether wrought by Moses, Jesus Christ, Mahomet, + St. Antony of Padua, or any modern wonder-workers, witches, magicians, + astrologers, or magnetisers. Mr. Paine no where asserts, that because a + book is not genuine, it must be false; but certainly he might assert this + of the Bible. You say, that if the works of Titus Livius had been ascribed + to another, they would nevertheless be true; how would you ascertain it? + If the whole Roman nation supposed them to have been written by a + particular author at a certain time, and should we be enabled to point out + many passages evidently written in a posterior age, would you, without any + other proofs, join in the assent to the authenticity of the history, upon + a tradition so vague, and already proved false in so material a point? + Although I am no Bishop, I would only imagine, that as to probable events + contained in such spurious books, there might have been some grounds for + them; but I would receive them with great caution; and, at any rate, never + would I establish a system of history, much less of religion, upon the + productions of an ignorant people: in all cases, events related against + the order of nature are to be considered as the reveries of dark ages. To + elucidate your principles, you mention Anson's voyage, written by Robins, + under the name of Walter, to prove that a spurious work may contain a true + history; but, my Lord, do you forget, that this was written at a time when + the whole nation knew that Lord Anson had made such a voyage, and every + man in his fleet could testify the particulars of it? But if our + posterity, four or five centuries hence, should discover a book purporting + to be written by a Mr. Walters, detailing the voyage of Admiral Anson, and + if in that book they should meet a passage speaking of the late revolution + in France, or of the author's death and burial, would not that strike at + the authenticity of the whole? Would any part be believed that was not + corroborated by the evidence of respectable contemporary authors? All that + could be inferred would be from the nature of the events related, such as + the accurate description of countries, and such other particulars as + marked either the period of the observations, or their truth: in the first + case, they might suspect the work to be interpolated; in the second, they + would value it only for the accuracy of information. It is different with + scientifical and historical works: a spurious book of science may contain + truths, they stand for themselves, they are the same at all times and + places. Not so in history: the truth here depends on the universal consent + of nations, on the testimony of authors of credibility confronted with + each other, and in all cases relating things probable. When we read in a + Chinese history, that the goddess Amida peopled the world by bearing male + children from under one arm, and females under another, or, in the + Mahometan writers, that the trees spoke to the founder of that sect, would + a man credit any circumstance, however probable, related in such + histories, without the strongest collateral proofs? And should we further + discover, that these histories detailed events posterior to their author's + death, would not this make the whole still more improbable? Your remark + upon this subject is singular: you say, that if Joshua, Samuel, or Moses, + declared themselves the authors of the works ascribed to them, then to + prove these books spurious would at once destroy their genuineness and + authenticity. I would reason thus: Moses does not say, that he was the + author of the Pentateuch; why then do we believe that he wrote it? You + would, no doubt, answer, that the tradition of the Jews proclaims him + such. I retort, that if the genuineness of a book may be proved by + tradition, we ought as much to argue against the authenticity of a work, + from having proved the general belief of its genuineness to be founded on + error, as if the author had said, I am the author of this book. This we + shall, in the sequel, prove to be the case with the books of the Old + Testament. The addition of an express declaration of Moses would add no + authenticity to the Pentateuch, since it is as easy to forge a work where + the author speaks in the first as in the third person. + </p> + <p> + Your next remark is concerning miracles. I have already observed, that no + testimony can give them belief. You maintain, that the degree and kind of + evidence for the prodigies recorded in the Bible exceeds that for any + other wonders. How this happens I am unable to comprehend. I know they are + contained in a book composed by the priests of the most credulous and + ignorant nation that perhaps ever existed; and the authority of these + unknown and obscure persons, is all the evidence we have for crediting + their stories. An English Bishop tells his countrymen, that the miracle of + the sun standing still is better supported than the prodigies of Abbe + Paris, Mesmer, and the late Labre at Rome, than the numerous Indian, + Chinese, and Popish miracles, of which a great part are attested by + magistrates, divines, physicians, and the most enlightened classes of + society; while the wonderful repast of the angels with Abraham, or the + marvellous tale of Jonah's three days' residence in the belly of a fish, + depends upon the authority of a book which we shall prove to be spurious, + to have been lost for several ages, and to be compiled, if not altogether + composed, by some Jewish scribes, who were, as they themselves + acknowledge, the only men versed in the scriptures of the nation. I + thought you would have known sacred history better than at the present day + to make such unsupported assertions. Have you forgotten the wonders of the + magicians of Pharaoh? Do you not recollect the express acknowledgment of + Moses himself, that there may be miracles and prophecies performed by men + who adored not the Lord Jehovah? Does he not say, in chap. xiii. of + Deuteronomy, "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, + and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to + pass whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, &c.—that + prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, <i>because he + hath spoken to you to turn away from the Lord your God</i>." It is not + because he is a false prophet, but because he is not a prophet of Jehovah. + Does not this at once show the grossness of the conceptions of the Jews, + and the sophistical mode of arguing of their legislator? For I would ask, + How did Moses prove himself the oracle of God? Or how did Jesus Christ + show himself the Son of God, but by their pretended miracles? Why then + believe the testimony of a miracle in one instance, and not in another? + But the Jews certainly imagined, that there were several gods, and that + they quarrelled with each other, as kings are used to do; therefore it was + natural that one set of prophets should try to exterminate another, and be + as inveterate against them as the Lord Jehovah was against Baal, or other + rival gods. If the reader imagines I speak at random when I say, the Jews + believed in other gods, I refer him to Judges, chap. xi. ver. 23, 34, + where it is said, "So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed the + Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldst thou not possess it? + Wilt thou not possess that which <i>Chemosh thy god</i> giveth thee to + possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, + them will we possess." There cannot be a fairer parallel. + </p> + <p> + I can hardly imagine a Bishop ignorant of the augurs, oracles, and sybils + of the Greeks and Romans, and of the implicit belief these nations had in + them; the truth of their prophecies was fully as well established as the + prophecies of the Jews. Neither were miracles uncommon among the heathens. + You have, no doubt, read St. Ambrose and Origen, and have found in the + works of these and other fathers, that the only difference between the + miracles of the Christians and infidels, was, that the former were + operated by God, and the latter by the devil; and could I be satisfied + that Satan took up Jesus Christ to the top of that high mountain, (now + unknown to geographers) from whose pinnacle all the world could be seen, + this would surprise me as much as to see Jesus Christ, or any other + wonder-worker, bringing a dead man to life. I am ashamed to have inveighed + so long against silly prejudices; but I could not avoid calling upon your + Lordship, to point out the difference between gospel-miracles and the + ridiculous tales believed in all dark ages, and of which we find so + copious collections in the works of the first fathers. The axiom of + philosophers, that no human testimony can establish the credibility, of + miracles, you have left unanswered. You say it has been confuted an + hundred times: had you given the confutation of it, we would have been + able to ascertain the truth of your assertion. You are writing for the + multitude, and being a dignitary of the church, ought to furnish the + people with arms to oppose reason. Perhaps the unsuccessful attempt of Dr. + Campbell has deterred you from at least recapitulating the principal + answers to this proposition. Till you can prove that the great mass of + mankind are not very fallible and easily deceived by any impostor, or that + they are disposed and capable to examine the truth of reports spread about + prodigies, you will never be able to persuade men of sense, that events + impossible are to be believed upon the testimony of those who not only + are, but have constantly been, the slaves of credulity in all countries. + </p> + <p> + You then show, that Mr. Paine's objections to the genuineness are not new. + This is true; and I am surprised you have quoted so few supporters of his + opinions. Your attempt to prove the genuineness of the Pentateuch, by + direct evidence, is ridiculous. What! Maimonides, ten centuries after the + destruction of the Jews, a Jew himself, and writing at a period so remote + from the supposed date of the books of the Old Testament, is, by Dr. + Watson, called a direct evidence of the genuineness of the Pentateuch. + Juvenal, a poet, who in more than one place ridicules the credulity of the + Jews, says, that they believe in Moses—so do the Europeans allow + that the Indians believe in Brama.—We question not the general + traditions of the Jews, but the credit they deserve; and I shall next + proceed to show, that the books of the Pentateuch are spurious, and + undeserving of credit. The name of Moses and the Jews were unknown to the + famous Phoenician historian Sanchoniato, of whom Eusebius has preserved us + some extracts; he has never mentioned a word about this famous legislator: + had he done so, Eusebius was too strenuous an advocate <i>for</i> + Christianity not to have recorded it. The books of the Jews were concealed + from all the world before the famous Greek translation made at the + instance of Ptolemy Philadelphia. Josephus himself acknowledges, that no + heathen knew the Jewish books, which he endeavours to explain, by some + miraculous interference of God to keep them from the impious. It is + evident, that the insignificance and ignorance of the Jews were sufficient + to screen them for a long time from the search of philosophers. Upon the + early history of the Jewish nation, however, we have the testimony of + several of the ancient writers. Manetho, and Chaeremon, Egyptian + historians, give the most unfavourable account of this nation. Lisimachus + does not favour them any more; and, although he differs about the name of + the king who expelled them from Egypt, yet he agrees in calling them a set + of men infected with leprosy, and the meanest of the subjects of the king + of Egypt. Diodorus Siculus is as hard upon these wretched Jews. In short, + the opinion of their being the vilest and most ignorant of men, has + prevailed among all antiquity. All the writers about them agree in stating + that they never produced any work in science; indeed, that they never + improved any branch of useful knowledge. Many of these authors mention + Moses as a priest of Heliopolis, who led them out of Egypt, and gave them + a religion. Diodorus Siculus informs us, that the God of Moses was Jau, or + Jahouh, which is the true pronunciation of Jehovah; and Plutarch (de + Iside) says, that the Thebans adored this God, and had not images in their + temples, because Jau signified the general principle of life, the soul of + the world. + </p> + <p> + Strabo, in his Geography, book 16, informs us, that Moses, who was an + Egyptian priest, taught his followers to worship the God Jahouh, without + representing it by emblems. This was the God of the Thebans, the soul of + the world. The Jews have even preserved the name of Tsour, or giver of + forms, and commonly translated by the word creator in chap. xxxii. of + Deuteronomy. Herodotus affirms, that the Jews or Syrians of Palestine + borrowed circumcision from the Egyptians. Diodorus says the same; and even + Philo and Josephus do not deny it. A great many other rites were copied by + the Jews from this nation. It is, therefore, of great consequence to + ascertain the age in which the Jewish books were written; for if we can + prove that all the fundamental points of their religion were copied from + their masters the Egyptians, or borrowed from the Babylonians during the + captivities, then the reader will judge of the truth of the clerical + opinion, that a handful of hordes were the favourite people of God; that a + set of ignorant and credulous vagabonds taught science to the Chinese, + Indians, and Egyptians, and preserved nothing among themselves but some + ridiculous accounts of their origin, and a collection of absurd prodigies. + If we succeed in pointing out from what sources Jewish mythology is + derived, there will be but little difficulty in unravelling the principal + fables contained in the Pentateuch and other Jewish books. We are pretty + well acquainted with the allegories of the heathen mythologies. + </p> + <p> + I am ready to grant that several of Mr. Paine's objections are not valid, + and often trifling; but I declare, once for all, that I do not think + myself bound to follow Mr. Paine in every instance. I shall direct my + remarks, rather to disprove your reasoning, than to defend every objection + of your opponent; at the same time, I shall avoid repeating what he has + advanced, and you have not disproved. The chief proofs against the + genuineness of the Pentateuch have been overlooked by Mr. Paine. I shall + state them briefly. + </p> + <p> + First. It was believed, by all the best informed old fathers of the + church, that the Jewish books had been absolutely lost during the + captivity, and that Esdras had written them from inspiration; or, that he + collected the Pentateuch, and all other canonical books, out of whatever + records he could find, and put them together. 1 In either case, their + authority is greatly invalidated; and the more so, as the fourth book of + Esdras, adopted by the Greek church, and generally deemed authentic, says + expressly, that Esdras dictated the holy books during forty successive + days and nights, to five scribes, who were continually writing. This tale + shows sufficiently the general belief that he was the restorer of the long + lost books of the law. In our second book of Nehemiah, or, properly + speaking, Esdras, it is said, that Ezra, or Esdras the scribe, who was + above all the people, brought the book of the law to the people, and then + the people rejoiced much in being instructed in the law of God, that when + they found there the commandment of the Lord ordering the Jews to perform + the feast of the booths, there was great gladness, "and all the + congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made + booths, and sat under booths: for, since the days of Joshua the son of + Nun, unto that day, had not the children of Israel done so.". If the Jews + had even forgotten a feast, the memory of which every father would + transmit to his son, is this not an evident proof that they had no books + in the captivity? Again, in chap. vii. of the 1 book of Esdras, it is + said, that Esdras "had very great skill, so that he omitted nothing of the + law and commandments of the Lord, but taught all Israel the ordinances and + judgments." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + 1 Porro Esdram sancti patres docent iostanratorem suisse + sacrorum librorum, quod non ita intelligendum est, quasi + scripturę sacrę omnes perierint in eversione civitatis, et + templi Nabuchodonosor, et ab Esdra divinitas inspirato + reparatę fuerint, ut fabulatur auctor, L, IV. Esdrę C. XIV. + Sed quod Scripturas Mosis, et prophetarum in varia volimina + descriptas, et in varia loca dispenreas, et tempore + captivitatis non diligenter conservatas, Esdras summa + diligentia collectas ordinaverit, et in unum quasi corpus + redigerit. Bellarmin de Script. Ecclesiast. page 22. +</pre> + <p> + Can any man, after this, doubt that Esdras is the compiler of all the + books which the Jews had not known for many centuries? And are we, who + laugh at the Catholic councils, to trust to the word of a Jewish scribe? + it is further stated in 2 Chronicles, chap. xxiv. ver. 15, that Hilkiah + the priest found a book of the law of God <i>given</i> by Moses, and sent + it by Saphan to king Josias, who heard it read, which shows that it must + have been very short; and, by the context, it would appear to have been + the law strictly speaking; another proof that these records were + altogether scattered, and are all without authority, since it was so easy + to forge them among a people who seemed to preserve no more than a + traditional law. Again, although, in the older Jewish books, such as Kings + and Chronicles, we find the name of Moses often mentioned, yet no word + answering to the five books of Pentateuch is to be found. The Code of laws + of Moses seems to have been forgotten; for Solomon ornamented the temple + with calves, in express contempt of that law, and this while he was the + favourite of God, and the wisest man in the world. The very confusion that + pervades the books ascribed to Moses, shows them to have been + compilations. Jerome, who was one of the most learned of the fathers, + confesses that he dares not affirm that Moses is the author of the + Pentateuch; he even adds, that he has no objection to allow that Esdras + wrote the books in question. 1 + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + 1 Sive Mosen dicere volueris auctorem Pentateuchi, sive + Esdram ejuadem iustauratorem operis, non recuso. Hieronim. + Op. Tom. IV. p. 134. Apud Edit. Paris 1706, +</pre> + <p> + Secondly. We know that no canon of books ever existed among the Jew's till + the time of the synagogue under the Maccabees. Before their reign, there + had never existed among the Jews any such council; and, if the word occurs + in the Pentateuch, it is a fault of the transcribers and composers, who + lived when there was a synagogue, and is not to be understood in any other + acceptation than a collection of priests. The Pharisees of the second + temple chose the books they thought best among a multitude of forgeries. + The Talmud relates, that this synagogue were about to reject the Book of + Proverbs, Ezekiel's prophecies, and Ecclesiastes, because they imagined + these writings contradictory to the law of God; but a certain Rabbin + having undertaken to reconcile them, they were preserved as canonical. A + prodigious number of forged Books of Daniel, Esdras, and of the Prophets, + were then in circulation; and to distinguish the genuine from the false + works became absolutely necessary. This doubt and uncertainty conspires to + render the decision of the synagogue very doubtful; particularly, as we + shall show in the sequel, that many passages of the Prophecies are written + evidently about the time of this choice of sacred books, and inserted in + them, probably by some cunning priest, as the oracles of Sybil were forged + to suit Cęsar. + </p> + <p> + Thirdly. The similarity of the mysteries of the Jews to those of the + Babylonians, is too glaring not to let us see the origin of Genesis in + particular. The creation in six days is a perfect copy of the Gahans, or + Gahan-bars, of Zoroaster; the particulars of each day's work are literally + the same. The serpent was famous among the Babylonians. The mythological + deluge of Ogyges and Xissuthrus, are symbols of changes arising on earth, + as they imagined, from the revolutions of the heavenly bodies. These, a + little ornamented by the historical narration of Deucalion's inundation + related by Berosus, is the pattern of Noah's flood; the ark of Osiris and + emblematical dove and raven were Egyptian hieroglyphics. The man and the + woman in Paradise is a mere copy of Zoroaster's first pair. The original + sin is Pandora's box. The Talmud of Jerusalem says expressly that the Jews + borrowed the names of the angels, and even of their months, from the + Babylonians. The Elohim, or Gods, (not God), are said in Genesis to have + created the world. It was not Jehovah, but the genii or gods that are in + the Hebrew called makers of the world. And these are the very genii, who + according to Sanchoniatho, were by Mercury excited against Saturn. + </p> + <p> + Fourthly. We ask, in what language was the Pentateuch written, if it + really was the work of Moses? It is known that Hebrew is a dialect of the + Phenician, and that the Jews spoke Egyptian for a very long time before + they adopted the language of the people among whom they dwelt. In Psalm + lxxxi. we learn that the Jews were surprised to hear the language of the + people beyond the Bed Sea. If, therefore, Moses, or any person of that + age, is the author of the Pentateuch, it is evident that the Hebrew books + are mere translations. What degree of credit does a nation deserve, who + have been able to take for originals books that were in the face of them + translations? Is it right to persecute men, as priests have done while + they had power, for refusing to give credit to this tissue of + contradictory and absurd fables? + </p> + <p> + Fifthly. In the books of the Old Testament, we find abundant proofs that + they have been written in an age greatly posterior to that of Moses. In + Genesis, chap. xii. ver. 6, we find these words, "And the Canaanite was + then in land." This implies another period when the Canaanite was not in + the land, which, we learn from the Bible, did not happen till after David, + and could not therefore be written by Moses. The beginning of Deuteronomy + is certainly not written by him; for he never passed the Jordan; he died + upon Mount Nebo, to the eastward of it. The English translation has in + chap. i. v. 5, of this book, said, "on this side of the Jordan," for "on + that side," which is in the original. The translator has taken similar + liberties very often. In chap. xxxiii. we find this expression, "There + never was in Judea so great a prophet as Moses," and such could be pointed + out in many places. Here needs no comment to show that such passages could + only be written in a posterior age, and when there had been several + prophets after Moses. Thomas Paine mentions many other passages, which I + shall consider when I come to your next letter. + </p> + <p> + The above considerations would be sufficient to invalidate the genuineness + and authenticity of any historical book: but here we find that the + credulity of bigots requires less proof for the authority of a work, + which, according to them, is the fountain of faith, than for Ossian's + poems, or any other book of no consequence. If a common historical work + contains fables, impossible events, and anachronisms; if its age is not + ascertained; if we are certain that it was unknown for many centuries; if + we are even ignorant whether it is an original or a translation, who would + give the slightest credit to such a book? Yet are enlightened nations led + by the testimony of the Jews, a people credulous beyond measure, extremely + ignorant, almost continually in slavery, and dispersed. This is the nation + that pretends to give an account of the creation, and, with a vanity + peculiar to an insignificant people, to assume the supremacy among + nations, and arrogate to themselves the exclusive protection of Jehovah, + and dare make their Adam the common stock of mankind. You allow, my Lord, + that several passages have been interpolated in the Pentateuch. No person + in the least acquainted with the history can deny that it has suffered + great alterations; 1 and I have already noticed the opinion of the best + informed fathers of the church upon the non-existence of the Pentateuch, + several centuries prior to Esdras. I now beg to be informed, how we are to + decide, if Hilkiah, in the reign of Josias, collected from tradition, or + some old book he found in a chest, the precepts of the law? and whether + the other famous scribe, Esdras, did not compile from hearsay, and some + imperfect and scattered manuscripts of no authority, together with a great + many Babylonish traditions, those venerable five books of Moses? We are + informed, in one of the books that bears his name, that Esdras was the + wisest of his cotemporaries, and therefore a very fit and probable person + to write books out of old legends. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + 1 Multa in Hebraicis et Gręcis codicibus vitia esse + ostendimus. Malta mendacia in rebus minutis, eorum pars + uliqua non exigua nostra editione vulgata extat.—-Marian + pr. edit. vulg. cap. 21. +</pre> + <p> + If the books of the Old Testament were composed at so late a period, no + wonder then that we find all the mysterious part of them so much like the + religion of the ancients, and particularly of the Babylonians, and the + historical part made up of heterogeneous matters, which in our days, + unassisted by any profane writer of that age, we can make nothing of. I + shall mention a few of the most striking points of resemblance between the + Jewish and other mysteries. Abraham, the most famous of their patriarchs, + has ever been celebrated in India. This they seem to have brought from + their native country, Arabia. We have already noticed, that their account + of the creation is exactly copied from Zoroaster, who says, that the world + was made in six periods of time, called by him the thousands of God and of + light, meaning the six summer months; in the first, God made the heavens; + in the second, the waters; in the third, the earth; in the fourth, trees; + in the fifth, animals; and in the sixth, man. The Etrurians and the + Hindoos have very similar traditions of the highest antiquity, which, + though they were emblems at first perfectly understood, astronomers + afterwards converted them into periods, comprehending as many years as was + required for different revolutions of the planetary system. + </p> + <p> + Thus, while the Hindoos and Persians called the days or ages of the world, + each of many thousands of years; the Jews, ignorant of astronomy, and fond + of the marvellous, comprised all within six common days. Their firmament + or heaven of crystal, and its windows, are absurdities not peculiar to + them; the feast of the Pascha, which signifies passage, is of Egyptian + origin, and was in reverence for the passage of the sun at the vernal + equinox: the sacrifices of calves or oxen, the ceremony of the scape-goat, + are Egyptian and Indian; the latter, in particular, have a ceremony + altogether the same with that of the scapegoat. It is too long to insert + here, but I refer my readers to Mr. Halhed's introduction to the code of + Gentoo laws for information on this head. The distinction between pure and + impure animals was first made by the Egyptians; the ladder seen in Jacob's + vision, is exactly a copy of that with seven steps in the cave of Milthra, + representing the seven spheres of the planets, by means of which souls + ascended and descended. It is also the mythology of the Hindoos, whose + antiquity no man at the present day can venture to deny. The seven + candlesticks, and the twelve stones are Egyptian, and were emblems of the + seven planets, and twelve signs of the Zodiac. The serpent is the most + famous Egyptian hieroglyphic; it signifies eternity, or the sum of all + things. The fasts before feasts are also derived from this nation. The + Jewish high-priest, like the Egyptian, wore an image of sapphire, being + the emblematic picture of truth, upon, his breast: in short, the + Egyptians, their masters, gave them the first ideas of mysteries, which, + in the course of time, they mingled with the Chaldaic; and Manetho informs + us, in the extract given by Josephus in his first book against Appian, + that, in authors of great authority, he found the Jews to have been + distinguished in Egypt by the name of captive pastors, which Josephus + artfully enough has attempted to convert into captive kings. These are the + men whom sacred historians pretend to have taught the Egyptians all their + arts. These wretches, despised of all nations, were themselves the + emphatical admirers of the wisdom of the East. Their legislator was an + Egyptian priest, and learned all that he knew from them; and you would + persuade us that a set of Arabian hordes had founded the Egyptian empire, + simply because they, like the Irish, are pleased to say that they were + antedeluvians. I pardon the Jews for their credulity; but Europeans in the + 18th century ought not to think as the inhabitants of Palestine. If we + give credit to all the reports of the origin of nations, we may give up + all pretensions to common sense. + </p> + <p> + The immortality of the soul is shown, by the learned but superstitious + Warburton, never to have been mentioned in the Pentateuch; nor the notion + of hell, or of future rewards and punishments. There is nothing more + certain, however, than that the Pharisees, long before Christ, strenuously + maintained the immortality of the soul, and in some measure adopted the + doctrine of transmigration of souls, which they had got from the Greeks + and other nations. + </p> + <p> + The Sadducees, founding themselves upon the Bible, fervently denied a + future life. The Essenians, according to Philostratus, were Pythagoreans, + both in their morals, belief, and mode of life, except that a few of the + Jewish articles of faith, such as the necessity of circumcision, were + mingled with their creed. Josephus himself acknowledges the similarity + between the Essenians and the Plisti among the Thracians, to whom + Zamolxis, the disciple of Pythagoras, taught his doctrines: The + Therapeutes, the pattern and ori—gin of Christian morals, were + reckoned amongst the Jews to be the most holy among the Essenians. They + sacrificed their passions to God; they never swore, but made simple + affirmations; they lived, as it were, in convents; they despised bodily + pain: when they entered their state of perfection, they abandoned their + property, wives, children, and all earthly concerns; they lived upon bread + and water and salt; and spent the six days of the week in interpreting the + allegorical sense of the Bible. They revered the Sabbath with a most + scrupulous exactness; then they assembled in places set apart for + religion, the men ranged on one side, and the women on the other, + separated by a division four feet high, to prevent temptation. Then they + sung praises to God, and preached; they obeyed all the laws of their + country, but never would execute any order to hurt another person. They, + like the Pythagoreans, thought themselves possessed of the gift of + prophecy; they, like the Pythagoreans, believed in the great year, whence + arose the famous millennium of the Christians. The three sects of Jews—Pharisees, + Sadducees, and Essenians, lived all in perfect harmony; the incredulous + Sadducees not being considered as heretics, but often attaining the + dignity of high-priests. This suffices to show, that the Jews borrowed + from other nations those very mysteries which the ignorance of writers has + misled mankind to consider as the special revelations of Jesus Christ. + </p> + <p> + I have insisted so much upon this circumstance, because there is not a + single article of Christian morals, nor one religious tenet, contained in + the New Testament, that was not known before Jesus Christ was born. And + the Christian religion, like that of the Jews, is a corruption of the + mythologies of the nations they brand with the name of infidels. + </p> + <p> + I return to your book. It is now needless to answer your logical + inference, that if Esdras is the compiler of the books of the Pentateuch, + they may still be true. I have already said, that we are not to sacrifice + our reason to the compilations or works of a Jewish scribe, who borrowed + evidently so much, and who pretended to divine inspiration and + conversations with the angels. When I began to read your book, I was + impressed with the idea of your candour; sorry am I to see the malevolence + with which you treat Mr. Paine, and how much you misrepresent his just + aspersions on the conduct of Moses. Your language almost persuades me that + you do not differ from the gentlemen of your profession. Could Moses + affirm, as you pretend he might, that he never persecuted any man? What! + that monster, who, although married with a Midianite, ordered thousands of + his credulous followers to be murdered, because one of them had slept with + a Midianite, whom Josephus states was his wife! What! when his brother and + coadjutor makes a golden calf to the people, this impostor, instead of + punishing him, orders 3,000 men to be murdered, and appoints Aaron his + successor! Because Korah, Da-than, and Abiram, could not suffer to see him + usurping all the power, he murders them, although Korab was the descendant + of Levi. This is Moses, who says, like Bishop Watson, that he "was a very + meek man!" Were these continual murders necessary to instruct ignorant + idolaters who followed the example of their priests? Have not the founders + of our faith been the most cruel murderers? But all this we are told was + the immediate orders of the Lord Jehovah, a merciful God. How feeble + appears the power of this great God! He is continually repenting, and + always obliged to renew his covenants with a set of wretches, who, + although they enjoyed his special protection, always forsook him, and only + fulfilled his commands strictly when they were ordered to massacre. They + might have been the favourite people of God, but I am sure they were the + disgrace of men. You talk of idolatrous nations sunk in vice. I know of + none so barbarous as the Jews, whose legislator was obliged to fly from + Egypt for murder, a perfect assassin. The laws concerning paternal power, + which you support, are horrid. Their having been adopted by many nations, + is a proof of the general prevalence of superstition, ignorance, and + despotism. I have nothing to answer to your discourses on tythes. The + Bible is preached up, because it teaches passive obedience, donations to + the church, and such other acts of <i>public utility</i>. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER III. + </h2> + <p> + After what I have observed above, it will be useless to say much as to + your third letter, in which you examine minutely the passages Thomas Paine + has pointed out to prove the Pentateuch not genuine. First, As to the + objection taken from the name of Dan, I never thought it specious. This is + not the case with the very next one, which is of very great weight. The + writer, after enumerating a number of Arabian names, concludes in these + words, "These are the kings that reigned in Edom, before there reigned any + king over the children of Israel." Contrary to my expectations, you + acknowledge this to have been written after the Jews had kings. Many of + your brethren have attempted to deny it by quibbles! but you say that this + does not invalidate the authority of the book: wonderful! if your <i>alma-mater</i> + taught you, that an evident lie or contradiction in any book, particularly + of remote antiquity, and relating histories unsupported by impartial + authors, does not create a suspicion, which approaches to certainty, that + the book is not authentic; if you think so, I must give up arguing with + you. It may be an interpolation, you observe. How did you learn this? You + will at least leave, me the right to suppose, and you cannot deny that the + presumption is against you, an absurdity in a book is a reason for + distrusting the rest. I have probability on my side; for the Jew who + forged this passage, either from piety or ignorance, might have forged the + whole book, or so interpolated it, as to destroy its credibility. At any + rate, the detection of falsehood in a history, is not a motive to suppose + it true. It requires an excess of piety to break through all the rules of + logic and common sense. How does it happen, that the Lord Jahovah does not + provide better against such mistakes creeping into the book of the law of + his favourite people? It could seem as if he had done it on purpose to + create incredulity, and enjoy the pleasure of punishing unbelievers, as of + old, he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he might have a pretext to inflict + calamities on him and his people. + </p> + <p> + My Lord, what credit would we give to a history of William the Conqueror + that had the following sentence, after naming different persons, <i>And + these were the names of the Kings of England before George the Third came + to the throne</i>; for what purpose could any person insert such a + passage? He must have been absolutely mad. It could only get into the work + from its being compiled during the reign of George the Third, and arising + from a forgetfulness of the writer, or ignorance of the transcriber: in no + case could it be inserted in a book, which you say was kept in the public + records, and over whose purity the whole Jewish learned men would watch; + you must either give up your argument from the public records of this + people, and no longer deem them great authority; or, if you persist in it, + I leave you to reconcile the most palpable interpolations and forgeries + with the scrupulous attention with which you suppose the Jews preserved + the word of God. But what is most curious in this passage is, that we find + it verbatim in 2 Chronicles, chap. i. ver. 43, and you seem to glory in + discovering this similarity of the passages. "Why might not," you say at + the end of your fourth letter, "the author of the book of Chronicles have + taken them, (meaning the names of the kings of Edom, &c.), as he has + taken many other genealogies, supposing them to have been written in the + book of Genesis by Samuel?" Another acknowledgment of more interpolations + in Genesis. + </p> + <p> + But, Sir, who gave you the right, you who exclaim so much against the + unsupported assertions of Thomas Paine, to suppose that the author of + Chronicles copied an interpolation from Genesis, knowing, as he must have + done, that it was interpolated by Samuel? + </p> + <p> + Would he not rather, to make the book consistent, expunge it? Could he be + so ignorant as not to see the contradiction? What is more strange, how + came Samuel to introduce such a passage? The tendency of it could only be + to weaken the authority of Genesis; but, allowing all your groundless + suppositions to be true, do you not see that they only prove the ignorance + of Samuel and of the Jewish history writers, and at once destroy the + superstructure you have in your following letters raised upon the supposed + accurate records of the Jews? The supposition of Samuel being the author + of the interpolation, is like an historian, who, to the history of Charles + the First, should add some accounts, concluding with observing, that all + this took place before George the Second, or should even venture further, + and instruct us in some prominent features of the French revolution: yet + this is the case with the passage in question; for it is unquestionable + that the Jews had never a king till the time of Saul; that, under Moses + and the Judges, they held kings in detestation. The fact is very plain. In + Chronicles, the passage has an obvious and clear sense; for there an + account of the kings of Israel is given, and the sentence now under + consideration precedes it. Indeed, the whole chapter xxxvi. of Genesis is + almost literally the same with chapter first of Chronicles; and every + unbiassed man will conclude, that the former is copied from the latter. + That little concluding expression, before <i>there reigned any king over + Israel</i>, certainly marks its date; and there is nothing more probable, + than that when Esdras and the scribes compiled these books, they should + insert in Genesis the posterity of Esau, as far as the history of Genesis + went, and that this unlucky passage should by mistake be copied too. I + acknowledge, that an interpolation, when we can prove the period of its + insertion, does not destroy the validity of a book, if the rest of the + facts are consistent, and supported by collateral proofs; but the Bible is + an unconnected rhapsody, written by we know not whom, without order, + arrangement, or a shadow of method. Besides, it is the word of God; and + what, in a profane writer, would be a slight error, is here a most + material fault; if our future happiness depends, as you suppose, on our + believing this book, which certainly can never take place while such + reasons for scepticism remain. In proportion to the importance of an + event, so we must be careful in examining the grounds upon which it + stands, or else we must be like those whimsical men, who will require the + best evidence for the truth of a trifling report, but find no repugnance + in crediting the most marvellous events upon trust. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Paine properly concludes, that Genesis is a book of stories, fables, + traditions, or invented absurdities, or downright lies; and this I not + only affirm with him, but will prove to my readers, that it is in no + respect deserving of more credit than the fabulous and early history of + all nations. Next follows your rhapsody upon the beauty of the Bible and + the truth of it. Pardon me if I think it like a madman's reveries. Even + the men of your profession have long ago given up such a ridiculous + conceit. Whoever has read eastern literature, or the late translation from + the Shanscrit, will find that the same style with that of the Bible + pervades all eastern compositions. In all of them we find the frequent use + of allegory, and a quaint and formal manner of expression. Divest the + Bible of its Oriental garb, and put it into common language, you will + find, except the episode of Joseph, and two or three other passages, it is + absolutely illegible. I have already shown the Pentateuch to have been a + very modern work, and the Jews to have borrowed every thing from other + nations. No wonder then that the <i>Abram</i> should resemble the <i>Brama</i> + of the Hindoos, or that a few names in the supposed genealogies of the + Jews should be like those of the Assyrians, Medes, &c. Genesis gives a + description of creation truly beautiful! We did not spring from + grasshoppers, nor the world from an egg; but the wise Moses informs us, + that we were made of clay and a little breath. This may be sublime to you; + but the philosopher is never elated by fables so absurd. It is not true + that Genesis is the oldest, nor a very old book. Sanchoniato, the Hindoo + books, those of the Egyptians and Chinese, are of much higher antiquity + than Moses. In vain has Mr. Maurice struggled to dazzle our understandings + with his incoherent suppositions, to prove that the Hindoos borrowed their + religion from the Jews, from a set of Arabian hordes, from the slaves of + the Egyptians, from a petty nation, who, as Julian says, never produced a + single work, and whose credulity has ever been proverbial. The + astronomical records of the Chinese prove, that there were men and + astronomers in that country at the time when the wretched Jews would make + us believe the world was inundated from the windows of heaven, and no + creatures existing but Noah, his family, and the beasts in the ark. + Further, Souciet mentions an eclipse of the sun recorded in the Chinese + history, which happened 2155 years before Christ, which is but 236 years + after the Deluge; a time when, the Bible informs us, the earth was only + inhabited by the sons of Noah, while Egypt was then so peopled, that + 90,000 cities could not contain the inhabitants, and China was not less + so. The Hindoo astronomical observations, as far as they have been + examined by the most learned astronomers of the age, such as Baillie, Le + Gentil, and others, carry their antiquity between four and five thousands + beyond our ęra; for a proof of which, I refer you to Mr. Playfair's + excellent paper, in the second volume of the Edinburgh Philosophical + Transactions. The Hindoo religious books contain, besides, a great many of + the ideas afterwards adopted by the Jews. The long lives of antedeluvians, + in particular, are the exact copy of the Iogues of the Indians. The + Dwapaar Iogue, the latter part of which answers to the period of Noah, was + when men's lives were limited to a thousand years; and Methuselah we know + did not live so long. They have, too, their mythological deluge, or the + incarnation of Vishnu into a fish. For an account of which I refer my + readers to Volney, and to Mr. Maurice himself. The former gentleman is a + good judge of ancient literature; he pretends that he can prove, that most + of the chapters of Genesis, supposed to contain names of persons, are + mythological: the posterity of Noah is, according to Volney, no more than + a geography of the world as known to the Jews. I have not read Mr. + Volney's memoir which I understand he has published on this subject; but, + when I consider the late period when Genesis and the other books were + composed, and how much the Jews borrowed from the Egyptians and + Babylonians, how much the deluge of Noah and his ark resemble the emblems + of Osiris; in short, when I reflect on the unintelligibility and apparent + absurdity of Genesis, on the impossibility of the Deluge, and of the not + less absurdity of the population of the world so soon after that calamity, + I confess I am much inclined to despise the whole performance. There have + been various suppositions upon the meaning of the names mentioned in + Genesis. Adam has been said to signify, in many parts of Asia, the first + day of the week; and Enoch, the seventh successor of Adam, to be the same + with Saturn, or the seventh day. Thus Assur, Elam, Lud, Madai, Javan, and + Tiras, which are said to be the founders of the Assyrians, the Elamites, + the Lydians, the Medes, the Ionians, and the Thracians, may very probably + be nothing else than the enunciation of the names of these countries; for, + between Assur and Assyria, or Lud and Lydia, there is not a very great + difference. We know that Egypt is by the Arabs called <i>Masr</i>, which + has the same consonants with the Hebrew <i>Misraim</i>, whose plural + termination implies properly the inhabitants of Egypt. In the Bible, <i>Misraim</i> + is called the founder of that kingdom. We also know, that Syria is called + <i>Barr-el-sham</i>, or the country to the left. The inhabitants of + Thebaid are called the sons of Cush. Again, we find several names of towns + very much resembling those of the supposed founders of these monarchies; + Sur, or Tyre, is not unlike Assur. These are conjectures; I pretend to + found nothing upon them; but, at least, they are probable. Your Genesis, + on the contrary, as it is commonly explained, contains palpable lies. It + supposes a deluge, which neither did nor could take place; it destroys the + human race, when we know that nations were then in existence. Lastly, it + talks of the founders of nations, which existed long before that period. + But, even had Genesis been written at the time of Moses, it might be worth + while to inquire into the import of his genealogies; but, being a very + modern compilation, collected by an ignorant people, partly from + tradition, partly from scattered and mutilated records, it does not + deserve the serious attention of the philosopher. + </p> + <p> + You next attempt to justify the conduct of God towards the Canaanites, + whose great crime was to defend their own country, and to adore their own + gods instead of the God of the Jews. When a man makes an apology for such + conduct, we only can answer by an appeal to the feelings of men, from + which alone we derive notions of humanity. It was natural for the adorers + of a Phenician Jehovah to be the enemies of the Babylonish Baal: both + these gods sprang from the wild fancies of men. The jealous God of the + Jews, the all-wise, omnipotent, and benevolent, could not convert the + worshippers of another god, without exterminating whole nations, even to + the little children; but this barbarous mandate came from the priests, who + have in all countries, and all systems of Religion, adopted this method of + conversion. You state, that Moses "gave an order that the boys and women + should be put to death; but, that the young maidens should be kept alive + for themselves;" and, that you "see nothing in the proceeding, but good + policy combined with mercy. The young men might have become dangerous + avengers of what they would esteem their country's wrongs; the mothers + might have again allured the Israelites to the love of licentious + pleasures, and the practice of idolatry, and brought another plague upon + the congregation; but the young maidens, not being polluted by the + flagitious habits of their mothers, not likely to create disturbance by + rebellion, were kept alive:" and you add, that "the women children were + not reserved for the purposes of debauchery, but of slavery; a custom (you + acknowledge) abhorrent from our manners, but every where practised in + former times, and still preserved in countries where the benignity of the + Christian religion has not softened the ferocity of human nature." Is + extermination an example of the mercy of priests and their gods, "whose + justice is subservient to mercy," "whose punishments originate in his + abhorrence to sin,"—and whose commands to massacre, to butcher, and + to exterminate, "are only benevolent warnings?"—You dare Mr. Paine + to prove, that the young women were kept for debauchery; and you + triumphantly add, "that if he does, you will allow Moses to be the horrid + monster he describes him, and the Bible a book of lies, wickedness, and + blasphemy." Do you think, that consigning to slavery thirty-two thousand + maids, is consistent with the benignity of God? I do not hesitate to + consider this worse than merely making them the partners of licentious + pleasures. But, in what consisted the wonted wisdom of a God, whom you + describe as ever solicitous to lessen the influence of sin? Let me ask + you, if the young women were not as liable to incite the passions of the + Jews as their mothers, and whether their slavery would not increase the + opportunities for debauchery? Could it be consistent with humanity, much + less with the mercy of an all powerful God, to put to death all the boys + of a nation, merely because they might in time revenge the insolent + invaders of their country? Were all the male children already polluted + from their birth? It would have been easy for them to convert them to + another religion, but to your God it was impossible. The bloody invaders + of America pursued not another plan, even after "the benignity of the + Christian religion softened the ferocity of human nature." Have these + Christian invaders any where respected the chastity of women when they + made them slaves? And have the Jews, God's chosen nation, at any period, + either while under his protection, or since he abandoned them, shown + themselves more virtuously inclined than other people; were they ever + prevented by the striking manifestations of his mercy, his power, and his + justice, from going away to adore other gods, and falling into all sorts + of wickedness? In short, if the Bishop rests his defence of Moses and the + Bible upon this passage, I am willing to appeal to the judgement of all + mankind. If any person can believe it consistent with the benevolence of + omnipotence, to sacrifice whole nations to be massacred and plundered by a + few hordes of bloody Jews; if he can think this to be part of a grand + scheme for the good of mankind, he must give up all pretensions to reason, + common sense, and humanity. But it is time the world should see, that this + holy book the Bible, "which, in weight of authority, and extent of + utility, exceeds all the libraries of the philosophers," contains + pretences for all bad actions, and stifles the laws of humanity and + morality. Upon this book have inquisitors, crusaders, and religious men, + founded pretences for the most diabolical persecutions, avowedly + undertaken for the express purpose of unrooting infidelity, and for the + glory of the Lord. Every man who reads the word of God is warranted to + reason thus: God has ordered murder and robbery; he has instigated his + favourite people to exterminate whole nations; therefore I can do no + better than to imitate the Almighty; and every crusader may pretend to + have the same authority from God as Moses; and miracles are never wanting + to prove it. Because Abraham was a pimp, and his wife a prostitute, so may + any person be, without losing the patronage of the God of Abraham. Every + man, in short, may imitate the meek Moses, the humane David, without + fearing to incur the displeasure of the Almighty. Thus Ravaillac thought + he was doing as holy a deed, when he attempted the life of Henry; as + Dominic, or Torquemada, when butchering the wretched heretics, who had the + misfortune to fall a prey to their bloody zeal. The whole Old Testament is + so filled with barbarous stories, that if they did not excite laughter by + their improbability, they would freeze the blood in, the veins of any man + endowed with humanity. What an irksome task have those undertaken, who + have attempted to reconcile the horrible crimes of the Jews with the mercy + and wisdom of the Creator? Has ferocity forsaken Christians as you + insinuate? Have the modern religious fanatics yielded in cruelty to the + Jews? Those two religions have successively inundated the earth with the + blood of innocent victims. Have not the followers of Christ constantly + preached passive obedience to the church, have they not frequently + relieved the people of their oaths, and have they not fomented most of the + civil wars that laid waste all Europe? It is well that priests have not + been able to persuade mankind of late, that the minister was the oracle of + God. The pride and foolishness of science has put this out of their power; + they cannot lead nations as they did the Jews; we are not so easily + persuaded of the immediate manifestations of God's commands to the priest. + We know science too well to believe that the pillar of fire that went + before the Israelites was God himself. We might have shown the people, + that a pan with red-hot substances would have the appearance of a fire by + night, and a cloud of smoke by day, a custom practised, from time + immemorial, by the caravans. Although, my Lord, the wisdom of God may be + foolishness to man, I acknowledge I am neither fond of crediting + absurdities, nor have I so much faith as to take the work of priests for + supernatural mandates of Providence; when they speak in their usual + senseless and unintelligible language, I conclude that it is either to + dazzle the ignorant multitude, or I look upon their dreams as the + consequence of dire superstition, the first effect of which is to make us + unacquainted with ourselves, under the imposing aspect of familiarising us + with imaginary beings. At the conclusion of my remarks upon the Old + Testament, I shall give a few extracts from those books, wherein my + readers may see the character of the Jews and their God in glaring + colours, and judge whether any honest man would not tremble at the + thoughts of having done as much injustice, and committed such atrocities + as this Jehovah. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0006" id="link2H_4_0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER IV. + </h2> + <p> + You enter again upon your favourite topic, genuineness and authenticity. I + shall not repeat what I have already said. I confess my great surprise at + your laying such stress upon the most trifling and false of your + arguments. You now strive to prove, that a book may contain a true + history, although it should be anonymous. Pray, my Lord, do you think, + that to prove a book spurious, when it is believed to be genuine, is a + demonstration of the truth of the contents? You thus leave us uncertain + whether Joshua be a genuine book. You have sadly confused yourself in the + maze you have created. To put it beyond a doubt that the sun stood still, + you appeal to the book of Jasher, which Joshua mentions in the following + words, "Is not this written in the book of Jasher?" And in like manner, + you refer to other books frequently quoted as authorities in the Bible. + Does your zeal blind you so far as not to let you perceive, that this very + argument may with redoubled strength be retorted against you? for if an + author, who is said to write his own history, appeals to another book for + a proof of his actions, that book must be of much greater authority than + his own: we cannot avoid believing the writer of the work alluded to had + better information. In short, the book appealed to contains the only + authentic testimony. Now, permit me to ask you, who could be better + authority than Joshua himself, writing at a time when we must suppose many + of his soldiers who had witnessed the miracle were alive? What is this + anterior book which Joshua respects so much? Was it written by himself, + then it would be idle to quote it; and, at any rate, whoever had written + it, it is evident that the author of the book of Joshua has no proofs of + his own, but rests solely upon the book of the Holy, or of Jasher. This + circumstance proves clearly, that the writer of the Book of Joshua + composed his book out of some more ancient memoirs, which being lost, we + can say no more of their authority than for that of any old tales. You + talk of the public records of the Jews as confidently as a Member of + Parliament speaks of the papers in the Tower. Do you know at what period + the Jews began to keep written records, and do you also know, whether + those that were kept existed when the books of the Old Testament were + compiled? Had you been instructed in these particulars, and had you been + not altogether divested of candour, you might have informed your readers, + that, previous to the time of kings, we have not a shadow of proof of the + existence of any historical records among the Jews. We, no doubt, read, + that there was a book of the law of Moses, in which Joshua wrote something + too respecting the renewal of a covenant. This seems to be the only + written record among the Jews, and it contained nothing but religious + precepts, or the law, strictly speaking. In Joshua, chap. viii. ver. 31, + we read, "As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of + Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses and ver. 32, He + wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in + the presence of the children of Israel and ver. 35, He read all the words + of the law, the blessings, and curses, according to all that is written in + the book of the law of the Lord, and there was not a word of all that + Moses commanded which Joshua read not before the congregation of Israel." + We know, likewise, that this law was written in the circumference of an + altar composed of twelve stones. This is the only book either Moses or + Joshua were ever said to have written; the writers of the Pentateuch, and + of the other books, certainly never meant to inscribe them to Moses, + Joshua, &c.; they bore the names of books of Moses, of Joshua, Judges, + &c. because they treated of these personages. What then do you infer + from the quotation of books by the Bible authors, except that they all + wrote in very modern times, when they wanted the corroboration of more + ancient books, whose date and authority we are equally strangers to? This + book of the law, which you so triumphantly mention as a book written and + existing a few years after Moses, turns out to be nothing more than what + is contained in Exodus, chap. xx. to chap. xxiv. to which Joshua added + some detail about the third covenant of God. + </p> + <p> + I beg the reader will observe, that the writer of the Book of Joshua does + not mention the second, third, or any other book of Moses, but simply + notices the book of the law of God. Now this great book was written upon + twelve stones, and in Exodus we find the precise commandment of Moses to + build the altar, and to read the commandments at the feast of tabernacles; + so that it contained not one line of history, and could have no authority. + It was a law written upon stones, which Moses, in Exod. chap. xxiv. v. 7, + is said to have read to the people: "And he took the book of the covenant, + and read it in the audience of the people." This covenant, and + particularly the repetition of it after the disobedience of the Jews, is + the only part of the Scriptures that Moses ordered to be preserved with a + religious care. Nothing of the most important parts of Genesis or the + other five books is ever mentioned in the commandments of the law of God: + the writer of the law certainly knew not that the Pentateuch existed. Had + Moses written such a work, would he have failed to recommend to the + Levites to keep the precious records of mankind, the sublime account of + the creation? Did not the whole of the faith of the Jews depend on their + being acquainted with the history of their forefathers, who were under the + immediate protection of God? The ten commandments every person knows from + the light of nature; no nation has ever mistaken them; but the origin of + mankind is a subject of great darkness, and which the Jews ought to have + preserved most carefully. Certain, however, it is, that excepting a few + rites, the Jews lost not only their books, but even the recollection of + their feasts, during their captivity. The other books referred to in the + Bible prove, that those left are mere collections of borrowed stories, and + pretended abridgements of books of greater authority, which are + unfortunately lost, and leave a wide field for scepticism, particularly + upon improbable or contradictory accounts. As to the belief that the books + of the Old Testament are inspired, it is a tale, which, after what we have + stated, even a child would laugh at. + </p> + <p> + You next seriously endeavour to corroborate the ridiculous miracle of the + sun and moon standing still. You are as unsuccessful in historical as in + scientifical arguments. The story in question is so stupid, that the bare + mention of it marks a man's credulity, so as to render him the object of + compassion. That an ignorant fanatic should attempt to defend such + absurdities, would be a matter of no surprise; but to witness a Regius + Professor of Divinity, a natural philosopher, bring forward facts from + profane history to prove the truth of so bare-faced a lie, denotes at + least your want of prudence. I cannot persuade myself that you seriously + believed what you wrote; I cannot think you capable of falling at once + into the most gross astronomical and historical error. I shall state the + matter briefly. There was a tradition in all antiquity, and particularly + among the Egyptians, relating to that motion of the earth's axis which has + been observed by astronomers, and whose complete revolution round the four + cardinal points takes up no less than 9,160,000 years. In the course of + this revolution, it necessarily happens, that the sun will rise where it + sets, that north will be south, and so on. The Egyptian priests pretended + that this revolution had taken place in their country without changing the + climate, while the Babylonians maintained, in the time of Alexander, that + 140,000 years had elapsed since their first astronomical observations. + This, no doubt, was the time that must have elapsed since the earth moved + north and south. The Egyptian priests, long before Herodotus, had lost + their knowledge of astronomy, which accounts for their mistake. It is + evident, that the displacement of the earth's axis must be accompanied by + the heaviest gravitating matter, and, therefore, what is now land, has + been and will, in the course of ages, become sea. Now, my Lord, what has + the Egyptian tradition to do with the sun stopped by the robber Joshua? + What connection has the stoppage of the sun, or rather the earth's motion, + with the sun rising where it sets? Were the thing possible, the sun would + nevertheless rise in the east. Besides, does Joshua say the sun changed + its course? Had this been the case, (I am ashamed even of the + supposition), how could the earth change its axis in an hour, without + shattering the whole globe, without inundating vast tracts of country, and + tearing others asunder to reestablish the equilibrium of gravity? Study + and consider; do not attempt to ridicule the little learning of Thomas + Paine, when you fall into such absurdities. Read Chinese history, and you + will find that their careful astronomers did not perceive the long day and + night. It was probably the sun of Judea only that altered its course; they + did not seem to be enlightened by the same luminary. Those who believed + that heaven was made of crystal, could find no difficulty in crediting + this silly story. I have insisted so much upon this, because you ought to + know the common principles of astronomy, and somewhat of history. Here + again you appeal to the book of Jasher: it deserves no more consideration. + To deem an appeal to a lost book evidence of a prodigy, because the author + affirms it, is a degree of credulity which may gain the kingdom of heaven; + but, in the republic of letters, such believer will pass for a very + contemptible reasoner. + </p> + <p> + These are the miracles, and the histories, better attested than the + History of the Twelve Knights Of Charles the Great, and such other foolish + tales. Surely, none can believe that 19,000 men fought against the + Midianites, and murdered a prodigious number, without having lost a man, + and disbelieve the famous battles of the knights, in many of which six men + fought several thousands; the conversation of the devil with Cromwell, or + the miraculous appearance of God to almost all the knights and warriors + among the Catholics. The sacred phial of Rheims, and the chapel of + Loretto, were both conveyed in a manner you know well, and which few men + in the two countries dare controvert. They too appeal to their books of + Jasher. The tale of making the sun stand still has not even the merit of + novelty; this luminary had long before stopt his career, out of respect to + Bacchus. Neither is the shower of hail-stones new, for Jupiter of old sent + a shower of hail upon the rebellious sons of Neptune. + </p> + <p> + As to Joshua having written the book that goes under his name, we have, + besides what has been stated, the strongest evidence against the + genuineness of this performance. The death of Joshua is recorded in chap. + xxiv. and it is related exactly in the same style as what precedes it. The + writer even mentions several events posterior to the death of the son of + Nun. You have passed over the arguments of Thomas Paine drawn from this + passage, "The Jebusites dwelt with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto + this day." It was natural for you to overlook a passage, which + demonstrates that the book of Joshua was not written until after David, + when, and not before, the conquest of the Jebusites took place. It is + beyond a doubt, that they never dwelt with the Jews in the time of Joshua, + since, in the first part of the above quoted passage, he says, "As for the + Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not + drive them out." How then did the Jews inhabit Jerusalem in the days of + Joshua? I refer the reader to the Age of Reason, and to an answer to it by + Mr. David Wilson, for further information, on this head. In the latter, he + will be amazed at the weak subterfuges used by the author to evade the + strength of the objection by Mr. Paine. But this is not the only event + related in Joshua, which did not take place till some time after his + death. Almost the whole of chap. xvii. contains facts of this nature. + Where the portion of Manasseh is described, it is said, in ver. 12, "Yet + the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those + cities, but the inhabitants would dwell in that land." It is added, "And + it came to pass, when the children of Israel waxed strong, that they put + the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out." Now this + certainly did not take place during the life of Joshua, for in the very + same chapter, he promises those of the tribe of Manasseh success against + the Canaanites. In the preceding chapter, v. 10, there is a passage of the + same kind, "And they (the Ephraimites) drove not out the Canaanites that + dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt among the Ephraimites unto this + day, and some under tribute." This needs no comment: let any person ask + himself when this came to pass, and they will at once find out the credit + due to books containing such shameful anachronisms and falsehoods. In + chapter first of Judges, purporting to contain the history of the Jews + after Joshua, the reader will find a faithful copy of the passages quoted, + not excepting the taking of Jerusalem. Let himc ompare ver. 8, 27, 28, 29, + and following, with the detail of distribution of lots to the tribes, in + chap. xvi. and xvii. of Joshua the same events are told in the very words, + and apply to two different periods. This is a strong instance of the + disorder that pervades the whole of these books, and how undeserving of + credit, even in the most probable events, is what you call sacred writ. We + are constantly reading over accounts of the same events, sometimes said to + be written by dead men, and never marking time; for <i>it came to pass</i>, + which is the Bible phrase, does not fix the period when the event took + place. These books bear all the marks of being the productions of some + persons at a very late period, and to have suffered great interpolations. + Joshua is, in the face of it, a continuation of Deuteronomy, Judges of + Joshua, and so on through the remainder. + </p> + <p> + You pass on to Judges. It requires neither great knowledge nor ingenuity + to discover, that this book is an unconnected farrago put together by some + unknown person. You do not attempt to say any thing in its favour. Sad + falling off from the paths of faith! Formerly it would have been a heresy + to assert that Judges was a book of no authority: now, even a Bishop has + nothing to say in its defence. You then proceed to Ruth, and endeavour to + blot out the apparent infamy of her conduct, with what success, I leave + the reader to judge, after he has perused her history. Next follow your + subtle distinctions between the inspired and non-inspired part of the + Bible, which may be very intelligible to an inspired Bishop, but cannot + fail to appear a mere dream to a man in his senses. Notwithstanding Austin + and your other brethren, this distinction rests upon nothing but fancy. + Your request is very moderate. "Receive the Bible," you say, "as composed + by upright and well-informed, though in some points, fallible men, (for I + exclude all fallibility <i>when they profess to deliver</i> the word of + God), and you must receive it as a book revealed to you in many parts by + the express will of God, and, in other parts, relating to you the ordinary + history of the times." Bravo! A Catholic is as reasonable in his demands. + He only asks a little credulity to believe the inspired when <i>they + profess to be so</i>. It is truly a childish request, begging the question + at every word. To believe the Bible to be inspired is the grand point. The + reasoning you employ is in perfect consonance with the absurdity of your + wishes. You disbelieve a history if you find it inconsistent, but revere + it, and swear by the author, if he wrote by inspiration. Swedenburgh could + not wish more faith in his adherents. You say <i>receive it</i>, as the + inquisitors said <i>imprimatur</i>; but philosophers weigh the ground of + their belief; they detect the Bible writers, prophets, and inspired men, + in palpable contradictions in history; and you will obstinately insist on + our believing the most improbable of all their stories, because their + absurdity persuades the faithful that they were revealed by their God in + dreams.——You have acknowledged yourself, in a subsequent + letter, that the history and mystery of the Bible are so interwoven, that + if one falls the other cannot be maintained. Why did God mingle his + important and sublime precepts with such ridiculous trash, so as to induce + mankind to disbelieve them both? Suppose I should meet a peasant coming + from a fair, pretending he had seen the king with his guards, and if I + should find this to be untrue, would I not deserve to be laughed at, if I + credited that he had wrestled with a spirit, or that he was carried up to + heaven? This, however, is the case with the Bible. Here we are told that + the sun stood Still to protract the bloodshed of that villain Joshua, + while, in another place, we read that a city was taken 370 years before + that event. Your vaunted prophets were soothsayers, psalmists, and + orators, who were generally employed in writing the public records. It is + a word applied in the Bible to holy men. These prophets, like the augurs + of the heathen, were often detected in falsehoods, and, in the time of + Samuel, it would appear, by the Bible itself, that to raise ghosts was a + trade as common as that of tailors in our days. + </p> + <p> + You now come to Samuel. You are candid enough to acknowledge with Hartley, + that he could not have been the author of the second book, nor of most of + the first that go under his name, yet this has been the opinion of the + church; and I know of no direct proofs that he wrote the remainder: by + what logic do you or Hartley conclude, that Samuel wrote any part of the + books ascribed to him? An author is proved not to have written most part + of a work ascribed to him, who then would, without direct proofs, proclaim + him the writer of some small passage, or any particular part of the work? + Who but a clergyman would build a system upon a mutilated, spurious, and + insignificant collection of absurdities and wonders? It is, I allow, + probable that Samuel wrote something: your quotations prove no more; but + what this was, we are, I presume, equally unacquainted with. That the + scribes also composed some records of the lives of their kings, I will not + deny. The question is, what degree of credit does the mutilated, + contradictory, and fabulous collection, said to be made out of these + records, deserve? + </p> + <p> + In the time of Charles the Great, some persons probably recorded his + actions. Is this a reason for any man to believe the fabulous legends we + have of him, written in the dark centuries? The legends of the Egyptian + and Greek gods, and their collection of oracles, were not only credited by + whole nations, but proclaimed true by councils much wiser than the + synagogue. The records of the saints were undoubtedly made few years after + their death, in ages far more enlightened, after the invention of the + press, written by the then most learned men of society, (the monks), who + certainly were not inferior to the Jewish scribes, yet these legends + contain often nothing but collections of absurdities and miracles. Read + the <i>Flores Sanctorum</i> of the Romish church, and you there will find + miracles in every page, and the lives of saints a tissue of prodigies. I + need not add, that very few learned men among the Papists give credit to + the absurdities contained in these books. It is even the opinion of the + best informed men, that the monks have written lives of saints who never + existed. + </p> + <p> + You acknowledge the wickedness of the kings of Israel and Judah; but you + take care to observe, that this was not owing to their religion. + Impertinent assertion! Was not Saul dethroned because he was humane enough + not to cut Agag in pieces? Did not the Lord Jehovah love the man after his + own heart, who put the miserable inhabitants of Rabah under saws, axes, + and arrows of iron; who made them pass through the brick-kiln? Did not + this Jehovah approve the base murder of Adonias? Was it the same Jehovah + who said to Jonah, that he was not so unjust as to sacrifice the whole + city of Nineveh for their sins, because there were thousands in it who did + not know between good and evil; and who yet, the Jews tell us, commanded + the extermination of whole nations, without even sparing the little + children? Did not the plagues which he sent to Pharaoh and David fall upon + thousands of innocent individuals? At least, do not the Jewish books + affirm it? Such horrors could only be respected by the Jews; such absurd + miracles could only be credited by the most ignorant of men. You pretend, + that the partiality of God to the Jews proceeded from their being the only + nation that believed in the unity of God, and who have preserved their + belief on this head unshaken till the present day. Are you in earnest, can + you assert this before men of common information? Do you take Englishmen + for idiots to be deceived by your assertions? Are you ignorant of the + adoration of the Ethiopians? Do you forget that the wise men among the + heathens said, <i>Colitur forma pro Jove?</i> Did you never peruse any + account, of the Chinese, or of the Hindoos? Do they not admit one supreme + agent, an all-wise, intelligent, &c. being, and whose inferior agents + they represent by symbols? The Hindoos have even all the metaphysical + refinement of our divines; and their definition of God is fully as + perspicuous as that given in our Catechism. I have avoided to give long + extracts in this pamphlet; but, that the authority of an English Bishop + may not be a presumption to many that I am making false assertions, I + shall transcribe a passage from a commentary upon the Reig Beid, a book + unquestionably of the remotest antiquity. + </p> + <p> + "Glory be to Goneish! that which is exempt from all desires of the senses, + the same is the mighty Lord. He is simple, and than him there is nothing + greater. Brehm, (the spirit of God), is absorbed in self-contemplation; + the same is the mighty Lord who is present in every part of space. Brehm + is one, and to him there is no second; such is truly Brehm. His + omniscience is self-inspired, and its comprehension includes all possible + species," &c. It is true, we are not here told that God is a jealous + God, that he visiteth the iniquities of the father even unto the fourth + generation. I could adduce fifty passages from the Greeks and others to + prove my position, but it is needless. The point is still to know whether + these notions make men better, whether they are founded on truth, and, + indeed, whether all gods are not the work of the fancy of man, nature + allegorised. <i>Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor</i>, says the philosopher; + can you disprove it? I suspect not, and that all the subtle reasoning of + divines destroy themselves. The world is the ultimate of human reason. We + adore the idols either of our hands or of the brain, and mistake them for + existences. The region of chimeras exists beyond the universe; our + prattling upon it is but a play of words. Jehovah himself, when he said, I + am that I am, called himself pretty plainly Pan, or the great whole. + </p> + <p> + But if the unity of God be the only gracious belief in the eyes of the + Creator, I do not see that Christians are entitled to his favour, because + they make him three. What was the belief of the Jews? Had they any very + refined ideas of their God? They thought him corporeal, incessantly + speaking and moving among men, jealous, revengeful, powerful, whose angels + ate with Abraham, who himself strove to kill Moses in a public house; they + imagined him repenting of his deeds; and, in all respects, a poor + contemptible being, the offspring of Jewish fancy. He is throughout the + Bible an Asiatic Sultan, who, like the merciful God of Mahomet, puts to + the sword, and smites with plagues thousands, as a tribute to his infinite + mercy. I refer the reader to the collection of extracts from the Bible, in + a subsequent letter, for proofs of my assertions. The Jews admitted, + besides other gods, such as Chemosh, several beings subordinate to God, + but superior to man, as the serpent which tempted the mother of mankind. + They had exterminating angels and cherubims, the Elohim or Genii that made + the world, &c. But why dwell upon such topics, when it is evident that + all the Jewish mythology is of Chaldean origin, and our theology a copy of + that of Plato? + </p> + <p> + You proceed in your attempt to reconcile the justice of God with his + goodness, and, in the height of your reverie, you imagine that the + sufferings of the Jews were parts of a grand scheme for the general good + of mankind. What, and when are we to see the good effects of their + barbarities? We may see reason counteracting the evil of superstition, + rendering men humane; but I apprehend, that, if your reasoning was + generally adopted, every highwayman would be much inclined to think + himself sent by Providence for good and wise purposes, and if chance + should bring about a happy event at the end of his career, which he + thought the consequence of his deeds, he would triumph in his crimes, and, + like Moor in the Robbers, exclaim, "If for ten I have destroyed, you make + but one man blest, my soul may yet be saved!" This has been the language + of persecutors. They destroy mankind to make them happy in the next world—tortures, + burning, and beheading, are but purifications. The worst is, that the + famous divine scheme of general good, has never been one jot more advanced + than when the Jews were enduring the greatest calamities, and committing + atrocities. I count not the effects of reason, for faith is alone the + godly faculty; reason destroys it. I close my observations upon this + subject with repeating the old question of Epicurus, which your brethren + have as yet left unanswered; either God can prevent evil and does not + choose it, or he chooses it and wants power to avert calamities from his + creatures. In the first instance, he is a malevolent despot, a character + we ought to abhor; in the second, we see him an impotent and secondary + being, which raises our contempt. Reconcile this with his infinite power, + wisdom, and goodness, and show us that he is not formed after the image of + man, or else let unbelievers hold their opinions in peace. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER V. + </h2> + <p> + Your fifth letter begins with stating the importance of the concession of + Thomas Paine, that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are genuine. You + triumph, and think it a silent acknowledgment of the reality of the + prophecies mentioned in those books. Stop, my Lord, your <i>alma-mater</i> + surely has not taught you to draw such conclusions. In a genuine book + there may be contained incredible events, as in Tacitus, Suetonius, and + almost all existent histories. It is your duty to prove that the + prophecies there related are not among those popular stories which are apt + to gain general credit, whether they are or are not forgeries written + after the events. Before we know when Jeremiah wrote, and what is the + meaning of the writings under his name, no man is warranted to triumph at + the testimony of the Jews after the captivity; since it is a point, in + which all parties agree; that their canon and books were compiled at that + period, and nobody ever questioned the credulity of the Jews. You proceed + to state your notions of the history of the Old Testament; it is all a + matter of opinion; and, as you do not support it by any proofs, we must + still continue to regard the contradictions and impostures contained in + the Old Testament as proofs of its having been the work of ignorant + fanatics. I pass over your effusions: that metaphysical disquisitions + teach us the limits of our faculties, I strenuously maintain; and if you + mean nothing else, we are agreed. That our notions of time and place are + not the bugbears which the scholastics would persuade us, is to me + unquestionable; that both in science and religion we affix no ideas to + many words, I grant; that certainty in philosophical disquisitions is not + easily found, I also allow; but, that a man tired with the arduous task of + reasoning, of discerning between truth and falsehood, should seek in + polemics or superstition a consolation for his ignorance, I consider as a + proof of the impaired state of his faculties; he is like the thirsty + traveller, who, burnt by the scorching sun, seeks to relieve his distress + by drinking of the first water he meets, without regarding its purity. + Your acknowledgment that it is possible even for a Bishop to err in + matters of religion, gives me real pleasure. To consider our creed as a + matter that admits of doubt, is a great step in the road of truth. You + say, "May God forgive him that is in an error." Your wish is humane; but, + if God be the Creator of mankind, he cannot be offended at the conclusions + we may draw, after having employed the faculties he has given us. I wish + too that mankind should forgive them that are in an error; but, I hope, + they will recollect the long sway of superstition, and its danger to + mankind; may they decide in favour of that system which is conformable to + reason, and has the greatest tendency to improve society! + </p> + <p> + You next proceed to show the propriety of the angel ordering Moses to pull + off his shoes, which you say is a mark of reverence to God. Is it then by + such ridiculous customs that you reconcile your omnipotent and all-wise + God? Too long have men substituted rites for morality. O superstition! + that makes the Asiatics eat the excrements of the lama, the Papists devour + their God; that persuades all Christians that water washeth away sin; and, + that if a child happens to die before his face is sprinkled, he must + inevitably suffer everlasting torments: led by this, men despise society, + and tremble at ceremonies invented by their priests. + </p> + <p> + I shall not go at great length into the particular contradictions which + are found in the enumeration of the families that returned from Babylon. + There certainly are great mistakes in the sums; and where precision was to + be expected more than in any thing preserved in the record of the people + of God, we find them committing the most gross errors, even when they + attempt to be peculiarly exact. It is curious, that the individual sums + are altogether different in the different accounts, and, therefore, that + there must have been a much greater number of errors than you would + persuade your readers. + </p> + <p> + You come to the book of Job; and confine your remarks to disprove the + objection of Mr. Paine, drawn from the name Satan, which, he says, is + there for the first and only time mentioned in the Bible. Your answer, + that it is repeatedly to be found elsewhere in the Old Testament, is just + but it certainly does not prove Job to be a Jewish book. We know that <i>Sathan</i>, + as well as the names of all the angels, are Chaldean; and as I have + already shown, that the Scriptures are compilations written after the + captivity, it is not wonderful that this name, together with many others, + should be found in the Hebrew Bible. As you say nothing in favour of the + book of Job, I shall only observe, that it is not only the opinion of + Abenezra, but even of Jerome, the author of the Vulgate, that it is not a + Hebrew book, the idiom being in many instances altogether different from + the style of that language, and very frequently bearing marks of its + Arabic and Syriac origin, as the reader may see in his preface to Job in + the Vulgate edition of the Bible. The resemblance between Job's Satan and + Momus is so striking, that we cannot help recognising the author to have + been a Gentile; and thus are the Jews deprived of a book, which, at least, + contains no murders, and shows more knowledge than that nation ever + possessed. Your remark as to the generality of the belief of a benevolent + and a malevolent being, certainly does not prove that the Gentiles + borrowed this notion from the Jews; you ought to have known history + better, and that the wars of the Gods and angels formed part of the creed + of many nations, not only before a book of the Bible existed, but even + before the birth of Moses. Dionysius and Osiris had already fought against + the evil genii: the famous Vishnu has been from the highest antiquity the + enemy of Chiven. That the numerous mythological systems which have ever + existed, sprang from the report of the fathers of the Jewish nation, may + appear probable to a clergyman; it is but a pious whim; to me it is a + proof, that all religious systems have sprung from the fancy of men. The + philosophers among the heathens understood by the evil and bad genii + nothing more than the influence of the good or bad seasons, which, + personified by ignorant or cunning priests, have by the vulgar been deemed + real personages. Besides, where do you find in the Pentateuch any accounts + of the Devil? I only see the serpent, an emblem I have already said, + copied from the Egyptians, but by the Jews considered a real snake, which + talked and walked upright. It was but a poor imitation of the Ahrimanes of + Zoroaster. + </p> + <p> + Concerning the utility of prayers, and the tendency of those of the Jews, + I shall say nothing. It is a certain fact, that Solomon, the wisest of + men, and who made excellent prayers, killed his brother; while many of + those heathen tribes, abhorred by the Jews, had no other crime than to + adore images; and, if superstition among them sometimes produced the + abominable practice of human sacrifices, they never carried their piety so + far as to exterminate whole nations. Besides, the Jews had not even a + pretence to despise their neighbours for offering human sacrifices. The + case of Jephtha shows plainly that this barbarity was common among God's + people. I am utterly surprised at your misplaced exclamations upon the + morality of the heathens. Far be it from me to stand forward as the patron + of heathenish superstition; it is the mother of ours, and I abhor the + common stock; but, my Lord, you ought not to confound the rites of the + Greeks with their morals. The Athenians possessed virtues which we in vain + look for among the despicable Jews. They possessed knowledge, and their + philosophers had more sense than to believe the tales of the priests. + Epicurus taught peaceably, and was revered by all, while the vulgar of his + country firmly believed their mythology. Such an instance never happened + among the Jews. Jehovah would quickly have sent a plague among Epicurus + and his followers, or ordered his priests "to kill every one his neighbour + and his friend, and hang them up before the sun." Your holy brethren would + think nothing of a burning match on the occasion; if it were in your + power, atheists would not exist long. But you talk so confidently of the + adoration of images among the Gentiles, that we would imagine the Jews + were all philosophers. Do you forget their reverence to the holy of + holies, which none could approach; the ark of the covenant, and the + calves? Or has the story of the five golden mice, for looking at which + fifty thousand and three score and ten Israelites were smote by the Lord, + escaped you? + </p> + <p> + Your rhapsody upon the sublimity of Bible composition, and its superiority + to all profane writers, is a proof of the strength of early imbibed + prejudice. I lament to see a man of your learning think so much like an + old woman. The proverbs, to be sure, are wonderful compositions, and prove + the great gift of wisdom bestowed by God upon Solomon! What indeed can be + more sublime than the following, which I beg leave to add to the specimens + given by your Lordship! "The horse leech hath two daughters, crying, Give, + give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea four things say + not it is enough; the grave, and the barren womb, the earth that is not + filled with water, and the fire that saith not it is enough."—"There + be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea four which I know not; + the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon the rock, the + way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid."—"There + be three things which go well, a greyhound, an he-goat also, and a king."—"It + is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of kings is to + search out a matter."—"When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, + consider diligently what is before thee, and put a knife to thy throat if + thou be a man given to appetite."—"Buy the truth, and sell it not."—"A + whore is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit."—Excellent + Solomon! Hear also this wise king in Song of Songs. "How beautiful are thy + feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! The joints of thy thighs are like + jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman; thy-navel is like a + round goblet which wanteth not liquor; thy belly is like a heap of wheat + set about with lilies; thy two breasts are like two young roes that are + twins; thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fish pools in + Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim; thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon, + which looketh towards Damascus." Whether this alludes to one of Solomon's + concubines, or our mother, the church of Jesus Christ, the expressions are + equally applicable, beautiful, and simple; they are worthy of a man "wiser + than Ethan the Ezrehite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of + Mehol," who, I dare say, were wise men. Upon the whole, I agree with you, + that Solomon, the illustrious offspring of the man after God's own heart + and the virtuous Bathsheba, was not "a witty jester." As to what you call + his "sins and debaucheries," these holy books were certainly not written + with a view to make us avoid them. Solomon is set before us as a pattern + of wisdom and goodness; and the number of his wives and concubines is + exultingly recorded as a proof of his greatness, as much as his treasures, + which exceed all conception, and the number of his horses, which exceed + all belief. + </p> + <p> + Your pious belief in the inspired prophecies of Isaiah, is natural to a + superstitious and credulous mind. The philosopher who doubts before he + gazes, sees in what you call prophecies nothing else but scraps of history + or legend. He receives with diffidence all predictions. He is aware of the + great ease with which forgeries may be passed among the vulgar for + prophecies. When pretended predictions are made, they are altogether + overlooked; even the ignorant think not of them till they are said to be + accomplished; the learned despise them in both instances; and it is not + till after their authenticity has gained a sort of general belief, that + the philosopher thinks of enquiring when and how they were made. At this + period he can find no evidence of their history, but from the credulous + who have been imposed upon by them. Besides, no prophecy is ever direct, + it always has an equivocal meaning, and is explained to suit the events + which have happened. Religious enthusiasts write in such a mystic language + upon the sins of mankind, and the judgements that are to come upon them, + and in so general and ambiguous terms, that it is easy for a subtle + interpreter, or a visionary fanatic, to explain them according to his own + system. Have not the bears of the Apocalypse been made to signify by + turns, the Pope and the Devil? Has not the New Jerusalem been sometimes + taken for a real flying town, seen in the air by the first fathers of the + church, as Tertullean informs us? Do not other divines tell us that it + means the kingdom of heaven? Have not scripture divines, even in the first + ages of the church, pretended that the verses of Virgil, <i>Jam redit et + Virgo, redeunt Sa-tumia regna, jam nova progenies ccelo demittitur alto;—natte + mets vires, mea magna potentia solus, and talia perstabat memorans, + fixusque manebat</i>, were clear prophecies of the Virgin Mary, and Jesus + Christ? It might be worth enquiring at this time, whether the Roman Bard + was inspired by the Holy Ghost? Lastly, I may ask, does your Lordship + believe in the many prophecies that have of late appeared of the French + revolution? + </p> + <p> + But we have more reasons to declare the pretended clear prophecies of the + Bible to be fables. In many instances they are so accurate, and so unlike + these passages which we know to have been written previous to the events + to which they are applied, or those which are not yet fulfilled, that no + philosopher can pronounce them to have been written historically. Thus, we + find Jacob announce to his twelve sons, the heads of the twelve tribes of + Israel, the fate of their posterity; the situation of the district to be + occupied by the Israelites in the land of Canaan, two hundred years before + Joshua parcelled out this land in lots to the Israelites; the kind of life + the different tribes would lead; the small number of the posterity of + Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, as well as the power of Judah; all which are + related as exactly as if the patriarch had seen the throne of David and + Solomon with his own eyes. Some of the supposed predictions of Isaiah and + Daniel, are even more minutely correct. You have treated the question of + the genuineness and date of works very lightly; you think it is of no + great consequence to ascertain the genuineness of the different books of + the Bible. Let us for a moment suppose, that by some accident, the age of + Virgil had been forgotten, or the sixth book of his Ęneid been ascribed to + a writer of the age of Ęneas; would not the Romans be entitled to regard, + as a most wonderful prophecy, the lively representation given by Anchises + of the future heroes of the republic, the two Cęsars, and the young + Marcellus? + </p> + <p> + To resume our subject: I remind you of the passage already quoted from + Bellarminus, that it was the opinion of the fathers of the church, that + the Prophets, among other books, had been collected and arranged by + Esdras. I have also stated the selection of genuine works by the + synagogue, during the reign of the Maccabees, when the Talmud says that + the forgeries of Daniel, Esdras, &c. were prodigious. The destruction + by Antiochus Epiphanus of the already broken Jewish books, written by + Esdras, may be collected from what is said in Maccabees, chap. i. ver. 56 + and 57. "And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they + found, they burnt them with fire, and whosoever was found with any of the + books of the Testament, or if any consented to the law, the king's + commandment was, that they should put him to death." + </p> + <p> + It is without reason that you triumph at the application which Thomas + Paine makes of the prophecy of Isaiah, in chapters xliv. and xlv. No man + that reads the passage can hesitate for a moment to declare it a narrative + of the deliverance of the Jews by Cyrus, after the seventy years + captivity. Cyrus is mentioned by name, as well as his command to rebuild + Jerusalem, and his victories over the nations, above one hundred years + before the event. Will you then, without any proofs of Isaiah having + written this book, insist upon calling it a prophecy? And have not + sceptics been justified in their disbelief of the genuineness of such + books? Mr. Paine, however, has overlooked a more remarkable prophecy in + this book, which has been tortured into an application to Christ. This is + contained in chapter lxiii. ver. 1. "Who is this that cometh from Edom, + with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, + travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in. + righteousness, mighty to save." And again, in chap. ii. (talking of the + supposed Christ) Isaiah says, "And he shall judge among the nations, and + shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into + plough-shares."—"And the idols he shall totally abolish." Can this + possibly allude to Christ? Did he come from Edom in mighty power, in rich + garments? Was his march so terrible? Was he the man who trampled all in + his fury; who with his own arm brought salvation to himself, and was + upheld by his fury; as also mentioned in chap. lxiii.? Do not these + pretended prophecies also apply to Judas Maccabeus, who delivered the Jews + from the tyranny of Antiochus Epi-phanus? And is it not also a proof of + the mutilated state of the works of the prophets to see details about + Cyrus intermingled with others applying to Judas Maccabeus? I say nothing + of Daniel, for his <i>prophecy</i> I shall consider particularly + afterwards, and show its true meaning; at present, it may be sufficient to + say, that the similarity between the book of Ezra and Daniel proclaim them + to be from the same hand; but both have evident marks of having been + considerably mutilated. When philosophers cannot ascertain the age of + pretended predictions, they consider their clearness as a demonstration of + their being histories. Who tells you that the books which the synagogue, + like the Nicene council, chose, were not either altogether written, or + considerably interpolated, to adopt them to the times? The great question + is always, what authority had the synagogue to decide, and whether their + decision ought to influence men of sense, any more than the determination + of the Popish councils. + </p> + <p> + As a proof of the absurdity of the application of prophecies, I shall here + quote one, which is apparently clearer than any in the whole Bible, and is + adduced by the most famous divines as an unquestionable prediction of + Christ. It is in Micah, chap. v. ver. I. "Now gather thyself in troops, O + daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us; they shall smite the + Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, + though thou be little among thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he + come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have + been from of old, from everlasting." Here even the birth-place of Christ + is mentioned, the insults offered to him, his existence from everlasting, + and his coming to save Israel. And Matthew, chap. ii. ver. 6, and John, + chap. vii. ver. 43, both expressly refer to that passage as a prophecy. + Hear now what follows in ver. 5, of the same chapter of Micah: "And this + man shall be the peace, when the Assyrians shall come into our land: and + when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven + shepherds, and eight principal men." Can this apply to Jesus Christ? Were + the Syrians in the land when he came? Were not the Romans masters of + Judea? Your rules of belief are admirable: a little faith, wherever you + meet contradictions, absurdities, or wonders, is an invaluable + prescription, common to the Bramin, the Musselman, and the Christian. Do + but believe that Mahomet is a prophet, that he went up to heaven and saw + the eternal Father, and you will go through the other articles of the + Mahometan faith without difficulty. Do but admit the gospel of Barnabas + where Mahomet is predicted, and we have no reason to say that it is less + authentic than our gospel, and the work is done; but, I may say with you, + "Proof, proof is what I require, and not assertion." + </p> + <p> + We will not relinquish our reason in obedience to the despotic mandates of + the credulous. + </p> + <p> + You allow that the miracles of the Jews fall to the ground, if the history + of that nation is proved false. I beg you to observe, that if it is true, + it does not follow that the miracles are. If you can believe that the + history of the Jews is well authenticated, and without numerous + contradictions, and if you can exculpate the writers from bad motives, and + a desire to deceive, and if you can rely upon their wisdom, you then will + really prove yourself a Christian, a man of uncommon faith. The history of + the Jews, every where confused, containing prodigies, deserves no more + credit than their antedeluvian tale. Even Chinese history, supported by + astronomical observations, is beyond a certain period rejected by all men, + from the fables it contains. If you are disposed to believe, I advise you + to read the fabulous history of China and of Hindostan, in the holy books + of the respective nations, which are adopted by whole nations, and are, at + least, more beautiful than the Jews. + </p> + <p> + I have purposely omitted to speak of Ecclesiastes. I find here several + Epicurean notions, a disbelief of a future life, the propriety of enjoying + themselves in this life, and other sensible remarks; which prove that the + writer enjoyed more common sense than most of his countrymen. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0008" id="link2H_4_0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER VI. + </h2> + <p> + You begin your sixth letter by attempting to disprove the arguments of + Thomas Paine upon Jeremiah. You acknowledge the disorder that prevails in + the writings of this prophet; and you modestly assure us, that you do not + know the cause; no more do I: and whatever incidents might have occasioned + it, I am certain that, as it stands, it deserves no degree of credit. In a + former part of your pamphlet you grant, that the history of the Jews is so + connected with the prophetical part, that if the former was done away the + latter could not stand; and now you inform us, "that prophecy differs from + history, in not being subject to an accurate observance of time and + order." This you think a matter of no importance, but, in my opinion, it + is very material to know if a prophecy is written after the events it + alludes to. I shall not follow far, either your Lordship or Mr. Paine, in + proving several of the prophecies of the Bible false; but if they are not + prophecies, why should we trouble ourselves with disproving them. If they + are scraps of history, we know that of the Jews to be so contradictory, + imperfect, so completely without order, that one historical extract, of + prophecy, will often contradict another; but much more generally these + prophecies are strict enough, being copied from history, and embellished + with a little of the figurative style of prophecy. As to Jeremiah, the + works that go under his name, as well as those of Isaiah, appear on the + face of them to be a collection of extracts from different historians. + </p> + <p> + While we know so little of the history and genuineness of these writings, + we cannot possibly draw any conclusion concerning them, except that they + are in the utmost disorder, and that when writers intermingle history with + prophecy, we are at a loss to know which is which. I cannot forbear to + mention the ludicrous story of Elisha, the children, the bears that + devoured the children of men, as you are pleased to call them. Whether + Elisha did this as a prophet, I cannot but declare my abhorrence at your + approbation of such abominable cruelty, to murder individuals because they + bestowed the appellation of Baldhead on another. According to the laudable + custom of the church, you appeal to a miracle, and conclude, that if God + wrought a miracle it must have been just. I suppose this comparatively as + when he destroys whole cities for the sins of a few; but this is the very + ground on which every crusader supported his massacres; and every man may + imitate the conduct of Ahod, the treacherous murderer, patronised by + Jehovah, without incurring the blame of a Bishop. Whether the ridiculous + tale which you take for a sign of God, most probably of his cruelty, + converted any person, is not known; but as the event most undoubtedly + never happened, you may suppose what you please. To murder them is not the + way to ingratiate ourselves with our fellow-citizens. If any person set a + few bull-dogs on some children, and pretended to do so by authority from + heaven, he would most undoubtedly be taken up by our officers of justice. + In what respect do these brutal prophets differ from Mahomet, who decided + all disputes by the sword? Their business was to exterminate and murder by + the direct commands of God. + </p> + <p> + The writings of Ezekiel are considerably truncated. The very beginning of + his prophecies shows it. The conjunction and texture of the whole work + refers to something that ought to have preceded it. He begins saying, + "That in the 30th year the heavens opened, and he saw visions of God." And + in ver. 5, he adds, "That the Lord had inspired him often in Chaldea," + which refers to some prophecies written in that period. Besides, + Josephus's work, book 10, chap. ix. of the Jewish antiquities, says, "That + Ezekiel had prophecied that Zedekiah should never see Babylon." This is no + where found in Ezekiel, but, on the contrary, in chap. xi. and xii. he + says, "That the king would be carried a prisoner to Babylon." + </p> + <p> + As to Daniel, I have already noticed the great similarity between the + first book of Esdras and his, and the probability that they came from the + same author. The seven first chapters, except the first, were written in + Chaldean, and are by the most learned thought to be taken from Chaldean + chronologists. It is also thought by men of great learning, that the books + of Esdras, Daniel, and Esther, were altered a long time after Judas + Maccabeus, because it appears evident that Esdras could not have written + the whole of them, since Nehemiah carries the genealogy of Jesuhga, the + sovereign Pontiff till Jaddua, the sixteenth in number, who after the + defeat of Darius went to meet Alexander. And Nehemiah, ver. 22, "The + Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiadah, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were + recorded chief of the fathers; also the priests, to the reign of Darius + the Persian." We have no reason to believe that Esdras or Nehemiah could + survive fourteen kings of Persia, Cyrus having been the first who gave the + Jews permission to rebuild the temple, from whom to Darius there are 230 + years. + </p> + <p> + I now come to the famous prophecy of the seventy weeks of Daniel, which + you exultingly mention as the most wonderful, and, at the same time, the + most incontrovertible prediction in existence, one which never can fail to + confound the most perverse unbeliever. If I prove, that so far from being + the surprising prophecy you pretend, it has altogether a different + meaning, and can nowise apply to the coming of Christ, I shall think + myself fully excused, if I do not go through every individual prediction + in the Bible. The passage alluded to is in Daniel, chap. ix. ver. 24, to + 27, as follows: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon + thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, + and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting + righteousness, and to seal up the vision, and prophecy, and to anoint the + most holy. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of + the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah, the + prince, there shall be seven weeks; and threescore and two weeks the + streets shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And + after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for + himself; and the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the + city, and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and + unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm + the covenant with many, for one week; and, in the midst of the week, he + shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease; and for the overspreading + of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, + and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." + </p> + <p> + This passage is generally applied to the coming of Christ. The seventy + weeks are supposed to mean weeks of years, or seven years each. Now it is + evident, that it cannot apply to Jesus Christ; for if from going forth of + the commandment in the time of Artaxerxes Longimanus, until the coming of + the Messiah, there were to be seven weeks or forty-nine years, how does + this agree with what follows? "After threescore and two weeks (or three + hundred and seventy-four years) shall Messiah be cut off." And again, "He + shall confirm the covenant with many for a week." Did then Jesus Christ + live four hundred and twenty-three years, or are there two Messiahs + predicted? Dr. Frideaux acknowledges that some parts of this prophecy are + so injudiciously printed in the English translation of the Bible, that + they are quite unintelligible; his alteration is in the punctuation, and + according to it we read, that, <i>from the going forth of the commandment + to restore and build Jerusalem, to the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven + weeks, and threescore and two weeks</i>; and in verse 27, he puts the half + of the week, instead of the midst. The explanation of the prophecy as thus + altered, he gives as follows. From the commandment given to Ezra by + Ar-taxerxes Longimanus, to the accomplishment of it by Nebemiah forty-nine + years, or the first seven weeks; from this accomplishment to the time of + Christ's messenger John the Baptist sixty-two weeks, or four hundred and + thirty-four years; from thence to the beginning of Christ's public + ministry, half a week, or three years and a half; and from thence to the + death of Christ, half a week, or three years and a half; in which half + week he preached and confirmed the gospel with many; in all, from the + going forth of the commandment, till the death of Christ, seventy weeks, + or four hundred and ninety years. + </p> + <p> + In the first place, we confidently assert that Dr. Prideaux followed his + fancy, not the original Hebrew, when he altered the punctuation. He is, + however, justified in the alteration of half of a week; but, granting all, + let us see how it applies. Did the Messiah come after seven weeks from the + commandment of Ar-taxerxes Longimanus? The explanation only says, that + Nehemiah finished the work which Ezra began. What has this to do with the + Messiah coming at the end of the first seven weeks? The prophet says, that + after threescore and two weeks, the street and the wall shall be built. + Again, and previously, that after the commandment for the city to be + built, the Messiah shall come in seven weeks. The learned divine, on the + contrary, makes Daniel say, that John the Baptist began to preach the + kingdom of the Messiah sixty-nine weeks after the commandment, and in the + first seven weeks he talks of nothing but building the temple. Again, how + does the oblation cease in half a week? In fact, the same objection occurs + here, as to the passage as it is written in our Bibles. Daniel speaks + quite clear, when he says, that "from the going forth of the commandment + to restore and build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be + seven weeks." If we find, in whatever explanation of the prophecy, that + Christ did not come forty-nine years after this commandment, and that he + did not live four hundred and thirty-four years afterwards, the whole must + be an untruth. And, if the first period of seven weeks is united with that + of threescore and two, that is, if the period of rebuilding the city, and + of the coming of the Messiah be the same, then let divines inform us + whether this really came to pass, and reconcile it with what follows, in + ver. 26, that the city is to be destroyed at the same time. Did Christ + confirm any covenant with many for seven years? + </p> + <p> + Let us attempt to unriddle this enigma. The passage evidently talks of two + Messiahs, or makes one live upwards of four hundred years; and is + altogether unintelligible as it stands. For the better understanding of + it, I shall quote some previous part of the same chapter, ver. 1. "In the + first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, + which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans. 2. In the first year + of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by books, the number of the years + whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would + accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3. And I set my + face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayers and supplications, with + fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. 4. And I prayed unto the Lord my God, + and made my confession, and said." After this follows his prayer, until + the 20th verse; and, in the 21st the angel began to unfold a prophecy to + Daniel, which begins in verse 24, and he promises to explain the mystery + that had so much grieved Daniel, that is, the prophecy of Jeremiah; then + follows the passage I have quoted: the alterations I conceive ought be + made in the reading of which, I now proceed to mention. In verse 25, the + sentence stops after the seven weeks, as it is in the English Bible, + because in the original we find here the stop Atnach. In verse 26, instead + of, <i>shall Messiah be cut off?</i> we ought to read, <i>the oblation + shall cease</i>. This is the real meaning of the expression in the + original, according to Tertullian, Eusebius, and Theodoretus. Eusebius + says, <i>Unctum (vel Christum) nihil aliud esse quam successionem + Pontificum, quos unctos nominare S. Literae consueverunt.</i> The Hebrew + properly signifies <i>perdetur unctio</i>. Theodoretus understands by this + word, the same as <i>sacerdotes uncti. Excidetur unctus,</i> signifies the + same as the <i>oblation shall be abolished</i>; for the verb <i>excido</i> + does not always signify to kill, but is applied to whatever falls into + disuse that was once in practice, or any thing that perishes. It is in + this sense used in many parts of Kings and Chronicles. Samuel says, <i>excidi + de altare</i>. In Jeremiah, chapter xxxvii. ver. 18, the verb is used in + the same sense, <i>non de sacerdotibus Levitis excidet ur homo coram me</i>, + which is given in English, "neither shall the priests, the Levites, <i>want + a man</i> (or cease to have a man) before me." In verse 27, "and he shall + confirm the covenant with many for one week," means no more than the + exemption of calamities, and is tantamount to, <i>he shall let many remain + in peace</i>, as in Genesis, chap. vi. ver. 18, it is used in this sense. + </p> + <p> + To understand the real meaning of this pretended prophecy, the reader will + remember, that Daniel mourned for the 70 weeks of captivity prophesied by + Jeremiah; the vision of Daniel took place in the first year of Darius, + King of Chaldea, that is, in the year 162 of Nebuchadnezzar; but, in chap. + x. of Daniel we learn, that he ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh + and wine into his mouth, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Now, the + term weeks is used in the Bible indiscriminately for weeks of years, or of + days; here it appears clear it signifies the former, particularly as the + whole relates to the 70 years of Jeremiah; and the angel, in chap. x. ver. + 14, tells Daniel, in the same figurative style, "Now I am come to make + thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days, for yet + the vision is for many days." If then Daniel wept three weeks of years, or + 21 years, from the destruction of the temple, in the year 141 to the time + of the vision in 162, (the angel, chap. x. ver. 13, says, that the prince + of Persia withstood him 21 days, or years), it is easy to see what Daniel + means. Jeremiah had prophesied a captivity of 70 years, of these, three + weeks or 21 years were past; therefore Daniel, after entreating God to + tell him "how many more years were wanting," received for an answer what + follows, "At the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came + forth, and I am come to show thee."—"Seventy weeks are determined + upon thy people to seal up the vision and prophecy," that is to complete + the prophecy of Jeremiah; and we find,-therefore, that from the issuing + the commandment to restore the Jews, and to build Jerusalem, or more + properly from the revelation of the angel, (exitu Verbi), promising that + Jerusalem should be rebuilt, ver. 23, to the coming of the Messiah, the + prince, or Cyrus, who freed the Jews from the captivity, there were to be + seven weeks, or 49 years, which, added to the three weeks already past, + made the 70 years of Jeremiah. Cyrus is by Isaiah called the Lord's + anointed: "Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand + I have holden, to subdue nations before him for Jacob my servant's sake." + Cyrus gave, at that time, liberty to the Jews, as the reader may see in + Ezra. It is evident, that the word commandment cannot mean any express + order to build Jerusalem, for the angel says, just before he reveals the + prophecy, "at the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came + forth we know that Daniel began to address prayers unto heaven, at a time + when there was no order to build the temple, on the contrary, the Jews + were in captivity. + </p> + <p> + This is the most difficult part of the pretended prophecy, the remainder + is plain. There shall be 62 weeks till the rebuilding of the wall. The + writer alludes here to the building of the first temple under Zerubbabel + and Jeshua, and then to the rebuilding of the wall, and restoration of the + temple by Judas Maccabeus, after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes. + The period of this last event is by the prophecy made to extend to 63 1/2 + weeks, or 444 years. Let us see if chronology confirms this supposition. + The temple was destroyed in the 141st year of Nabuch, or 4107 of the + Julian period; add to this 444 years, or 63 weeks and a half, and we have + the year 4551, or the second year of Judas Maccabeus, according to + Josephus; who also informs us, that having conquered his enemies, he then + built a wall about Sion, which is clearly meant in the words, "the street + shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times," 1 Maccab. + chap. iv. ver. 60. At that time also "they builded up the mount Sion with + high walls," &c. Troublous the times certainly were; the Jews were + fighting against the cruelty of Antiochtis Epiphanes. It is certain then, + that after 343 years, or 69 weeks, the wall should be built, and although + it was not really completed till about ten years after, it is presumable + that the loose historian, or prophet, did not choose to alter the + beautiful idea of 70 Weeks. We know how superstitiously the Jews respected + not only the number 7, but all its different affections. We are besides + informed, in the first book of Maccabees, that after the first depredation + of Antiochus, the people rebuilt the city of David, and made walls and + forts; this happened some years before the building of the wall by Judas, + and brings the prediction nearer to historical accuracy. + </p> + <p> + The next part of the prophecy is, "And after threescore and two weeks + shall sacrifices cease;" this means in the course of the week that + succeeds the 62. And, no doubt, Antiochus Epiphanes abolished them in the + seventh year of his reign, as we read in I Maccab. chap. i. "And the + people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and the + sanctuary." This Antiochus most certainly did, "and went up (Antiochus) + against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, and entered proudly + into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altars, also he took the + hidden treasures, and there was great mourning in Israel," 1 Maccab. J. + "And the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war + desolations are determined." The coming of Antiochus into Jerusalem is + pompously detailed in the first book of Maccabees: the Jews compared a + great calamity, or an invading and irresistible army, to a flood. Let us + proceed with the remainder: "And he shall confirm the covenant with many + for a week," this alludes to the first seven years of the reign of + Antiochus, during which he did not interfere with the worship of the Jews, + although he gave liberty to those who chose to be heathens to follow their + respective worship: it was in the end of the sixth, and in the beginning + of his seventh year that he attacked the Jews, destroyed the temple, + plundered it of its riches, and made himself the tyrant of Judea. + </p> + <p> + The last part of the passage is as follows: "And in the half of a week he + shall cause the oblation and sacrifice to cease," and, I have only to + observe, that, from the taking of the city by Antiochus, to the absolute + forbidding Jewish worship, there elapsed about three years and a half, or + half a week, for he came to Jerusalem in the 143d year of the kingdom of + the Greeks, and the erecting of idols was in the year 145; after which, he + continued to persecute the Jews, and promote idolatry, until the year 148. + Now Antiothus attacked Jerusalem at the end of his sixth year, to which, + if we add two years and three months, we have pretty exactly the period of + half a week, or three years and a half. The expression, "the spreading of + abominations," evidently alludes to what is said in Maccabees, chap. i. + ver. 34. "Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the 145th year, + they (the followers of Antiochus) set up the abomination of desolation + upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Judah, on + every side." Daniel says, chap. xii. ver. 11, speaking of his vision, "and + from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the + abomination that: maketh desolate set up, there shall be (that is between + the first interdict of Antiochus, and the setting up of idols) 1290 days;" + which is a little more than three years and a half. The wonderful prophecy + is then unriddled, it becomes a contemptible piece of history in an + affected style. I trust the explanation which I have given, after Marsham, + will appear satisfactory. I challenge Bishop Watson to produce a plausible + explanation of the passage according to the sense of the church. It may + not be improper to observe, that Clemens Alexandrinus, many of the + fathers, Calmet, and other persons of great knowledge, have flatly denied + the application of the weeks of Daniel to Jesus. Those who espouse your + cause lose sight of the context of Daniel, they forget chronology, and + evince to what a pitch of delusion their minds have arrived. + </p> + <p> + This is the famous prophecy that silenced the Jewish rabbins of Venice; it + is of a pattern with Daniel's four beasts; the fourth is also a story of + Antiochus Epiphanes and Judas who slays the beast. Judas is the son of man + coming in clouds; he is the person of whom the prophets speak, and who has + most ridiculously been distorted to Jesus Christ. This farrago of + prophecies seems to have been the production of Esdras or some very late + writer; and I am not sure, but the doctrine of the Pythagorean millennium + gave rise to some of the expressions in both writers, about the beasts: + they seem to have sprung from the same origin with those of the + Apocalypse; and with the four Indian horses, they crept among the Jews, + together with many other Chaldean mythological ideas: the Ancient of + Ancients appears in his fiery car as Osiris triumphant, or Chreeshna + conquering Chiven; the books are opened before him, as his kingdom is + everlasting, like that of Vishnu with the Vedams. But visions so + ridiculous as that of Daniel deserve not our consideration; whatever be + their source they are but reveries, and may serve to amuse idle people in + their ridiculous speculations about the world's end. Like Swedenburgh, men + may dream, and interpret their own dreams, and like him have the + mortification to be laughed at for the non-accomplishment of their + predictions. We have had of late another Daniel in Mr. Brothers; he too + saw beasts, and, what is more, he understood their meaning; but + unfortunately we are not Jews, and he is cruelly imprisoned in a madhouse. + </p> + <p> + I have now followed your animadversions on the objections of Thomas Paine + upon the Old Testament; and I trust I have shown that you have in no + degree been a more successful labourer in the cause of Judaism than your + predecessors; even your wonderful prophecy of Daniel is converted into a + mere historical tale, and the application Jesus Christ makes of it to + himself is accordingly proved to be ridiculous, the more so, as it comes + from the Son of God. I have a few more observations to make, before I + leave this book. I cannot pass in silence the gross blunder you have + committed, when you refer Mr. Paine to Ferguson for an astronomical proof + of the miracle of the total darkness at the crucifixion of Jesus. An odd + conceit, upon my word! You might know that the event is omitted by all the + authors of eminence who wrote at that time; that even Pliny passes it + unnoticed. Lest you should mislead the reader with your groundless + assertions, I shall state the matter as it stands in reality. You avoid + learned disquisitions to be intelligible, but you ought not to have been + so deficient of authority, where it is most needed. Besides the gospels, + the darkness is not mentioned in any author; but divines have attempted to + prove the event from a supposed passage of Phlegon, related by Eusebius; + it is in the following words: "In the fourth year of the two hundred and + second Olympiad, there was the greatest eclipse ever seen; it was night at + six, and even the stars could be seen." This passage has long been + disregarded by men of knowledge; it alludes to an eclipse, not to a + miraculous darkness. Both Mr. Ferguson and you have blundered in + chronology and astronomy. It is certain, in the year of Christ's + crucifixion, according to the common chronology, there could have been no + eclipse of the sun visible at that time at Jerusalem; Ferguson, therefore, + concludes it a miracle. But you ought to have known, that the fourth year + of the two hundred and second Olympiad, is not the year of the crucifixion + in any system of chronology; that there was an eclipse of the sun, in the + year mentioned by Phlegon, in the month of November, which, however, was + not central; and you know that Jesus is said to have died at the time of + the full moon in March, or in the beginning of April. Besides, had even + such a darkness taken place, are you ignorant of the existence of comets, + and would not one passing between the earth and the sun eclipse that + luminary? Have not such miracles taken place if we credit historians? The + death of Caesar was preceded by wonderful prodigies, and a comet made its + appearance immediately after. The supposed miraculous influence of comets, + and their being prophetic signs, was once an article of faith throughout + all Europe, and the ancient history of every country records many events + which the authors maintain arose from comets. + </p> + <p> + Your reflections on prophets I cannot pass unnoticed. You pretend to make + a distinction between dreamers, and impostors, and true prophets. You + acknowledge the number of soothsayers and fortunetellers among the Jews; + but you maintain that they were altogether distinct from the true + prophets, and appeal to Jeremiah, who puts the Jews on their guard against + false prophets. Does not every quack, every impostor, do the same, and + caution the world to beware of counterfeits? You might have saved a great + deal of trouble, had you condescended to produce your proofs of the + genuineness of the writings of the prophets; and then we might enquire + concerning the works of these augurs. You pretend that a sure mark of the + reality of a prophet is his predicting bad things, for a fortune-teller + always prophecies good. Pardon me if I suppose you a follower of Mr. + Brothers. For surely the destruction of London was not a most desirable + event. It is in vain you attempt to turn Mr. Paine into ridicule for his + definition of a prophet. He most justly calls them strolling-poets, + fortune-tellers; being in Judea what the gipsies, the augurs, and the + astrologers have been in other nations. The Hebrew word <i>Navi</i> + signifies nothing but an orator, a public speaker, and is by the Jews + applied, in a forced way, to soothsayers and diviners. It is + incontrovertible that they existed among the Jews in colleges, and were + brought up to the business. Their chief employment was to write the + chronicles of the times. The name prophet is given in the Bible + indiscriminately with that of holy man. Among the Hebrews, the first book + of Kings was called the prophecy of Samuel. Abel is called repeatedly in + the New Testament a prophet, (see Matth. chap. xxiii. ver. 31 and 35, and + Luke chap. xi. ver. 50 and 51), although we have no account of his having + predicted any. Among the Jews there certainly were fortune-tellers, + necromancers, and witches, all of which you rank among the impostors. But + had not the witch of Endor a real power of incantation? Did she not most + wonderfully raise up the spirit of Samuel? Or are we to look upon the + story of the witch of Endor in the same light as those of modern witches? + That the prophets of the Jews were repeatedly deceived, we cannot have the + smallest doubt when 400 of these gentlemen told a downright lie to Ahaz. + But you have a very easy expedient in all these cases. When a prophet + tells a lie, you may, as was done in this particular case, attribute it to + a design of God to cheat the person who consults his oracles, just as + Jupiter did of old to Agamemnon when he sent him the false dream. + </p> + <p> + You reproach Thomas Paine for want of candour. He has not, you say, + examined the general design of the Old Testament There he would find the + benevolence of the God of the Jews, and his infinite goodness in selecting + them from among the nations, in preserving them from idolatry. If he chose + this people he has certainly exposed them to continual sufferings, and all + for no other purpose than to teach mankind that idolatry is the greatest + of crimes; that to avoid it, murder, plunder, the crusades, the + inquisition, persecution, may all be laudable means for the preservation + of the faith of nations. Thus, the cherished people, who were most + intimate with their God, committed the most enormous crimes, under the + pretence of preserving pure their adoration of the implacable God Jehovah. + Did not all the endeavours of Jehovah to rescue nations from idolatry + prove fruitless? This despicable creature man has been able to effect what + mighty Jehovah never accomplished. Science is the only antidote against + all kinds of superstition. Did Cicero adore stocks or stones? Or did ever + any learned man among the heathens humble himself before idols? Has not + the principal branch of the church of Christ been notorious idolaters? But + what avails all this? Have you proved that the Heathens "emulated in the + transcendent flagitiousness of their lives, the impure morals of their + gods?" You assert it; but unluckily it is one of the many unsupported and + assumed propositions in your pamphlet. Did nations necessarily imitate the + conduct of their gods, I would tremble at being among the followers of the + bloody Jehovah. The heathens were certainly dreamers in their adoration of + the planets; we are taught by science, that these bodies resemble our + earth in the general laws that govern them. It was natural for rude men to + gaze at the sublimity of the stupendous fabric, the refulgency of the sun; + the blessings derived from his genial influence could not be contemplated + without admiration by the amazed and fearful savage. Idolatry is + ridiculous: but have you proved that Jehovah deserves more to be revered + than the Great Whole of nature, whether called Pan, or otherwise disguised + in emblems, than the harmony of the planets designed by symbols, the + generative powers by Venus, or the vivifying light emanating from the + bright orb of Apollo? Confess at least, that the allegorical adoration of + nature could only deceive the multitude who were kept in ignorance by + their priests. If you are candid, you must acknowledge, that the + Polytheists were tolerant, that the Atheists or Deists lectured close, to + the temple. They did not exterminate nations, establish inquisitions, + murder unbelievers as the Jews, and the Christians; although, as you + observe, they received the gift of God through Jesus Christ, and were made + alive by the covenant of grace. + </p> + <p> + In what consists the superiority of the Jewish or Christian notions of + God? Jehovah is a being incomprehensible; he is a jealous and a revengeful + God, he hardens men's hearts, and sacrifices whole nations to a particular + people, who, in their turn, are sacrificed for the boasted scheme of + general good, which is never the nearer being accomplished. He must be + adored and revered, and yet he does not make himself known to man. He does + not even show himself face to face to any but Moses. You pay no great + compliment to his omnipotence, when you observe, that "probably he could + not give to such a being as man a full manifestation of the end for which + he designs him, nor of the means requisite for that end;"—and, "that + it may not be possible for the Father of the universe to explain to us, + infants in apprehension, the goodness and the wisdom of his dealings with + the sons of man." Jehovah, in short, equally the offspring of fancy with + the Heathen Jupiter, is as cruel as Moloch, and, like other productions of + the brain, an invisible phantom, to which priests give the passions of a + tyrant; and, in their desire that he should reign alone, that men should + not worship other deities, his ministers have preached up this God, and + the multitude, eager to admire what they cannot comprehend, have followed + the mandates of the pretended interpreters of his will. Still, however, + the greatest number of ignorant men are, and will ever be, idolaters; in + vain their spiritual guides preach up incomprehensible and ideal beings in + an unintelligible jargon; man will always seek to satisfy his senses. Even + the immediate presence of Jehovah, and his horrid massacres, could not + prevent the favourite nation from following other gods. Even the inspired, + the wise, the royal Solomon forsook "the God of Israel, holy, just, and + good," for "the impure rabble of heathen Baalim." + </p> + <p> + According to your nations, according to the doctrines of the Jewish and + the Christian churches, the sole aim of God has been to be exclusively + adored, and jealousy is his prominent feature. It is not in the pursuit of + knowledge, or in the practice of morality that he delights. The precepts + of social virtue occasionally scattered through the Old, as well as the + New Testament, can make little impression when contrasted with the + vindictive cruelty of the Deity. The Jewish Jehovah requires nothing of + his followers but their compliance in executing his bloody commands + against nations whom he calls impious, because he has not revealed himself + to them. The man after his own heart, is the murderer of thousands of + innocent people. Christ orders his followers to despise the reason he has + given them, to avoid pleasure, to hate the world, and to love pain, to + pray, and to spend their lives in continual mortification, and in gazing + over unintelligible mysteries to acquire his kingdom. If they fail to + believe in him, whether from ignorance or from conviction, he punishes + them with eternal damnation, or as <i>Saint</i> Athanasius emphatically + expresses it in his celebrated creed, "Whosoever believeth in these things + shall be saved; and whosoever believeth not shall be damned." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0009" id="link2H_4_0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LETTER VII. + </h2> + <p> + I now bring under review a few passages from <i>Holy Writ</i>, which I + leave to your Lordship to explain, and which scoffers pretend to say are + undeniable proofs of the stupidity of the Jews, and gross ideas they had + of God. I shall follow the order of the books without attempting an + arrangement. + </p> + <p> + Genesis, chap. iii. ver. 1. "Now the serpent was more subtle than any + beast of the field which the Lord had made; and he said unto the woman, + yea hath God said," &c. + </p> + <p> + This Mr. Serpent would make a fine figure in Ęsop's fables. They say it + means the Devil, but how does that appear? + </p> + <p> + In ver. 22. and 23. "And behold the Lord said, the man is become one of + us, (i. e. one of us Gods), to know good and evil, And now lest he put + forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for + ever; therefore, the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to + till the ground from whence he was taken." + </p> + <p> + This shows strongly that boasted attribute of God, Jealousy. Is it + consistent with a Deity to punish this pair, and all their progeny, for + their attempt to know good from evil? We here find that the priests have + made God expressly after their own image. God's selfishness prevented men + from eating of the other tree, which would make him live for ever. <i>Queritur,</i> + then, at what period of the world did the soul of man become immortal? Was + it not till Jesus Christ came? And was this tree a type of him, as the + bread and wine are at this day? It appears also, that it was not one, but + two trees, that were prohibited! + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. xxxii. ver. 24. "And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a + man with him, until the breaking of the day; (this shows the antiquity and + high authority of sparring); and when he saw that he prevailed not against + him, he touched the hollow of his thigh (Mendoza like): and the hollow of + Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, let + me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, unless + thou bless me. And he said unto him, what is thy name? And he said, Jacob. + And he said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; (which, + in Chaldee signifies seeing God); for as a prince hast thou power with God + and with men, and hast prevailed. (Or, as the Vulgate more correctly + translates, for if thou hast been to oppose the Lord, how much more shall + thou prevail against men). And Jacob called the name of the place Penial: + for I have seen God face to face." This passage requires no comment. + </p> + <p> + Exodus, chap. iii. ver. 4. "And when the Lord saw that he (Moses) turned + aside to see, God called unto him out of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. + And he said, here am I." This is a pretty play at bo-peep. + </p> + <p> + Ib. ver. 14. "And God said unto Moses, I am that I am; and he said, thus + shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you." + </p> + <p> + Divines hold this passage to be a great instance of sublimity!!! + </p> + <p> + Ib. ver. 21. "And I will give this people favour in the sight of the + Egyptians, and it shall come to pass, that when ye go away, ye shall not + go empty, but every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, jewels of silver, + and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and + your daughters, and ye shall spoil the Egyptians." + </p> + <p> + Here the Jews made God after their own image; and the dealings of that + nation in silver, gold, and clothes, at this day, show that they have not + forgotten their God. It is not easy for divines to reconcile this with + God's other precept in the eighth commandment. + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. iv. ver. 24. "And it came to pass by the way in the inn, (by the + way, were there inns then in Egypt?) that the Lord met him (Moses) and + sought to kill him!!! Then Zepporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the + foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet." + </p> + <p> + This business of the circumcision is brought in rather by the head and the + shoulders, and the cause of it is not quite clear; but it is very evident + that the Lord could not kill Moses. + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. xxxii. ver. 27. "And he (Moses learning that the Jews had made a + golden calf), said unto them, (the sons of Levi, i.e. the priests,) thus + saith the Lord God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side, and go + in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his + brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour; and the + children of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and there fell of the + people that day about three thousand." + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. xxxiii. ver. 9. "And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the + tabernacle, the pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, + and the Lord (who was in the pillar) talked with Moses." + </p> + <p> + In this manner modern goddesses stop their carriages at shop-keepers' + doors at this day. + </p> + <p> + Ib. ver. 90. "And he (God) said, thou canst not see my face, for there + shall no man see me and live." God must here have forgotten his dialogue + with Adam and Eve, his wrestling with Jacob, and conversations with Moses. + In Numbers, chap. xii. ver. 6 and 8, he says, "Hear now my words: If there + be a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make myself known to him in a + vision, and will speak to him in a dream," but, "with thee (Moses) will I + speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches, and the + similitude of the Lord shall you behold." + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. xxi. ver..5. "And the people spoke against God, and against + Moses, wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the + wilderness, for there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our + soul loatheth this light bread." No wonder the Jews tired of living upon + manna without water, but the Lord taught them not to grumble. "And the + Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and + much people of Israel died." When God was tired of making his serpents + bite the poor devils, he said unto Moses, "Make thee, a fiery serpent, and + set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass, that every one that is + bitten when he looketh upon it shall live." This is below all the tricks + of necromancers. + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. xxv. "And the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters + of Moab. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the + Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, take all + the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, + that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And + Moses said unto the judges, slay every one of these men who were joined + unto Baal-peor. And behold one of the children of Israel came, and brought + unto his brethren a Midianitish woman, in the sight of Moses, &c. And + when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he + rose from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he + went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them + through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly, so the plague + was stopped from the children of Israel, and these that died in the plague + were 24,000." As a reward for this, the Lord gave Phinehas the everlasting + priesthood, "because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for + the children of Israel." + </p> + <p> + Ib. chap. xxvi. Dathan, Korah, and Abirim strove against Moses and Aaron, + and the earth swallowed them up, and the fire devoured 250 men. + </p> + <p> + lb. chap. xxxi. ver. 16, there was a plague among the congregation of the + Lord, on account of the tres pass against the Lord, when he ordered thus, + "Now, therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every + woman that hath known man by lying with him; but all the women children + that hath not known man by lying with him, keep for yourselves." For the + observation on this passage, I refer my reader to Bishop Watson, and the + former part of this work. + </p> + <p> + The following ought to be the fate of all idolatrous people, and has been + happily practised in the discoveries made by most European nations. + Deuteronomy chap. xiii. ver. 13. "Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants + of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all + that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword." + </p> + <p> + Joshua, chap. vi. v. 21. "And they utterly de-, stroyed all that was in + the city, (Jericho), both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, + and ass, with the edge of the sword. And they burnt the city with fire, + and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels + of brass, and of iron, they put it into the treasury of the house of the + Lord." + </p> + <p> + Chap. x. Joshua being attacked by five kings, and they having taken + shelter in a cave, he caused great stones to be rolled to the mouth of the + cave, till he followed and destroyed the people, then he ordered the five + kings to be brought out from the cave, "And it came to pass, that when + they brought out those five kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all + the men in Israel, and said unto the men of war, come near, put your feet + upon the necks of these kings, and they came near, and put their feet upon + the necks of them. And afterwards Joshua smote them, and slew them, Joshua + took Makdekah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king + thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; + he let none remain." And so he did in all to 31 kings, as related in this + and the following chapters, and all this by the express command of God, + who made the sun and the moon both stand still to witness these unprovoked + atrocities. But this was just; God having given that country to his chosen + people the Jews, as in latter times his vicegerent the Pope gave America + to the Portuguese and Spaniards, who, Joshua-like, exterminated the kings + and people, because they were not Christians. This, as you say, serves the + general scheme of God's benevolence towards mankind. + </p> + <p> + Judges, chap.i. ver. 4. And the Lord having delivered the Canaanites and + the Perizzites into the hands of Judah, "They slew of them in Bezek 1000 + men. But Adonibezek fled, and they pursued after him, and caught him, and + cut off his thumbs, and his great toes." lb. ver. 19- "And the Lord was + with Judah, and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but <i>could + not</i> drive out the inhabitants of the valley!" Why? "Because they had + chariots of iron." Chap. iv. recounts the manner in which Deborah and + Barak delivered Israel from Jabin and Si-aera. Ver. 21. Then Jael, + Hebber's wife, (to whose tent Sisera had fled), "took a nail of the tent, + and a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail + into his temples, and fastened it into the ground, (<i>a goodly nail</i>), + for he was fast asleep and weary, so he died." Chap. 5, contains the <i>beautiful</i> + song of Deborah and Barak, which I particularly request my reader to + peruse, as a finished piece of scripture praise of good words. Chap. xxi. + relates, that the Israelites having sworn not to give their daughters to + the Benjamites, and the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead not having come up to + Minzeh, "the congregation sent 19,000 men of the valiantest, and commanded + them, saying, go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge + of the sword, with the women and the children: utterly destroy every male, + and every woman that hath lain by man;" but, having found 400 young + virgins that had known no man by lying with any male," they gave them to + the sons of Benjamin, "and yet so they sufficed them not." So as they had + sworn not to give them wives of their own daughters, "therefore, they + commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, go and lie in wait in the + vineyards, and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloch come out to + dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every + man his wife." + </p> + <p> + First Samuel, chap. vi. The ark of the Lord having been among the + Philistines seven months, they, unwilling to send it back empty, asked the + priests and diviners, what they should send in it as a trespass offering? + "they answered, five golden emerods, and five golden mice,—-and ye + shall give glory unto the God of Israel,—and make a new cart, and + take two milch kine, and take the ark of the Lord and lay it on the cart;" + and they did so, "and they of Beth-shemesh lifted up their eyes, and saw + the ark, and rejoiced to see it,—and the men of Beth-shemesh offered + burnt-offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord,—and + he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of + the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and + ten men." Gracious God! Blessed Jews! + </p> + <p> + Second Samuel, chap. xxiv. ver. 1. "And the anger of the Lord was kindled + against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, go number Israel + and Judah." (In first Chronicles, chap. xxi. ver. 1, it stated, "and Satan + stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.") And having + thus instigated David to do what is good policy in a king, God, of his + infinite mercy, said unto David by his prophet Grad, David's seer, (an + officer of the household in those days), "I offer thee three things: shall + seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land, or wilt thou flee three + months before thine enemies, or that there be three days pestilence in thy + land?" And David having chosen the latter, "the Lord sent a pestilence + upon Israel, and there died of the people 70,000 men but the Lord is ever + merciful, for, "when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to + destroy it, the Lord <i>repented</i> him of the evil, and said to the + angel that destroyed the people, it is enough, stay thou thine hand," <i>Delirant + reges, plectuntur Achivi</i>. + </p> + <p> + 1 Kings, chap. ii. David being upon his death-bed, having made peace with + God, and purified his heart, called Solomon to him and gave him his last + charge. As to Joab, the son of Zeruiah, he said, "do according to thy + wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace,—and + behold thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, which cursed me, but he + came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I + will not put thee to death by the sword; now, therefore, (<i>proceeds the + man after God's own heart</i>), hold him not guiltless; for thou art a + wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him, but his hoar head + bring thou down to the grave with blood." Solomon having succeeded his + father, the first act of his reign was to put to death his brother + Adonijah. + </p> + <p> + 1 Kings, chap. xi. ver. 4, "Solomon's heart was not perfect with the Lord + his God, as was the heart of David his father, for it came to pass, that, + when he was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods." But why go + through such barbarous details? All along we find imprecations against + those who despise the prophets, and praises lavished upon murderers, + traitors, and assassins. This is the people "selected by the wisdom of + God, that they might witness to the whole world in successive ages his + existence and attributes, that they might be an instrument of subverting + idolatry, of declaring the name of the God of Israel throughout the whole + earth a people, who are to us witnesses of the existence, and of the moral + government of God."—This is the Old Testament, which you presume to + say afforded matter for the laws of Solon, and a foundation for the + philosophy of Plato,—which has been admired and venerated for its + piety, its sublimity, its veracity, by all who <i>are able to read and + understand it!!!</i> This is the God who maketh the sun to rise on the + evil and on the good, who is all perfection, all wise, and all powerful, + and whose mercy is above all his other attributes." + </p> + <p> + THE END. + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Watson Refuted, by Samuel Francis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WATSON REFUTED *** + +***** This file should be named 40978-h.htm or 40978-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/9/7/40978/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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