Five Pebbles from the Brook Part 8

[fn29 Which is of the same family as the religion of Thibet. The Christians believe that G.o.d became incarnate in the infant Jesus.

The Thibetians and Chinese believe that G.o.d is incarnate in the person of the Grand Lama. And each of them considers the other as "ignorant and deluded idolaters."]

[fn30 All the Christians throughout the world, except the Protestants who do not const.i.tute more than a fifth of the Christian world, kneel and pray before the crucifix, images, and pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. Their churches are crowded with images and pictures, before which they burn lamps, tapers, and incense. The great toe of the right foot of an ancient bronze statue of Jupiter, christened St. Peter, in the magnificent Church of St. Peter at Rome, is nearly worn off by the devout kisses and rubbings of the wors.h.i.+ppers of that Saint, If the spirit of the Unitarian Jew Peter, could animate that statue, I believe that the foot of it would have long since kicked the teeth down the throat of some of his wors.h.i.+ppers. See Appendix, G. G.]

[fn31 That Mary is "the Mother of G.o.d!" is the creed of all the Christian sects except the Protestants, and Nestorians.

The European and Asiatic Christian churches, except a precious handful of Unitarians, appear to act upon the principles of the old Samaritans. So these nations feared Jehovah, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children; as did their Fathers, so do they unto this day." 2 Kings xvii 41. Their religion is as inconsistent and inconsequent as the conduct of Nebuchadnezzar; who "answered unto Daniel, and said, of a truth it is that your G.o.d is a G.o.d of G.o.ds, and a Lord of Lords," Dan.

ch. ii. 47. And who, notwithstanding, set up an idol of gold, and commanded all peoples, nations, and languages to fall down and wors.h.i.+p the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up: and threatened that whoso falleth not down; and wors.h.i.+ppeth should be cast into a burning fiery furnace." ch. iii, and who on another occasion "acknowledged and blessed the most high, and praised and honoured him that liveth forever and ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation:" ch. iv. and who notwithstanding destroyed his Temple, and lodged its sacred vessels in the treasure house of his idol. The service of the Christian churches not Protestant resembles Bellshazzar's feast. They drink out of the golden, and silver vessels, which they have "taken out of the Temple of the house of G.o.d which was in Jerusalem," and praise the G.o.ds of gold, of silver, of bra.s.s, of wood, and of stone,[fn32]

which see not, nor hear, nor know. And the result of the business, if the Old Testament predict the truth, will be, that the mysterious menaces written by the figures of G.o.d, will be fulfilled in confusion, wo, and destruction]

[fn32 I allude to the crucifixes, images, and pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Saints, with which all Christian churches, not protestant are filled.]

[fn33 for "come" read "came"]

[fn34 This is incorrect, Bethlehem is at present one of most populous cities in Palestine.]

[fn35 I request the reader to look at the Hebrew of Gen. x 14.

which Mr. Everett must have neglected to do: as otherwise I cannot account for his having referred to a pa.s.sage which directly establishes my interpretation of the pa.s.sage in Micah against his own. I trust that this little circ.u.mstance will induce Mr. Everett to have a fellow feeling for some errors which he says exists [fn36] in my first publication. He will find some further proofs adduced from his book in the course of this work, of the truth of the old adage, "humanium est errare."]

[fn36 for "exists" read "exist"]

[fn37 v. 10. of the ix. Ch. Of Zechariah, "and I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battlebow shall be cut off; [i.e. there shall be war no more]; and he [i.e. the Messiah,] shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." Has this been yet fulfilled or have the nations called Christians, for the last 180 years, been more peaceable than others? on the contrary, is it not they who have perfectionated the arts of war and destruction!]

[fn38 "I render me," says Mr. Everett, "because I cheerfully allow"

with Eichorn and De Rossi in loco, that it is supported by most authorities." Why then does Mr. Everett abuse and insult me, p.

103, 104., for neglecting to notice the other reading he mentions, which he considers not to be the true one! If it be erroneous, what is it good for and if it be false, how has the inspired Evangelist quoted a false reading, (Gospel according to John ch. xix. 34.

&c.,) in order to make out a prophecy?

I had objected in my first publication that the a.s.sertion of Stephen, when filled with the Holy Ghost, that "When Abraham went out of the land of the Chaldees, he dwelt in Haran, from thence, after his father was dead, G.o.d led him unto this land in which ye dwell."

Acts vii. 4., directly contradicts the chapter in Genesis, where the Story of Abraham's leaving Haran is related, for it is certain from thence, that Abraham left his father Zerah[fn39] in Haran alive when he departed, and that he did not die till many ' years afterwards."

On this Mr. Everett observes, "The difficulty is this, that Zerah is said in Genesis ch. 11. to have been seventy years old when Abraham was born, and to have lived two hundred and five years.

But Abraham is also said to have left Haran when he was aged seventy-five years [Genesis xii. 14.]; at which time of course; his Father was one hundred and forty-five years old, and therefore must have lived sixty years after his son Abraham left Haran. But Stephen in the pa.s.sage in question says, that Abraham left Haran after his Father was dead. Now this direct contradiction is quite cleared up by the Samaritan copies of the Pentateuch, which give the whole age of Zerah exactly 145 years: and confirm the account of Stephen, that Abraham waited till the decease of his father, and then immediately left Haran. Had Mr. English no light upon this subject, but what he derived from his unlettered Rabbi, or even from the Commentators whose "troubles" he finds or feigns, one could not blame him for pa.s.sing over this fact in silence. But I remember well the time, when Mr. English collected[fn40] the text of the Samaritan copy as it stands in Kennicott's Bible, for the express purpose of ascertaining the diversity of the Hebrew and Samaritan texts. To suppress now a reading from this copy, which entirely removes his objection, argues a deplorable forgetfulness, or a willful fraud; and it would be a piece of affectation in me to speak of it in milder terms," p.

340. of Mr. Everett's work.

To put this courteous language to the blush, it is only necessary to observe, that the most distinguished Hebrew Critics [I think, if my memory does not deceive me, I may name De Rossi, for instance,] adhere to the reading of the Hebrew bible as the true one, and have not suffered themselves to be swayed by the strong Christian motives which have bia.s.sed Mr. Everett in this instance. Stephen, who was a Jew, would also never have given the preference to a reading-of the Pentateuch of the Samaritan's, which also abounds with blunders. The Gentile author of the Book of Acts probably fabricated the speech.]

[fn39 for "Zerah" read "Terah"]

[fn40 for "collected" read "collated"]

[fn41 Mr. Everett, in. a note to p. 194 of his work, speaks of Salathiel and Zorobabel as succeeding to the "throne of Judah after the Babylonish captivity. Any one who will read the books of Ezra and Nehemiah with attention, will be satisfied that this language is quite ridiculous: forasmuch as that Salathiel was a captive slave at Babylon, and Zorobabel was but at best the Governor of Judea for the King of Persia, and all the Jews under his command were subject to the orders of Tabnai[fn42] and Shether Boznia. "Governors beyond the river" for the Persian King. See Ezra ch. ix. 8, 9. Neh. ch. vi. 6, 7. and ch. ix. 37. In this and in many other instances, Mr. Everett in order to gain his cause, has been obliged to forget the command recorded in "the beggarly elements," to have been given from Mount Sinai, "thou shalt not speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment." Exod. xxiii, 2. There are, however, cases in which lawyers allow that this precept may be dispensed with, particularly if the cause be of great importance: and more particularly still when the client pays well.]

[fn42 for "Romans" read "Asmonaeans" for "Tabnai" read "Tatnai"]

[fn43 The Jewish Rabbies have been treated, by the Christian controversial writers, in the same manner as the foolish King of Israel was treated, by the messengers of the defeated Benhadad.

"Now the men [the messengers of Benhadad] did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch at it." 1 Kings, ch. xx 33. The famous work of Dr. Allix, exposed by Nye, where Allix tries to show by quotations from Jewish writings, that the ancient Jews were Trinitarians, is a notable instance of this. Mr. Everett's work itself, enables me to lay before the reader one at least, which will verify my observation.

Mr. Cary in his refutation of my first work, quoted with great solemnity, one Rabbi Alshek as maintaining that the 53d. of Isaiah referred to the Messiah. Every one of Mr. Cary's lay readers, undoubtedly have supposed that this was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But it was not. The whole truth leaks out in Mr. Everett's work, in a note to p. 143, where Mr.

Everett says, that this famous Rabbi "having acknowledged that the prophet had the Messiah in view [in the 53d. of Isaiah,], he afterwards applied the oracle to some other person, and finally to Moses!" Now in the name of common sense I would, ask, of what value can the testimony and authority of a man be, who could be capable of such contradictory nonsense as this.

The Jewish Rabbies, in general, have verified completely the prediction of the prophet. "Jehovah said, Forasmuch as this people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precepts of men, [possibly alluding to the traditions of the elders,] therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid," Is. ch. Xxix.

13, 14.

Mr. Everett says, that it is notorious that the Rabbies the most contemptible critics on the sacred writings that have appeared, p.

49. and in another part of his work, says that they are so silly that he is almost ashamed to quote them, 229. Notwithstanding all this, he is continually justifying his own follies by appealing to theirs: such is Mr. Everett's respect for the understandings of his readers, that he is continually hauling the poor Rabbies to the bar of the public; he makes them "hold up their culprit paws," and pinches their ears to make them say what he pleases. His pages are crowded with their names; unutterable names; names which reduce "arms! and George! and Brunswick!" into tameness and insignificance. If such means of defending Christianity are successful, I shall no longer doubt that it was possible for the Devil Asmodus to have been corked up in a bottle by the hard words of a conjurer.]

[fn44 for "carinficina," read "carnificina"]

[fn45 Or "soliloquize upon" the original word in the Hebrew is used in this sense in Is. ch. xiv. 16]

[fn46 "Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples," says Jer. Lam. ch. iii. 45.]

[fn47 The prophet here compares Israel to the scape goat, who had the sins of the people-laid upon him, and was banished into the wilderness.]

[fn48 for "with" read "through"]

[fn49 Or "fierce oppressor." See Eichorn's Lex. In loc.]

[fn50 "In deaths often" says Paul, meaning terrible dangers or sufferings.]

[fn51 Mr. Everett in his zeal to catch me at a fault with regard to this prophecy of Isaiah, has himself stumbled and fallen. I had maintained in my first work, in reference to this pa.s.sage, that of the subject of this prophecy it is; said, "He shall see his seed and shall prolong his days," and that therefore it could not relate to Jesus who had no posterity. Mr. Everett in his remarks upon this p. 147 of his work, spiritualises the word "seed," and says it relates to the church, and he exclaims against me as follows, p.

147. "What indolent carelessness it is to say that the word seed shall not be spiritualized here, when the very next verse says, he shall see the travail of his soul." "What poor mortals we are," says Sir Hugh! If Mr. Everett will look at the Hebrew, he will find that the "indolent carelessness" he speaks of, was not mine but his; for the Hebrew word translated travail, has no reference whatever to childbearing, but signifies fearful toil, or painful distress. The English word travail, in the time of the translators of the Bible had this signification. They have employed it in this signification in the pa.s.sages following: "And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done unto Pharoah and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way." Ex.

ch. xviii. 8. Again, "this sore travail hath G.o.d given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith." Eccles. i. 13. As Mr. Everett says, p.114 of his work, "It is good to be positive but better to be correct; and the reader I doubt not will agree with me, that such dogmatical blundering as this is prevent-. ed from being offensive only as it is ludicrous."]

[fn52 The prophet represents here, that Israel should be to the nations what Aaron was to the Jews. Aaron was considered as bearing away the sins of the Jews on the day of atonement. "Ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah, and in men shall call you the ministers of our G.o.d." Is. ch. lxi. 6.]

[fn53 Have their complaints been "fiercer" than the flames of the piles of Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, Italy, Germany, and England, in which thousands of them have been burnt to ashes? For shame!

Mr. Everett. The recording angel may drop a tear upon what you have written, not to blot it out, but in compa.s.sion for the miseries for which you seem to think words of "complaint" are an equivalent.]

[fn54 Mr. Everett, after having poured forth what is quoted above, very consistently adds in a note to p. 137, "I cheerfully agree with one of the most active benefactors of the Jewish nation, who while he acknowledges these facts, changes the blame of them to the Christians." Very true, and truly I do not know, what right one man has to trample another into the mire, and then abuse him for being dirty. Mr. Everett remarks upon the same subject, p. 210, "Bowed down with universal scorn, they have been called secret and sullen; cut off from pity and charity, they have been thought selfish and unfeeling, and are summoned to believe on the Prince of Peace by ministers clothed with terror and death." What an unconscious comment from the pen of a Christian on the words of the prophet. "He was despised and the outcast of men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering, and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not."]

[fn55 I have had the satisfaction to find, since my return to America, that the distinguished Christian Hebraeist, Rosenmuller, in his notes on the Old Testament, maintains as I do, that the 53d.

of Isaiah, refers not to Christ, but to the Hebrew nation, of which the following extract from the work referred to may serve as proof, "In tot. V. T. locis Messias tam variis modis describatur, tamen ne unic.u.m quidem vestigium deprehenditur unde collegere jure posset existima.s.se veteres Haebreos Messiam quem expectabant talia esse perpessurum quae ministrum divinum hac pericopa, [Is.

53.] descriptum perpessum esse legimus. Ubicunque vel in Psalmis vel in prophaetarum libris de Messia agitur semper n.o.bis proponitur imago potentissimi regis, felicissimi herois, gloriossissimi reipublicae statoris, coloribus ab imperii Davidici aut Salomonei flore, regumque orientalium pompa sumptis depicta."

Rosenmuller's notes on the 53d. of Isaiah.]

[fn56 for "will" read "well"]

[fn57 "Thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people."

says Sampson's Philistine wife to him, Judges ch. xiv. 16.]

[fn58 I had made the same objection in my first publication. Mr.

Everett, in his elaborate view of my arguments upon the 53d. of Isaiah, has not thought proper to notice this objection: possibly he thought it a trivial one.]

[fn59 Buxtorf's remark upon the very word in Is. 53. ch. is "arctatus, coarctatus, oppressus, oppressus tuit, propria exactiquibus." Buxtorf's Heb. Lex. Mr. Everett p. 146 of his work says, that Robertson declares that the radical idea of the word which Mr. English insists upon rendering "he was oppressed by pecuniary exactions", to be "fearful distress." To this I answer, that Robertson was a Christian and had a reason for saying so.]

[fn60 The only works I have had to aid me in the composition of this book, are Mr. Everett's work, a Hebrew Bible, [fn61] and Lexicon, and the English Bible. I have not been able to procure any thing beyond this in Egypt, and think myself fortunate in having so much.]