Chapter LXIII: Section 2: Proof From the Epistles

We come now to the _direct_ evidence: that evidence--all of it from Paul's own pen:--all of it from his own Epistles. It consists in those "teachings to forsake Moses," which will be now furnished, in such unequivocal terms and such ample abundance, in and by those fruits of his misty and crafty eloquence:--in the first place, in his letter to the disciples, which he had made, or hoped to make at Rome:--date of it, according to the received chronology, about four years anterior to the time here in question:--in the next place, in two successive letters to the disciples, whom, it appears, he had made at Corinth:--both these addresses, set down, as belonging to the same year as the one to the Romans. Moreover, in his so often mentioned Epistle to the Galatians, matter of the same tendency is to be found. But, this last being, according to that same chronology, of a date posterior by some years to the time, at which the charge of having preached the sort of doctrine in question was, on the present occasion, made,--it belongs not to the present question, and is therefore left unemployed. And, in the same case, is some matter that might be found in his Epistles to the Thessalonians.

1. First then as to the Mosaic "law and customs," taken in the aggregate.

On this subject, see in the first place what the oath-taker had said to his _Romans_.

Rom 15:14. "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there
is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to
be unclean, to him it is unclean."--17. "For the kingdom of God
is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost."

Rom 3:20. "_By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified_ in his, God's sight; for by the law is the knowledge of
sin."

Rom. 3:27, 28, 29, 30, 31. "Where is boasting then? It is excluded.
By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of the faith.--
Therefore, we conclude, that _a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law_.--Is _he_ the God of the Jews only? is
_he_ not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:--
Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by
faith, and uncircumcision through faith.--_Do we then make void_
_the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law._"

Rom. 10:9. "... if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.[60]--12. For there is no
difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over
all is rich unto all that call upon him.--For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."[61]

Rom 14:2. "... one believeth that he may eat all things: another
who is weak, eateth herbs.--Let not him that eateth despise him
that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that
eateth; for God hath received him.--_One man esteemeth one day
above another: another esteemeth every day alike._[62]"

1 Cor. 6:12. "_All things are lawful unto me_, but all things are
not expedient:" or _profitable_ margin, "all things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.--_Meats
for the belly_, and _the belly for meats_; but God shall destroy
both it and them."

1 Cor. 8:8. "But _meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we
eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the
worse_.--Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will
eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to
offend."

1 Cor. 9:19-23. 19. "For though I be free from all men, yet have I
made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.--_And
unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews_; to
them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain
them that are under the law:--_To them that are without law, as
without law_, being not without law to God but under the law to
Christ, _that I might gain them that are without law_.--To the
weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all
things to all men, that I might by all means save some.--And
this I do for the Gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof
with you."

2 Cor. 3:12 to 17. "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use
great plainness of speech.--And not as _Moses, which put a vail
over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly
look to the end of that which is abolished_.--But their minds
were blinded; for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken
away in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away
in Christ.--But even unto this day, _when Moses is read, the
vail is upon their heart_.--Nevertheless _when it shall turn to
the Lord, the vail shall be taken away_.--Now the Lord is that
spirit; and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

Now as to _circumcision_ in particular.

Rom. 2:25, 26, 27, 28, 29. "For _circumcision verily profiteth, if
thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy
circumcision is made uncircumcision.--Therefore if the
uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his
uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?_--And shall not
uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge
thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the
law?--For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is
that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:--But he is a
Jew, which is one inwardly: and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men,
but of God."

Rom. 3:1, 2. "What advantages then hath the Jew? or what profit is
there of circumcision?--Much every way: chiefly, because that
unto them were committed the oracles of God."

Rom. 4:9, 10, 11, 12. "_Cometh this blessedness then upon the
circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?_ for we say
that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.--How was
it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in
uncircumcision. Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.--And
he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness
of the faith which _he had yet_ being uncircumcised: that he might
be the father of all them that believe, though they be not
circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them
also:--And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the
circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of
our father Abraham, which he had being _yet_ uncircumcised."

Rom. 15:8. "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the
circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the premises made unto
the fathers."

1 Cor. 7:18. "Is any man called being circumcised? let him not
become uncircumcised. _Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not
be circumcised.--Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is
nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God._"

From any one individual, who, in either of these distant cities, had seen any one of these same Epistles,--let it now be seen whether information of their contents, supposing it credited, would not have sufficed to produce those effects, the existence of which is so unquestionable. Not but that the same rashness, which suffered him to furnish such abundant evidence against himself in those distant regions, could scarce fail to have given birth to credence in abundance, of various sorts, and of a character, which, on that occasion, would be much more impressive.

FOOTNOTES:

[55] On this occasion, supposing the purpose of this ceremony to be, as here contended, no other than that of applying, to a declaration concerning a matter of fact, the supernatural penal sanction, by which it was converted into an oath,--a natural enough subject of inquiry is--to what cause is to be attributed the extraordinary length thus given to it?--seven days at the least; to which, upon examination, would be found virtually added, as much greater a length of time, as the holy person, to whose custody the oath-taker consigned himself, might be pleased to prescribe. Answer, without difficulty,--the affording time and pretence for the exaction of his _surplice fees_:--namely, those established by law,--with the addition of others, to as large an amount, as the need which the oath-taker had of the accommodation thus to be afforded to him, could engage him to submit to. As to the length of time,--in the passage in question, the translation exhibits some obscurity: nor is it altogether cleared up by the original. A determinate number of days, to wit, seven, is indeed mentioned, ver. 27, but immediately before this, ver. 26, comes a passage, from whence it seems unquestionable, that, whatever were the time a man had been thus detained, he was not to be let out, until, over and above what good things it had been made necessary he should bring in with him, a further payment, and as it should seem, in a pecuniary shape, had been made: "to signify," says ver. 26, "the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them." "And when _the seven_ days were _almost_ ended," continues ver. 27: immediately after which comes the account of the tumult, by which they were prevented from being _quite_ ended.

As to the phrase--"_to signify the accomplishment of the days_," what seems to be meant by it is--to make known when the number requisite for the completion of the train of operations had been _accomplished_. But, to make known when that number had been _accomplished_, it was previously requisite to make known when it had _commenced_: and, for making _this_ known, the act, probably a public one, of making entrance into the temple, was employed.

As to the origin, as well as particular nature, of the ceremony,--though no such word as _Nazarite_ is here employed, on turning to the Book of _Numbers_, chapter the sixth, it will be manifest, that the ceremony here in question is the same as that, by which, according to the receipt there given, any man whatever, whether, and any woman also, must be left to conjecture, might be converted into a _Nazarite_. _Nazarite_ is from a Hebrew word, which meant originally neither more nor less than a person _separated_. A person consigned himself to the custody of "_the priest of the congregation_:" or, as we should now say, the _parson of the parish_. The ceremony accomplished, the patient was thereby put into a state of appropriate sanctity: and, from this metamorphosis, as the priest and the Nazarite could agree, any inference might be drawn, and any purpose at pleasure accomplished. Neither to the _extent_ of the inference, nor therefore to the _purpose_ designed, were any limits visible. Everything depended upon the priest: for, though of certain particular operations made requisite, a most particular list is given, all of them of the most insignificant character in themselves, yet so thickly and so plainly sown are the seeds of _nullity_, that, when all the appointed fees, of which there is also an enormous list[IV.], had been paid, it would still lie at the option of the priest, to pronounce the whole procedure null and void, unless, and until any such final compliment as he chose to expect, were paid to him. Among the most obviously, as well as extensively convenient purposes, to which it was capable of being applied, is this of which the present case affords an example: namely, the manufacturing of evidence: could he but find means to satisfy the priest, a man might, to all legal purposes, and even to the satisfaction of all appropriately disposed minds, prove, and with conclusive effect, any thing to be false, which everybody knew to be true. By fabrication, falsification, or suppression of evidence, what is the right that may not be usurped? what is the wrong that may not, with success and impunity, be committed?

In the Mosaic law, immediately before _this_ institution Numbers, chap. 5., comes another, by means of which every man, who was tired of his wife, might, in another way, with the assistance of a priest--and, for aught that appears, any priest--clear himself of that incumbrance. All the man had to do was--to _say_ he was "_jealous_" of her: the priest thereupon took charge of her. If priest and husband were agreed, "_the water of jealousy_" did its office: if not, the woman remained imprisoned. Against the superhuman evidence, afforded by the purifying process here in question, no quantity of human evidence was to be available. In like manner, to warrant this poisoning process, not any the smallest particle of human evidence was necessary: the case in which it is to be performed, is "_if there be no witness against her, neither she be taken_," says the text, _Numbers_ 5. 13. Verily, verily, not without sufficient cause, did Jesus, from first to last, take every occasion, to weaken the attachment of the people, to a system of law, of which those institutions afford two, among so many samples. Yet, while in the very act of depreciating it, is he represented as declaring his purpose to be the _fulfilling it_: Matt. 5. 17. for, such was the verbal veil, which the prejudices he had to encounter, rendered it necessary to him at the moment, to throw over the tendency of his endeavors. Fulfill the very law he was preaching against? Yes: but in one sense only: namely, by fulfilling--not the real purpose of it,--the establishment of the corrupt despotism of the priesthood,--but the professed purpose of it, the good of the community: in regard to the law, fulfilling, in a word, whatever there was that was good in it, whatever there was that deserved to be fulfilled. Jesus, in whose opinion death was too severe a punishment, for a wife, in the case of a breach, on _her_ part, of a contract, the breach of which was by the _other_ contending party practised with impunity--Jesus, who accordingly, in saving the offender, exposed to merited disgrace the sanguinary law--was doubtless still further from approving, that parish priests, in unlimited numbers, should poison innocent women for the accommodation of their husbands, or sell licenses to commit every imaginable wrong by perjury.

_Vow_ is _oath_: this is not the only occasion, in which the self-constituted Apostle, if his historiographer is to be believed, took the benefit, whatever it was, of this ceremony. In Acts 18:16, he "_shaved his head_," it is said, at Cenchrea:--why?--"for he had a vow upon him." What the vow was, we are not told; this, however, we know, as well from Acts 21:26, as from Numbers 6, he could not have got anything by it, had the parson of the parish of Cenchrea been otherwise than satisfied with the "_offering_" that was made.

[IV.] In the bargain between vow-maker and vow-sanctifier, the following list of fees, provided for sanctifier, by _Excellent Church_ of that country, in those days whatever they were,--may serve to show the use of it to one of the contracting parties. To complete our conception of the nature and effects of the arrangement, nothing is wanting, but that which so unhappily must for ever remain wanting--a history of the _purposes_, to which from the commencement of the government to the dissolution of it, the solemnity had been applied on the vow-maker's side. Of these purposes, we must content ourselves as well as we can with the sample, for which we are here indebted to the author of the Acts. The table of fees is as follows:

It is extracted from the Book of Numbers, chapter 6:1 to 21.

Fees to be paid in all cases: fees liquidated in quantity, and thence in value.

{ 1. He lamb of the first year, one.
I. { 2. Ewe-lamb of the first year, one.
{ 3. Ram without blemish, one.

Fees, not liquidated in quantity, and thus left to be liquidated in quantity, and thence in value, by the will of the priest.

{ 4. Basket of unleavened bread, one.
{ 5. Parcel of cakes of fine flour mingled with oil.
II. { 6. Parcel of wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, one.
{ 7. Meat-offering, one.
{ 8. Drink-offerings--numbers and respective quantities not
liquidated.

Fees payable, on a contingency: a contingency not describable without more time and labour, than would be paid for by the result.

III. { 9. Turtle-doves or pigeons, two.
{ 10. Lamb of the first year, one.

IV. Mysterious addition, the liquidation of which must be left to the Hebrew scholar. Ver. 21. "Besides _that_ that his hand shall get:" (whose hand? priest's or vow-maker's?) "according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation:"--probable meaning, according to the purpose, for which he performed the ceremony--the advantage which he looked for from it.

Moreover, by any one whose curiosity will carry him through the inquiry, causes of _nullity_ may be seen as sedulously and copiously provided, as if by the _astutia_ of an English judge, or pair of judges, to whose profit the fees were to be received: effect of the nullity, of course, repetition; necessity of repeating the process, as in case of _new trial_ or _arrest of judgment_, with the fees.

Religion was thus no less aptly served at Jerusalem, under Mosaic institutions,--than Justice is to this day, under matchless constitution and English institutions, at Westminster.

[56] Paul at the suit of Tertullus, A.D. 60. Acts 24:1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 11, 18.

"And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.--And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him,--Saying, We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:--Who also hath _gone about to profane the temple_; whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.--And the Jews also assented, saying, that these things were so.--Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered,--Thou mayest understand, that they are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.--Whereupon certain Jews from Asia _found me purified in the temple_, neither with multitude nor with tumult."

[57] Paul before Festus alone, A.D. 60. Acts 25:7, 8.

"And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove:--While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all."

[58] Paul before Festus and Agrippa, A.D. 62. Acts 26:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 21.

"Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:--I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews;--Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.--My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;--Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straightest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.--And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:--Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.--20. But showed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.--For these causes, the Jews _caught me in the temple_, and went about to kill me."

[59] "And when the seven days were almost ended," says Acts 21:27, "_the Jews which were of Asia_, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him."

[60] A cheap enough rate this, at which salvation is thus put up. Of what use then morality? Of what use is abstinence from mischievous acts, in what degree so ever mischievous? "Oh! but," says somebody, "though Paul said this, he meant no such thing:" and then comes something--anything--which it may suit the defender's purpose to make Paul say.

[61] Another receipt for making salvation still cheaper than as above. Not so Jesus. Matt. 7:21: "_Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven_; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

[62] Behold here the degree of importance attached by Paul to _sabbaths_.

CHAPTER XII.

More Falsehoods.--Resurrection Witnesses multiplied.--World's End
predicted.--To save credit, Antichrist invented.