CHAPTER XIX.
A CONSIDERATION OF SOME SUPPOSED ADVANTAGES ATTRIBUTED TO THE NEW, OVER THE OLD, TESTAMENT; AND WHETHER THE DOCTRINE OF A RESURRECTION, AND A LIFE TO COME, IS NOT TAUGHT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; IN CONTRADICTION TO THE ASSERTION, THAT "LIFE AND IMMORTALITY WERE BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE GOSPEL." From the preceding chapters, you may judge, reader, of the justice and truth of the opinion, that "the yoke of Christian morality is easy, and its "burthen light;" and also of the veracity and fairness of that constant assertion of divines, "that Jesus came to remove the heavy yoke of the Mosaic Law, and to substitute in its room one of easier observance."-- Whether this, their assertion, be not rash, and ill founded, I will cheerfully leave to be decided by any cool and thinking man, who knows human nature, and is acquainted with the human heart.

I say, I would cheerfully leave it to such a man, "whether the Mosaic Law, with all its numerous rites, and ceremonial observances, nay, with all "the (ridiculous) traditions of the Elders," superadded, would not be much more bearable to human nature, and much easier to be observed and obeyed, than such precepts as these, "Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor." "If a man ask thy cloak, give him thy coat also." "Resist not the injurious person, but if a man smite thee on one cheek, turn to him the other also." "Extirpate and destroy all carnal affection, and love nothing, but religion." "Take no thought for to-morrow;"-- I am confident that the decision would be given in my favour; and have no doubt, that with thinking men, the contrary opinion would be instantly rejected with the contempt it merits.
Whether the Mosaic Code be the best possible, or really divine, is of no consequence in this inquiry, and is with me another question from that of its inferiority to that of the New Testament.

I do by no means assert the former; but have no hesitation to give my opinion, after a pretty thorough examination of the subject, that the reflections of Paul, and those usually thrown out against the Mosaic Code by Theologians, when comparing it with that of the New Testament, in order to deprecate the former, appear to me extremely partial and unjust; and so far from true, that I think, that the ancient law has the advantage over the precepts of the New Testament, in being, at least, practicable and consistent.* Another unfounded reproach which Theologians, in order to magnify the importance of the New Testament, cast upon the Old, is this: They say, that the Old Testament represents God only as the tutelary Deity of the Israelites, and as not so much concerned for the rest of mankind.

To show that this is a very mistaken notion, and to manifest that the Eternal of the Old Testament is represented therein, not as the God of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, I refer to these words:--"The Lord thy God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible; who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.

He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless, and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.