Page:The old paths, or The Talmud tested by Scripture.djvu/174

ix. 6, 24.) Isaiah says of Israel, "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores." "Ah! sinful nation!—a people laden with iniquity; a seed of evil-doers—children that are corrupters." (Isaiah i. 4-6.) And again he says, "Woe is me, for I am undone: because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips." (Isaiah vi. 5.) Jeremiah says, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin and the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil." (Jer. xiii. 23.) And again, "All these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart." (Jer. ix. 26.) The Lord himself says to Ezekiel, "Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted." (Ezek. ii. 3, 4.) And again, "Thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel: not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand; surely had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee: for they will not hearken unto me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted." (Ezek. iii. 4, 7, &c.) We do not quote these passages to show that the Gentiles have a more favoured constitution of moral nature. Far from it; in reading these accounts given by the prophets, we recognise the features of our own picture. Far be it from us to glory; we cite these passages to show you how miserably your oral law endeavours to blind and delude you by flattering your vanity. It tells you that you have been purged from every stain; Moses and the prophets teach you the truth—that you are just like the other sons of men, and have no moral superiority or advantage whatever. We wish to point out to you how the system of rabbinism is diametrically opposed to Moses and the prophets, and above all, to impress upon you that the authors of this oral law are not worthy or your confidence, for they have, for their own private interests, invented narratives and doctrines which contradict that Word of God, which ought to be Israel's glory. We wish to show you how certain principles of evil pervade every part of that system, not even excepting those prayers which are offered up in the public worship of God. There these fables also occur, and we ask every Israelite who loves the law of Moses or hopes in the promises of God by the prophets, how he can conscientiously stand by in the synagogue and hear the words of Moses and the prophets openly contradicted? How can he remain silent