famous charge brought by that arch infidel Voltaire, against the Jews; that they were a nation of cannibals and man-eaters. This he has afferted; not once, or curforily, but in twenty places; in jeft and in earnest; and in proof of which, he quotes this prophecy of Ezekiel; but with how little truth, the reader will fee from his own words; as follows. "Ezekiel promifes the Jews, by way of encouragement, that they fhall eat human flesh." (Treatife of Toleration). "And the Prophet Ezekiel promises the Hebrews from God, that if they exert themfelves well against the king of Perfia, they fhall eat the flesh of horses and of the riders.' (page 22. of the additions to the Universal History). "And our enemies accufe us of having offered up men, and even of having eater them, as Ezekiel fays." (Sermon of the Rabin Akib). "And it is certain that the Jews must have used human flesh for food in the time of Ezekiel, fince he foretells to them, in the xxxixth chapter, that if they defend themfelves well against the king of Perfia, they fhall thall eat not only the horfes but befides the horsemen, and the other men of war. This is positive.” (Article Antropophages, Philofophical Dictionary). Thus, this grave historian and philofopher, who is in love with truth, has the confidence to affert that it is pofitive, that Ezekiel invites the Jews to a feaft of human flesh. Good God! is this poffible? Can any man that is a lover of truth, affett fuch falfity, and fo often? For it is manifeft to demonstration from the whole text here quoted, that the invitation is entirely confined to the ravenous animals, the birds and beafts of prey; and by which bold figure, the Prophet describes the dreadful flaughter that is then to take place. And it is equally clear, that no other eyes but thofe of Mr. de Voltaire could fee in this text, that Ezekiel promises to the Jews to give them human flesh to eat. Hence it is manifeft what little credit is due to those Deifts and infidels, when they speak of the Jews; of their laws, and their prophets; and which, perhaps they have never read. If they can but caluminate them, it matters not what kind of argument or reasoning they make us of; their S sz ad.. admirers will greedily swallow all without examination; if they did not think so, they would scarcely argue in the manner they do. As an instance of which, I fhall just take notice of what this philofopher has advanced as another proof of this charge. "Even Mofes threatens the Jews that they shall eat their children, if they tranfgrefs the law." (Additions). "They are not commanded in any place to eat human flesh; they are only threatened with it; and Mofes tells them that if they do not obferve his ceremonies, the mothers fhall eat their children." (Philofophical Dictionary). This proof is certainly very ftrong: who can deny the force of fuch reafoning? Mofes threatens the Jews that they shall eat their children, &c, Therefore they were man-caters! This is a consequence nobly deduced! Other people would naturally have drawn a quite contrary conclufion: but every philofopher has his peculiar way of reafoning; and the logick of modern enlightened philofophers is very different from that of the vulgar. Again; The Jews are not commanded in any place to eat human flesh; they are only threat threatened with it. Now, fince they are threatened with it, it is a certain proof that this kind of food was not in common ufe amongst them, neither was it very agreeable to them. If a cannibal was threatened with being compelled to eat human flesh, he would fmile at fuch punishment. People can only be threatened with the eating of fuch food as they naufeate and detest. Thus it is manifeft that his very expreffions contradict his arguments. It is alfo fomewhat curious to fee how these modern philofophers can reconcile contradictions; for as they are threatened by Mofes with being obliged to eat human flesh, fo they are promised it, as an indulgence by Ezekiel. But how one and the fame thing can ferve both for a threat and an indulgence, is really above my comprehenfion; I must therefore leave it to be reconciled by these enlightened philofophers; who with a facility peculiar to themselves, can cafily prove that right is wrong; and truth falfehood. t To return: The Prophet having foretold the great and dreadful flaughter that is to take place for the punishment of the nations; fhews us, that we fhould not think, that that by the destruction of the nations, the glory of God will be diminished; as, "in the multitude of the people (is) the king's honour *:" No. On the contrary, his glory will be then more exalted: ver. 21-24. "And I will fet my glory among the nations; and all the nations fhall fee my judgment which I have executed, and mine hand which I have laid upon them. So the house of Ifrael fhall know that I (am) the LORD their God, from that day and forward. And the nations hall know that the house of Ifrael for their iniquity were carried into captivity because they trefpaffed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies; and all of them fell by the fword. According to their defilement, and according to their tranfgreffion, I did unto them, and hid my face from them." The Prophet thus fhews how the glory of God will then be established among all the nations; that Ifrael will no more return to fin; and that all the nations will be brought to the knowledge of the true word of God; because they will then be Prov, xiv. 28. fully |