the thing is not here the question; but the impossibility of the same being made manifest, or evident, is all I contend for, and which is sufficient for my purpose. I need not urge the different accounts given by Matthew and Luke; from which many objections might be made: but there are some expressions, such as, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee," which I should be glad to have explained according to the rules of language; for as they stand, they may possibly introduce into unwary and ignorant minds, ideas very unbecoming God, or the Holy Ghost: at least it may be thought to give too great a sanction to stories, feigned and invented by the Heathens, concerning the amours of their gods; with which their poets sometimes diverted themselves: Homer in particular, very agreeably exposes Mars and Venus, when Vulcan caught them in his net.†

But whether this be so or not, let us now return to the author's of Universal History. They say, "as for that part of the prophecy, which is commonly urged on the other side, namely, before this wonderful child shall know good from evil, the land which thou abhorest shall be forsaken of both her kings." They think that by this ought to be understood, (not the land of Syria and Israel, the land which Ahaz abhorred, and which was to be forsaken of both her kings, viz. Rezin and Pekah, his two grand enemies,) but the land of Judah and Israel, which should be forsaken of both her kings before the coming of the Messiah: this they pretend to make out by a new version of the text. How stupid must the commentators of so many centuries have been, not to have found this? But facts are stubborn things, and the destruction of Rezin and Pekah, by violent deaths, within the time limited by the prophet, puts it beyond dispute what kings they were which the prophet meant.

I must not pass in silence the art which the before-mentioned historians make use of to prejudice and blind their readers, by inserting the word WONDERFUL, cited as if it was in the text, which only says, "For before the child shall know how to refuse

the evil and choose the good."* By this means they endeavour to make Jesus to be this wonderful child. But supposing the prophet had said this wonderful child, how could he be proved to be so? since it is impossible to do it, either from the conception of a woman without the concurrence of man, or from the nature of virginity; both these being hidden and invisible. Had his birth any

thing wonderful, or was his person so? As for his birth, for any thing that appears, it seems to have been the same as that of other babes; being formed in his mother's womb, in the due course of time, and brought forth into the world in the common manner. He does not appear to have been endowed with any thing superior to other babes, and he required the same nourishment and nursing; and as to his person, no doubt it was fashioned like other babes; nothing is recorded of any thing extraordinary in his body, be that as handsome or perfect as they please. So that in all things he appeared like other children that were begat in the common way, and he grew in like manner as other children did—no person, from his fashion or make, ever thought otherwise: From all which particulars, one with certainty may draw a very fair and natural inference, and that is, as he appeared in his birth, shape and growth, like other men; so nothing which can be alledged, will be sufficient to prove that he was not got by the same usual means as others are.

This natural inference being founded on facts and occular demonstration, no evidence can be superior to it, since it must always outweigh any other proof, unless it could be made as demonstrable and visible to our senses: for this reason some ......ians believe that he was Joseph's son; but be that as it may, they can not pretend to impose him upon us as a wonderful child. One may indeed, with Doctor Echart, admire, and "see the profound humility of our blessed Saviour, who chose not to descend from Heaven with the glories of a triumphant monarch and deliverer, but privately to enter into the womb of a mean virgin; from thence to be brought forth as an infant; and then to appear in the world in the form of the lowest rank of mankind."+

I produce not this passage to make any observations, but only

Isaiah, chap. vii. v. 16,

+ Introduc. to Eccl. History, p. 42.

to strengthen what I have asserted, viz. that nothing wonderful, as is pretended, appeared, or was visible in him : and that consequently these historians misrepresent the whole transaction which coneerns the birth of Isaiah's child, (as appears from the history of those times,) given as a sign to Alaz, which was accomplished in those days: Therefore the Evangelist's saying, that it might be fulfilled, &c. citing this passage, is at most but an accommodation of phrases, and not that any thing thereby was fulfilled.

In like manner we shall find, (as we proceed farther in this examination,) many other citations, made and accommodated to things which the places from whence cited could have no reference to, according to their plain sense and meaning; so that not being literally applied, they can not, therefore, be proof of any thing.

I must beg pardon for having troubled you with so long a letter, and have no other excuse but that it was required from the importance of the subject, which drew me to this length, notwithstanding I forbore saying and remarking many things, as you may easily guess I might have done, on so copious a subject. But I shall conclude with one, and that is, that no use was ever made by Jesus of his being wonderfully conceived or born, nor offered by him as any proof of his being the Messiah-which shows that these transactions could not be intended as any proof of him, or his office, and consequently useless.

(To be continued.)

EXAMINATION OF ST. MATTHEW.
Continued from page 297.

CHAP. XII. Verse 7.-" But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemed the guiltless."

mercy.

"I will have mercy, and not sacrifice;" meaning sacrifice is not necessary in order to the getting Under the law sacrifice was necesssary, but now the law is abrogated, and God does no longer require sacrifice, but will have mercy without sacrifice. It is however very unfortunate for this abrogating position, that the premises are not correct; because these words "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice," are no

where so to be found. Hosea has it thus: "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings;" and which means, God desired that men should have mercy, (be merciful,) not to be the reverse of merciful, and then expect forgiveness of God by offering sacrifice: As much as saying, do not be unmerciful is my desire; not to be unmerciful, and offer sacrifice in order to forgiveness :-Rather do not sin, and do not offer an atonement by sacrifice. I delight in your having the knowledge of God more than I do in burnt offering-this does not abrogate the law. Hosea speaks of sin against men being unmerciful; God will not forgive that (unless reconciliation) by sacrifice. Matthew speaks of sin against God, by breaking the Sabbath.

I shall hereafter revert to this text, but at present we will consider the following.

Verses 17 to 21.-That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias, the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench till be send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Here again Matthew misquotes. The words as found in Isaiah, are-" Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law."-Isaiah, chap. xlii.

....ians that

Prejudice of early education hath persuaded Jesus of Nazareth is here intended-that Jesus is the servant-that Jesus is the elect-that Jesus did not cry nor lift up-that Jesus has not caused his voice to be heard in the street. Now I ask, How can Jesus be the servant, when you hold he is the master, equal with God! how can he be his servant? How can Jesus be the elect, when he, as you hold, is God, who elects? How can you say he did not cry nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street, when according to you, he went about continually,

preaching, teaching, and causing his voice to be heard? The very thing he was not to do according to this prophecy, you allow he did actually do; and yet you will have him to be the person who did it not! Did he not preach and teach throughout Judea and Galilee, in synagogues, in the temple, and in the open air? consequently he did cry, lift up, and cause his voice to be heard in the street! But whoever or whatever is here intended, as the servant, as the elect, is not to be an itinerant preacher! and indeed he is not to be God! nor part of the Godhead! So the prophet tells us, verse 8, "I am the Lord; that is my name and my glory will I not give to another!" so that the person or persons here intended is or are not to have God's glory, this is servant, elect, not God! but he of whom it is said is God cannot be here intended.

This prophecy appears to be so worded that no advantage can possibly be taken of it by Matthew, and such like him. If you will have Jesus to be the servant, he ought to be both deaf and blind: verse 19, "Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?" You make that one man the servant; in that case he also ought to be the witnesses. Chap. xliii. 10, "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen." (elected.) And as to the spirit being put upon him, chap. xliv. 3, "I will pour my spirit upon thy seed." The thing is so plain that he that runs may read; but prejudice as a bribe will blind the eyes of the wise or knowing ones.

(To be continued.)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Enquirer is informed, the realm has peace-Goliath boasts no longer-the king is thought to be only a child. To leave hyperbole. It is supposed it was not considered PRUDENT to accept his communication.

The printed notes of a Sermon are received. It is however a question whether it is fair to answer them; they are manifestly loose and incorrectly taken. We are also acquainted with the reverend preacher, who it plainly appears knows nothing of the publication.—Farther, we have a personal knowledge of the writer, who we think has some abilities; and however he is talented, in point of time, lacks twenty years of the age of understanding.

Published by Lewis Emmanuel, No. 91 Mercer-street.