of their sorrow and affliction, occasioned by the army of the king of Syria; which was to be totally vanquished and they delivered from their dreadful enemy; which event, relates no more to the removal of Jesus from one place to another, than it does to your removal from London, and dwelling in Naples.

are:

The next prophecy cited by St. Matthew, and said to be fulfilled by Jesus is the casting out devils, and healing all the sick. His words "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out the spirits, with his word, and healed all that were sick; that it might be fulfilled, what was spoken by Isaiah, the prophet saying: himself took our infirmities and bare our sickneses," which citation, thus said to be fulfilled, is this: "" Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows."† Now, whoever can, from this passage of the Prophet, draw a sense, importing, the casting out devils out of mens bodies, and the healing of sicknesses, must do it by the help of some uncommon rule, or art, to us unknown; for, literally, it can mean no such thing. But supposing it did mean, that a person should cure the sick, and cast out devils, and that it was realy fulfilled by Jesus' performing those cures literally, must it not overset some peoples reasoning, who extends the same passage to the cure of sin, and spiritual infirmities, by his death; for if it be fulfilled (litterally I mean) in the one case, then it cannot be litterally fulfilled in the other; And the pretending it to mean spiritual eures, must of course, be contrary to St. Matthew, who says the passage was fulfilled by those bodily cures. I think Doctor Echard seems to have been sensible of this, and therefore says, (by what authority, I know not,) that it was, "in some measure acccomplishing the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, he took our infirmities upon himself, and bore our diseases," Now I wish the learned Doctor had told us by what rule or means, he found this out in the Prophet's saying, not infirmities and diseases, as he does, but grief and sorrows. He ought also to have told us the reason why it was only in some measure accomplished," and not actually fulfilled, as the Evangelist, (who I suppose knew as much of the matter as he) says it was. For if it was not actually fulfilled, it must be absurd in St. Matthew to say it was, proving it by referring to the passage, which he could only do with that intention. For otherwise how shall we know from the use of that term, and from the citing or referring to a passage, said to be fulfilled, whether it be so or not?

and

Is not this striking at the authority of the Evangelist? Thus much

Mat. ch. viii. 16-17. Isa. ch. liii. 4. Eccle. hist. vol. i. page 89.

for this passage, which let them settle it in what manner they will, it is not certain, that, "he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows," can ever be fulfilled by casting out devils, and curing diseases, I mean literally; for as to fulfilling in a different sense, I have nothing to do with.

The next citation made by St. Matthew, is, when Jesus, in order to persuade the people to believe that John was Elias, says, "and if ye will receive it, this was Elias which was to come."* The promise. and purpose of Elias' coming you will find in Malachi: "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, least I come and smite the earth with a curse."t This was a great and glorious work, which that great Prophet was to be sent to do, and be employed in; and it should not be wondered that the Jews on a promise so express, should found the hope of Elias, or Elijah's coming for this so desirable and benificient a purpose; at least those, who on another occasion, do firmly believe, that not only Elias, but Moses too, did realy come down from heaven in a bodily shape; (for how otherwise could the Disciples know it was them, or to what end should they desire to build a Tabernacle for their abode ?) to answer no purpose at all that we know of, ought not to be surprised at their having such hopes but be that as it will, thus much is certain, Elias or Elijah was promised to be sent, that is, a person who bore that name, and was so called; consequently, neither John, nor any other person's coming can be deemed a literal fulfilling of the promise.

The next citation made by St Matthew, and said by him to be fulfilled by Jesus, is the cures that he wrought on the multitude of his followers, and his charging them not to make it known; "all this happened," says Saint Matthew, "that it might be fulfiled, which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying; behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul was 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 smoaking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory, and in his name shall the Gentiles trust." This citation is made from Isaiah,§ with some difference, particularly the last sentence, "and in his

*Mat. ch. xi. 14. † Malachi ch. iv. 5-6. Mat. ch. xvii. 1-4. Mark ch. ix. 4-5. Luke ch. ix. 30-33. || Mat. ch. xii. 15-21. Isa, xlii. 1.

name shall the Gentiles trust," which is an addition of the Evangelist's. I confess, that considering the citation, and what is said thereby, to be fulfilled, I cannot comprehend the least resemblance, nor find the least connection to the matter intended, for how can the passage cited, be said to be fulfilled, either by the multitude following Jesus, or by his healing them, or by his charging them not to make him known. Can the passage cited be fulfilled, by his doing those things, when it mentions nothing like it? I know that it is pretended, "that by the secrecy which Jesus imposed on those he cured, the passage is fulfilled, because it represents his quiet, humble, and meek temper. ‡ To this I answer, that his imposing silence, on those he cured, did not proceed from his quiet, humble, and meek disposition, but from other motives; and for the truth of this I appeal to Dr. Echard himself, to Mr. Lock, § and to the authors of the Universal history, who assign very different motives, for his impossing secrecy: therefore this citation, neither proves one thing, nor the other, to be thereby fulfilled.

**

EXAMINATION OF ST. MATTHEW.

Continued from page 355.

CHAP. XXI. Verse 4. "All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying; tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass,"

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Here the Editors of the Bible, refer us to Isaiah, lxii. 11, and to Zachariah, Ixix. 9. Now in Isaiah lxii. 11, it is thus written “ Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh, behold his reward is with him, and his work before him." In Zachariah ix. 9, it is thus written, "Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem; Behold thy King cometh unto thee! he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.' Now take it for granted, that Jesus of Nazareth came into Zion and Jerusalem, mounted on an ass, or upon a colt the foal of an ass, or upon both; I ask, is this proof, point blank, undeniable proof, that he Jesus of Nazareth was the one, by Zachariah spoken of? If it proves any thing, it only proves that he rid an ass; but it appears to me necessary, that the fore part of the prophecy must be fulfilled, to make Jesus the Messiah; and also, the after part, as well as this ejeculatory part of the prophecy. The prophecy taken Ibd. 89-90. Reas. of Chris. ed. 4. vol.

Echard's Ecles. hist. vol. 1. p. 97. ii. p. 522-523. ** Uni. His. vol. x. 558.

together, stands thus :-" And I will encamp about mine house, because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth, and no oppressor shall pass through them any more, for now have I seen with mine eyes. Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion,, shout O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold thy King cometh unto thee! he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace unto the heathen; and his dominion shall be from sea, to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." Now, although this is not the whole of the prophecy, still, it is that part of it in immediate connection with the subject, for by the eighth verse, it appears that an army will be marshalled against Jerusalem, Zion, and the Temple; and on account of this army, God promises here, that he will encamp about his house, which we must suppose to mean his Temple, and in consequence of God's encamping, he promises, that no oppressor shall pass through them any more: that is, no conqueror shall again pass through them, Zion, and Jerusalem. This then is to be the last army that is to come against Zion and Jerusalem, after which no more will come: now, has this army come? has this army been? who, and what were this army to be? for it is in consequence of the destruction of this army, that the daughter of Zion and Jerusalem are called on to rejoice, as well, as because the enemy being entirely subdued, the kingdom of the Messiah is to be raised, who in person, is to be lowly, say meek, but whose dominion, is to embrace the whole world. But first, who and what is this army to be? what is to become of this army? do we read any thing of them any where else?

In Ezekiel, xxxviii. 15, "And thou shall come from thy place, out of the North parts, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army; and thou shall come against my people Israel, as a cloud to cover the land: it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog, before their eyes. Thus saith the Lord God, art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time, by my servants, the prophets of Israel, which prophecied in those days, many years, that I would bring thee against them; and it shall come to pass at the same time, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face; for in my Jealousy, and in the fire of my wrath, have I spoken, surely, in that day there shall be a great

shaking in the land of Israel. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother; and I will plead against him with pestilence, and with blood, and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." This will be the army then, and this will be the encamping "about my house because of the army;" but after this army is destroyed, no stranger will pass throngh them any more: then will be the time of which the prophet spoke ; "Shout O daughter of Jerusalem," then will the Messiah come, but not before, that is the time spoken of by all the prophets. The prophet Joel thus speaks of this: "For behold in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered amoug the nations, and parted my land; and they have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine that they might drink. Proclaim this ye the Gentiles; prepare war wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up!-Let the heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. The sun and moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem, and the Lord shall be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel; so shall you know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more." Joel, ch. iii.

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Here then we have of the army again, they are to come to the valley of Jehoshaphat that is out side of Jerusalem, and there will they be judged, he makes use of the same language as the text in Zachariah, No stranger shall pass through them any more." Zachariah says "I will encamp about mine house because of the army." (Now the scite of the house is in Jerusalem, joining to Zion.) Joel says, "The Lord shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice out of Jerusalem." There cannot be the least doubt, that Joel, Ezekiel, and Zachariah, treat of the same subject, the same time, the same army, the same deliverence, the same help, and the same salvation.

Isaiah also sings of the same time, and the same subject, chap. x. 33, to the end of chap, xii. "Behold the Lord, the Lord of Hosts,