Because,

Had this been really the form, in which the Prophet had delivered, his prediction, every reader muft neceffarily have concluded, that no miracle was here intended. there is not the flighteft intimation of one. But, it would have been as improper in commentators, to have fuppofed, that any thing more was intended, than the birth of a common child, with an uncommon name, as it is now, to imagine the contrary.

Secondly. If we are to fuppofe, that this writer, difclaims all idea of this prophecy being intended, as a prefent confolation to the houfe

of

of David, to what end or purpose does he suppose it to be given ?— Not furely, as any proof of the divine inspiration of the Prophet? For, to adopt his own method of treating this fubject, we may fuppofe the house of David, upon that pretence, to reply, in the following. manner, and in many of the commentator's own words.

"You announce, that the Lord "himfelf fhall give us a fign. But "what is this mighty fign?-That "the land which we abhor, fhall "be forfaken of both her kings, "before any child, that is now to "be born, fhall know to refuse the

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evil, and choose the good; and "that this is a fign, that a virgin "fhall conceive, and bear a fon. "But, what is it to us, that a "thousand women, now virgins,

fhould immediately conceive, and "bear children? Is that any rea"fon, why we fhould forfake our "Gods, and try, and put our truft "in yours? Nay, even if you told "us of the ftupendous miracle, that "a virgin, whilft a virgin, fhould

conceive, what is that to us, and "if it were, what ASSURANCES "do you give us, that it will come "to pass?—You fay, indeed, that "the land which we abhor, fhall, "in five or fix years, be forfaken

"of

"of both her kings. But, what

prefent offurance do you give us

"of it ?-You PROMISE us, indeed,

a fign, but, we want a SIGN of "the TRUTH of THAT

PROMISE;

or elfe, it is as abfurd in you, "to expect to gain our prefent be

tr

lief, as if you were to pretend

to tell us of an event, which is "to happen near a thousand years "hence. The very fign, which you

pretend to give us, of an event,

"which we know not when it will

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happen, and when it does, is, as far as we know, of no confequence "to us, is itself an event, which may very probably come to pafs, " and therefore, if it fhould, will

" be

"be no proof of any prophetic fpirit in you. You have BEFORE "told us, that the kings of Syria "and of Ifrael, fhall not fubdue

If.

Judea, but remain only the heads "of their respective nations. "then, we had any faith in your "words, that declaration would be "a fufficient confolation to us, with

.(

out knowing the times of their

death, which is, in comparison, "of no importance. As, therefore, "while you pretend to affert the high dignity of your character,

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by promifing us a fign from God,

you yet refer us only to the common events of life ;-we can "not but fufpect, that your preten