ment for the Truth of Chriftianity." And therefore, I do not wonder, that all former commentators (as you obferve, page 6,) have not been able to derive any ftrength from it, to the evidences of Christianity. For in truth, it hath not the least reference to an event that, as it is pretended, was to take place almost fix hundred years after. And this, every perfon converfant in the Hebrew, is fully fenfible of; and therefore, unless they had understood it in a different fenfe from what you do, they were fenfible, they must have done great violence to the text. This, Sir, I apprehend, easily accounts for your fuppofing that they totally mifunderstood it; because they attempted to explain it in a manner, as nearly as poffible (confiftent with their hypothefis,) in agreement with the original Hebrew, rightly judging, that in a fubject of fuch importance, no dependance ought to be placed on tranflations, however correct, while recourse may be had to the original. This, naturally leads me to take notice of what you obferve, (Introduction, page 23,) "That all the alterations made in the "translation are taken from the SEPTUAGINT, NOT "from the HEBREW." And the reafon of which, you honestly confess to be, your "ignorance of the " latter language." Now, though I highly admire, nay, I may fay, almoft revere you, for this candid confeffion, and which certainly indicates, a great and noble mind, in love with truth, yet, I must tell you plainly, that to criticife on Scripture, requires not only a great knowledge in the He brew, brew, but also a thorough acquaintance with the idiom and phrafeology of the Sacred Language, in which the prophecies were delivered*, as will be perceived in my explanation of the prophecy. I must also tell you, Sir, that it is not my intention in these Letters to follow you page by page, through both your Lectures and that, for the following reafons. Firft, because, it would fwell thefe Letters alone to the bulk of a volume. Second, because it appears to me, that your hypothesis is founded upon mistaken principles, confequently, I have nothing to do but to expofe the futility of them, by fhewing the true meaning of the words of the prophet for if the foundation is once proved to be rotten, the fuperftructure must fall of courfe. Third, because, this prophecy will naturally fall under review in my Differtation on the Prophecies, I therefore, fhall only take notice of the prophecy, beginning at the tenth verfe, and ending at the fixteenth. If you should think proper to make any objections to my explanation of the words of the prophet, and they should appear before my Differtation on the Prophecies goes to prefs, I purpose paying due attention to them, in the faid Differtation. I am, With the greatest respect, An Explanation of the 7th Chapter of Isaiah, from verfe 10, to 16, inclufive. REV. SIR. AGREEABLE to what I intimated in the pre ceding Letter, of not following you page by page, I now purpose taking a review of the prophecy. But, before I enter thereon, it will be proper to explain fome words ufed by the prophet, as that will be the means of faving much trouble and confufion in fettling the fubject in debate. First, i, this is derived from the root o', to add; exceed, &c. And therefore, properly denotes and he added: that is, he added this to the preceding: i..e. he continued the difcourfe. This, is the true fenfe of the word; efpecially, if we confider that the vau conjunctive, always used in Hebrew to join periods and fentences together, is prefixed to it. Second, лi, This, in its primary fenfe denotes a fign, or markt. As, NIN', It is a fign. Exod. xxi. 13. This is the token of the covenant. Gen. זאת אוֹת. And it fhall be for a token וְהָיָה לְאוֹת בְּרִית .12 .ix of the covenant. Ibid xvii. 11. by nix? Dagupa 7 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upón "T See Lingua Sacra, Part. I. chap. ix. fect. 3. page 137. thine Every אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְּאֹתת .8 .thine hand, Deut. vi man by his standard, with the enfigns. Numb. ii. 2. Befides a number of other paffages in Scripture, by far too numerous to be adduced here. Hence it is manifeft, the word was not used by the prophet to denote a great and ftupendous miracle, but only a fign of their deliverance from their then trouble. And in the fame fenfe, does the prophet ufe the term in chap, viii. 18. "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for figns and for wonders in "Ifrael." Now, it is clear, I prefume, that the birth of the prophet's children was not in a miraculous manner, but in the natural way, the fame as other children: as it was by their names only, they were accounted as figns to the children of Ifrael: for as SHEAR-JASHUB fignified a remnant fhall return, or be faved, the prophet's fon was fo called, in order to be a fign to them of that event. The fame of Maher-fhalal-hash-baz. And thus alfo was the child that was to be called Immanuel, to be a fign that God was with them, i. e. was their affiftance; and therefore their enemies would not be able to prevail against them. Third, and, both derived from the Radix 85, to weary; fatigue, &c. But they do by no means denote to contend. Fourth, y denotes a young woman; being derived from D, A youth, ftripling*, &c. As, • See Lingua Sacra, Radix Dby. P 2 Whofe fon fon is this ftripling? 1 Sam, xvii. 56. ON ON But if I fay thus unto the young man. Ibid. xx. 22. Now, as hy is the Mafc. and denotes a young man; so being the Fem. denotes a young woman: whether the hath been acquainted with man or not, I must however, observe, that it is never used in the Hebrew, to denote fimply a virgin but only in the fame fenfe as *, a damfel. That this is the real meaning of the word hy is clear from Scripture, for whenever it would particularly point out to us a virgin, in the ftrict fenfe of the word, it makes use of the term in† A VIRGIN: as will be clearly per And it fhall come to pafs, that the young woman which cometh out to draw (water), Gen, xxiv. 43, Here, the fervant expreffed himself in general terms; and as a proof of this, he ufes the term in verse 14, as fynonimous, But, when Scripture fpeaks of her, and would impress our minds with an idea of her purity, it does not use the term only, because that would not be fufficiently expreffive, as may be perceived in the following example, hana map mano (nab nayan. -And the damfel (was) very fair to look upon, (and the was) a virgin. Ibid 16. And this, I am free to affert, is the uniform language of Scripture. See Deut. xxii. 23—28, &c. 1 King i. 7. Efth. ii. 3, &c. I fhall now take notice of that expreffion of Lingua Sacra, Radix ay. Ibid. Radix bna. Solomon, |