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to all those instances, which prove his unfaithfulness, for he acknowledges himself 13 134 that he gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; and that he had deceived the prophets.' 135 In short, it became a proverb among the people, saying, "the days are prolonged, and every vision faileth.'

11136

This is the God who would sometimes sell his people to those that would not buy them; 137 selling them for nought, as David says, (Ps. xliv. 12,) whereby his wealth was not increased by their price; which was the cause of his having so many creditors!138 And this, I suppose, it was that induced him to send a messenger, to compromise matters, between him and his creatures, by speaking of peace and good will towards them. But what was the result of this embassy? Was it peace? If what Matthew says, be true, instead of peace, we find that all Jerusalem was troubled, and lamentation, weeping and mourning, were the consequences thereof. 139

And why did this star appear to a foreign nation, in preference to his own chosen people? as we find that it was to them Jesus came; who was, moreover very cautious, lest his doctrine should be made known in any other place but Jerusalem. 1 4 0 Even there he did not wish his power to be made public. 141 Then why did not this star lead them direct to Bethlehem, where the child was, instead of going round to Jerusalem, thereby causing the death of so many little innocent children? Did not this star know the way to Bethlehem, without inquiring for it at Jerusalem ? As Mr. Matthew seems to have had a strange propensity for gutting various passages in this book, and calling them prophecies, I suppose he was obliged to bring them round to Jerusalem, in order to accommodate this story to the passage, so as to form a prophecy. But as I know nothing of Mr. Matthew, or any of his acquaintance, I shall take the liberty of examining his prophecies; especially as I have already detected him in endeavouring to palm such passages upon us for prophecies, as cannot by any means be twisted into prophecy !

First let us inquire what became of this star after it

arrived at Bethlehem? What was its magnitude, and distance from the earth? And how and in what manner did these wise men discern when the star was over the house, or manger, wherein the young child lay ?142 as our wise men can never distinguish any particular city under any particular star which may be in the zenith; every one appearing perpendicular to the extent of more than one hundred miles. And the smallest of the stars which we now see, if within a thousand miles of our earth, would have covered and darkened the whole land of Judea, with all the surrounding nations. Though perhaps you will say that this star was made on purpose for Jesus, because it is expressly stated to be his star; if so, what did Jesus do with it ? for Matthew takes no further notice of it; neither does Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, nor even Paul, say anything about it; and surely some of them must have known or heard something of it, if it ever did appear. But admitting, that this star did appear, and did afterwards disappear like a ghost, how came it to pass that Herod and all his people in Jerusalem did not see it, as well as those foreigners ? for it plainly appears that they knew nothing of it, by Herod sending to the wise men to enquire diligently when the star did appear. Yet, Matthew says, it came from the east to Jerusalem, and thence to Bethlehem! Peter talks of a star arising in the hearts of some people; 143 perhaps this was a star which arose in Matthew's brain, whilst reading Balaam's prophecy, who, in speaking of some bloody-minded king, which he expected would rise up from among such a blood-thirsty race of monsters as the Jews then were, 144 there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth;" such another fighting star I suppose, as that of which Deborah speaks !145

says,

Now, let it be whatever star you will, you must admit that it was an evil star, as it caused the death of so many little innocent children, which belonged to the kingdom of God;146 upon which I shall descant in my next letter. For the present, I shall conclude, wishing that you may

soon have honesty and courage sufficient, to acknowledge the truth.

Till then, I remain, as before,

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38 Lamentations iii. 33.

39 Exodus xxiv. 7.
40 Genesis i. 31.

41 Proverbs xxvii. 2.
42 Genesis. iii. 6.

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44 Hebrews i. 1.

45 Exodus xxxi. 8.

1 Kings vii. 49, 50.
46 Deutronomy xxviii. 15, 68
1 Kings ix. 6, 7.
47 Exodus xx. 4.
48 Ezekiah, xviii 20.
49 1 Kings iv. 31.
50 Romans v. 12.

51 1 Corinthians xv. 22.
52 Romans v. 18.
53 2 Peter iii. 16.

54 1 Corinthians xv. 35.
55 Matthew v. 22.
56 1 Corinthians xv. 44.
57 1 Timothy i. 15.
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59 Matthew xvi. 18
60 Genesis iii. 22, 24,

61 1 Kings iii. 12.

62 Ecclesiastes iii. 19, 21. 63 Genesis ii. 7.

Psalm civ. 30.

James ii 26.
Isaiah xl. 7.

64 Genesis vii. 23.

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94 Acts vii. 45.

Hebrews iv. 8.

95 Joshua xxiv. 29

96 Genesis xxv. 7.

97 1 Peter iii. 20.

98 Matthew xxiv. 38, 49.

99 Psalm xc. 1, 10.

100 Isaiah xx. 3.
101 Judges xv. 4.
102 Ezra i. 8, 9.
103 Daniel ix. 9,
104 Numbers xii. 3.

105 Psalm cxlv 9.
106 Job xiv. 1.
107 Psalm lii. 1.
108 1 Samuel, xv.

3, 8.

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123 Leviticus xix. 29.

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Deutronomy xxiii 17. Ezekiel xvi. 17

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124 Leviticus xx. 16 - 33

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Deutronomy xxii. 17.

Ezekiel iv. 12.

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Exodus xxx. 23.

126 Ephesians v, 3, 4, 12. iv. 29.

127 Ezekiel xxiii. 26. 128 1 Corinthians i. 25. 129 Numbers xxii. 20130 Jeremiah iv. 10.

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146 Mark x. 14.

LETTER IV.

TO DR. ADAM CLARKE

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

CHAP. II.

Verse 3-6. "When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written, by the prophet: and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Judah : for out of thee shall come a governor, that shall rule my people Israel."

In my last letter I made a few observations on the troubles which all Jerusalem, with Herod, underwent, in consequence of those good tidings of great joy, which were to be to all people.1 I now intend to examine the passage which is said to have been written by the prophet, whom we find to be Micah; 2 and which passage is quoted as foretelling the birth-place of this Jesus called the Christ.

But, before we examine the writings of Micah, it is requisite we should first know who he was, and in what age he lived and consider also the difficulties attending the crediting of what are called prophecies. For Isaiah says, that there were prophets who taught lies.3 And Jesus exhorts us to beware of false prophets, for that many false prophets will arise, and shew great signs and wonders, in order to deceive the people. Therefore, it behoves us to be careful in what

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