Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-02-05

S'eoe pan over which the unseen God
presIoes IN wisdom, and which, beginning
with The first ages of the world, is still re- E.
celvlng new Developments from every
great step IN the history of the species.
1t IS impossible 10 give complete en-
position of this argument without an ac
tual reference to the prophecies them
selves; ana this we at present abstain
from. But IT can be conceived, that a
prophecy, when first announced, NAV be
so obscure, as to be uninelligible in manv
OF Is circumstances and yet may so far
explain itself oy lis accomplishment, as to
carry along with it the most decisive evil
dence of its being prophecy. And the
argument may be so far strengthened by
the number, and distance, and independ.
ence. of the different prophecies, all bear.
Ing an application to the same individual
and the same history, as TO leave no doubt
on the mind of the observer, that the
events in question were in The actual con-
temptation OF those who uttered the pre-
dictlon. Ii the terms of the prophecy
were not comprehended, it at least takes
off the Suspicion of the event being bro't
about by the control or agency of men
who were interested in the accomplish
ment If the prophecies OF the Old Tes-
lament are Just invested in such a degree
OF o5scurliy, as is enough to disguise ma
my of the leading circumstances from
those who lived before the fulfiiment.-
while they derive from the event an ex-
PLANTATION satisfying to all who live after it,
then. we say, the argument for the divini
ty of the whole is stronger, than if no
such obscurity had existed. In the histo-
ry of the New Testament, we see nat
oral and consistent account of the deIu.
sion respecting the Messiah, in which
this obscurity has left the Jewish people !:
OF The strong prrjudices, even of the first
disclples; of the manner in which these
prejudices were dissipated, only By the ac-
compllshment; and of their final convic
ton In the import of these prophecies be-
ing at last so strong, that it often forms
their main argument for the divinity of
that new religion which they were com
missioned to publish TO the world. Now.
assuming, what we still persist in assert
ing, and ask to be tried upon, that an ac
tual comparison of the prophecies in the
Old Testament, with their alleged fulfil
ment in the New, will leave a conviction
behind it,that there is real correspond
ence between them; we see, in the great
events OF the new dispensation brought
about by the blind instrumentality of pre-
JUDGE and opposition, far more unambig-
uous characters Of the finger of God, than
if every thing had happened with the full
concurrence and anticipation of the differ
Mt actors in this history.
There is another essential part of the
argument, which is much strengthened
by this obscurity. 1t is necessary to fix
the date of the prophecies, or 10 establish,
at least, that the time of their publication
was antecedent to the events to which
they refer. Now, had these prophecies
been delivered in terms so explicit, as to
force the concurrence of the whole Jew
ish nation, the argument for their antIqui
ty, would not have come down In a form
as satisfying, as that in which it is actual
! ly exhibited. The testimony of the Jews
to the date Of their sacred writings, wodIc
have been refused as an interested test
mony. Whereas, to evade the argument
as it stands, we must admit a principle
which, in no question Of ordinary crit
cism, would be suffered for a single mo
ment TO influence your anding.-
We must conceive. that two parties, at tht
very time that they were influenced b,
the strongest mutual hostility, combinet
to support a fabrication that they bav,
not violated this combination; that the nu
merous writers on both sides of the CUES
rion have not suffered the slightest hint Q
this mysterious compact to escape them
and that, though the Jews are CALLED in
cessan,ly by the triumphant tone of tn
Christian appeals to their own prophecies
they have never been tempted to let out
secret, which would have brought the al
, oument of the Christians into disgrace
and shown the world how falsehood an
, forgery mingled with their pretensions.
5 In the rivalry which, from the yer
commencement Of our religion, mas a
r WAYS obtained between Jews and Chris
: ians, in the mutual animosities of Chris
2 ian sects, in the vast multiplication of COZ
+, les of the Scriptures, in the distant an
: independent societies which were scatter
ed over so many countries, we. see th
e most satisfying pledge, both for the integ
E rity of the sacred writings, and for th
+; dale which all parties agree in ascribin
' TO them. We hear of the many secur
e lies which have been provided in the V;
f. rious forms of registrations, and duplicate
o and drpositories; bu. neither the wisdor
}, nor the interest of men ever provide
/ more efectual checks against forgery al
e corruption, than we have in the instan'