I believe in the very
one which Mr. Everett refers to [Theol. Rep. vol. 5.] that the
prophets clearly justify the Jews for expecting as their Messiah, a
glorious monarch of the house and name of David, who should
reign over them and all the human race; but he also maintained as
I think in the same Dissertation, that Jesus Christ is nevertheless
predicted by the 53d. of Isaiah. Several years afterwards, when
Priestley resided in America, he published his notes on Scripture,
wherein he abandons the Christian interpretation, of the 53d. of
Isaiah, and applies it as I do to the Jewish nation.]

[fn67 If all that Mr. Everett has said upon this subject were true, it
would amount after all only to an argument ad prejudicium, for the
Jews of past times, who believed the dreams of the Rabbies, but
is of no weight whatever with those who reject them, as do all the
Biblical critics of the present day.]

[fn68 There occurs to me an instance of carelessness or
something worse on the part of Mr. Everett in p. 342 of his work. I
had said in my first publication, that "there is in the speech of
James, Arts xv. a quotation from Amos in which, to make it fit the
subject, (which after all it does not fit) is the substitution of the
words "the remnant of men," for "the remnant of Edom," as it is in
the original." On this Mr. Everett remarks with astonishing'
composure, "There are few of my readers to whom I need say,
that the same Hebrew word means 'men,' and 'Edom,' according'
as it is pronounced, and St. James has as fair a right to pronounce
it men,' as Mr. English has to pronounce it 'Edom.'" The only way
by which Mr. Everett can escape the charge of fraud in this affair,
is by allowing that he did not take the trouble to look at the
passage quoted from Amos, ix. 12. in the Hebrew Bible, from
which it will appear that neither St. James, nor any other Saint,
has a right to read the passage "the remnant of men" (or Adam;)
because the Hebrew word contains a letter (vau,) which the word
Adam does not contain, and which limits its signification to Edom.

I would observe by the. way, that the passage in Amos "that they,
(i. e. Israel,) may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the
heathen (or nations) which are called by my name, appears to
contain an allusion to the Christians and Mohammedans, who are
the only nations besides the Jews who invoke, the name of
Jehovah, and profess faith in his prophets. There are not a few
passages i