If it were true, that the Old Testament was falsely quoted in the New, when either doctrines or prophecies are the subjects of discussion, it would be necessary to make the following distinctions. (1.) If such quotations were discovered in a book, whose canonical authority is doubted, they must be regarded as human errors, and the inspiration of the book itself be abandoned. (2.) If they could be found in those books which belong to the 0140Aovoceva, the inspiration of these books also must be given up, though no inference could be drawn that the apostles were not preachers of a divine religion. But (3.) were it possible to show, that the very author of our religion had made a wrong application of any text of the Old Testament, it would follow, that he was not infallible ; and that Christianity itself was false.
It seems particularly obvious, that the principle of ac commodadon should not be hastily adopted where the strong expressions are used, "This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet ;" or, "Then was fulfilled that which Was spoken," 1Xc. A formula of this kind is never used in quoting from a classic author ; it is, therefore, no argument in favour of accommodation, in these cases, to say, w ith (Conference with a Theist, P. Ill. p. 11.) that no one would object to a writer who should address the apos tles, in the words of Virgil's invocation of the Sun and Aloon, —Vos o cla•issima ramidi Lumina.
Every one must perceive that these cases are quite dis similar, and that when the sacred writers used the above expressions, they were persuaded, that the passages which they introduced did directly refer to the events to which they applied them. \Vctstein (Note on Mat. i. 22.) alleges an example of similar latitude of expres sion from Ephrem SyrtlS ; and Dr Sykes (Introduction to the Hebrews, § 3.) appeals to other writers also. The authority of Jerom, however, whom he quotes among the rest, is of little weight, as that learned father was an avowed allcgorist. The examples of \Vetstein, and those which Dr Sykes has quoted from Epiphanies and Olympiodorus, arc not much more conclusive, being only similar to the language which we would use in cautioning any one, "Let not that be fulfilled in thee ;" where the caution itself implies, that the words to which we allude are no prophecy.
Dr Sykes, indeed, affirms, that if we were better ac quainted with the Jewish phraseology, we should less hesitate in admitting the principle of accommodation. As to the particular term " fulfilled," he says, the Jew ish writers gery often meant no more by it, than the happening or a similar event, or an exact agreement in particular circumstances of latter things with former : and 1,hat the masters of the synagogue, applied pas sages of the Old Testament, in senses very remote from that of the original author. But, not to insist on the impropriety of putting the inspired writers of the New Testament on a level with the Jewish Rabbis, it must not be concealed, that this learned author has pro duced no examples from the Talmud, or from any Jew ish commentator, where similar expressions are used in cases of mere accommodation ; and no assertion can be admitted without authority. This omission is the more inexcusable, that the very principle which he de fends, rests almost entirely on the decision of the ques tion, Did the Rabbis, in quoting passages from the Old Testament, with a formula of this kind, " In this the scripture was fulfilled," consider these passages as di rectly referring to the events to which they applied them ? or did they ground the quotation on a mere parity of cir cumstances ? It is no small presumption against his as sertions, that Surenhusius, who has accurately examined this question in his Btptoc xxrccAxa74s (Amsterd. 1713,) decides against them. In his third thesis, " De formnlis allegandi," he compares the expression, 4 nct'',4, with the rabbinical formul e ; and, referring to the Tan chuma, fol. 39. col. 3. where Dent. xvii. 7. is quoted with the formula, "ad confirmandum id quod scrilifum est," observes, " cujus loci applicatione pa!et item velum alludendi,yrrum Pilau) d emon strand i van habfre," that it is not merely allusive, but demon st•ative. (d)