Mofes. The Almighty gave Ifrael a law, and by that law Jefus Chrift was condemned to die. Deuteronomy 18th chapter. But the prophet which shall prefume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that fball Speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet fhall die.

Boy. But if thou fay in thy heart, how fhall we know the word which the Lord hath not fpoken? When a prophet fpeaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it prefumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. What we have recited is the latter part of the prophecy, which is the rock of offence to the house of Ifrael, on which they have split, and plunged themselves in the abyss of deftruction; we will begin with the first part and fo proceed to this ftumbling ftone and rock of offence.

The Lord fpake unto Mofes in these words: I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put My words into his mouth, and he fball Speak unto them all that I fhall command him. And it shall come to pafs, that whosoever will not bearken unto my words, which he shall speak in My name, I will require it of him. This prophecy, agreed by all, relates to the Meffiah, who was to be a fecond legiflator, or law-giver, to confirm and establish a new covenant.

Mofes. What you advance is juft; for if the first remained, why a second?

Boy.

Boy. The time of his coming is agreed to be according to the fcripture, when Jefus Chrift appeared.

Mofes. Univerfal agreement of the whole world, both Jews and Gentiles.

Boy. He was prophecied to be of the ftock of David. and confequently of the tribe of Judah.

Mofes. The fcriptures declare it.

Boy. You grant thefe privileges to Jefus Chrift.

Mofes. Ifrael never difputed these privileges, they were proved by the univerfal tax of Auguftus, when every perfon was obliged to repair to the place of their nativity to answer perfonally, when his parents repaired to the city (as ftock) of David; for the tribes of Ifrael kept, from the beginning, each tribe and each family a regular register, to preserve privileges and inconfufion.

Boy. We have, in the reign of the emperor Vefpafian, an Inquiry for the for the kindred of David, after the taking of Jerufalem; alfo by the emperor Domitian, when the nephews. of Jude, apoftle, was brought before him, who were near relations of Jefus Chrift, and being examined by the emperor, declared themselves defcendants of David, and that the kingdom of Chrift was celeftial and not terreftrial: for the emperors were, as Herod, afraid of the power of Chrift, taking the prophecies in the terrestrial sense, as Ifrael has ever done.

Mofes. Ifrael ever has, and at this day expect their Meffiah to appear, the high and mighty

M 3

Lord

Lord of the earth, and will restore them to their promised country and privileges.

Boy. Ifrael, you grant, acknowledges Jefus Chrift to be the feed of David, and that he appeared at the time appointed.

Mofes, Agreed thus far; but Ifrael never will accept Jefus, whom you call Chrift, for the Meffiah, his character and perfon being the reverse to the perfon and character of their Meffiah, who will manifeft himself the glory and astonishment of all nations: from all parts will the nations bring gifts to Jerufalem; our temple and worship rettored, where peace and harmony will dwell, every man enjoying himself under his Vine and Fig-tree, with every bleffing, without fear of war, and Ifraèl be a glory throughout the earth. Kings and princes will honour them, and every one will think himself happy if he is permitted to take hold of the fkirt of a Jew. This is the expectation of Ifrael, not as your Chrift, who fprung from obfcurity, without being known who he was; he was raised among the dregs of the vulgar and reprobate, who he herded with, breaking and encouraging his affociates to be guilty of the breach of laws and every crime with impunity. Twelve of the most hardy ruffians he took into his most familiar friendship, and in culcated and taught them magic; for he exceeded all that ever went before him, or fince, in the black art. Peter waa his chief, to whom he communicated his fecrets; the others drenched deep in this deadly poifon. Seventy others were made drunk, and to this day many are in

toxicated

toxicated in the Roman church, who copy after this mighty Lord.

Boy. Meffiah fhall be cut off, but not for himself, and he fhall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and he fhall caufe the facrifice to cease, and the city and temple to be deltroyed, and to the end defolations are determined.

Mofes. Here I am loft in horror and despair. Meffiah cut off, his covenant confirmed, Ifrael with her temple and facrifice caft off, Jerufalem destroyed, and Judea laid waste and given to the Gentiles, themfelves made flaves. O the the mifery of two thoufand years.

Boy. Ifaiah 9th chapter. For unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given, and the government Shall be upon his fhoulders, and his name fhall be called, Wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there fhall be no end, and upon the throne of David and his kingdom to order and establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever; the zeal of the Lord of Hofts will perform this.

Mofes. Ifrael grants her Meffiah no part of the Divinity, but every perfection of human nature, and great fhare of the Spirit, far exceeding, if poffible, Mofes, whom the Almighty spoke with face to face. Affuming to himfelf this infinite dignity was the condemnation and death of Jefus Chrift; for many accufations proved ineffectual and abortive unto our high and chief prieft. Caiphas asked him, (as he had declared himfelf) Art thou Chrift

M 4

the

the fon of the Bleffed? Without hefitating, he anfwered, "I am; and you fhall fee the fon of man fitting on the right-hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Then the highprieft rent his clothes and faith, "What need we further witness, you have heard the blafphemy; what think you?" and they all condemned him to be guilty of death. Then they fpit upon him, covered his face, buffeted him, and faid deridingly, "Prophefy," and the fervants ftruck him; and to confirm to you more fully that Jefus, taking on himself the dignity of the Divinity, was his condemnation and death. The words of our high-prieft to Pilate is fufficient with the body of the people, when the governor would have fet him free. Thefe are their words: "We have a law, and by our Jaw he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Boy. If this have ever been the fentiments of the Jews, it explains very clearly the cause which influenced them to put the prophets to death, for almost the whole have spoken of the divinity of Chrift; and you well know that they were unpleafing companions to Ifrael, for -they put them to death.

Mofes. Ifrael has been complained of as a ftiff-necked and ftony hearted race, throughout her fcriptures; but where is the nation without this obduracy: Ifrael has her foibles, but fhe alfo has her virtues. What other peo ple have attended as Ifrael upon her God, from the time of our father Abraham, the term four thousand years, to this day; fuffering from