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prince that fhall come fall deftroy the city and the Sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood; and unto the end of the war defolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week be fhall caufe the facrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it defolate, even until the confummation, and that determined, shall be poured upon the defolate.

Mofes. This fcripture is accomplished and fulfilled in us this day. This a truth known to all nations of the earth; but where is the covenant confirmed with many, and who is the Meffiah that confirmed it? Thefe two effentials fhall be the principals of this debate, and which knowledge all Ifrael moft ardently hopes for.

Boy. You agree, that Jefus Chrift is of the lineage of David, and that he was put to death at the time marked by the above prophecy.

Mofes. Moft affuredly; I do not deny these two points; alfo, the accufation for which he fuffered and manner, circumftances and what occurred in his life and at his death, which was on a gibbet. I have already given you a detail to which I refer, and to his difciples who wrote your Gospels.

Boy. Change of religion is of that delicate texture, and must proceed from self-conviction or infufficiency of the religion they are in, which fhould be its own criterion. This fhall be the standard that we will abide by. I will therefore make no use of the new fcripture until we prove them fo by the old; from the old

the

the new must stand or fall, and this depends on Jefus Chrift being the Meffiah.

Mofes. Your reafons are placed on the most folid rock, this being a proof that cannot be contradicted, or ever after raife doubts or fcruples in the mind. It is the most firm basis. Boy. Notaries, will you bring forward the heads or points difcuffed and agreed to.

Notaries. One God, but diftinct perfons. Meffiah God and man, who confirmed the covenant, when he was put to death, rofe from death, afcended into heaven, where he fits on the right-hand of God. The Jews as was foretold by the prophet, affifted at his death. Forty years after, according to the time marked by the prophets, Jerufalem was destroyed by the Romans, under Titus, the temple destroyed and facrifice ceafed, to the time prefent, near two thousand years, and the Jews no longer a nation, but a proverb and a bye-word in the mouths of all nations. The priesthood of the new covenant, after the order of Melchifedech, whofe offering was bread and wine, when the temple ftood it was a heathen temple, at prefent a Turkish mosque, and Jerufalem trodden down by the Gentiles, &c.

Boy. Pfalm 2. Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thin? The kings of the earth ftand up, and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and against His Chrift. Let us break their bonds afunder, and caft away their cords from us. He that dwelleth in heaven fball laugh them to fcorn: the Lord fhall have them in derifion. Then shall be Speak unto them in his wrath, and

vex them in bis fore difpleafure. Yet have Ifet my King upon my holy bill of Sion; I will preach the law, whereof the Lord bath faid unto me: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Defire of me, and I fhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance: and the utmost parts of the earth for thy poffeffion. Thou shalt bruise them with arod of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter's veffel. Be wife now, therefore, O ye kings, be learned, ye that are judges of the earth. Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Kifs the Son, left He be angry, and fo you perifh from the right way; if His wrath be kinaled (yea but a little). Bleffed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Mofes. I his Pfalm is a further confirmation. of the Heads going before, quoted by the No

taries.

Boy. You will reflect who it was at the time the Meffiah appeared, was appointed by the heathens, kings or princes in Jerufalem, or over the Jews, they being tributary to the Romans, and who were the rulers of the Jews, alfo, who or what perfon they raged and took counfel againft: afcertaining thefe heads will lead us with other fcripture confirmations to the Meffiah.

Mofes. Herod, Pontius Pilate, Annas and Caiphas, were at that time appointed; but who the Meffiah, that they, with the reft, raged and took counfel against as a criminal, we know

not.

Boy. The Jews have been noted for tranfmitting occurrences, particularly in matters of

religion,

religion, to their pofterity, and most affuredly they would not overlook or neglect the very article that they have been throughout their whole fcriptures, beginning with their great law-giver, Mofes, to Malachi, their lateft prophet, apprized and forewarned of. But, without propheting by thefe timely precautions, Ifrael not only ftands guilty of this bloody tragedy, but remains to this day obftinate and irreconcileable.

Mofes. You cannot charge the Jews with obftinacy in a matter they are ignorant and would wish to know. Our feriptures being from Almighty God we know are true; and thefe fcriptures affirm, that the Jews have cut off their Meffiah. This, therefore, is confirmed, but who is the Meffiah out of many pretending at the time appointed to that title and dignity we know not. Each drew a number of the common vulgar with their magic and form bodies of difciples, who running headlong into every licentioufnefs, thousands were executed.

Boy. The princes of the earth stood up and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and against His Chrift. In relation to Impoftors drawing the rabble after their low cunning and magical charms and behaving riotoufly, is not to our purpose. Obferve the fcripture pofitively and abfolutely affirms, that the princes and rulers raged and took council against Christ and put him to death. This is the point we are investigating and fearching out.

Mofes. Impediments that cloud and caft fhades on truth must be removed by canvaffing

S

when

when light will appear in its meridian. It is therefore effentially neceffary, when the greatest fubject that can enter into the heart of man the perfon of the Meffiah, on which falvation exists, is concerned, and to be determined upon, that wifdom fhould be our guide, by which every enemy or obstacle will be taken away; the day ftar will then break forth and remove our doubts; to embrace and ftill doubt is folly.

Boy. I confider your motive and acknowledge the fundamental principle on which it is founded; I heartily acquiefce.

Mofes. At the period or time marked by the fcriptures, for the appearance of the Meffiah, many impoftors rofe up, declaring each one, that he was the Meffiah. Simon Magus, a Samaritan, of the village of Gitton, who, according to your chriftian hiftorian Eufebius, who alfo takes notice of an apology wrote by the philofopher Juftin, a man famous among the profeffors of chriftianity, foon after the times of the apoftles, to the emperor Antoninus, was one of these impoftors, who claimed divine worship. These are the words of Juftin: "And after the Afcenfion of our Lord into heaven, the devil fent forth certain men who ftiled themselves gods, whom you were fo far from perfecuting, that you worship them. Among them there was one Simon, a Samaritan, of the village named Gitton, who, in the reign of Claudius Cæfar, having performed many magical wonders, by the affiftance and art of devils, within your city of Rome, the metropolis of the empire, was accounted a God

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