a people saved by the Lord," (Deut. xxxiii. 29.) -but not by the Messiah.

*THE SON OF MAN.-Ezekiel the prophet is called by this name, and was called so by God. Jesus also called himself the Son of Man. We shall find it very difficult to settle by what name he ought to be called: for, if he is a God, he is no man; and, if he is a man, he is no God. Jesus himself never thought of such a thing; therefore he called himself the Son of Man: but, had he thought that he was a God, he would have called himself the Son of a woman; and that would have proved that no man could have been his father. But, if any man will contend that he was both God and man, it cannot be true for we have the following text; "And there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." Dan. ii. 11. "The heaven, even the heavens are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men." Psalm cxv. 16. I think these proofs are sufficient to shew that he who partakes of flesh and blood, and eats and drinks, can be no God.

* FORGIVENESS OF SIN.-The Messiah can forgive no sin, but God whose dwelling is not with men, he only can forgive sin. "For there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared," and no other. Psalm cxxx. 4. Observe the term, "that thou mayest be feared," and no other; and therefore no flesh can forgive sin. Nay, even the Messiah must pray to God: and, inasmuch as the Messiah was to be born of a woman, he would consequently partake of flesh and blood, and the

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**** ma lama-lagring to the belief of Carstians. the Hessian is ready esme: but for is great point I was a see weghure proof: and vier is the grief WN you bring irvari ne rrie Jamie-miss that you my icon and you have nothing else ca which you can rely. I fal quote the passage to ker i afora 26 uziment in support of Chrisdianity. And after mesenre and ovo weeks

all the Mewah be cut cf bat zer dir bizself; and the people of the prince that shall come, stall destroy the city and the moctuary: and the end thereof shall be with a food; and to the end of the war desolations are determined." Dan. ix. 26. From this vere, and the 25th it is an easy matter to prove that the Messiah was to be cut of ater sixty-nine weeks; that is in the last week, or properly in the last seven years, before the temple was destroyed. But we find that Jesus was cut off more than six weeks, i. e. about thirty-seven years, before the temple was destroyed; and therefore he could not be the Messiah, but it must mean some other person.

Let us consider for a moment, that the captivity of Babylon was declared by the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah long before the people went into captivity: he said, There you shall be seventy years and no longer; and so it came to pass. But of how much consequence is the coming of the Messiah. If the seventy weeks are the only passage in the whole of the Old Testament, that

points out the coming of the Messiah, ought it not to be as exact as the prophet has declared it? but here we find the contrary; for there is a difference of thirty seven years: therefore Jesus could not be the Messiah.

Again; if the seventy weeks is the only passage to be found that points out the coming of the Messiah, why did not one of the apostles quote it as a clear proof to convince the people by it? but we do not find that either Paul or any other brought forward this passage; therefore they could not have thought of such a thing; for they knew that it had no reference at all to the Messiah, and on this account did not quote it.

* We also read in this verse, that "the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself :" this is not true, for no such thing is to be found in the Hebrew text, for the text has it ve-en lo, which signifies," and not to him ;" that is to say, that the Messiah, which means the king, shall be cut off in the last week; " and not to him;" i. e. he shall have no successor; by which is pointed out, that there shall be no more kingly power in the Jewish nation. *And this Messiah that was to be cut off was king Agrippa; and so it happened, that in the last week he and his son Monves were slain by the order of Titus.

Perhaps some people will ask, How came he to be called a Messiah? I have already shewn that a prophet, a high-priest, and a king, are called by the name of Messiah; also every one that is called a king is called a Messiah. Now Cyrus, who was a heathen king, is called a Messiah: (see page

15) how much more Agrippa, who was of the stock of Abraham and king over Israel.

*Thus far I have shewn here that the whole defence of the people that say, that the Messiah is come already, is no defence, because it proves nothing: * and therefore the coming of the Messiah until this day is unknown, and this mystery is only known to God, and was never told to any of the prophets. "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." Isaiah lxiii. 4. Learn now from this passage that the coming of the Messiah was never revealed to mankind. Again; "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and, when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." Dan. xii. 7-9. Here it may be observed, that Daniel was longing to know the coming of the Messiah, but could not obtain it.

*THE MESSIAH IS NOT YET COME.-We must look upon this world as divided into three periods. The first was during the residence of Adam and Eve in paradise, and before they fell. The second period began, when Adam was driven out from paradise, and continued until the coming of the

Messiah. The third or last period will commence by the coming of the Messiah.

The first part was perfect. The middle part was imperfect. The third part will restore the first perfection, and so continue for evermore.

In the first, man was perfect, that is, without sin; then he was an angel; for angels in heaven sin not, and where there is no sin, there is no death by this we may learn that man was born to live for ever, because a perfect God created a perfect man; and, as God lives for ever, such was to be the nature of man and so it was, because the proper habitation of man was paradise, and there he was to live for ever, he and his seed after him. We also know from scripture that paradise is upon earth, for we read in Genesis ii. 10, " And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads and the names of these rivers are well known to the world. Now, when heaven and earth, and all the host of them were finished, then man and angels were both alike; heaven and earth were both alike, for the one was as holy as the other; nay, the degree of man was above the angels, for his wisdom was above theirs ; * the angels could give no names to all living creatures, but Adam did, and until this day they bear the names which Adam gave them. Now one of the angels became jealous of the glory of man; this was Satan, who was at that time a very great angel in heaven; he rebelled against his Lord, descended upon earth, disguised himself in the figure of a serpent, succeeded according to his