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Scripture applied by the Jews to the Messiah. The nature of
the Covenant. The parties. Messiah meant by the Branch.
Prov. 8th considered. The Mediator engaged voluntarily. The
contract. To make known the will of God. Obey the law. Make
satisfaction. Testimonies from the Rabbins. To make his
people willing.

LETTER II.-The subject continued,

Promises of the covenant. To the Mediator himself.

Proved from Scripture. From the laying on of hands. From
the opinion of our ancient Rabbins. Also from the modern.
Prayer before killing the cock. This ceremony, though a hu-
man invention, confirms the truth. Summary account of the
sentiments of the Rabbins. Sacrifices could not atone. Declared
in Scripture. Acknowledged by the Rabbins. Two-fold design.
Israel considered as sinners and sacrifices as types. Dr. Brown.
When considered in a political relation, then sacrifice did atone.
The Mosaic economy not in compliance with Heathenish cus-
toms. Sacrifices as ancient as Adam. Jews forbidden to imi-
tate the heathen. Jewish ceremonies in opposition to heathen
rites. Dr. Belsham. Woodwards. Allen.

LETTER XIII-Vicarious sufferings and death of Messiah, 339

His sufferings vicarious. Ps. 22 considered. Isa. 52, 53 relate

to the Messiah. Proved. Recapitulation. Not applicable to

king Josiah. Nor Jeremiah. Nor to Messiah ben Joseph. Nor

to the sufferings of our nation. Dr. Montalto's tract on this

chapter confuted. His closing observation too true. This whole

prediction applied to the Messiah by the Rabbins. Hence it is

evident that his sufferings are vicarious.

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PART I.

THE NECESSITY OF A MEDIATOR.

Letter I.

INTRODUCTION.

My dearly beloved Brother Benjamin,

1. How greatly did my heart rejoice, when, after the lapse of so many years of separation and silence, I was favored with your affectionate letter. My feelings, on perusing it, cannot be expressed. Like my namesake, Joseph of old, I fell, in imagination, "upon my dear Benjamin's neck, and wept" tears of joy; Gen. 45:14. I thank my God, who hath preserved your life, removed your prejudices, and inclined your heart to inquire after the truth.

2. You express a great desire to know "the reasons for my believing the Christian religion." After mature deliberation, and much prayer to God, and relying on the aid of the Ruach Hakkodesh, Holy Spirit, I have resolved to comply with your request. But be assured that no other consideration but to gratify you, and the hope that it may please God to make it a blessing to your precious soul, would have led me to undertake this work. For, although I can adopt the language and sentiment of one of our brethren of the tribe of Benjamin, that "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek;" Rom. 1.16; and though I am commanded by one of the inspired apostles of my blessed Savior, "to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh for a reason of my hope;" and although I have studied these subjects for many years, and preached on them often yet, such is the

conviction of my imperfections in style, composition, &c. that diffidence would have led me to withhold them still from appearing in print, as I have done on former occasions, as you wil! perceive by the following extract from the fourth Report of the London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, page 3. "The lectures to the Jews, by Mr. Frey, which form so important and prominent a feature in the operations of the Society, have been continued at the Jews' Chapel, and of them it is not saying too much, to observe, that subjects have been so judiciously chosen, and so admirably treated by him, especially in the elucidation and application of the doctrines and discipline of the Jews, in exposing the fallacious reasoning of the Hebrew doctors, and in enforcing the grand truths of Christianity, that these discourses will long be remembered with delight and satisfaction by those who have heard them. Your Committee regret that Mr. Frey's diffidence has led him (perhaps somewhat too pertinaciously) to resist their repeated applications to prepare several of these lectures for the press." Similar applications have been made by friends in this country, as well as in England.

§ 3. The subject on which you solicit information, is, of all others, the most interesting. It is that by which God has distinguished mankind from, and elevated them above, all other creatures in our world, endowing them with rational and moral faculties capable of religious notions and sentiments. Nor can it be supposed that God, who instructed our first parents in the useful knowledge they possessed, would neglect to communicate to them the knowledge of religion. Hence, notwithstanding the many changes and corruptions which have been introduced, with respect to the nature of religion, still, the necessity and importance of it are acknowledged by all nations.

We find no human society who have not their religious opinions and sentiments; and some of the most uncivilized and barbarous nations are often the most zealous and con

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