TO THE TRUTH OF DIVINE REVELATION. 79 Jews. Give glory to God who made you to differ from them both. For who maketh thee to differ? By the grace of God you are what you are. Upon yourselves therefore cast no vain glorying glances. But on those at either hand dart a look of pity. Pour out your benevolent intercessions for the conversion of the Jews, whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all God blessed for ever. And cease not to pray for infidels, that God may give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth, and that they may not stand confronted, confounded, and condemned, by the sight of the Jews confuted at the last dread day of doom. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-The questions this evening will be expected to be on the subject of the Lecture. These questions will immediately commence, as the time is so far advanced. Mr. Taylor.-Reverend Sir. I have paid most conscientious and respectful attention to your discourse. The very late time of the night will hinder me from pursuing that discourse regularly, and I respectfully request that I may have answers as succinct as the time calls for, to the respectful questions which I will submit. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-The utmost assurance that I can give you is, that so far as I can trace the questions each one in order and its direct bearing, I will reply to it with the utmost possible conciseness. Mr. Taylor.-You opened your discourse by 80 THE JEWS LIVING WITNESSES reading the 11th chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, which contained a sentiment Rev. Dr. Bennett.-Might I say, that is not the Lecture. may Mr. Taylor. I will demonstrate that the pith of your argument turned on that. I beg it be understood that I speak in a feeling of sincere respect. If I speak loud, and it should give a cadence I mean not, I entreat permission to make an apology. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-It needs no apology. I need the same apology myself, because I have spoken with an earnestness, that might not always appear respectful to those against whom I was arguing: and therefore I have the most perfect confidence in your respectful intentions, and shall by no means be disposed to take it unkind whatever vehemence of manner there may be. The Chairman.-I would beg to impress upon the minds of the audience the propriety of not interrupting the discussion that is about to take place, by expressions of approbation or disapprobation. Mr. Taylor. The Reverend Lecturer spoke of infidelity as being a peculiar crime, and as exposing the person who is, what I am, an infidel, to the displeasure of the Almighty. The chapter with which he commenced the service explicitly and expressly stated that unbelief was acceptable to God, and the means of salvation to the unbelieving Jews. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." Rev. Dr. Bennett rose Mr. Taylor. I will confine myself to the case of the Jews more especially. I declare, that reading the Bible as the word of God, from the beginning to the end, I am willing to abide the hazard at the day of judgment, that it is better to be an infidel than to be a believer. (Marks of disapprobation.) Rev. Dr. Bennett.-You will admit, Mr. Taylor, that your statements are too long to have an interrogatory form; for no ordinary memory can take up your expressions and answer them one after another-to be able to do so a man must indeed be a prodigy with regard to memory. If you will put them into a small compass, I will answer them distinctly. Mr. Taylor. Can any compass be smaller than this in which I couch the first question? Where have you the first intimation of such a people as the Jews? Rev. Dr. Bennett.-In the Holy Scriptures. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-The name of Jews does not occur early in their history, and for a very sufficient reason. The name of Jews strictly applies to Judea, to the country-if we may speak in modern terms-or tribe of Judah. Originally it was but one of the twelve tribes, and therefore the whole country was not called Judea, nor were they called Jews. But after that the ten tribes had been carried away into captivity for their idolatry, there were but two tribes left with a remnant of the Levites mixed up among them. The chief tribe of these two was that of Judah, which being the royal tribe, and ruling over the country, of course gave its name to the whole. From hence the whole nation came to be called Jews, though originally they were called Israel, from Israel the name given to Jacob, from whom the whole nation descended. Mr. Taylor. The name Jews first occurs in the second Book of Kings, the 16th chapter of that Book, and the 6th verse of that chapter, in the words, "At that time Rezin, king of Syria, recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day." I ask why it is, that in the Gospel of St. John, the Jews are never spoken of as being inhabitants of Jerusalem, but are continually distinguished from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as Quakers, Socinians, or Arians might be among ourselves-the terms Jews and Israelites not being the designation of a nation, but of a religious sect. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-Tacitus, whom I have quoted, calls them by the name of the Jews, not as a religious sect, but as the whole nation against which Titus and Vespasian waged war, and which nation he crushed and dispersed over the face of the earth. But again, I say, Ask the Jews, whether the name signifies only a religious sect, or whether it is not the name of their nation. Mr. Taylor.-How is it, Sir, that Herodotus, Manetho, and all the authors quoted by Josephus, are utterly ignorant of the existence of such a people as the Jews? Homer, whose comprehensive mind' left nothing unembraced, and who had visited Egypt, was utterly ignorant of the existence of such a people as the Jews. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-Were I to admit that Homer was ignorant of it, it would not at all serve the purpose of the questioner, because it is well known that there are many facts, of which the gentleman before me has no doubt, that Homer never mentions. He might as well say, If there are Antipodes, why did not Homer with his comprehensive mind mention them. (Applause, and cries of order.) - Mr. Taylor. I have understood you to state that the argument for the existence of the Jews in a state of dispersion exists in this point-That the dispersion was a visitation—a punishment from God upon them for the crucifixion of Christ. Rev. Dr. Bennett.-That was not the gist of my argument, but I am very happy now to approach it : for though I have answered the previous questions, as I wish to shew all courtesy and kindness when I am questioned, yet I must maintain that the previous questions did not come to my argument. My argument was, that the existence of the Jews is a living proof of the truth of their own Scriptures, and that their own Scriptures being proved true, prove the truth of our religion: and I have shewn how, from their own Scriptures, we may know that Jesus Christ is the promised Saviour, the hope of Israel, and the salvation of men. Mr. Taylor. My argument simply seeks instruction on the great question of the dispersion of the |