same works that I do, bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself which sent me hath borne witness of me.” See John v. 36, 37.

113. Christ's Witness of Himself is True.-I am one that bear witness of myself. . . Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. John viii. 18, 14.

Christ's Witness of Himself is Not True.-If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. John v. 31.

Bishop Pearce, Wakefield, and the Diaglott, translate John v. 31, interrogatively. They read, "If I bear witness of myself, is not my witness true?" This version (which is sustained by the Greek, rather than the other) obviates all difficulty. His own testimony, that he was the Messiah, was perfectly true, and might have been sufficient for condemning a world of unbelievers; but he also had the testimony of John, which he did not need, although he was an unimpeachable witness; he also had the testimony of his disciples, and multitudes of others who had witnessed his miracles, but all human testimony was superfluous, for he had the witness of Jehovah himself. See John v. 36, 37; 1 John v. 9; iii. 2; x. 25; xv. 24; Matt. iii. 17; xvii. 5.

114. Christ Laid Down his Life for his Friends.-Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John xv. 13.-The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John x. 11.

Christ Laid Down his Life for his Enemies.-When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Ron... 10.

Iring the life time of the Son of God, he made the following forcible remark: "Greater love hath

no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." How true! No man can carry his love for his friend farther than this; for when he gives up his life he gives all he has. And it is only in the rarest instances that such friendship has been known in earth's history. But when Jehovah's Son "poured out his soul unto death," he laid down his life not only for his friends, but he also died for his enemies ; thereby giving the universe an example of love to the world which was without precedent in the annals of mankind.

115. It was Lawful for the Jews to put Christ to Death. -The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die. John xix. 7.

It was Not Lawful for the Jews to put Him to Death. -The Jews, therefore, said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. John xviii. 31.

In Lev. xxiv. 14-16, we find that blasphemers of God were to be put to death; and the chief priests, having charged Jesus with blasphemy, voted that he deserved to die. But it must be remembered that the Jews were at this time subject to the Romans, and consequently they could not be allowed to administer capital punishment to criminals. Hence, although they might have judged Jesus according to their own law (as Pilate bade them), they could only excommunicate or scourge him.

The power of life and death was in all probability taken from the Jews when Archelaus, king of Judea, was banished, and Judea was made a Roman province; and this happened more than fifty years before the destruction of Jerusalem. But the Romans suffered Herod, mentioned in Acts xii., to exercise the

power of life and death during his reign. See Calmet and Pearce.

116. Children are Punished for the Sins of their Parents. -I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. Ex. xx. 5.

Children are Not Punished for the Sins of their Parents. -The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. Ezek. xviii. 20.

Ex. xx. 5 is a declaration which accompanies the second commandment, in the decalogue given to Israel.

Idolatry is the sin which God is denouncing. And after the Israelites had broken his law by worshipping idols, the Divine protection was withdrawn, and they were delivered up into the hands of their enemies; for the gods in which they had trusted could not deliver them. Then they remained in bondage, and their children after them, to the third and fourth generations successively, as confirmed by every part of Jewish history. And this became the grand, effectual and lasting means, in the hand of God, for their final deliverance from idolatry; for, after the Babylonish captivity, the Israelites never disgraced themselves with idolatry as they had formerly done. Hence it appears that national judgments, which pass from generation to generation, are those referred to in the text above. Perhaps it also refers to natural laws by the violation of which one man or woman may impart disease to several successive generations. And, in relation to financial affairs, children often lose their patrimony and suffer with poverty, in consequence of the extravagance and folly of their parents. Also in political crimes, the blood of nobility is tainted by the rebellion of an ancestor, and the

children can only be restored to their rightful position by an act of royal favour. But this law only refers to temporal existence, and has no bearing upon the reward or punishment which is to be bestowed at the resurrection. This point is beautifully exemplified in the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel. Please read as follows, commencing at the fourth verse:—

"Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die, [i. e. the second death, which is the doom pronounced upon the ungodly.] But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right . . . Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, [shall have the eternal life which is promised to the righteous.] But if he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, etc., he shall surely die, [the second death.] Now lo, if he beget a son that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such... he shall surely live. Verse 20, The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father [in the future state], neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

It is probable that the first verse of the chapter is designed to correct a wrong impression in reference to the law, which was prevalent among the Jews, and not to convey the idea that the law itself was repealed.

117. Man is Justified by Faith Alone.-By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified. Rom. iii. 20.-Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Gal. ii. 16.-The just shall live by faith. And the law is not

of faith. Gal. iii. 11, 12.-For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory. Rom. iv. 2.

Man is Not Justified by Faith Alone.—Was not Abraham our father justified by works? . . Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Jam. ii. 21, 24.-The doers of the law shall be justified. Rom. ii. 13.

The only texts in the above proposition which seem to require any notice at our hands are the two last quoted, and they are beautifully explained by the context. Please read James ii. 20-24. 66 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had offered Isaac, his son, upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see, then, how that by works, a man is justified, and not by faith only." We see, then, that Abraham's justification was dependant upon faith and works both. (See also Romans ii. 12-13.) "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law, for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified," etc. The last verse is parenthetical, and refers of course to those, and to those alone, who were under the law. It is thrown. in to explain the preceding verse, and conveys the idea that it was not necessary alone to be hearers of the law, but they must also have been doers of it, in order to be justified when the great day of reward comes to the inhabitants of the earth. When the judge of quick and dead shall bestow the honours of