saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote 24 these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there 25 are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. the belief that the Messiah was to establish an eternal kingdom on earth, the subjects of which would live forever. Yet Jesus said not, &c. The writer explains after his usual manner. 24. This is the disciple, i. e. John. -Testifieth-wrote. His office was twofold to relate the history of Jesus, and to bear testimony that it was true. We know. Obscurity rests on this clause. Who are meant by we, is not known. Some understand it as the attest put at the end of the Gospel by the Ephesian church. John xix. 35. So Hammond, Owen, Newcome, Norton, and others. At all events, it is a marked testimony in support of the veracity and honesty of the evangelist. 25. I suppose. This is thought, by some critics, to be unlike John. — The world itself could not contain the books. A strong hyperbole to describe their great number, which is not deemed in accordance with John's style. Similar figures occur in the Talmuds, and other ancient and modern writers, of which the commentators give the following specimens to illustrate the text: "Jochanan composed such a vast number of precepts, that if the heavens were paper, and all the trees of the forest so many pens, and all the children of men so many scribes, they would not suffice to write all his lessons." "Thy soul covered the whole earth, and thou filledst it with parables." "If Jupiter wrote down the sins of mortals, the whole heaven would not have space to contain them." Though many of the acts and sayings of Jesus passed away unrecorded, yet enough has been written for our guidance and salvation. Though the whole loaf is not placed before us, the broken bread will nourish in us, if we receive it, the spiritual and divine life with equal success. Our curiosity may be excited to know things which have not been related, but sufficient has been transmitted for faith and for practice, for motive and for hope. Yes, blessed be God! we have in the Gospels a manual of duty, and a charter of an immortal destiny, that have escaped the errors of transcribers in a good degree, that have proved asbestos-like in the flames of the persecutor, that have lived, and spread, and multiplied, until they are filling the whole world. From distant centuries, across sea and ocean, they have come, visitants of mercy, to this new world. Heaven grant, they may enter every home, and speak to every heart in their tones of holy persuasion and godlike authority! For in the eloquent words of another, "human happiness has no perfect security but freedom;freedom none but virtue ; — virtue none but knowledge; and neither freedom, nor virtue, nor knowledge, has any vigor or immortal hope, except in the principles of the Christian faith, and in the sanctions of the Christian religion." VALUABLE WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY JAMES MUNROE, JR. AND WILLIAM H. DENNET, Booksellers, Importers, and Publishers, NO. 134 WASHINGTON, OPPOSITE SCHOOL ST., BOSTON. The Four Gospels; with a Commentary, intended for Sabbath School Teachers and Bible Classes, and as an Aid to Family Instruction. By A. A. Livermore. Stereotype Edition. Vol. I. containing Matthew: Vol. II. Mark, Luke, and John. "In a field of criticism, where sectarianism has spoiled nearly every tree and flower, this new product of a generous soil deserves our notice as the nearest approach to an unsectarian work. 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"We can only say that, from the time of its announcement as being in preparation, general expectation has been highly raised in regard to it, and that, as far as we have examined the present volume, or heard the opinions of those who are more competent to pass judgment upon its merits, we are happy to believe that it constitutes a noble addition to the many high claims of its distinguished author to public esteem and honor, as a scholar, a divine, and a devoted supporter of American Literature.” A Statement of Reasons for Not Believing the Doctrines of Trinitarians, concerning the Nature of God, and the Person of Christ. By Andrews Norton. 12mo. pp. 372. "As a critic and theologian, Mr. Norton has long ranked in the very first class. But the present treatise will not need the aid of his high reputation to give it weight and influence. Those who know anything of him or his writings will readily credit us when we say, that it exhibits a rare union of good sense, choice learning, discrimination, and sound logic, which will place it among our standard works in theology. "Mr. Norton writes for intelligent men, for those who do not shrink from examination and patient thought, who are not disgusted at being required to exercise a manly independence, who seek truth for truth's sake, and are willing to pay the price of its attainment. Such will find in the work before us ample materials for study and reflection. We are much mistaken, if to many of them it do not open new views."- Christian Examiner. A New Translation of the Hebrew Prophets, arranged in Chronological Order. 3 vols. 12mo. Each volume comprising about pp. 300. "We conceive that Mr. Noyes has made the Christian public |