that, by the grace of Christ applied to "cleanse them from all sin," they had "been made perfect in love." To be made thus perfect, is what we are here taught to expect, as the consequence of "walking in the light," and "confessing our sins." The passage then, instead of contradicting the doctrine under consideration, when rightly explained, altogether favors the doctrine. What else can be the meaning of the declarations, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin?” Also, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

James iii. 2, "In many things we offend all." Here it is said, we have the positive testimony of inspiration, that in many respects all Christians sin. If so, the doctrine under consideration must be given up of course. But what is the meaning of the above declaration? To answer this, it is necessary to explain the verse preceding. "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." The term masters may mean simply religious teachers, or it may mean slanderers, or critics on the manners and morals of others. The Greeks and Romans, as Calvin remarks, in speaking upon the term,

"were at that time accustomed to call persons of the class last mentioned, masters, because they set themselves up as masters in morals." In this sense, not only Calvin, but Schleusner explains the term. It is used in the same sense as the term "judge is in Matt. vii. 1, the same identical sin being prohibited in the phrase, "judge not," as in the prohibition, "Be not many masters." That the term masters is to be understood, in this passage; in this sense, as designating, not religious teachers, but slanderers, or critics on the manners of others, I argue, 1st. From the fact, that the abuse of the tongue, is the exclusive subject of discourse, in the whole passage with which the term is connected. 2d. The apostle declares, absolutely, that if we are "masters," we shall receive greater condemnation, which is only conditionally true of religious teachers, that is, if they sin. The apostle, as Calvin observes, forbids "that there should be many masters," because many are every where disposed to rush into this business. Understanding the term "masters," here in this, its true sense, the declaration "in many things we offend all," may be readily explained.—It contains the reason why "we shall," if we are "masters," "receive the greater condemnation." The reason is this, as masters we all offend in many things," that is, are great offenders. The term

"polla," here rendered "many things," is often used adverbially in the Bible, as explained above. Thus the apostle says, "I wept much." Again, "He straitly charged them,” i. e. earnestly. “And he besought him much." "I greatly desired him to come to you." In all these In all these passages, the term rendered "many things" in the passage under consideration, is used. Now, when the apostle says, that "we all offend greatly," or are aggravated offenders, he does not affirm this of us all as Christians, but as masters; just as in the phrase "we shall receive greater condemnation," he affirms that as masters, and not as Christians, we shall be thus condemned. If we are masters, we are to receive greater condemnation; because we then are aggravated offenders; the only reason conceivable why we should be thus condemned.

The common explanation of the passage makes the apostle render the strangest reason conceivable, for the fact that masters "will receive the greater condemnation," to wit, that all men sin in many things. How does the fact, that all men sin in many things, prove, that those who are guilty of particular sins shall receive severer punishment than others? Or that religious teachers even, if they sin, will be thus punished? Suppose a person should reason in a similar manner in respect to any other crime, murder for example. "All

men sin in many things. Therefore the murderer shall receive the greater condemnation." This would be just as reasonable, as in reference to the sin of evil speaking, or the sins of religious teachers. Further, according to the common explanation of the passage, "" masters are to be punished more than they deserve. Two men, we will suppose, commit to-day the same sin. One immediately dies without repentance. The other subsequently becomes a "master," or slanderer. The former, according to the Bible, will be punished for that sin, all that it deserves. The latter, according to the present explanation of the passage, is for that identical sin to receive still "greater condemnation," i. e. to receive greater punishment than the sin deserves. The meaning of the passage, together with the context, may be thus expressed. Do not multitudes of you, my brethren, be "masters or slanderers, If we are, we shall receive greater condemnation; because, in that case, we all offend in many things, that is, are aggravated offenders. On the other hand, "if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man." The object of the apostle is, to contrast our character and prospects as "masters," with our state, when our tongue is subject to the law of love. In the former case we are to "receive greater condemnation," because we are

then all of us great offenders. In the latter, we are perfect. Nothing, then, was farther from the intention of the sacred writer, than the design of denying the doctrine of holiness, as maintained in these discourses.

Matt. vi. 12, "And forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors." From the fact, that this petition is found in the Lord's prayer, it is argued, that Christians will always have sins to confess, or will never arrive at a state of perfect holiness in this life. This principle, if admitted, would prove that the kingdom of God will never come, and that the Christian will never be in a state in this life in which he will not be subject to injuries from others. The time will arrive, when the kingdom of God will have come, and when "they will not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy mountain." At that time the above petitions will be inappropriate; because the prayers of all the saints in this respect will have been fully answered. So of the petition under consideration. The Saviour says, "After this MANNER, pray ye;" that is, if ye have, among other things, sins to confess, confess them in this manner. It was no part of his design, to affirm or deny that we shall ever be in a state in which our "heart will not condemn us."

Heb. xii. 6: "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiv