the men of every preceding age who have guarded it; so that we have it now intact. Secondly: They have handed it down to us by their own teaching. We have it, in the countless volumes which departed men have written, in the glorious historic deeds which departed men have wrought, and in the noble institutions which departed men have reared. Thus it has come down to us.

II. THAT TRUE RELIGIOUS KNOWLEGE IS IMPARTED TO US NOT TO MONOPOLIZE BUT TO TRANSMIT. "He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to the children," &c. The transmittory arrangement implies several things:-First: That the children of every generation have a capacity for receiving this knowledge. The human soul is made to receive ideas about God, and duty. In its very first stages it has a peculiar susceptibility for these ideas. There is no danger of teaching religion too soon. It implies-Secondly: That the children of every generation will require this knowledge. Many are the generations that have come and gone since these divine revelations were made, and since their record was completed; but they are as needful to this generation as to the first, and will be as needful to the last as to this. Coming generations may not require our philosophies, poetries, and governments; they may outgrow our sciences, and despise our civilization; but they will require our religion. Though they may not require our lamps, they will need our sun. It implies: Thirdly: The eternal harmony of all God's operations. "The wonderful works," which He does in one generation, are to be made known to succeeding ones, and thus on for ever, showing that they will all accord. The Eternal does not.contradict Himself. The first divine act on earth's theatre will harmonize with the last. The whole will form one great anthem, filling eternity with music. The actions of the best men are often contradictory. The departed saint, were he to return to earth, would battle with much of his past life.

III. THAT TRUE RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE IS TO BE THUS TRANSMITTED IN ORDER TO ELEVATE POSTERITY. Why this transmission? "That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them unto their children: that they might set their hope in God," &c. The grand result aimed at, as set forth in these words, is threefold:-(1) Rightness of intellect. "Not forget the works of God; a constant recognition of the Divine agency. (2) Rightness of heart. "That they might set their hope in God," and "set their heart aright;”—the heart fixed on God as the supreme good. (3) Rightness of conduct. Keep his commandments." To bring immortal man to this sublime rightness—this rightness in thought, feeling and action, is the grand and ultimate end of all this teaching. Glorious end! It is coming slowly, but surely. Humanity is rising, and every true thought and virtuous act help it on.

"The smallest effort is not lost;

Each wavelet on the ocean tossed

Aids in the ebb tide or the flow.'

Meanwhile we are passing on in the path of all departed generations, and one day all shall meet. There are those who have never known the truth; there are those who have known it but do not impart it; there are those who know it, and labor to impart it. To which class belongest thou, my brother?

Biblical Criticism.

[Contributed to the Homilist by the REV, WM. WEBSTER, M.A., late Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, joint Editor of the "Annotated Greek Testament."]

SECTION V.

ΟΝ καταρτίζω AND τελειόω.

Or the words translated 'perfect' we have seen that Karaρtig involves the notion of positive defect which requires to be repaired. The word is applied to the mending

of a net, the refitting a ship, the setting a broken limb, the repair of a house, and generally the restoration of what has become palpably imperfect and out of order. In τέλος, τέλειος, τελειόω we have what we may term merely the negative imperfection of those who have still an object in view, a purpose not fully realised.

The heir to an estate attains his τέλος, and becomes τέλειος, when he reaches the period at which he enters on the possession of his property; the aspirants to office are said to be ev téλe, when they reach the coveted post or dignity; the betrothed are Téλe when by their union they attain the consummation of their wishes.

This idea is well preserved in the A. V. 1 Peter i. 9, Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls'; where an English reader will see that the Téλos means the final purpose, the ultimate object, the consummation of their belief. But in 2 Cor. iii. 13, we read that 'the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.' Here Téλos means ultimate object, scope, significancy. 'With a view to their not beholding the import of that which was wearing out.' In 1 Peter iii. 8, we read, 'Finally be ye all of one mind.' The rendering might well be, 'Now as the end of the whole matter,' &c.

It may not be expedient to suggest any amendment in the A. V. of Jas. i. 25, He that looketh into the perfect law of liberty,' except it be to preserve closely the order of the words in the original, by rendering it, 'the perfect law, the law of liberty I mean.' But attention to the especial force of Téhes, shows at once the propriety of the epithet; as the gospel is the consummation of Judaism, the end proposed by the rites and ceremonies of the Levitical dispensation. Rom. x. 4.

In Heb. vi. 19, the A. V. has, 'The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God.' Here the first clause should unquestionably be rendered, 'The law wrought no completeness.' The law pointed to an object it could not accomplish. The second clause might well be rendered, 'The law however was the means of introducing a better hope.' Heb. ix. 9, Gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience.' The rendering should rather be, 'Which are not, (to be sup

In

posed) able as regards the conscience to effect the worshipper's object'; i.e., they could remove ceremonial uncleanness, but could not make full expiation. Heb. x. 1, 'The law can

never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect; this would be more accurately rendered, 'Can never, with the same sacrifices, secure the worshippers' object in perpetuity.' Heb. x. 14, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified;' 'He hath wrought completeness'; He hath accomplished the end proposed in perpetuity. Heb. ii. 10, 'To make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings'; 'to make the author of their salvation accomplish his end,' consummate his design by means of sufferings. Heb. v. 9, 'Being made perfect he became the author,' &c. Having accomplished the end proposed; more simply having reached the end of his course.'

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In this sense there is no difficulty in Luke xiii. 32, 'I do cures to day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' The meaning is, The threats of Herod affect me not; at the appointed time I finish my course; I accomplish my object.

In James ii. 22, we read, 'By works faith was made perfect'; out of works his faith attained a full end; his faith reached maturity.

Heb. xi. 40, That they without us should not be made perfect'; that apart from us they should not attain a full end; should not have the consummation of bliss. Heb. xii. 23, To the spirits of just men made perfect; of the righteous in the consummation of bliss. Heb. v. 14. 'Those of full age,' means the mature; the fully grown, Heb. vi. 1, 'Let us go on to perfection'; let us advance to maturity; to the maturity of our profession; the full scope of our calling.

VOL. X.

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The Preacher's Finger-Post.