be, that * no servant of sin would dwell in this house (eis ton aióna) through the future age, but that he who is a son; i. e. a worthy descendant of Abraham, would dwell in the house through the extent of that period. "If therefore the son (Messiah) shall make you free, you shall be free (ontos) in the sublimest sense." It is the children only, who are placed in the house of God. The Jerusalem which is above is free. In the prophet Zechariah it is said, Jerusalem shall be called the city of Truth.

Having thus endeavoured to ascertain the Scriptural import of perfect to be made perfect, as expressive of that perfection which takes place immediately after death, we now proceed to select some passages, to which to apply the key already mentioned. Let the first passage be Heb. xii. 2. where Jesus is, in our version, termed the author and finisher of our faith. The obvious sense which these words suggest, is, that as Christ has begun this faith, so will he complete it. This is by no means the meaning which the original presents. The terms archegos and teleiotes are nearly synonymous; the first denoting, not author, but forerun

* The word servant is here put for all the wicked; and son, which follows, for all the righteous. John, viii. 35, 36,

The Psalmist mentions dwelling in the house of the Lord, in such a way, that it appears evidently to be an object which is to take place after death. Psal. xxiii 6.

ner.

ner, Dux qui salutis via nobis præiverat, who has preceded us in every step of the road through which we are to pass. The second, not finisher,` but the perfect man of our faith. Hence he is said to be (teleiotheis) made perfect; that is, having gone in his human nature through the whole extent of the plerôma, and now in his glory constituting that summit of perfection, to which we, according to our measure, expect to ascend. We are, indeed, by these terms, called to look to him in two different vistas. First, as having trod the whole path of life, and being the first who did it ; and here he is the forerunner. Secondly, as being now placed at the acmè or summit, and having no more changes to undergo; here he is the perfect man, the model of our highest and last stage.

As an additional proof of the impropriety of our present version of the words, it will be sufficient to observe, that it contradicts the apostle's design, who meant to encourage us to run our race; not by what was future, for so finisher implies, but by what was past and done. Being called to look to Jesus, we can contemplate in him a race, not foretold to be, but actually run over, as it lies through death, through the invisible world, and, finally, as it leads up to glory. This is what none of the patriarchs ever beheld: it could not therefore have been said to them, as it is now said to us, that it was agon prokeimenos, a race stretched out in full prospect before them. Heb.12.1.

Christ then being made perfect, might well be said to be the perfect man. This is a standing name of Messiah to his people, through all generations. Being made perfect, he is now the glass and measure of our expectation, and we look to follow him through the different steps he has trod.

This view will lend its aid in clearing up a second passage, Luke, xiii. 9. "I do cures," says the Saviour, "to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Being the prophet of the Hebrew nation, he, in the computation of time, speaks in the prophetical character. Taking a day here, in the sense of a year, it will run in this manner: I do cures this year and the next; and the third year I shall, through sufferings, be made perfect. This comprehends the whole period of Christ's public ministry.

The last passage is Heb. x. 14. "For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified." It has already been shewn, that the sanctified are those who are set apart to God in his temple; not, however, excluding a lower application of the term to them who give up themselves to God upon earth. Such of the fathers as had died in the faith of a future Messiah, were, from various circumstances which have now taken place, imperfect. A perfection was to be given that state in which they were, which was to be only in the

event of the offering up of Messiah. Now the imperfection to which, through the past ages, these departed souls had been subjected, was the non-exhibition of Messiah, and the whole train of things which followed, not yet having taken place; such as transgression not finished, reconciliation not made for iniquity, everlasting righteousness not brought in, no race run over by the forerunner. There was no measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ yet set forth to view. Messiah exalted to glory, is now the standard around which their hopes rally, and the model to which they expect to be conformed. He might, by his presence among them, give them to know, that the ransom was paid, and thereby admit them nearer unto God; for if this one offering made them perfect, it follows, that before it took place, they were not perfect. The perfection conferred may be both personal and ad extra; that is, both internal and existing without them. The first might consist in a superaddition of knowledge, and the disclosure of new springs of refreshments and joys; the second, in having before them a perpetual and bright vision of the Lamb, standing among them on the heavenly Zion.

I stop to take a view of two passages, from "which an objection might be raised, that St. Paul speaks of a perfection which he and others were already in possession of. The first where he says,

"We

We speak wisdom among them that are perfect." 1 Cor. ii. 6. It is evident that he does not mean that spotless perfection which takes place after death; it is merely a relative term, denoting that there were others to whom he could not speak wisdom, as being yet in their noviciate. This apprenticeship in the things of God, is the period of learning, the first principles of the doctrines of Christ, which the apostle calls upon them to leave, in order to go on unto perfection; i. e. to the more sublime mysteries of the gospel. "For," says he, "every one that useth milk is a babe". even they who are conversant only in the elements of the things of heaven. These are merely beginners, "but strong meat," that is, the knowledge of the higher mysteries "belong to them who are perfect," who stand high in the knowledge of divine things. Heb. v. 13, 14.

The second, where he says, "as many as are perfect, let us be thus minded." Phil.3.15.

His own words prevent their being understood in the highest sense. "Not as if I had already obtained, or were already perfect;" Philip. ii. 12. alluding to that perfection which is to be obtained in the event of death. The perfect here are the more advanced in the knowledge of Christ, and stand in contradistinction to those novices who are in a figure termed nepioi, or infants."

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