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II . The N. T. Canon.— The history of the collection and authoritative determination of the N. T. canon may be divided into three periods. 1. Down to a.d. 170. — Paul claimed for his Epistles ''a public use and an authoritative power." 1 Thess 5:27; 2 Thess 3:6; Col 4:16; 1 Tim 4:6. John solemnly warns against any additions to or deductions from the book of Revelation. Rev 22:18-19. Peter significantly puts Paul's Epistles side by side with "the other Scriptures." 2 Pet 3:16. Nothing is more striking than the great difference in contents and expression between the N. T. and the Christian writings of the following centuries. This difference is a subsidiary but convincing proof of the inspiration of the former. We see in the Apostolic Fathers (a.d. 70-120) evidence of acquaintance with at least the majority of our present N. T. The period from a.d. 120-170 has been termed the age of the apologists. These efforts to defend the Christian faith led to a new use of the facts of Christ's life, and it then became manifest how greatly superior the four Gospels were to all other accounts; and accordingly, they were separated and assigned to a place of honor and absolute authority. At the close of the period was composed the Muratorian canon in the West, while about the same time appeared the Syriac translation of the N. T. called the Peshito, and the first Latin versions called Itala. From a.d. 170 to A.D. 303.— As the result of the investigations in the patristic writings of this period, Westcott declares that the four Gospels, the Acts, 1 Peter, 1 John, 13 Epistles of Paul, and the Apocalypse (the Revelation) were accepted by the Church, and, with the exception of the Apocalypse, have never been questioned since until modern times. Speaking generally, we may say that of the so-called "disputed" books of the N.T. the Apocalypse was universally received by all the Christian writers, while the Epistle to the Hebrews found acceptance in the Oriental, but not in the Occidental, Church. Judging from the writings, "the Epistles of James and Jude and the second and third of John were little used, and the second of Peter was barely known." From a.d. 302 to A.D. 307.— At the close of this period the third Council of Carthage, a.d. 397, took place, memorable as that by which the present canon of the N.T., with its 27 books, was ratified. Since that time it has remained unchanged. Luther revived doubts concerning some of the 7 books which Eusebius calls "disputed," especially the Epistle of James (which he could not harmonize with Paul's doctrine of justification by faith); but these were private opinions, and were not adopted by the Lutheran Church. All the Protestant Churches agree with the Greek and the Roman Churches as regards the extent of the canon of the N. T. And this little book contains the chief wisdom of the world, and will continue to guide mankind in the way of salvation to the end of time.

II . The principal attributes of God are ascribed to Christ; as, eternity, John 1:1; John 8:58; Rev 23:13; superhuman knowledge, Matt 9:4; John 16:30; John 21:17; omnipotence, Phil 3:21; Col 2:9-10; omnipresence. Matt 18:20; Matt 28:20; John 3:13; and unchangeableness. Heb 13:8.

II. Measures of Capacity. — (1.) Dry. A cab, or kab (hollow), 2 Kgs 6:25, one-third of an omer, or two pints. An omer (heap, sheaf), Ex 16:36, one-tenth of an ephah, or six pints. The seah (measure), Gen 18:6; Matt 13:33; Luke 13:21, one-third of an ephah, or twenty pints, was the ordinary measure for household purposes. The ephah — a word of Egyptian origin, but often occurring in the O.T., Ex 16:36; Lev 5:11; Num 5:15; Jud 6:19, etc. — ten omers, or three seahs, or sixty pints. The homer (heap), Isa 5:10, when used for dry measure, one hundred omers, or six hundred pints. The Greek word translated "bushel," Matt 5:15, is supposed by some to answer to the Hebrew word seah. The Roman bushel was very nearly the same with the English peck. (2.) Liquid. — The log (basin). Measures of Capacity. Lev 14:10, six egg-shells full, one-tenth of a hin, or nearly one pint. The hin — a word of Egyptian origin, but often used in the 0.T., Ex 29:40; Ex 30:24; Num 15:4, etc. — one-sixth of a bath or ten pints. The bath (measured), the largest of the liquid measures, contained one-tenth of a homer, seven and a half gallons, or sixty pints. 1 Kgs 7:26; 2 Chr 2:10; Isa 5:10. The firkin, John 2:6, was a Greek measure, containing seven and a half gallons. III. Weights. — In the time of Moses the common weight was a shekel, which signifies a "weight." There were also the parts of a shekel, as the fourth, third, and half. The shekel, the maneh, and the talent were all originally names of weights. When the phrase "shekel of the sanctuary" is used, Ex 30:13, it means, not that this was different from the common shekel, but that it was a true standard weight, according to the authorized standard preserved in the sanctuary, or, as we should say, a sealed weight or measure, to denote that its accuracy is certified by authority. To weigh substances the Jews had — The shekel, Am 8:5, half an ounce avoirdupois. The mineh or mina, Eze 45:12, one hundred shekels, or fifty ounces, equal to three pounds two ounces avoirdupois. The talent, 2 Sam 12:30, three thousand shekels, thirty maneh, fifteen hundred ounces, equal to ninety-three pounds twelve ounces avoirdupois.

II. Psalms of Thanksgiving for mercies:
To individuals, Ps. 9, 18, 22, 30.
To the people of Israel, Ps. 46, 48, 65, 98.