e consideration of the _extent of the canon_ of the Old Testament
does not properly belong here. It is sufficient to say that we have no
valid reason for doubting the truth of the Jewish tradition, which
assigns to Ezra and "the great synagogue" the work of setting forth the
Hebrew canon as we now have it. That this tradition is embellished with
fictions must be conceded; but we ought not, on such a ground, to deny
its substantial truth, confirmed as it is by all the scriptural notices
of Ezra's qualifications and labors. It is certain that the canon of the
Jews in Palestine was the same in our Lord's day that it is now. The
Greek version of the Septuagint contains indeed certain apocryphal books
not extant in the Hebrew. These seem to have been in use, more or less,
among the Alexandrine Jews; but there is no evidence that any canonical
authority was ascribed to them, and it is certain that the Jews of
Palestine adhered strictly to the Hebrew canon, which is identical with
our own.

8. The _principle_ upon which the canon of the Old Testament was formed
is not doubtful. No books were admitted into it but those written by
prophets or prophetical men. As under the New Testament the reception or
rejection of a book as canonical was determined by the writer's relation
to Christ, so was it under the Old by his relation to the theocracy. The
highest relation was held by Moses, its mediator. He accordingly had the
prophetical spirit in the fullest measure: "If there be a prophet among
you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will
speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful
in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even
apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord
shall he behold." Numb. 12:6-8. The next place was held by prophets
expressly called and commissioned by God, some of whom also, as Samuel,
administered the affairs of the theocracy. Finally, there were the pious
rulers whom God placed at the head of the covenant people, and endowed
with the spirit of prophecy, such as David, Solomon, and Ezra. To no
class of men besides those just mentioned do the Jewish rabbins ascribe
the authorship of any book of the Old Testament, and in this respect
their judgment is undoubtedly right.

9. The _inspiration_ of the books of the Old Testament is everywhere
assumed by our Lord and his apostles; for they argue from them as
possessing divine a