the same time a school-book and no more, and Pillon's Synonymes Grecs, of which a translation into English was edited by the late T. K. Arnold, London, 1850, are the only modern attempts to supply the deficiency; at least I am not aware of any other. But neither of these writers has allowed himself space to enter on his subject with any fulness and completeness: while the references to the synonyms of the New Testament are exceedingly rare in Vömel; and though somewhat more frequent in Pillon's work, are capricious and uncertain there, and in general of a meagre and unsatisfactory description.

The only book dedicated expressly and exclusively to these is one written in Latin by J. A. H. Tittmann, De Synonymis in Novo Testamento, Leipsic, 1829, 1832. It would ill become me, and I have certainly no intention, to speak slightingly of the work of a most estimable man, and of a good scholar-above all, when that work is one from which I have occasionally derived assistance, such as I most willingly acknowledge. Yet the fact that we are offering a book on the same subject as a preceding author; and may thus lie under, or seem to others to lie under, the temptation of unduly claiming for the ground which we would occupy, that it is not occupied already; this must not wholly shut our mouths in respect of what

appear to us deficiencies or shortcomings on his part. And this work of Tittmann's seems to me still to leave room for another, even on the very subject to which it is specially devoted. It sometimes travels very slowly over its ground; the synonyms which he selects for discrimination cannot be esteemed always the most interesting; nor, which is one of the most important elements of value in such a book, are they always felicitously grouped for investigation; he often fails to bring out in sharp and clear antithesis the differences between them; while here and there the investigations of later scholars have quite broken down the distinctions which he has sought to establish. Indeed the fact that this book of Tittmann's, despite the interest of its subject, and its standing alone upon it, not to speak of its republication in England and in English,1 has never obtained any considerable circulation among students of theology here, is itself an evidence that it has not been felt to meet our wants on the matter.

The work which is now offered, is, I am perfectly aware, but a slight contribution to the subject— small in respect of the number of synonyms con

1 Biblical Cabinet, voll. iii, xxxvii. Edinburgh, 1833, 1837. It must at the same time be owned that Tittmann has hardly had a fair trial. Nothing can well be imagined more incorrect or more slovenly than this translation. It is often unintelligible, where the original is perfectly clear.

sidered, which might easily have been doubled or trebled; many of the most interesting having remained untouched by me;' and also, as I am painfully conscious, with manifold deficiencies, most probably with some mistakes, in the treatment even of these. The conclusions at which I have arrived may rest sometimes on too narrow an induction it is possible that a larger knowledge would have compelled me to modify or forego them altogether; I can only say that I have not consciously passed over any passages which would have made against my distinctions; and that on

It is possible that some reader of this book might like to have suggested to him a few of these, on which to exercise his own skill in synonymous distinction. The following, then, were some which I had once proposed to myself to consider, but which I have now reserved for a second part, which I hope, but scarcely expect, hereafter to publish :—ἀπολύτρωσις, καταλλαγή, ἱλασμός-ἄπιστος, ἀπειθής—ἀσύνθετος, ἄσπονδος —ἀγράμματος, ἰδιώτης—λαλέω, λέγω-παροιμία, παραβολή ψαλμός, ὕμνος, ᾠδή —δοκιμάζω, πειράζω-ἀμφίβληστρον, σαγήνη, δίκτυον—δέησις, εὐχή, προσευχή, ἔντευξις-βουλή, θέλημα-θυσία, προσφορά-τέρας, δύναμις, σημεῖον- θλίψις, στενοχωρία-σόφος, φρόνιμος, συνετός-πρωτότοκος, μονογενής —πάθος, ἐπιθυμία—υἱὸς Θεοῦ, παῖς Θεοῦ-καινός, νέος ἀΐδιος, αἰώνιος—ζῶον, θηρίον—δικαίωμα, δικαίωσις, δικαιοσύνη – ἄλλος, ἕτερος - ἁγιάζω, καθαρίζω-συμπαθέω, μετριοπαθέω—ἄφθαρτος, ἀμίαντος, ἀμαράντος—καλέω, ὀνομάζω χαρά, ἀγαλλίασις, εὐφροσύνη-μορφή, σχήμα, εἶδος-ὅσιος, δίκαιος, ἁγνός, ἅγιος, καθαρός—δόξα, τιμή—ἔρις, ἐριθεία— φανερόω, ἀποκαλύπτω-ἀποκάλυψις, ὀπτασία, προφητεία λόγος, ῥῆμα — βάπτισμα, βαπτισμός — ἁμαρτία, ἁμάρτημα, παρακοή, παράπτωμα — ἐπίτροπος, οἰκονόμος —— μακροθυμία, ὑπομονή-κόπος, μόχθος.

this and any other subject in the volume I shall most gladly receive instruction and correction; while yet, in conclusion, I will not fear to say that, with all this, the book is the result of enough of honest labour, of notices not found ready to hand in Wetstein, or Grotius, or Suicer, in German commentaries, or in lexicons (though I have availed myself of all these), but gathered one by one during many years, to make me feel confident that any who shall hereafter give a better and completer book on the subject, will yet acknowledge a certain amount of assistance derived from these preparatory labours.

I cannot refrain from adding how deeply thankful I shall be to Him who can alone prosper the work of our hands, if my book, notwithstanding all its deficiencies and imperfections, shall be of service to any in leading them into a closer and more accurate investigation of His Word, and of the riches of wisdom and knowledge which are therein contained.