Scripture Illustrated.

For the Methodist Magazine.

ILLUSTRATION OF GENESIS III. 22.

"And the Lord said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil."

AMONG the many obscure and difficult passages of sacred scripture, this is confessedly one; and it is believed that one cause of its obscurity is, that our translators have not given us the precise idea which is conveyed by the original Hebrew.

The Hebrew verb, rendered by our translators in the present tense, is, must be acknowledged by all who understand Hebrew, to be the third person preterit, and therefore should have been translated was, instead of is; but this, of itself, would not relieve the difficulty, because their would still be something wanting to make the sense complete. To account for this deficiency, we must suppose the sentence elliptical, which every student in divinity knows, frequently occurs in the holy scriptures; that is, a word or more, is wanting in a sentence to make the sense complete. Although in a vast many places, the ellipsis has been supplied by our translators, yet in the present text they have unfortunately neglected to do it; and by translating the preterit by the present tense, have thrown an impenetrable obscurity over the face of the text itself.

By giving a literal translation of the verb, and taking the liberty of supplying the ellipsis, we may read the text as follows:-"Behold the man was as one of us to know good, but now he hath added the knowledge of evil." That this is the genuine sense of the passage, is manifest, I think, from the folTowing considerations.

1. The serpent, while audaciously contradicting the Almighty, and impudently reasoning with the woman, to induce her to transgress the divine command, said, "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" and according to our version of the above text, it is but the echo of Satan's lying declaration, "The man is become as one of us, to know good and evil."— Now, allowing this version to convey an accurate idea of what Moses wrote, it converts the false assertion of Satan into a truth, and thereby proves the great utility of transgressing the commands of God, because it makes us more like Him. From this consideration, therefore, it follows that there is some defect in the version.

2. The idea communicated, from the present reading of the text is, that in consequence of having eaten of the forbidden fruit, the man had become more like God than he was before!"The man is become like one of us." But surely this could not have been the result of disobedience: and therefore this could not have been the sentiment which God designed to convey when he said, Behold, &c.

3. Allowing the above criticism to be sound, and the consequent rendering of the text accurate, the passage is not only delivered from these serious embarrassments, but likewise the divine testimony respecting Adam having been created in the image of God, is corroborated, and the falsity of Satan's impious assertion is demonstrated. It is said, ch. i. 26, 27. That man was created in the image of God; and the amended translation of the text under consideration saith, "The man was as one of us," which perfectly corresponds to the solemn declaration of the Holy Spirit, that man was created like God. It also confirms the subsequent account of the fatal effects of man's apostacy; for the amended translation saith, But now he knoweth evil; and the holy scripture saith of apostate man, that his heart is evil, and only evil continually. Though he was good, possessed of the image of God, yet now having sinned, he has lost his goodness, is dispossessed of the image of God, and has an image, earthly, sensual, and devilish.

Thus the truth of God is confirmed, and the daring falsehood of Satan fully evinced and every part of the account of man's formation, his apostacy, and its moral consequences, appears consistent and harmonious, and our faith in the divine authority of the venerable records of our salvation is more and more. confirmed.

*

If the above remarks serve to throw light on a difficult passage of scripture, the honour is not due to the subscriber, because he has borrowed the leading idea from more competent judges; but if inserted in the Magazine, it may come to the knowledge of some who cannot have access to those learned and worthy authors, whose theological labours deserve the highest praise.

New-York, June 15th, 1819.

EVANGELUS.

* Vide Parkhurst, Dr. A. Clarke and Wilson.

The Attributes of God Displayed.

THE MANNER IN WHICH THUNDER IS FORMED.

From Sturm's Reflections,-Clarke's translation. FORMERLY, and even to the beginning of the eighteenth century, it was commonly supposed that Thunder proceeded from an inflammation of salts, sulphureous matters, and other substances, which are found in the air. It was imagined, that there was the greatest resemblance between the effect of firearms, and that of Thunder and Lightning. But, all the explanations by which men endeavoured to establish this system, were not sufficient to remove the difficulties which opposed it; or to account for the fact. But since proper attention has been paid to the phenomena produced by the electric fluid, we have been authorized to attribute the same cause to each. The perfect resemblance between it and Electricity has convinced Naturalists, that they are identically the same: and that Electricity is the same in our hands, that Thunder is in the hands of nature. Thunder executes at large, what we imitate in miniature. It will not be difficult to demonstrate this, even to those who are unacquainted with Natural Philosophy, if they will only take the trouble to compare the effects produced by Thunder, with those produced by the Electric Fire.

The effects of Thunder are discovered by peals, heard at a distance, and by conflagration. Buildings which are struck by it, often become a prey to the flames. Men struck by it, become livid, and appear scorched, though sometimes there is no trace of the fire; the violence of the stroke alone, having killed them their clothes are all torn to rags, the lightning throws them to some distance from the place in which they were struck; and often that part of the body where the lightning fell, is pierced with holes. Sometimes great stones are broken by it; and its ravages are easily discoverable on the ground where it falls.

The Electric Fluid produces the same effects, but in a less degree. When its power is increased by means of water, the electric flash is followed by a very sensible commotion: the most compact bodies are perforated, birds and small animals are killed, and each flash is accompanied with noise. The stream of fire which proceeds from the points of electrified bodies, with a hissing noise, is one of the phenomena found in lightning. In regard to velocity, there is still a greater resemblance between lightning and the electric fluid. If, during a thunder storm, a sword, or chain be hung in the air by means

of silken strings, it becomes electrified; if the finger be put near it, bright sparks of lightning proceed from it, the strength of which is proportioned to the storm, and distance from the electric cloud. In a word, every effect of Electricity appears during a thunder storm. After so many experiments, we cannot doubt but the air is highly electrified, during a thunder storm; and that the thunder and lightning are the mere effects of a

violent electric fire.

Thus what appears wonderful and fatal in these natural phenomena, disappears in proportion as we get acquainted with the laws of nature. Consequently, every one should have a general knowledge at least, of the first principles of Natural History. Fear and superstition, which so often mingle them. selves with our observations of nature, would be quickly annihilated, if we reflected more particularly on it, or ourselves; or consulted those who were properly acquainted with the subject. Let us use the light we have to banish that fear and distress which seize on our minds at the approach of a thunder storm; and henceforth let us look up without terror to that God who performs such great marvels: for how capable soever we may be of assigning the causes of thunder, according to just and invariable principles drawn from natural philosophy, the phenomena continue to be no less marvellous; and they present certain circumstances which will ever be inexplicable, even to the most enlightened genius. It is enough for us, to know that the nature of the air, and the whole surrounding atmosphere, render this phenomenon necessary: that these storms are means, in the hands of God, to fertilize the earth; and that therefore, they should excite us to render our tribute of praise and thanksgiving to our great Creator.

The Grace of God Manifested.

To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine.

MEMOIR OF ELIZA M. HYDE.

DEAR BRETHREN,

Norwich, May 27, 1819.

THE following relation of the happy removal of a dear friend and sister in Christ, was written as a tribute to the me mory of departed worth, and to bear testimony to the excellency of religion, which affords peace and joy in health, support in af fliction, and glorious consolation in the hour of death.

VOL. II.

34

Eliza M. Hyde, the subject of this memoir, was the second daughter of Erastus and Fanny Hyde, of Bozrah, in Connecticut. From early life she manifested a great regard for religion; and being of an amiable disposition, endeared herself to a numerous circle of acquaintances. In the dispensations of Providence she was called to mourn the loss of her eldest sister. As their attachments were peculiarly reciprocal, and of the most affectionate nature, this divine visitation was very sensibly felt, and had a very powerful effect upon her mind. It may not be improper to notice the effects of Divine Grace, as exemplified in the closing scene of the earthly life of her sister, which was on the 8th of October, 1816, in her nineteenth year, and which, perhaps, cannot better be related than by an extract from a letter written soon after her death by her father to a distant friend. "The eventful moment has arrived-the silver cord is loosed, and our beloved Fanny has no more a place with us on the earth.-No more shall disease prey upon her tender frame; no longer is she the subject of sorrow and pain.-Trying moment indeed to parental feelings, to view their dear and lovely child drawing near the close of life; but, oh consoling thought! the last words which could be distinctly heard, embraced the blessed name of him in whom she had trusted, on whom she had relied for purity of heart, and for an admittance to his blissful presence; and to whose care and love she commended herself in language most impressive-"Jesus receive my spirit." With the most affectionate farewell to weeping friends around her to her dear Mother for her kind and tender care-to her dear sisters in pathetic exhortations to prepare to meet her in the world of bliss. "Jesus-Jesus-Amen"-" Farewell my dear sister, prepare to follow me." The dying counsel of a loving sister, expressed with the most tender solicitude, was not forgotten; but by the blessing of God had the desired effect.

Soon after passing through this trying scene, Eliza began seriously to reflect on what God had done; "He has come near to me-He has taken my beloved sister away, who was dear to me (almost) as my life--shall the separation be for ever?" These, and similar reflections, passed through her mind; and she was convinced of the vanity of trusting in any thing below for happiness, and the necessity of having an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, to prepare her to meet God in peace. After struggling awhile with the world, and its allurements, she came to a full resolution to seck for permanent felicity in a crucified Saviour; and blessed be God, she sought not in vain; for she soon found him of whom " Moses and the Prophets did write," to be the one altogether lovely to her soul. She could now invite her friends and young companions to embrace the religion of the blessed Redeemer. Having counted the cost, she was enabled to re