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opinion seems to have no foundation except the resemblance between the Hebrew word for earth, and this name. A similar resemblance is seen also between this name and the Hebrew word for red, whence Josephus affirms that Adamn, signifies one that is red, because he was formed out of red earth. B. 1. Ch. 1. Now I have learned by long and laborious research, that nothing is more deceptive than such an inference. What should we say if an etymologist should deduce the word man, from the Latin mano, to flow, because of the identity of the radical letters? or if one should deduce the word pine, a tree, from the verb to pine? Yet many, very many, of the etymologies of writers stand on no better foundation.

But the word Adam has a nobler origin. It signifies form, shape, image, and probably, in the description of Adam and his creation, allusion is made to this signification. He was made in the image of God; not that God has a corporeal form, but the phrase is intended to express the dignified and majestic form of man, representing his superiority to all other animated beings on earth. This was also the opinion of pagan nations, which is elegantly expressed by Ovid,

Os homini sublime dedit; coelumque tueri

Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus. Met. Lib. 1. 1. 85.

Adam, in the primary sense of the word, is the name of the human race, the whole species, like the word man, in English. In this sense, the word is frequently used in the bible. Job, xiv. 1; Deut. iv. 32; Ps. cxviii. 6, 8, and exliv. 4; Prov. xvi. 1.

I would not be understood as questioning the common opinion, that the image of God, mentioned in Gen. i. 27, has reference to the moral qualities of Adam. I suppose the words to include the bodily form, and the moral and the intellectual powers of man at his creation.

The account of the creation of Adam, Gen. i. 26, 27, is an account of the origin of the species, mankind, although one pair only was first created. And hence we understand the propriety of the use of them in the plural. "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created be them."

This description is given before the creation of the woman, and is to be considered as the general account of the creation of the species, in correspondence with the general account of the creation of plants and animals, in the preceding verses. The particular manner of the creation, is mentioned in chap. ii. 7.

It is no feeble evidence of the justness of my opinion, that man, in English, the common term by which the race of mankind is expressed, has the like signification. See the explanation of the

word in my quarto dictionary. This same word is seen in the le tin hominis, the nominative homo, being contracted. Her see the precise word in humanus, the prefixed aspirate and tennation being removed. In Latin also the word signifies the v race or species.

Parkhurst, the author of a Hebrew lexicon, is, in my opinio rect in assigning this name, Adam, to its proper origin; als in a multitude of instances, his etymologies are fanciful, more, his deductions from them.

The opinion here given, of the meaning of the word Ar seems to be countenanced by the apostle Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 7, James iii. 9.

Under the word atonement, the editor has admitted the com opinion, that the Hebrew word thus rendered, which is pr as I should write it, cofer, signifies a cover. Lexicographes to be agreed, that this is the signification; and they have. in Hebrew word, deduced the English word, cover. This de is demonstrably erroneous. Our word cover, is from the covrir; this from the Italian coprire; and this from the La operio. The French couvert, English covert, is only a ca tion of the Latin co-opertus.

One reason assigned for this opinion, that cofer signifies a cr is, that the Hebrew word has this signification in Genesis where it is commanded to Noah, "thou shalt pitch it (the within and without with pitch." This, say the lexicograph was a covering of the ark with that substance. In this p there is a mistake which is very common, in supposing the ve be the word from which the noun is formed. The reverse is fact. The name cofer was first formed from the general sense the verb; it is the name of the substance, and then converted a a verb, or applied as a verb; just as we should say, in us noun, pitch, "pitch it with pitch;" or oil the cloth with ter the field with water. The command to Noah was, to p cofer; some bituminous substance, which had that name. And here let me observe that, through the Arabic, we have camphor, from the same verb. The original spelling was cafor, the r m being adventitious. We may not be able to ascertain what circumstance these substances were named. Gums are sub stances often ersuded from plants, and are sometimes named ing this circumstance, from the sense of a verb signifying to send o or to issue. Sometimes substances are named from their quate or most common and obvious quality. To ascertain facts of this kind, it would be necessary to have a perfect acquaintance wit the language in which the word was first used.

The word cofer, atonement, is rendered in English by various verbs, as to appease, to forgive, to purge away. The atonements

scribed in the Levitical law, were often made by the sprinkling be blood of victims. This was considered as purification. also was the use of oil. See Leviticus xiv. and xvi., and nbers viii. In all the injunctions on this subject, the essence. .he ceremony consisted in purification, or cleansing. Hence as applied to a house and to the tabernacle, the holy place and altar.

In order to obtain a clear view of this subject, we must resort to use of the same word, cofer, in the cognate languages. in the Chaldee, the word signifies to turn away, to reject, to y, to forsake, or apostatize, to wash, cleanse, or remove filth. Proverbs xxx. 20, it is rendered to wipe. "She eateth and eth her mouth." In Matt. xxvii. 24, it is rendered, washed. In Syriac, it is rendered to deny, reject, wipe, or wash, and to rify. Hence in 1 Cor. iv. 13, it is used for filth, off-scouring, it which is removed from any thing by washing; as we should , the washing.

In Arabic, this word signifies to deny, reject, or be an infidel. ence the Mohammedans call those who reject their religion, fars, and hence the name Caffraria, in Africa. The word nifies also a village, whether from its being remote or detached m a city, I do not know,-but christians also denominated those 10 did not receive the gospel, pagans, from pagus, a village. In rabic, however, the name caffar was given to those who would t receive the religion of Mohammed, because they denied, or jected that religion.

The true sense then of the word cofer, is to cast away, to rect, and in religious rites, to remove filth or defilement, and hence › cleanse and purify. In some of its uses, it may be rendered erhaps, to cast behind the back, or at least, it may convey this lea, and in this use, the sins of men may be considered as coverd from the eyes of the offended person. But the primary sense to reject. So in English, we use forgive, the negative of give, hat is to give back or away. Pardon, from the French, has a ike signification. But perhaps, remit, from the Latin, will better express the sense, or at least render it more obvious.

From these authorities and facts, the inference, in my view, is clear, that the atonement of the old testament consisted, not in covering, in its proper sense, or spreading over, but in cleansing, or purification. In this sense, it coincides well with holiness, in the

new testament.

The effect of purification from sin, is reconciliation. The divine Being is appeased, and rendered propitious. This sense, therefore, is secondary.

In regard to the meaning of the Greek word aion, often rendered eternity, there is no difficulty, as we can trace the word to its

original and true sense. The Greek aei is a contraction, the ginal palatal consonant being lost, as in a thousand other w It is also lost in the Latin ævum and aetas. So it is in me the modern languages of the Teutonic family. In Germant lost in ew, ewig, eternal; in the Dutch, eeuwig; the D evig, and Swedish, ewig. The termination ig, is the same a curs in other words, and which in English is generally contr into y, as in holy; Saxon, halig. But in the Saxon, our pe language, we have it both contracted, and in its original form. is seen in ece, eternal, contracted as ca, water is from aqua. F it occurs also in eca, eternal, and in ecelice, eternal, and nesse, eternity, and all these are of one family, which belg the verb ecan, to increase, which is the English eke. Th find that the verb, the radix, signifies to increase, to extend; es nity then is indefinite extension. The application of the depends on appropriation by usage. The sense of the verbe general, it may be, and is applied to limited periods, as in the Le aetas, an age. So in regard to other words, the primary sense has been restricted by usage. The Greek word en fies radically, time in general or season, but after men be measure duration, it was used also for an hour. So the La word ager, a field indefinitely, has been limited by an Engist tute, and now we see the word in acre.

It will easily be seen, that as the human mind cannot comas hend eternity in duration, any more than it can infinite space. word which men can form would express the whole idea. 1 that men can do, in this case, is to express their ideas by a of indefinite meaning. And what better mode can men take convey their limited ideas of what is unlimited, than to use: word which expresses enlargement or extension?

isa

Eternity then is unlimited extension in duration; and that the Greek word above mentioned, is often used in that sense, fact which no critic can disprove, and no rational critic can deny, The true principles of etymology are little understood; and with the books now generally used, and the course of studies co pursued, in the colleges and universities, both in Europe. rica, these principles cannot be fully understood.

and Ame

I close these remarks, by cautioning my fellow-citizens against placing much confidence in the etymologies of European writers, except such as refer English words to the languages, which may be considered as modern; the Greek, Latin, French, etc. The derivation of most words from these sources, is usually very obri ous, and easily understood. No great research is necessary, show, that nation is from the Latin natio, and this from natus naš

to

cor; or that geography is from the Greek 7, the earth, and Ypan description. But an attempt to proceed further, and deter

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what is the origin and primary sense of nascor, and pap ires a far more accurate knowledge of original languages, of modes of expressing ideas, in early ages, and of deducing one ification or shade of meaning from another, than is possessed by ned men in general. Hence it is, that men very learned in er things, are far from being learned in etymology. The study etymology is yet in its infancy.

T. VII.-KAUFMAN'S TRANSLATION OF THOLUCK ON JIN

ommentary on the Gospel of St. John. By A. THOLICE. I I
'heology in the University of Halle. Translated from to
1. KAUFMAN, minister of the Episcopal church, Ace

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