be entirely out of the question, as the undertaking doubtless would be supported by the different nations immediately concerned.) It appears that the land between the Euphrates and the Jordan, (by the way of Palmyra Ruins) is mostly level; if the soil is not of too sandy a nature, that seems the most desirable tract.

"In the beginning of summer on the Sun's melting the snow upon the mountains of Armenia, "there is a vast increase of waters, which running "into the Euphrates in the months of June, July, "and August, makes it overflow its banks, and "occasions such another inundation as the Nile "does in Egypt."-Rollins's Ancient History-(See the map, plate 6.)

The months when these waters prevail being precisely the time required for supplying the Jordan, sanguine minds would readily admit that nature has thus provided an antidote for the dreadful scourge, and it remains for the hands of man, under Providence, to make the proper use of it. It is said that they have very ingenious engines on the Euphrates, to throw water for the purpose of cultivation; such may be successfully used for this purpose, and thus by preventing a curse confer a real blessing.

PART VI.

SCRIPTURAL PROOFS.

MONG the numerous inhabitants of the Earth, are various sects whose opinions differ materially in respect to the form and manner that the Almighty has ordained them to serve him; each producing proofs to substantiate their claim to preference.

Besides these, there are individuals who deny all Revelation, (happily for the peace of the world, such opinions are not many,) yet these cannot but acknowledge, that without religious principles being instilled in the minds of people generally, the world could not exist in any degree of happiness.

This infidelity so truly to be lamented, is very much occasioned by the jars and disputes of these different sects; the zealots of whom, not content with quietly following the tenets of their own opinions, imprudently endeavour to throw obloquy on the different forms of worship with which others think the Deity best pleased, by which the means are given to treat them as they treat others, whereby the whole are ridiculed; thus infidelity is fed by the very principle intended to teach the only way to happiness and salvation.

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The talapions or priests (of Ava) recommend "charity and humanity as the greatest of all virtues; "and indeed, these men do honour to human na"ture, if the accounts given of them be literally "authentic.

"When the master of a vessel happens to be "shipwrecked on the coast, and by this calamity, "becomes the slave of the Sovereign, the talapions humanely intercede for him, and take him under "their pious care and protection.

"In their temples these good men supply a "distressed stranger with every thing he wants;

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“and as they are physicians as well as priests, they tenderly take care of sick persons, and, after their "recovery, give them letters of recommendation, to "some other convent on the road they travel.

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"The actions of these men are influenced by real charity and benevolence. They never make any enquiries about a stranger; it is enough that he "be a human being, and that they can relieve his "necessities. All religions are by them deemed good, which inculcate the moral duties and social "virtues. They think that persecution, and all "modes of worship which are contrary to humanity, "or universal philanthropy, are obnoxious to Pro"vidence; and that the Almighty delights in being "adored in various ceremonials; but that all modes "of adoration should be consistent with the most "refined benevolence.

“In fine, their maxiins are calculated to impose "in the human heart unbounded charity and tole"ration."

It is therefore with peculiar satisfaction the following observations are made, which are intended to shew the remarkable coincidence of the movements of the heavenly bodies with the accounts we are to understand of them in Scripture. And it is to be hoped that by pointing out the continuance to this day, of a partial remains of the devastation which was inflicted on the devoted cities in the vale of Siddim, as described in the historical account of them in the Old Testament, that the consideration of such undéniable facts, which any one may satisfy himself still exist in part, will operate on some of those self sufficient minds, who say "I shall have peace though I walk "in the imagination of mine heart." And that they will consider the consequence of the answer to this imagination. "The Lord will not forgive him, but "then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall "smoke against that man."

Although all theological disputation is studiously

avoided in this work as much as possible, it is necessary to observe that as the movements of the Earth took place on the first day of the creation in its diurnal and annual motions, and as the other celestial bodies are generally understood to have been created on the fourth day, it may, with much reason be enquired, whence the Earth received its impulse previous to the fourth day? In answer to this, It is to be observed the Hebrew Rabbins acknowledge that the Lord created the whole of the Heavens and of the Earth on the first day, as it is said in the first verse of Genesis; and as a further proof, that it was so; after the whole of the creation has been re-counted, and the blessing of the Sabbath pronounced; it is said, "These are the generations "of the Heavens and of the Earth when they were "created, in the day that the Lord God made the "Earth and the Heavens," (chap. 2, v. 4,) by which it appears that the whole was created on the first day, as Jarchi says, "This teaches you that the "whole was created on the first."

As we cannot presume to know what, or how things were situated and acted on previous to the creation, any thing more than is related in Scripture, by which we are told that it was so, therefore we must rest satisfied with it; such things that we see daily and hourly are the most difficult to comprehend, it must therefore be the height of presumption to pretend to a knowledge of circumstances previous to the creation.

Before entering on the Scriptural accounts of the creation, it must be very obvious that it is necessary to be perfectly correct in the meaning of the words used, intended to explain it, in holy writ; and as it appears, that the second verse in the first of Genesis, which is referred to, is universally interpreted wrong, an investigation is imperatively

והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על * required. The Hebrew is which is translated ”פני תהום ורוח אלהים מרחפת על פני המים **

into English "And the Earth was without form and “void; and darkness was upon the face of the "deep; and the spirit of God moved upon the face "of the waters." On a cursory view of this text, it appears as if the Lord had no resting place before the creation. To entertain such an opinion of the Creator, of whose identity we can have no conception, must be highly derogatory. Secondly, if the Creator was on the face of the waters, it cousequently must have been light there, and it could not have been, as is said dark; unless we are to understand, that the face of the deep and waters were distinct situations, and even in that sense there must have been light on some part.

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The Sun shall be no more thy light by day; "neither for brightness shall the Moon give light "unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an "everlasting light," (Isaiah 60, 19;) therefore to interpret that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters must be highly injurious to truth.

Taking the whole of the verse into consideration, it appears intended to bring to view the chaos which existed before any adjustment of the Earth took place, and particularly to point out what were the impediments, which are here described to have been four, and the verse is entirely taken up in describing them.

Agreeably to this meaning, I take the liberty to translate it-And the Earth was (1) without form and (2) void, and (3) darkness was upon the face of the deep, and (4) mighty wind moved on the face of the waters. If the meaning of these words can be borne out by grammatical explanation, it must certainly be allowed to be most consonant to reason. To shew authority for this translation, I have to observe, the sense of the two words differ according to the context in which they are placed, Ruach or Ruah Eloim. The word Ruach

signifies occasionally, 1, " breath," 2, "spirit,”