Remarks on Prof. Stuart's examination of Gen. I. 



119 



he referred to them. Be it so. These words shall be examined a 

 little more particularly. Matthew employs a name given to a dis- 

 ease in the language in which he wrote. It was the common belief 

 of his countrymen, that this disease, which is called in English luna- 



nacy, was occasioned or greatly affected by the influence of the 

 moon. Matthew may have been, or may not have been, wiser on 

 this subject, than other Jews of his age. His great object, as appears 

 from the narrative, was to record the fact, that Christ healed those 

 who were afflicted with this malady ; not to teach any thing respect- 

 ing its origin and nature. Now if Prof. Stuart will show, that it was 

 not the design of Moses to teach any thing respecting the origin and 

 nature of the firmament, more than it was the design of Matthew to 

 give an account of the origin and nature of lunacy ; and if he will 

 show further, that Moses had another object as distinctly in view in 

 speaking of the firmament, as Matthew had in speaking of lunatics, 

 he will make some progress in his argument. 



As to the word bewitched as used by St. Paul, its use from its 

 connection, is plainly figurative ; and the original Greek word, of 

 which this is a translation, is employed in the same way in the Greek 

 classics. Bewitched is as obviously used by St. Paul in a figurative 

 sense, as it is by Shakespeare in his Henry VI. Cardinal Beaufort, 

 is thus represented as saying, 



" Look to it, lords ; let not his smoothing words 

 Bcivitck your hearts; be wise and circumspect." 



S. Act. L 1. 



And again, Queen Margaret, 



" Heaven grant, that Warwick's words bewitch him not." 



2. Act. III. 3. 



This word was in common and reputable use when the present 

 translation of the bible was made ; and its figurative meaning agreed 

 sufficiently with the corresponding Greek word. Let Prof. Stuart 

 show, that the words employed by Moses, in his account of the fir- 

 mament, are as plainly figurative, and he will do something to his 

 purpose. 



But Prof. Stuart speaking of the firmament of Moses and the 

 language of Matthew and Paul, says (p. 50.) "all these things and 

 others like them, are referred to as things apparently existing, or 

 else as svpposed to exist. Realities in all cases are in one sense 

 described by such language, that is, something that is real and true ; 

 but the manner in which these things do actually exist, is not des- 



