Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-03-06
BEAUTIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

We remember several years ao", ~
have heard a quaint preacher rcmurk on
the beauty ofthe original text, in the hrst
chapter a.II the last clause of tie twelfth
verse, in the first Erisilc Of Peter The
passaeeis unders,oodio 10 refer to Tic glorious
mystery Of redemption through Tho atone
mcnt of the Saviour. King james trans.
lators, the authors of our present version
have rendered it simply, (which things
the angels desire to look INTO" bha closer
examination will lead the critical reader 10
declare with the preacher for the superior
beauty of the original. Our present tram
station of the Bible, though Universally al
lowed to be most excellent one, and de-
6cient in no essential doctrine Of the Greek
text, has sometimes failed TO transfer I"to
our native iom, those distinctive shades OF
meaning, which appear in the orislna. pages
In the passage under consideration, the
word which represents The desire o! the
heavenly spirits 10 scan the, wonderful
theme, is derived from The one whca sig
nihes love. A term more generally APP
piled 10 what has usually been considered
the strongest passion in Luman nature, is
summoned to assist in describing the zeal
Gus interest with which the angels con'em'
plate the magnificent operations OF divine
grace uDon the the theatre Of a sinful word.
Nothing can exceed the beauty and force OF
the passage. Perhaps it viii admit lie
following version Over which the an
gels benl down, as eagerly desirous TO press
mo it," The celestial hosts arc rcprescn-
ted as filled with amazemcnt at the scheme
of frcdaeming love displayed on the earth, so
tina, they stoop from their sacred abodes 10
gaze, examine, AMI ujmiro the gIopns
scene.
Wha, can explain or justify IN: .nd.ff'c.
ence of pen to system so Illus'rlcus a.
remarkable as the plan OF rsdrmp:i'l,
which can thus excite the mos, lncn>: az
mira,ion in the breasts of Inc DnaT' My IL
habi.ants This mystery, we are but too
sensible is to be solved by reference TO
the blindness and perversIty of The humln
mind, while under the dominion OF sinful
passions but tho gross Infaiuatlan which
binds it down to that state. while all the
glories of heaven arc spread out before Its
vision, as the fruit OF obedience to God, and
in oaceivable anguish which shall know no
,ssuaeement or termination, is prepared on
the o:her hand as the sign ofhIs displeasure
aeains, sin, is equally strange and lamen'a-
bic. Eternal Parent! Man has be"ilder-
ed himself in the mazes of his own folly,
while he knows it not bu, it is Thy pre-.
roeatiyc to rescue him from his error, and 10
place his feet again in the paths of evcrlas'
ting peace.
Ano.her remarkable and consolatory pas.
sage is found in the last chapter Of the He
brews, and latter part of,he filth verse. The
sentence contains five negatives, which,
instead of destroying one auothcr. and pro.
ducing an affirmative, as would be The case
under the same circumstance iii English.
contribute incaleulable strength to the mega.
ion. The passage may be translated: al
will assuredIy not leave thee; will never,
never, never forsakee thec..' 1t has been
happily observed that this is the only M
stance in the Scripture Of so iorclble aneg-
,lion that it is here not employed in llie
lenunciaion ola punishment, but connec-
ed with most glorious promise.