ought to know better, still continue to quote such texts in proof of the doctrine. My labour therefore, though altogether unnecessary, may not be altogether unprofitable, in showing, that this word was not so used by the New Testament writers.

I find then, that the word Hades, is only used eleven times in the New Testament. It is rendered in the common version once grave, and in all the other ten places by the word hell. The place in which it is rendered grave is, 1 Cor. xv. 55,-"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ?" This is a quotation from Hosea xiii. 14. which has been noticed already under the word Sheol. In addition to the remarks there made, I would add the following here on this passage, as quoted by the apostle. Notice then,

1st, That our translators, put hell in the margin for grave in the text. This, with other instances noticed under Sheol, show that they used hell and grave for the state of the dead, and not for a place of endless misery.

2d, By comparing this text with the place from which it is quoted, it is evident that the apostle and the prophet both use this language to show, that Sheol, Hades, or hell, shall not always have dominion over the dead. Death is to be swallowed up in victory, and the place expressed by these words, be destroyed, or be no more. This victory is to be obtained through our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and incorruption to light by his resurrection from the dead. Nothing can be more obvious, than, that the apostle, in the chapter where he quotes this passage, is not speaking on the subject of endless misery, but is treating of the resurrection. It is a plain case, that if any one will contend, that Hades in this passage signifies such a place of misery, final victory is to be obtained over it; for

it is triumphantly asked,-"O Hades or hell, or, O place of endless misery where is thy victory?"

3d, As the apostle in this chapter, was professedly treating on the subject of the resurrection, did Hades or any other word express a place of endless misery, it was the most proper occasion to introduce it. Dr. Campbell, and others I might name, contend for Gehenna, and, that to this place the wicked go after the resurrection. But, neither here, nor any where else, is a word said about Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, nor even Gehenna, being a place of endless misery after this period. If any of these words are used to express a place of punishment after the resurrection of the dead it has escaped my notice, and I should be glad to see this pointed out.

4th, It is a question which is certainly not very impertinent for me to put,-"Why did the translators of the common version translate the word Hades here grave, and in all the other ten places render the same word by the term hell?" To have rendered the word Hades here hell, we must have been plainly told that hell would not be always victorious, but would finally be destroyed. This, according to the usual sense of the word, would have been doing away the doctrine of endless misery for the wicked. To avoid this, it is rendered grave, and the word hell inserted in the margin. But Hades here might have been rendered hell, with just as much propriety as it is in other places; for in whatever way it is translated, the text and context must decide its sense, and here very evidently decide, that a place of endless misery could not be meant.

Acts ii. 27, 31. comes next to be considered-"because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. He seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did

earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains." Here, as in other places, for hell in the text, our translators put grave in the margin. Should we understand hell, in this text to mean the place of eternal misery, it is implied, that there is a low, and lower, as well as lowest place of misery for the wicked. Accordingly, it has been common to assign to notoriously wicked men the lowest hell. But whatever sense we put on the phrase, "the lowest hell," it is the same place of which David thus speaks, Psalm lxxxvi. 13,-" for great is thy mercy towards me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Was David ever in the lowest place of eternal misery? But here again our translators for hell in the text put grave in the mar gin. The fact is, the language in the above texts is used figuratively, and it would be absurd to interpret it literally. See the foregoing dissertation of Dr. Campbell in proof of this.-When we read of the lowest hell, which implies a low, and a lower, is not this mode of speaking used as a contrast to the expression highest heavens, which implies a high and a higher heavens? We read also of the third heavens, which clearly implies two more. I would therefore suggest it for consideration, if the expression "lowest hell," did not originate, from the dead being sometimes cast into pits, the depth of which was as little known, as the height of the highest heavens. When the common honors were paid the dead, they were put in caves, or vaults, or decently interred under the earth. But when persons were deemed unworthy of funeral honors, were they not cast into pits, the depth of which, were sometimes unknown? Did not this unknown depth give rise to the expression depths of hell, just as the unknown height of the highest heavens, gave rise to this expression?

In Isai. v. 14. it is said,-"hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it." This may be said with respect to the grave, but surely with no propriety could it be said of a place of eternal misery. Speaking of the proud ambitious man, it is also said, Hab. ii. 5,-"who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied." In this text, death and hell are used as convertible words to express the same thing. In Prov. xxvii. 20. it is said "hell and destruction are never full." Similar things are stated above in the texts where Sheol is translated grave, as in these passages, and show, that the same was intended by the inspired writers, although the original word is differently rendered. The context of all these texts sufficiently show, that the grave or state of the dead is meant, and not a place of eternal misery. Indeed, let any one read Ezek. xxxii. 17-32. and observe, that all the dead are represented as in hell, and as speaking out of the midst of hell. Their graves are represented as about them; that the mighty are gone down to hell with their wea pons of war, and that their swords are under their heads. All this description agrees very well with the ancient mode of placing the dead in their repositories, but it is contrary to common belief, that a place of eternal misery could be referred to. Does any one believe that the mighty of this earth have their swords under their heads in such a place?

As Sheol the grave, or hell, was the most debased state to which any person could be brought, hence I think God says, reproving Israel for their idolatries,

-" and didst debase thyself even unto hell." Isai. lvii. 9. And as death and the grave are of all things the most dreaded by men, it is said of some, that they,-"have made a covenant with death, and with

hell are at agreement." This language, expresses in a very strong manner, their fancied security, but which were only vain words, for it is added, "your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand." Isai. xxviii. 15

-19.

The last text in which Sheol is translated hell, is Psalm ix. 17,-"the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations who forget God." There is no text in which the word Sheol occurs, which has been more frequently quoted than this, to prove that by hell, is meant a place of misery for the wicked. The wicked are the persons spoken of, and they are said to be, or shall be, turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God. Plausible as this appears to be, we have only to consult the context, to see that no such idea was intended by the inspired writer. The Psalm in which the words stand, is treating of God's temporal judgments upon the heathen nations. We think if verses 15-20. are consulted, this will sufficiently appear. What leads people to think that this passage refers to eternal misery, is, the false idea which they have attached to the word hell. They have associated a false idea with this word, and in this text they conclude that it is taught. But surely no one, who has attended to all the above texts, can continue to believe that Sheol here, has such a meaning. It is the same hell into which the wicked are turned, which Jacob said he would go down to Joseph mourning. It is the same hell in which the Saviour's soul was not left. It is the same hell David prayed the wicked might go down quick, or alive into. When once I can believe that David prayed the wicked might go, down alive to a place of endless misery, and that Korah and his company did go there alive, it is possible I may believe that the text before us contains the answer to David's prayer. But it will not be easy to