erly rendered grave by our translators, for are any sheep laid in hell, the world of woe? or, does any person's beauty consume there?

Ps. xlix. 15. "But God will redeem my soul (me) from the power of the grave, (Sheol), for he shall receive me." Evidently grave here as in the last verse, for in what sense could David be be under the power of the world of woe, and was redeemed from it? But on this text Mr. Stuart says "whether under this imagery more than a literal meaning is not conveyed as also in the example above, (Ps. xlix. 14), will be matter of inquiry in the sequel." But all he says in the sequel, is this, p. 113. "Let any one now, in addition to these texts, carefully inspect such passages as Num. xvi. 30, 33. Deut. xxxii. 22. 1 Kings, ii. 6. Ps. xlix. 14, 15. Is. v. 14, and then say, whether the Hebrew believing in a state of future retribution, did not connect such language, in his own thoughts, with the apprehension of future misery in regard to those of whom he thus spoke." But the very question in dispute is, did the Hebrew "believe in a state of future retribution?” Until this point is settled, it is premature to inquire, "whether the Hebrew did connect such language in his own thoughts, with the apprehension of future misery in regard to those of whom he thus spoke." It is surprising that a man of Mr Stuart's attainments, should assume the very question in debate. Besides, who can tell what the Hebrew thought, or connected with his thoughts, but by what he has expressed in the language he used?

Ps. lv. 15. "Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell (Sheol)." Mr. Stuart on this text says "there is a serious difficulty in the way of supposing the Psalmist to have prayed, that his enemies should go down suddenly to the world of future woe. Here, however, our English version renders sheol by hell; but why this should be done here, and

not in Ps. xxxi. 17, it would be difficult to say." This is indeed a serious difficulty, which we have noticed in Ps. xxxi. 17, above. Besides, we have shown there, that there is no possible way of getting rid of it, but by admitting, Sheol does not in any case designate the world of woe; and, that David did not believe in any punishment after death.

Ps. lxxxvi. 13. "Great is thy mercy toward me; and thou hast delivered my soul (me) from the lowest hell, (Sheol)." On this text, Mr. Stuart says "the next verse seems plainly to indicate, that deliverance from temporal death is here meant. It runs thus: O God! the proud are risen up against me; and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul, (my life), and have not set thee before them.' The word nephish which our translators have here redered. soul, is a common Hebrew word for life, and is very often so rendered. It clearly has that meaning here; for soul, in any other sense than this, David's enemies surely did not seek after. Consequently, we must conclude, that the deliverance commemorated in v. 13, is a deliverance from the grave, or under-world, i. e. from Death. By saying lowest grave or sepulchre, the writer designates a most terrible and cruel death, or a death of the most shocking nature." This is very much to the purpose. Let the reader notice, that lowest sheol, hell, grave, or sepulchre, simply means by Mr. Stuart's own confessions, "a death of the most shocking na

ture."

Ps. lxxxviii. 3. "My soul is full of trouble; my life draweth near unto the grave, (Sheol). Certainly grave is here the proper rendering of Sheol, for the writer surely did not mean to say, his life drew near unto hell or endless misery. The context decides the sense of Sheol to be grave, for in v. 4, he says" I am counted with them that go down into the pit ;" and in v. 5, "like the slain that lie in the grave. Yea, says v. 6,

"thou hast laid me in the lowest pit;" and asks, v. 10, "wilt thou show wonders to the dead?" The phrase, "lowest pit" is equivalent to "lowest hell or Sheol," Ps. lxxxvi. 13, above.

Ps. lxxxix. 48. "What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul (life) from the hand of the grave (Sheol)?" The hand of the grave, simply means the power of the grave. And the Parallelism determines, that Sheol is correctly rendered grave. Surely some are delivered from hell, the world of woe.

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Ps. cxvi. 3. "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell (Sheol) gat hold upon me." The sorrows of death," and "pains of hell," are equivalent expressions. The same sentiment is expressed, 2 Sam. xxii. 6, and xviii. 5, above, already noticed.

Ps. cxxxix. 8. "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, (Sheol); behold, thou art there." The writer here, surely did not mean to say, if I make my bed in hell, the world of woe. This language is evidently used, to express the every where presence of God, as the context shows. See on some

texts above.

Ps. cxli. 7. "Our bones are scattered at the graves' (Sheol) mouth." This is true of the grave; but are people's bones scatterd at the mouth of hell, the world of woe?

Prov. i. 12. "Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, (Sheol); and whole, as those that go down into the pit. The parallelism, as well as the context, sufficiently shews, sheol means grave as our translators have rendered it.

Prov. v. 5. "Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell, (Sheol)." The equivalent to" her steps take hold on Sheol," is, "her feet go down to death." Both express the premature or sudden death of a lewd woman. The parallelism, is similar here, to

that in Ps. vi. 5, Prov. i. 12, and other texts noticed already. This is Professor Stuart's third text, in which he thinks-" Sheol may designate the future world of woe." He is correct in saying, this, and Prov. ix. 18, have respect to prostitutes, p. 109. But, the argument he draws from them, is founded in the mistake, that in the ancient world-" disease in some of its most awful forms," was not as now, a concomitant attending illicit intercourse. In my reply to his essays, I have fully considered this argument, to which I beg leave here, and on all his book to refer. It is sufficient here to notice, that v. 11 of the context, shows, Mr. Stuart must be mistaken. It runs thus-" and thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed." What do these words mean, if "disease in some of its most awful forms," was not then a concomitant attending illicit intercourse?" Medical men aver, that such a disease is produced without illicit intercourse; and that it no doubt existed in the ancient world, though not known then by its modern names.

Prov. ix. 18. "But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell, (Sheol). This is Professor Stuart's fourth text, in proof, that "Sheol may designate the future world of woe." But his argument founded on this text, is drawn from the same mistake, as noticed on the preceding text. He renders this passage thus-" but he knoweth not that the ghosts are there." What ghosts? Are they living beings, disembodied spirits? Not a word of this can be true, by Mr. Stuart's own confessions, for he says, p. 121, "a deep region beneath peopled with ghosts, is what we do not believe in." Besides, we have shown in our reply to his essays, that the term repaim, rendered ghosts, by him, and dead in the common version, has no reference to living beings of any kind, but to the dead body.

Prov. xv. 11. “Hell (Sheol) and destruction are be

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fore the Lord; how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" Here Sheol and destruction are joined, and plainly refer to the grave, where destruction takes place. If these are obvious to the sight of the Lord, much more the hearts of men.

Prov. xxxiii. 14. "Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell (Sheol)." The verse which precedes this, explains what is meant. "Withhold not correction from the child." Why? To save his soul from the world of woe? No; it is added, for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul (him) from the grave (Sheol)." The child, will bring himself to a premature death by his wicked course of life; but if you apply the rod in time, it will drive his folly far from him, and prevent it. But this is Professor Stuart's fifth and last text where he thinks"Sheol may designate the future world of woe." Let us now hear what he concedes about these texts. He says "it is possible to interpret such texts as Prov. v. 5; ix. 18; xxiii. 14, as designating a death violent and premature, inflicted by the hand of heaven." Thus much he concedes respecting three of his texts. Again, he says, "The probability that Sheol designates the future punishment of the wicked, in the passages just cited, all his five texts) depends perhaps in a great measure, on the state of knowledge among the Hebrews, with regard to future rewards and punishments." But were not these very texts quoted to show, what was "the state of knowledge among the Hebrews, with regard to future rewards and punishments?" But it is confessed they do not teach this, for their teaching it, depends in a great measure, on the state of knowledge among the Hebrews, with regard to future rewards and punishments," a thing they do not teach. If they did teach it, they would not need to depend on any thing else. The texts then, are nothing to Mr.