an immortal soul which survives death, and its being lost, means its punishment in a future state. But this assumed sense, is contrary to the universal usage of nephish, soul, in the Old Testament. It is also unsupported by the usage of psuhe, soul, in the New. Besides, psuhe is rendered life in the contexts of these very passages, and in many other places, as we have seen above. It is so rendered in these texts, in most modern versions, and the scope of the writers require it. For example, did our Lord mean, that a man must lose his soul or go to hell for his sake, if he would save it from hell? And did he mean to affirm, that an immortal soul could eat, drink, and be merry? Had the word psuhe been only rendered life, uniformly in these passages, as in their contexts, no man would ever have thought of founding such opinions upon them. To illustrate the words"What shall a man give in exchange for his soul or life?" consult Gen. 47: 13, 27, and Job 2: 4. what ought to settle the question about these texts is, the phrase rendered to lose the soul, is in other places rendered to lose the life, where all will allow natural life is only intended; yea, is rendered to lose the life in the contexts of these very passages. See Acts 27: 22. John 12: 25. Luke 17: 33. Mark 8:35. Matt. 10: 39. The phrase, to lose life, is borrowed from the Old Testament, by the New Testament writers. See among other texts, Judg. 18: 25. Job 31: 39. To lose life is a common and natural expression, but to lose an immortal soul, is an unprecedented expression, not found in the Bible. I may

But

add, that Luke, chap. 9: 24, 25, explains these texts thus, the persons cast themselves away, or kill themselves. Of what use is all the world to a man who loses his life?

2d. Those passages which speak of the salvation of the soul. They are the following. Heb. 10: 39,

"But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Again, James 5: 19, 20, "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him ; let him know, that he who converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." And chap. 1: 21," Receive with meekness the ingrafted. word, which is able to save your souls." And 1 Peter 1: 9, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." And 1 Peter 3: 20, "Wherein few, that is eight souls, were saved by water." All these texts, are a counterpart to the texts above, which speak of losing the soul,. life, or person. Many people seem to think, the term salvation can be applied to nothing, except the salvation of immortal souls in a future state. But when eight souls were saved by water, all will allow, eight lives or persons were saved. People forget that Paul and James wrote to believing Hebrews, and just before the destruction of Jerusalem. See Heb. 10:25. James 5: 7, 11, Our Lord had told his disciples, that he who endured unto the end, the same should be saved, Matt. 24: 13, from all the calamities which came on the unbelieving Jews. And, that this is called perdition in the New Testament, needs no proof. But some Christians had drawn back to this perdition, and others were in danger of it. Paul and James, referring to this state of things, say, concerning those who remained stedfast, we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the salvation of the soul, life or person. And if any one converted a sinner, or one drawing back, he saved a soul from death, or this perdition. It was the ingrafted word received, and continued in, which saved them; and they received the end of their faith, the salvation of their

souls, lives or persons. The contexts of all the above texts are in unison with this view, but afford no evidence, that the salvation spoken of was a salvation of their souls from future endless misery. It is also in agreement with Scripture usage of the term soul, and the expression to lose the soul, life or person, as we have seen above. Had the salvation of the soul, meant the salvation of an immortal soul from eternal misery, let every candid man say, if these would have been all the places where such a thing is spoken of in the New Testament.

3d. Those texts which speak of persons having the care or oversight of souls. They are the following: 1 Peter 2: 25, "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls." Again, Heb. 13: 7, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.' The phrase your souls as in preceding passages, simply means the persons themselves; and as Taylor observes, is used for the sake of the greater emphasis. Christians by believing in Jesus, or having returned to God by him, were under his oversight and care, as chief shepherd of all the sheep. The apostles and other teachers, were under shepherds, to feed and watch over the flock of God: 1 Peter, 5: 1, 5. It it a false notion, that ministers are appointed to watch over the immortal souls of their hearers, and if any of them should go to hell through their carelessness, they have to give an account of this in a day of general judgment at the end of this world. This notion, has fostered the pride and priestly dignity of clergymen. What souls did the apostles and other teachers then watch over as those who must give account? I answer, we have seen

that some had drawn back to perdition, and others were in danger of it, and thus might lose their lives or persons. Others endured to the end, and saved their lives or persons. It was the duty of teachers to watch over, and warn all Christians from apostacy, and endeavor to keep them stedfast in the faith. That they were to render an account, when Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem is obvious. See Matt. 24: 42, 51, and other texts considered, Essay 3. They would render their account with joy, concerning those who endured to the end; but with grief concerning those who drew back to perdition. Thus it is easily seen, how it was unprofitable for the apostles, that they should render their account with grief. For "what did it profit a man, if he gained the whole world, and lost his life or soul?" See on Mark 9: 42-49, in my First Inquiry, and on several passages, Essay 3.

4th. Those passages which speak of killing or destroying the soul. They are Matt. 10: 28, and Luke. 12: 4, 5, considered in my First Inquiry, and also in my answer to Mr. Sabine. They shall be again adverted to in my remarks on Mr. Hudson's book in the sequel, and shall pass them by here.

5th. The texts which speak or seem to speak of souls after death., "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption," Acts 2: 27. Thou wilt not leave my soul, simply signifies, thou wilt not leave me; for my soul, thy soul, his soul, are used for the sake of the greater emphasis, instead of 1, thou, he, himself. For the soul, or the Saviour himself not to be left in hell, is thus explained in the next words; "Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption." Hades, here rendered hell, is in other places rendergrave, and refers to our Lord's resurrection from the dead. See First Inquiry. Nothing is said, that

ed

the Saviour's soul, or himself, was alive in hell; nor even in heaven, while his body lay the three days in the tomb. On the contrary, after his resurrection he said, he had not yet ascended to his father, which was not true if for three days his soul or himself had been in heaven.

Rev. 6: 9. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held." The allusion in this passage is to the ancient Jewish sacrifices. The blood was the life or soul of the victim, which being slain, was poured out at the foot of the altar. The blood of those martyrs, being shed in the cause of Christ, is here, like Abel's, represented as crying for vengeance. See Gen. 4: 10. Heb. 12: 14, and Whitby on Acts 2. By comparing this passage with Rev. 20: 4, their prayer, verse 10, "how long, O Lord, holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" appears to be answered: in the language of John's vision, they are raised to honor and contrasted with the dead, verse 5, who lived not again till the thousand years were finished. See Parkhurst on the word psuhe. But I ask, can any man believe disembodied spirits are under an altar in heaven? And are they crying there for vengeance on those who persecuted them here? This is rather strange employment for those in heaven, but such certainly is their employment, if this passage is understood literally.

Ruah. This word occurs about four hundred times in the Hebrew of the Old Testament. Taylor says it "hath four significations. 1st, Properly, the wind, air, breath, Job 12: 10. 41: 16. Eccles. 3: 19. Hence, 1st, a spacious, airy place; a space or airy opening. 2d, an instrument to winnow corn, by exposing it to the wind. 3d, a breathing respite, re