upon me,”—and he explains it by saying "I found trouble and sorrow." But by God's merciful providence he was delivered out of this state, and what does he call it ?—how does he describe it ?-why, he employs the word hell, with a superlative attached to it. "For great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Not from the place of endless misery-our opposers would not agree to that;—and it was not from the grave, or the state of the dead for he was still living upon earth. But he employs the word hell in a figurative sense, to denote great affliction, anxiety and trouble-for it was from these he was delivered. Other instances of its similar

use could be cited. And we expect it will appear that the hell in which the rich man, in our subject, is said to be in torments, is to be understood figuratively, and as a parabolical representation.

We mentioned in our last lecture, that if time permitted, we should in this, notice the application of the rich man to Father Abraham, together with the patriarch's reply; but I have detained you sufficiently long already.

And to conclude, my hearers, what can be more important, or of deeper interest, than the point which we have labored to investigate and ascertain this evening, namely, whether there be a hell of torments beyond the grave, awaiting any portion of the human race? If there is, your preacher, or some of his congregation, may be condemned to suffer those torments. If there be no such hell, and we can be satisfied of it as a truth, what effect do you think it would have upon you? Would you be more disposed to rise in rebellion against your Maker, blaspheme his

name, and trample his laws under your feet? No; I know you would not. But a view of God's infinite mercy and love, would disarm you of all your enmity, if you have any,-would fill you with emotions of the most sincere and lively gratitude. Amen.

LECTURE IV.

LUKE xvi. 31.

"If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

In our last lecture upon the subject of the rich man and Lazarus, we inquired particularly into the derivation, and the original meaning of the word hell, in which the rich man is said to have lifted up his eyes; and showed, we trust, satisfactorily and conclusively, that the sacred writers in using the word, never intended to convey the idea of a place of punishment and misery in a future state of existence. And if so, then it is clear that the opinion, however popular it may have become, can be traced to no higher authority than the invention and tradition of And as we proceed in noticing what has been the common opinion of the meaning and design of this parable, the incorrectness of the popular construction given to the word hell, will, we think, be more and more apparent.

men.

We come now to notice the petition or prayer of the rich man to father Abraham, with the patriarch's answer. He lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom: and he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me," &c. We have before remarked upon the

circumstance of Lazarus being represented as in the bosom of Abraham. But here are some other particulars which deserve to be noticed. In the first place, He saw Abraham with Lazarus in his bosom : and although it is said to be afar off, yet it is evident that taking the account together, the phrase afar off must not be understood as signifying in reality a great distance. I might illustrate this by another statement which you will all recollect. It occurs in the parable of the prodigal son; in which it is said the father saw his son while he was yet a great way off. But he was not so far but that his father could see him, and could very soon run to him, as we learn he did.

So Abraham was not so far from the rich man, as to be out of his sight. And furthermore, they are represented as holding conversation together; which shows that, strictly speaking, and regarding the account as a description of real facts and occurrences, there could not be a great distance between them. They were, to speak familiarly, near neighbors.

And here I cannot help noticing a great discrepancy between the different descriptions that are often given of heaven and hell. Considering them both as local habitations, they are sometimes represented as being very far separated, and at a great distance from each other. Hence the common remark-“As far apart, as heaven is from hell." The Psalmist, if his language is to be understood literally, seems to countenance this idea. Thus, when declaring the divine omnipresence, he represents the Creator as always equally present in places the most remote from each other. "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art

there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." To the same purpose speaks Job. "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know." These passages represent heaven as located very high above us; and hell as an unfathomable depth below. But who does not at once see that such language is highly metaphorical.

Yet it is probably in a great measure from such descriptions, that the vulgar opinion has obtained, of the local situation of heaven and hell; and hence the common idea, that at death the souls of the righteous ascend literally to an elevated and lofty region, "above the skies," as it is termed; and that the wicked are driven, and banished far away from the presence of God, down to the dark abode of eternal death, of never-ending woe and horror.

At other times, preachers and writers give a very different description, and represent the two places, heaven and hell, as being in the same vicinity, and very near together, so near, as not only to be in sight of each other, but that the inhabitants can converse one with the other, and observe distinctly what passes, or is transacted in either place. Accordingly it has been often stated, that the glorified saints in heaven will' behold the agonizing tortures, and hear the despairing cries and groans of the wretched sufferers in hell; yes, even those of their former fond associates, and dearest relatives upon earth, without exciting in them the least.