CHAPTER XXVI.

The part of the universe in which Hades is situated-God's word alone decisive on the subject - Human objections in such matters of no weight-God's ways not man's ways-Bishop Pearson's opinion of "Sheol" and "Hades" considered-"Sheol" and "Hades" never used in the Bible for the grave or receptacle of the human bodyHades always represented in Scripture as being underneath the earth -Why those who go to Hades are said to descend-Genesis xxxvii. 33, 35, fully explained-Explanation of Genesis xv. 15-The distinction between death, going to Hades, and burial clearly pointed out and proved by texts of Scripture-Exposition of Numbers xvi. 33— Examination of Philippians ii. 10.

WE have in the next place to ascertain, if possible, the locality, or that particular region of the universe in which Hades is situated, and we must here remember that in this inquiry we have nothing to guide us but Scripture itself. Whatever the declarations be which we find in God's word concerning the unseen world of departed spirits, we are bound to acquiesce in them, however peculiar and extraordinary they may appear to our minds: nor are we called upon to gratify the fancies of the infidel or the skeptic by endeavoring to furnish either the one or the other with reasons based upon science and geology for the situation of Hades in any special locality. Objectors to the mansion of Hades, on physical grounds, or on any grounds whatever, will find themselves fully answered by turning to the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (lv. 8, 9), where the word of God is thus written: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways. my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." On so vital a subject, and one fraught with such deep interest to every human being, irrespective of creed or nationality, it is

deeply consolatory to feel that the language of Revelation, and not the ever-changing opinions of men, must be regarded as true and decisive.

Where, then, is Hades situated? Hades is always represented as being underneath the earth; and this is the reason why all those who are taken thither are said to descend, or to go down; and returning thence is called rising from the dead. The first passage of God's word to which we invite attention is written in Genesis (xxxvii. 33, 35), where we read of Jacob's sons taking the coat of Joseph, after having dipped it in blood, to their father, who recognized it and immediately said: "An evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is, without doubt, rent in pieces; and all Jacob's sons and daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into Hades unto my son, mourning " We shall pause for a few moments to show that Hades in this text has that import which we have already assigned to it.

Dr. Pearson, in his learned work on the Creed, when speaking of this text, tells us that the word Sheol, or Hades, does in some places mean no more than the grave; and his authority, in the opinion of those who are more remarkable for following the views of others than for exercising their own judgment, will be decisive, as we have abundant reason to know. We give his own words, which are as follows: The word which the Psalmist used in Hebrew, and the apostle in Greek, and is translated hell, doth certainly in some other places signify no, more than the grave, and is translated so. As where Mr. Ainsworth followeth the word, For I will go down unto my son mourning to hell, our translation, aiming at sense, rendereth it, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. So again, 'Ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell, that is, to the grave." It is now some years since I read Bishop Pearson's book on the Apostles' Creed, but, if my memory serves me rightly, I believe that he has on the article, He descended into Hell, contradicted himself two or three times, and he left an impression upon my mind which

has never been effaced, namely, that he felt bound to say something upon that descent, but really did not know what he ought to say. In other words, he had no clear conception of the nature of the atonement, and, as a natural consequence, entirely failed to see the drift of those passages in the word of God which have special reference to the detention of our Lord's soul among the lost dead. The Hebrew Sheol and the Greek Hades are never used for the grave, and when the reader has attentively considered our exposition of the text in question, he will, I trust, be satisfied with the truth and accuracy of our statements.

Let it be noted, then, that Hades is never used for heaven, and therefore it cannot have that signification in the text under consideration; and, indeed, supposing it had been intended by the patriarch for heaven, he ought to have said he would go up and not down to his son. The word does not mean hell, because Jacob could never imagine for an instant that his dutiful and beloved son had gone to the place of the damned, which in that case must have become the receptacle of both father and son. By Hades the patriarch could not intend the grave, or the receptacle of the body, for in a preceding verse he said, and, of course, believed, that Joseph was devoured, and therefore it was impossible for his body to be placed in the same grave with Joseph's body. And supposing Jacob wished their bodies to be located within the precincts of the same tomb, his wish could not have been realized, inasmuch as he was in total ignorance as to the whereabouts of Joseph's body.

Then, since the word in this passage denotes neither heaven nor hell, nor yet the grave, it must signify Hades, the region of disembodied spirits; and when Jacob said he would go down to his son mourning, he meant that his soul would go down to Hades, whither he believed the soul of Joseph had gone, and where he knew it must be detained till the morning of the resurrection; and this going of one soul after death to others in Hades is called in Scripture the being "gathered to one's fathers," or "to one's people," and is ever distinguished from the inter

ment of their respective bodies. God said unto Abraham (Genesis xv. 15), "Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, thou shalt be buried in a good old age." Two things in this verse demand attention: in the first place, Abraham is promised by God that he should go to his fathers in peace; and, in the second place, that he should be buried in a good old age. By telling the patriarch, then, that he should go to his fathers in peace, the Almighty could not mean that the body of Abraham should be interred with the bodies of his ancestors, because Abraham was buried in the cave of Machpelah, and the only one entombed in that place before the patriarch was Sarah, his own wife; therefore, in promising the "father of the faithful" that he should go to his ancestors in peace, the Almighty intimated that Abraham's soul, at death, should go into Hades to the souls of his forefathers. "Thou shalt be buried in a good old age." These words have reference to the mortal remains of the patriarch, because the original word translated buried is always used, in texts of this description, for the interment of the body.

The following passages will suffice to show that the gathering to one's people, or one's fathers, is totally distinct both from death and burial:-Gen. xxv. 8, "Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years: and was gathered to his people." Gen. xxxv. 29, "And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him." II. Kings xxii. 20, "Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place."

It will be observed that each of the foregoing texts contains three particulars, every one of which is quite distinct and separate from the other. Let us take, for example, the text in Genesis (xxxv. 29), and by analyzing it we have:

1. The death of Isaac, which is announced in these words: "And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died."

2. His entrance into Hades, which is implied in these words: "And was gathered unto his people."

3. The interment of his mortal remains, which is signified by these words, and which are so evident that any explanation seems almost superfluous: "And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him."

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Another text we find written in Numbers (xvi. 33), about the earth opening her mouth, "When they and all that appertained to them went down alive into Hades, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation." Now, in the preceding text we learn that Korah and all his adherents, who had despised Jehovah, were swallowed by the pit, which in this passage denotes Hades. The earth opened and they and all that belonged unto them went down or descended alive into Hades." In Isaiah also (v. 14) we have the following: "Therefore Hades 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." Proverbs xv. 24, "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from Hades beneath."

All these Scriptural texts, and numerous others which might easily be adduced, are sufficiently demonstrative that the locality of Hades must be underneath the earth. And for this reason St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Philippians (ii. 3), instructs us: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth." It is, perhaps, hardly requisite to say, that by the "things in heaven" are meant all the angels; by those on the earth are denoted men and, probably, fallen angels, because the devils seem to dwell at present in this world; while those under the earth signify the separate souls of men in Hades. So again, to bring down a man's gray hairs to Hades, is to bring the man himself, or rather his soul, into Hades, and thus place him among the departed dead.