ions of the Jews in our Saviour's time, from those which prevailed in the days of the ancient prophets. As both Greeks and Romans had adopted the notion, that the ghosts of the deceased were susceptible both of enjoyment and of suffering, they were led to suppose a sort of retribution in that state for their merit or demerit in the present. The Jews did not indeed adopt the pagan fables on the subject, nor did they express themselves entirely in the same manner; but the general train of thinking in both came pretty much to coincide. The Greek hades they found well adapted to express the Hebrew sheol. This they came to conceive as including different sorts of habitations for ghosts of different characters," &c. Who can doubt, Šir, after this and much more said above, that the immortality of the soul and its condition after death, were opinions derived by the Jews from the heathen? It has been repeatedly noticed, that you contend the ancient Jews had no such opinions taught them in their Scriptures, and to support your views you have recourse to lost revelations.

In concluding this discussion, permit me to askwhat good the doctrine of an immortal soul and its existence in a disembodied state, has ever done the world? It did the heathen no good, who were the original inventors of it. Cicero and Socrates, two of their greatest men, were left in doubt and uncertainty about it, and led Mr. Stuart to say-" poor wandering heathen." It did the Jews no good, and has done Christians as little since they embraced it, for most of them are all their life time in bondage through fear of death, and some of them die by their own hands to rid themselves of their bondage. I can see no good the doctrine has ever done, and the evils it has produced are innumerable. The apostles preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, and it produced the most beneficial effects. Their doc

trine gave immediate peace and joy to the mind, inspired it with hope of future immortality, and purified the hearts and conduct of ali who believed it. They said Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." On the fact that Christ was risen from the dead, their hope rested for an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven. But no Christian ever blessed God for begetting him to a hope of any life in your hades, founded on the immortality of his soul. Primitive Christians did not drink hope and consolation at such a turbid stream as this, but at the well of salvation which gave them unceasing consolation and good hope through grace. No man, Sir, having drank of this old wine, will straightway desire your new, for he saith the old is better.

To conclude. Should any new and important evidence occur to you, please communicate it. Conscious of my liability to err, I hold myself in readiness to correct my opinions, when truth appears.― But until some new discovery is made from the Bible, I must continue to believe you are mistaken in your views on the subject we have been discussing.

I am yours, &c.

W. BALFOUR.

THE END.