Thedangeroustemptationswhichoneverysidelurkedinambushtosurprisetheunguardedbeliever，assailedhimwithredoubledviolenceonthedaysofsolemnfestivals。Soartfullyweretheyframedanddisposedthroughouttheyear，thatsuperstitionalwaysworetheappearanceofpleasure，andoftenofvirtue。SomeofthemostsacredfestivalsintheRomanritualweredestinedtosalutethenewcalendsofJanuarywithvowsofpublicandprivatefelicity；toindulgethepiousremembranceofthedeadandliving；toascertaintheinviolableboundsofproperty；tohail，onthereturnofspring，thegenialpowersoffecundity；toperpetuatethetwomemorableareasofRome，thefoundationofthecityandthatoftherepublic，andtorestore，duringthehumanelicenseoftheSaturnalia，theprimitiveequalityofmankind。SomeideamaybeconceivedoftheabhorrenceoftheChristiansforsuchimpiousceremonies，bythescrupulousdelicacywhichtheydisplayedonamuchlessalarmingoccasion。Ondaysofgeneralfestivity，itwasthecustomoftheancientstoadorntheirdoorswithlampsandwithbranchesoflaurel，andtocrowntheirheadswithagarlandofflowers。Thisinnocentandelegantpracticemightperhapshavebeentoleratedasamerecivilinstitution。Butitmostunluckilyhappenedthatthedoorswereundertheprotectionofthehouseholdgods，thatthelaurelwassacredtotheloverofDaphne，andthatgarlandsofflowers，thoughfrequentlywornasasymbolofjoyormourning，hadbeendedicatedintheirfirstorigintotheserviceofsuperstition。ThetremblingChristians，whowerepersuadedinthisinstancetocomplywiththefashionoftheircountry，andthecommandsofthemagistrate，laboredunderthemostgloomyapprehensions，fromthereproachesofhisownconscience，thecensuresofthechurch，andthedenunciationsofdivinevengeance。^50
[Footnote49:ConsultthemostlaboredworkofOvid，hisimperfectFasti。Hefinishednomorethanthefirstsixmonthsoftheyear。ThecompilationofMacrobiusiscalledtheSaturnalia，butitisonlyasmallpartofthefirstbookthatbearsanyrelationtothetitle。]
[Footnote50:Tertullianhascomposedadefence，orratherpanegyric，oftherashactionofaChristiansoldier，who，bythrowingawayhiscrownoflaurel，hadexposedhimselfandhisbrethrentothemostimminentdanger。Bythementionoftheemperors，SeverusandCaracalla，itisevident，notwithstandingthewishesofM。deTillemont，thatTertulliancomposedhistreatiseDeCoronalongbeforehewasengagedintheerrorsoftheMontanists。SeeMemoiresEcclesiastiques，tom。iii。p。384。
Note:Thesoldierdidnottearoffhiscrowntothrowitdownwithcontempt；hedidnoteventhrowitaway；hehelditinhishand，whileotherswereitontheirheads。Solusliberocapite，ornamentoinmanuotioso。—G
Note:Tertulliandoesnotexpresslynamethetwoemperors，SeverusandCaracalla:hespeaksonlyoftwoemperors，andofalongpeacewhichthechurchhadenjoyed。ItisgenerallyagreedthatTertullianbecameaMontanistabouttheyear200:hiswork，deCoronaMilitis，appearstohavebeenwritten，attheearliestabouttheyear202beforethepersecutionofSeverus:itmaybemaintained，then，thatitissubsequenttotheMontanismoftheauthor。SeeMosheim，Diss。deApol。Tertull。p。53。Biblioth。
Amsterd。tom。x。partii。p。292。Cave'sHist。Lit。p。92，93。—
G。
ThestateofTertullian'sopinionsattheparticularperiodisalmostanidlequestion。"ThefieryAfrican"isnotatanytimetobeconsideredafairrepresentativeofChristianity。—
M。]
Suchwastheanxiousdiligencewhichwasrequiredtoguardthechastityofthegospelfromtheinfectiousbreathofidolatry。Thesuperstitiousobservancesofpublicorprivateriteswerecarelesslypractised，fromeducationandhabit，bythefollowersoftheestablishedreligion。Butasoftenastheyoccurred，theyaffordedtheChristiansanopportunityofdeclaringandconfirmingtheirzealousopposition。Bythesefrequentprotestationstheirattachmenttothefaithwascontinuallyfortified；andinproportiontotheincreaseofzeal，theycombatedwiththemoreardorandsuccessintheholywar，whichtheyhadundertakenagainsttheempireofthedemons。
II。ThewritingsofCicero^51representinthemostlivelycolorstheignorance，theerrors，andtheuncertaintyoftheancientphilosopherswithregardtotheimmortalityofthesoul。
Whentheyaredesirousofarmingtheirdisciplesagainstthefearofdeath，theyinculcate，asanobvious，thoughmelancholyposition，thatthefatalstrokeofourdissolutionreleasesusfromthecalamitiesoflife；andthatthosecannolongersuffer，whonolongerexist。YettherewereafewsagesofGreeceandRomewhohadconceivedamoreexalted，and，insomerespects，ajusterideaofhumannature，thoughitmustbeconfessed，thatinthesublimeinquiry，theirreasonhadbeenoftenguidedbytheirimagination，andthattheirimaginationhadbeenpromptedbytheirvanity。Whentheyviewedwithcomplacencytheextentoftheirownmentalpowers，whentheyexercisedthevariousfacultiesofmemory，offancy，andofjudgment，inthemostprofoundspeculations，orthemostimportantlabors，andwhentheyreflectedonthedesireoffame，whichtransportedthemintofutureages，farbeyondtheboundsofdeathandofthegrave，theywereunwillingtoconfoundthemselveswiththebeastsofthefield，ortosupposethatabeing，forwhosedignitytheyentertainedthemostsincereadmiration，couldbelimitedtoaspotofearth，andtoafewyearsofduration。Withthisfavorableprepossessiontheysummonedtotheiraidthescience，orratherthelanguage，ofMetaphysics。Theysoondiscovered，thatasnoneofthepropertiesofmatterwillapplytotheoperationsofthemind，thehumansoulmustconsequentlybeasubstancedistinctfromthebody，pure，simple，andspiritual，incapableofdissolution，andsusceptibleofamuchhigherdegreeofvirtueandhappinessafterthereleasefromitscorporealprison。Fromthesespeciousandnobleprinciples，thephilosopherswhotrodinthefootstepsofPlatodeducedaveryunjustifiableconclusion，sincetheyasserted，notonlythefutureimmortality，butthepasteternity，ofthehumansoul，whichtheyweretooapttoconsiderasaportionoftheinfiniteandself—existingspirit，whichpervadesandsustainstheuniverse。^52Adoctrinethusremovedbeyondthesensesandtheexperienceofmankind，mightservetoamusetheleisureofaphilosophicmind；or，inthesilenceofsolitude，itmightsometimesimpartarayofcomforttodespondingvirtue；butthefaintimpressionwhichhadbeenreceivedintheschools，wassoonobliteratedbythecommerceandbusinessofactivelife。WearesufficientlyacquaintedwiththeeminentpersonswhoflourishedintheageofCicero，andofthefirstCaesars，withtheiractions，theircharacters，andtheirmotives，tobeassuredthattheirconductinthislifewasneverregulatedbyanyseriousconvictionoftherewardsorpunishmentsofafuturestate。AtthebarandinthesenateofRometheablestoratorswerenotapprehensiveofgivingoffencetotheirhearers，byexposingthatdoctrineasanidleandextravagantopinion，whichwasrejectedwithcontemptbyeverymanofaliberaleducationandunderstanding。^53
[Footnote51:Inparticular，thefirstbookoftheTusculanQuestions，andthetreatiseDeSenectute，andtheSomniumScipionis，contain，inthemostbeautifullanguage，everythingthatGrecianphilosophy，onRomangoodsense，couldpossiblysuggestonthisdarkbutimportantobject。]
[Footnote52:Thepreexistenceofhumansouls，sofaratleastasthatdoctrineiscompatiblewithreligion，wasadoptedbymanyoftheGreekandLatinfathers。SeeBeausobre，Hist。duManicheisme，l。vi。c。4。]
[Footnote53:SeeCiceroproCluent。c。61。Caesarap。Sallust。
deBell。Catilisn50。Juvenal。Satir。ii。149。
Essealiquidmanes，etsubterranearegna，———————
Necpuericredunt，nisiquinondumaereelavantae。]
Sincethereforethemostsublimeeffortsofphilosophycanextendnofurtherthanfeeblytopointoutthedesire，thehope，or，atmost，theprobability，ofafuturestate，thereisnothing，exceptadivinerevelation，thatcanascertaintheexistence，anddescribethecondition，oftheinvisiblecountrywhichisdestinedtoreceivethesoulsofmenaftertheirseparationfromthebody。ButwemayperceiveseveraldefectsinherenttothepopularreligionsofGreeceandRome，whichrenderedthemveryunequaltosoarduousatask。1。Thegeneralsystemoftheirmythologywasunsupportedbyanysolidproofs；
andthewisestamongthePaganshadalreadydisclaimeditsusurpedauthority。2。Thedescriptionoftheinfernalregionshadbeenabandonedtothefancyofpaintersandofpoets，whopeopledthemwithsomanyphantomsandmonsters，whodispensedtheirrewardsandpunishmentswithsolittleequity，thatasolemntruth，themostcongenialtothehumanheart，wasopposedanddisgracedbytheabsurdmixtureofthewildestfictions。^54
3。ThedoctrineofafuturestatewasscarcelyconsideredamongthedevoutpolytheistsofGreeceandRomeasafundamentalarticleoffaith。Theprovidenceofthegods，asitrelatedtopubliccommunitiesratherthantoprivateindividuals，wasprincipallydisplayedonthevisibletheatreofthepresentworld。ThepetitionswhichwereofferedonthealtarsofJupiterorApollo，expressedtheanxietyoftheirworshippersfortemporalhappiness，andtheirignoranceorindifferenceconcerningafuturelife。^55Theimportanttruthoftheoftheimmortalityofthesoulwasinculcatedwithmorediligence，aswellassuccess，inIndia，inAssyria，inEgypt，andinGaul；andsincewecannotattributesuchadifferencetothesuperiorknowledgeofthebarbarians，wewemustascribeittotheinfluenceofanestablishedpriesthood，whichemployedthemotivesofvirtueastheinstrumentofambition。^56
[Footnote54:ThexithbookoftheOdysseygivesaverydrearyandincoherentaccountoftheinfernalshades。PindarandVirgilhaveembellishedthepicture；buteventhosepoets，thoughmorecorrectthantheirgreatmodel，areguiltyofverystrangeinconsistencies。SeeBayle，ResponsesauxQuestionsd'unProvincial，partiii。c。22。]
[Footnote55:SeexvithepistleofthefirstbookofHorace，thexiiithSatireofJuvenal，andtheiidSatireofPersius:thesepopulardiscoursesexpressthesentimentandlanguageofthemultitude。]
[Footnote56:IfweconfineourselvestotheGauls，wemayobserve，thattheyintrusted，notonlytheirlives，buteventheirmoney，tothesecurityofanotherworld。VetusillemosGallorumoccurritsaysValeriusMaximus，l。ii。c。6，p。10
quos，memoriaproditumestpecuniasmontuas，quaehisapudinferosredderentur，daresolitos。ThesamecustomismoredarklyinsinuatedbyMela，l。iii。c。2。Itisalmostneedlesstoadd，thattheprofitsoftradeholdajustproportiontothecreditofthemerchant，andthattheDruidsderivedfromtheirholyprofessionacharacterofresponsibility，whichcouldscarcelybeclaimedbyanyotherorderofmen。]
Wemightnaturallyexpectthataprinciplesoessentialtoreligion，wouldhavebeenrevealedintheclearesttermstothechosenpeopleofPalestine，andthatitmightsafelyhavebeenintrustedtothehereditarypriesthoodofAaron。ItisincumbentonustoadorethemysteriousdispensationsofProvidence，^57
whenwediscoverthatthedoctrineoftheimmortalityofthesoulisomittedinthelawofMosesitisdarklyinsinuatedbytheprophets；andduringthelongperiodwhichclaspedbetweentheEgyptianandtheBabylonianservitudes，thehopesaswellasfearsoftheJewsappeartohavebeenconfinedwithinthenarrowcompassofthepresentlife。^58AfterCyrushadpermittedtheexilednationtoreturnintothepromisedland，andafterEzrahadrestoredtheancientrecordsoftheirreligion，twocelebratedsects，theSadduceesandthePharisees，insensiblyaroseatJerusalem。^59Theformer，selectedfromthemoreopulentanddistinguishedranksofsociety，werestrictlyattachedtotheliteralsenseoftheMosaiclaw，andtheypiouslyrejectedtheimmortalityofthesoul，asanopinionthatreceivednocountenancefromthedivinebook，whichtheyreveredastheonlyruleoftheirfaith。TotheauthorityofScripturethePhariseesaddedthatoftradition，andtheyaccepted，underthenameoftraditions，severalspeculativetenetsfromthephilosophyorreligionoftheeasternnations。Thedoctrinesoffateorpredestination，ofangelsandspirits，andofafuturestateofrewardsandpunishments，wereinthenumberofthesenewarticlesofbelief；andasthePharisees，bytheausterityoftheirmanners，haddrawnintotheirpartythebodyoftheJewishpeople，theimmortalityofthesoulbecametheprevailingsentimentofthesynagogue，underthereignoftheAsmonaeanprincesandpontiffs。ThetemperoftheJewswasincapableofcontentingitselfwithsuchacoldandlanguidassentasmightsatisfythemindofaPolytheist；andassoonastheyadmittedtheideaofafuturestate，theyembraceditwiththezealwhichhasalwaysformedthecharacteristicofthenation。Theirzeal，however，addednothingtoitsevidence，orevenprobability:anditwasstillnecessarythatthedoctrineoflifeandimmortality，whichhadbeendictatedbynature，approvedbyreason，andreceivedbysuperstition，shouldobtainthesanctionofdivinetruthfromtheauthorityandexampleofChrist。
[Footnote57:TherightreverendauthoroftheDivineLegationofMosesassignsaverycuriousreasonfortheomission，andmostingeniouslyretortsitontheunbelievers。
Note:ThehypothesisofWarburtonconcerningthisremarkablefact，which，asfarastheLawofMoses，isunquestionable，madefewdisciples；anditisdifficulttosupposethatitcouldbeintendedbytheauthorhimselfformorethanadisplayofintellectualstrength。ModernwritershaveaccountedinvariouswaysforthesilenceoftheHebrewlegislatorontheimmortalityofthesoul。AccordingtoMichaelis，"Moseswroteasanhistorianandasalawgiver；heregulatedtheecclesiasticaldiscipline，ratherthanthereligiousbeliefofhispeople；andthesanctionsofthelawbeingtemporal，hehadnooccasion，andasacivillegislatorcouldnotwithpropriety，threatenpunishmentsinanotherworld。SeeMichaelis，LawsofMoses，art。
272，vol。iv。p。209，Eng。Trans。；andSyntagmaCommentationum，p。80，quotedbyGuizot。M。Guizotadds，the"ingeniousconjectureofaphilosophictheologian，"whichapproximatestoanopinionlongentertainedbytheEditor。Thatwriterbelieves，thatinthestateofcivilizationatthetimeofthelegislator，thisdoctrine，becomepopularamongtheJews，wouldnecessarilyhavegivenbirthtoamultitudeofidolatroussuperstitionswhichhewishedtoprevent。Hisprimaryobjectwastoestablishafirmtheocracy，tomakehispeopletheconservatorsofthedoctrineoftheDivineUnity，thebasisuponwhichChristianitywashereaftertorest。Hecarefullyexcludedeverythingwhichcouldobscureorweakenthatdoctrine。Othernationshadstrangelyabusedtheirnotionsontheimmortalityofthesoul；Moseswishedtopreventthisabuse:henceheforbadetheJewsfromconsultingnecromancers，thosewhoevokethespiritsofthedead。Deut。
xviii。11。ThosewhoreflectonthestateofthePagansandtheJews，andonthefacilitywithwhichidolatrycreptinoneveryside，willnotbeastonishedthatMoseshasnotdevelopedadoctrineofwhichtheinfluencemightbemoreperniciousthanusefultohispeople。Orat。Fest。deVitaeImmort。Spe。，&c。，auct。Ph。Alb。Stapfer，p。1213，20。Berne，1787。
Moses，aswellfromtheintimationsscatteredinhiswritings，thepassagerelatingtothetranslationofEnoch，Gen。
v。24，theprohibitionofnecromancy，MichaelisbelieveshimtobetheauthoroftheBookofJobthoughthisopinionisingeneralrejected；otherlearnedwritersconsiderthisBooktobecoevalwithandknowntoMoses，asfromhislongresidenceinEgypt，andhisacquaintancewithEgyptianwisdom，couldnotbeignorantofthedoctrineoftheimmortalityofthesoul。ButthisdoctrineifpopularlyknownamongtheJews，musthavebeenpurelyEgyptian，andasso，intimatelyconnectedwiththewholereligioussystemofthatcountry。Itwasnodoubtmouldedupwiththetenetofthetransmigrationofthesoul，perhapswithnotionsanalogoustotheemanationsystemofIndiainwhichthehumansoulwasaneffluxfromorindeedapartof，theDeity。
TheMosaicreligiondrewawideandimpassableintervalbetweentheCreatorandcreatedhumanbeings:inthisitdifferedfromtheEgyptianandalltheEasternreligions。Asthentheimmortalityofthesoulwasthusinseparablyblendedwiththoseforeignreligionswhichwerealtogethertobeeffacedfromthemindsofthepeople，andbynomeansnecessaryfortheestablishmentofthetheocracy，Mosesmaintainedsilenceonthispointandapurernotionofitwaslefttobedevelopedatamorefavorableperiodinthehistoryofman。—M。]
[Footnote58:SeeLeClercProlegomenaadHist。Ecclesiast。
sect。1，c。8Hisauthorityseemstocarrythegreaterweight，ashehaswrittenalearnedandjudiciouscommentaryonthebooksoftheOldTestament。]
[Footnote59:Joseph。Antiquitat。l。xiii。c。10。DeBell。Jud。
ii。8。Accordingtothemostnaturalinterpretationofhiswords，theSadduceesadmittedonlythePentateuch；butithaspleasedsomemoderncriticstoaddtheProphetstotheircreed，andtosupposethattheycontentedthemselveswithrejectingthetraditionsofthePharisees。Dr。JortinhasarguedthatpointinhisRemarksonEcclesiasticalHistory，vol。ii。p。103。]
Whenthepromiseofeternalhappinesswasproposedtomankindonconditionofadoptingthefaith，andofobservingtheprecepts，ofthegospel，itisnowonderthatsoadvantageousanoffershouldhavebeenacceptedbygreatnumbersofeveryreligion，ofeveryrank，andofeveryprovinceintheRomanempire。TheancientChristianswereanimatedbyacontemptfortheirpresentexistence，andbyajustconfidenceofimmortality，ofwhichthedoubtfulandimperfectfaithofmodernagescannotgiveusanyadequatenotion。Intheprimitivechurch，theinfluenceoftruthwasverypowerfullystrengthenedbyanopinion，which，howeveritmaydeserverespectforitsusefulnessandantiquity，hasnotbeenfoundagreeabletoexperience。Itwasuniversallybelieved，thattheendoftheworld，andthekingdomofheaven，wereathand。Thenearapproachofthiswonderfuleventhadbeenpredictedbytheapostles；thetraditionofitwaspreservedbytheirearliestdisciples，andthosewhounderstoodintheirliteralsensesthediscourseofChristhimself，wereobligedtoexpectthesecondandgloriouscomingoftheSonofManintheclouds，beforethatgenerationwastotallyextinguished，whichhadbeheldhishumbleconditionuponearth，andwhichmightstillbewitnessofthecalamitiesoftheJewsunderVespasianorHadrian。Therevolutionofseventeencenturieshasinstructedusnottopresstoocloselythemysteriouslanguageofprophecyandrevelation；butaslongas，forwisepurposes，thiserrorwaspermittedtosubsistinthechurch，itwasproductiveofthemostsalutaryeffectsonthefaithandpracticeofChristians，wholivedintheawfulexpectationofthatmoment，whentheglobeitself，andallthevariousraceofmankind，shouldtrembleattheappearanceoftheirdivineJudge。^60