of the soul, perhaps with
notions analogous to the emanation system of India in which the human
soul was an efflux from or indeed a part of, the Deity. The Mosaic
religion drew a wide and impassable interval between the Creator and
created human beings: in this it differed from the Egyptian and all the
Eastern religions. As then the immortality of the soul was thus
inseparably blended with those foreign religions which were altogether
to be effaced from the minds of the people, and by no means necessary
for the establishment of the theocracy, Moses maintained silence on this
point and a purer notion of it was left to be developed at a more
favorable period in the history of man.--M.]

[Footnote 58: See Le Clerc (Prolegomena ad Hist. Ecclesiast. sect. 1, c.
8) His authority seems to carry the greater weight, as he has written a
learned and judicious commentary on the books of the Old Testament.]

[Footnote 59: Joseph. Antiquitat. l. xiii. c. 10. De Bell. Jud. ii. 8.
According to the most natural interpretation of his words, the Sadducees
admitted only the Pentateuch; but it has pleased some modern critics
to add the Prophets to their creed, and to suppose that they contented
themselves with rejecting the traditions of the Pharisees. Dr. Jortin
has argued that point in his Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, vol. ii.
p. 103.]

When the promise of eternal happiness was proposed to mankind
on condition of adopting the faith, and of observing the precepts, of
the gospel, it is no wonder that so advantageous an offer should have
been accepted by great numbers of every religion, of every rank, and of
every province in the Roman empire. The ancient Christians were animated
by a contempt for their present existence, and by a just confidence of
immortality, of which the doubtful and imperfect faith of modern
ages cannot give us any adequate notion. In the primitive church, the
influence of truth was very powerfully strengthened by an opinion,
which, however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
has not been found agreeable to experience. It was universally believed,
that the end of the world, and the kingdom of heaven, were at hand.
[591] The near approach of this wonderful event had been predicted by the
apostles; the tradition of it was preserved by their earliest disciples,
and those who understood in their literal senses the discourse of Christ
himself, were obliged to expect the second and glorious comin