Again he goes forth into the winter and
vanishes. So seems the short life of man. If this new doctrine
brings us something more certain, in my mind it is worthy of
adoption."8

The most glorious triumph of Christianity in regard to the
doctrine of a future life was in imparting a character of
impartialness and universality to the proud, oligarchic faith
which had previously excluded from it the great multitude of men.
The lofty conceptions of the fate of the soul cherished by the
illustrious philosophers of Greece and Rome were not shared by the
commonalty until the gospel its right hand touching the throne of
God, its left clasping humanity announced in one breath the
resurrection of Jesus and the brotherhood of man.

"Their highest lore was for the few conceived, By schools
discuss'd, but not by crowds believed. The angel ladder clomb the
heavenly steep, But at its foot the priesthoods lay, asleep. They
did not preach to nations, 'Lo, your God!' No thousands follow'd
where their footsteps trod: Not to the fishermen they said,
'Arise!' Not to the lowly offer'd they the skies. Wisdom was
theirs: alas! what men most need Is no sect's wisdom, but the
people's creed. Then, not for schools, but for the human kind, The
uncultured reason, the unletter'd mind, The poor, the oppress'd,
the laborer, and the slave, God said, 'Be light!' and light was on
the grave! No more alone to sage and hero given, For all wide oped
the impartial gates of heaven." 9

7 Compare Bengal's essay, Quid Doctrina de Animarum Immortalitate
Religioni Christiana debeat.

8 Venerable Bede, book ii. ch. xiv.

9 Bulwer, New Timon, part iv.

PART FOURTH

CHRISTIAN THOUGHTS CONCERNING A FUTURE LIFE.

CHAPTER I.

PATRISTIC DOCTRINE OF A FUTURE LIFE.

WITH reference to the present subject, we shall consider the
period of the Church Fathers as including the nine centuries
succeeding the close of the apostolic age. It extends from
Clement, Barnabas, and Hermas to OEcumenius and Gerbert.

The principal components of the doctrine of the future life held
during this period, though showing some diversities and changes,
are in their prevailing features of one consistent type,
constituting the belief which would in any of those centuries have
been generally recognised by the Church as orthodox.

For reasons previously given, we believe that Jesus himself taught
a purely moral doctrine concerning the future life, a doctrine
free from arbitrary,