ed to in favor of a future existence, in the most learned regions of the east: The Hindu philosophers totally and universally denying a resurrection of the body, and supporting the doctrine alone upon the natural immortality of the soul, and the Arabian philosophers passing over the immortality of the soul, and resting it alone upon a resurrection of the body." He adds, that in Arabia, whence the book of Job originated, the immortality of the soul, is-" left in as blank and barren a silence, as the deserts by which they are surrounded." It is very evident then, that if the doctrine of future punishment was believed in Arabia, it was a punishment after the resurrection from the dead. But no countenance is given to such an opinion in the book of Job, which originated in Arabia, and is the oldest book in the world. But it is equally evident, that future punishment as held by the Hindu philosophers and other heathen nations, was the punishment of the immortal soul separate from the body, for they did not believe in the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead. When Paul preached it at Athens, the peopled mocked at it; for a resurrection from the dead was deemed by the heathen incredible. Their hope of future happiness, and dread of future misery, depended on the truth or falsehood of the doctrine they had believed, that the soul was immortal, and at death went either to Elysium to be happy, or to Tartarus to be miserable. They could have no hope on the one hand of future happiness, or dread of future misery on the other, but on the ground that the soul was immortal. We ought then to notice, that the doctrine of the soul's immortality, was commonly believed among all the heathen nations. But we should enquire

3d, If in those ancient sacred writings, some of which existed sixteen centuries before the christian era, any thing is taught respecting the immortality of the soul. Nothing of the kind appears in any part of them. The

soul, is never once mentioned in the bible as immortal. And in the book of Job, the oldest of the sacred books, the only ground stated for a future life, is a resurrection from the dead. Dr. Good, we have seen, says, in Arabia whence the book of Job emanated, this was the only ground for a future life known there. We search the Bible in vain, to find the doctrine of the immortality of the soul; and yet, what doctrine is more generally believed among christians? This doctrine, like the doctrine of future punishment, with which it is closely connected, is abundantly taught in heathen authors, and can be fairly traced to heathen origin. The next question then is,

4th, How the doctrine of the soul's immortality originated among the heathen? It seems to be indisputable, that the immortality of the soul, was believed by most of the heathen nations. It was received among the Egyptians, Celts, Scythians, and other nations. It was taught by Zamolxis, Orpheus, Socrates, Plato, and a host of others. As it is not taught in the oldest records of divine revelation, nor in any part of the Bible, how came it to be so common among the heathen nations, who had no divine revelation? From whence did it originate among men? For on the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, the doctrine of future punishment is founded. This doctrine among the heathen nations, could not exist without the immortality of the soul. The following quotations from Endfield's philosophy gives the best account we can find of the origin of this doctrine. He says vol. 1, p. 50-" According to Zoroaster, various orders of spiritual beings, gods or dæmons, have proceeded from the deity, which are more or less perfect, as they are at a greater or less distance, in the course of emanation, from the eternal fountain of intelligence; among which, the human soul is a particle of divine light, which will return to its source, and partake of its immortality; and matter is the last and most dis

tant emanation from the first source of being, which, on account of its distance from the fountain of light, becomes opaque and inert, and whilst it remains in this state is the cause of evil; but being gradually refined, it will at length return to the fountain whence it flowed. This doctrine of emanation afterwards produced many fanciful opinions in theology."

This doctrine of emanation, was extensively believed among the heathen nations, and from it the doctrine of the soul's immortality seems to have originated. Herodotus asserts, that the Egyptians-" were the first people who taught this doctrine." Speaking of the Indians, Enfield says p. 56-"The human soul they represented as of divine original, because, with all the other Eastern nations, they conceived it to be a particle, or an emanation, of that intellectual fire, by which they believed the universe to be animated. Their doctrine of the return of the soul to God, which some have confounded with the Christian doctrine of the resurrection, seems to have meant nothing more, than that the soul, after being disengaged from the grosser material body, would be re-united to the fountain of all being, the soul of the world. It is an opinion still found among the Indians, and probably of very ancient date, that there is in nature a periodical restitution of all things; when, after the return of all derived beings to their source, they are again sent forth, and the whole course of things is renewed. Inferior divinities were doubtless, worshipped among them as emanations from the first spring of life."

The doctrine of the immortality of the soul, seems to have had one common origin among the heathen, and was communicated from one nation to another. On p. 121, 122, Enfield says "the human soul, Orpheus, after the Thracians and Egyptians, from whom he derived his philosophy, held to be immortal. Diodorus Siculus relates, that he was the first who taught

(that is among the Greeks) the doctrine of the future punishment of the wicked, and the future happiness of the good. That this doctrine, was commonly received among the followers of Orpheus, appears from the following anecdote. A priest of Orpheus, who was exceedingly poor and wretched, boasting to Philip of Macedon, that all who were admitted into the Orphic mysteries would be happy after death, Philip said to him, why then do you not immediately die, and put an end to your poverty and misery?'-The planets and the moon, Orpheus conceived to be habitable worlds, and the stars to be fiery bodies like the sun: he taught that they are animated by divinities; an opinion, which had been commonly received in the East, and which was afterwards adopted by the Pythagoreans, and other Grecian philosophers." Much more might be quoted from the same writer. But we have quoted enough, to show the origin of the doctrine, that the soul is immortal, and its extensive diffusion among the heathen nations. It was not however universally believed, for Aristotle, Dicearchus, Ocellus, and others denied it; and even Socrates, and other wise men among the heathen, doubted it. Besides, the speculations of the heathen were various about it. The strongest believers in this doctrine, derived little benefit from it, and for a good reason, it had no solid foundation. It originated in the speculations of men, who, "professing themselves to be wise had become fools."

5th, But it may be asked-is not the doctrine of the soul's immortality, revealed in the New Testament? No; for if it was taught there, it would be no revelation from God to the world, for it was a popular doctrine among the heathen nations, many centuries before the christian era. With more propriety it might be said, the heathen reveal this doctrine to God, than that God revealed it to them. Had the New Testament writers, believed the soul to be immortal, why did they never

speak of it as such? And why did they not alarm their hearers, as orthodox preachers do, describing the everlasting misery to which their precious immortal souls were exposed? But no such descriptions are to be found in the New Testament, notwithstanding such descriptions, would have accorded with the heathen popular opinions on the subject. But, though the heathen believed the soul immortal, and had hope of its living happy after death, the New Testament writers declared to them, they had "no hope," and were "without God in the world." Eph. ii. 12. 1 Thess. iv. 13, With little truth or propriety could they have said this, had they believed the soul immortal, and that men might hope for happiness after death on this ground. And with still less truth or propriety could Paul say, if Christ be not raised, they "who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." If their souls were immortal, they never could have perished, had Christ slept for ever in the grave.

6th, But some will no doubt ask-may not future, yea, endless punishment still be maintained, if the immortality of the soul was abandoned? This we more than doubt, for future punishment depends on, and arose out of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. Among the heathen, the first of these doctrines, could not exist without the last. Socrates and Plato, would have deemed the man insane, who taught future punishment, yet denied the doctrine of the soul's immortality; for like all the heathen they considered a resurrection from the dead incredible. How could any person be punished after death, if he did not live in a conscious state of existence, to be punished? Punishment after death, will in all probability be believed, so long as men think the doctrine of the soul's immortality true. The branch cannot wither, so long as this root exists to nourish it. But when it dies, the branch of course dies; and with it, all the bitter fruits it brings forth will be destroyed.