ion concerning the future state, nor do we find an indication of such a change, for a long while after their subjection to the Greeks. Even when the sects of Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes had existed some time in Palestine, it is probable that they all retained the former views on this subject. Between the years 150 and 100 before Christ, we meet with the first avowed belief in a resurection from the dead, and in a future retribution; but this is among the Egyptian Jews. In the century preceding the Saviour's birth, we find the latter opinion more fully developed, by a writer of the same school. There is no direct proof, however, that in palestine it existed at all, during this period; but we must anticipate so far as to remark, that it is probable, from the state of the case as we shall find it to have existed soon afterwards, that the Pharisees and Essenes began, at least, to favor that opinion, before the Christian era.

The various expressions which we have adduced from the Jewish productions of this period, and which manifestly belong with the controverted phrases of the New Testament, are habitually applied to the events of time. In the only instances in which Gehenna and its compound forms occur, nothing is meant but simply the valley of Hinnom, a deep channel under the southern wall of Jerusalem. Fire appears to have been a favorite metaphor to represent temporal judgments and afflictions; but we do not find it used in connexion with the idea of future sufferings.

IV. From the Birth of Christ, to the destruction of Jerusalem From A. D. 1, to A. D. 70.

During the first century of the Christian era, the opinions of the Jews, especially those of Palestine, seem to have been in a state of rapid transition from the ancient standard to a mixture, peculiar to themselves, of Judaism, Greek and Oriental philosophy, and mysticism. The Cabbalistic jargon had been introduced, and the practice of allegorical interpretation was already common. Both of these whimsical schemes, so productive of innon, were received from the Egyptian Jews, withom those of Palestine, notwithstanding a long-cherished jealousy, maintained a freer intercourse than formerly; the natural consequences of which, are too evident to need illustration.3

The only authorities for their sentiments, in this period, are the works of Philo Judæus, the New Testam and Josephus. The Targum of Onkelos and of Jonathan Ben Uzziel, which many of the learned have placed, on the strength merely of Jewish traditions, at or near the Christian era, are now generally supposed by the best critics to have been the productions of the third century. With regard to that of Onkelos, the question is wholly indifferent here, since it contains nothing relative to our subject. But the

3 Bruckeri Hist. Crit. Philosophiæ, vol. ii. pp. 813, 814. Buhle, Lehrbuch der Geschichte der Philosophie, § 514, 515. Band 4. S. 144-147.

4 See Univ. Expositor, vol. ii. p. 368. Notwithstanding Gesenius advocates the earlier date of these Targums, I see that the other German critics continue to assign them to a later. See Kuinoel in Johan. p. 109. Lips. 1825.

Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel presents some views of the future state that are not recognized in the unquestioned remains of this age, and that indicate a more advanced period in the developement of the doctrine. There are several other Jewish works which the Rabbins sometimes ascribe to this century, such as the Pirke, Rabboth Medraschim, &c.; but which the learned generally account of no authority, since some of them are much interpolated, and the earliest appear to have been composed as late as the end of the second, or beginning of the third century.5 The few cotempor writers among the Greeks and the Romans, who allude to the affairs of the Jews at this time, give us no information with regard to their sentiments on the point in question. We confine ourselves, therefore, to the three authorities mentioned.

D. 1, and A. ranked, of Egypt, parti

Philo was a learned and philosophical Jew of Alexandria, who wrote between D. 40. His speculations are course, among those of the Jews cularly among those of the more refined and studious class in that country, rather than of the common people. The New Testament furnishes but few statements of the doctrine of the Jews on

5 Mr. Whitman (Letters to a Universalist, pp. 177, 178,) quotes Medrasch Tillium, Pirke Eliezer, Beraschith Rabba and Maase Thora, as evidence for Jewish usages in the time of Christ. For the reasons mentioned above, these works are of no authority. (See Wolfii Bibliotheca Heb. vol. i. pp. 173, 174, 349; ii. 841; iv. 1032. De Wette, Opuscula Theolog. pp. 58, 100. Jahn's Heb. Commonwealth, Appendix, pp. 523, 567.) Mr Whitman also quotes Jonathan's Targum on Canticles and Job. Jonathan has no Targum on these books.

our subject; the notices, however, it does afford, relate to the opinions entertained in Palestine. Josephus, who was intimately acquainted with all the affairs of his countrymen, and whose object was, to give a full and definite account, professes to state the tenets of the several sects in Palestine; and his statements may be regarded as a true exhibition, the best we can obtain, of the popular views there received. Whenever he introduces our subject in the speeches which he ascribes to different individuals, we may suppose him to represent the manner in which it was usually treated by persons of their rank in life. He was a moderate Pharisee, and wrote between A. D. 74 and A. D. 100. His genuine works are, the Antiquities of the Jews, the Jewish War, his Life, and two books against Apion. The Discourse concerning Hades, affixed to Whiston's edition of Josephus, is the production of some Christian writer, commonly thought to be Caius or Hippolytus, of the third century. A tract, Concerning the Maccabees, is also inserted in some editions; but this is likewise spurious, and supposed to belong to a Christian author."

6

It seemed advisable on entering this period, the most important of all, to apprize the reader

6 This piece is sometimes entitled, "Concerning the Universe,' and Concerning the Cause of the Universe,' and Concerning the Universal Cause,' &c. See Photii Biblioth. Cod. xlviii. and the quotation from Fabricius De Josepho et ejus Scriptis, § viii. in Hudson's edition of Josephus; and Dupin's Bibliotheca Patrum, Art. Caius and Hippolytus.

7 See Edit. Opp. Joseph. a Hudson. Præf. This tract is sometimes called The Fourth Book of Maccabees. See Horne's Introduction, &c. vol, iv. p. 220, Edit. Philadelphia.

of the general tendency of the Jewish doctrines at large; and to guard against mistakes in the developement of our particular subject, by carefully distinguishing the genuine authorities from the false, and by stating the precise bearing which they have on the point in view. We now proceed with the traces of opinions concerning the future state, first among the Jews of Egypt, (since it was with them that we closed the preceding period,) and then among those of Palestine.

1. Egyptian Jews; A. D. 1, A. D. 40.Philo says, that the soul survives the body; that it is of a divine nature, and of endless duration.8 When the virtuous die, who have despised the present life, and purified their minds by heavenly contemplation, their souls ascend into the upper air, or firmament, above material objects, towards the Creator. Released from the thraldom of their bodies, they there enjoy immortality, and live forever, free from old age, having exchanged the mortal state for the incorruptible. On the other hand, when the wicked die, corrupted by vice, or absorbed in the cares of this life, death is but the beginning of their punishment. Their souls are cast down into the depths of Tartarus, in profound darkness. 10 This is the reign of the impious, shut in by deepest night and per

8 Philo De Mundi Opific. Tom. p. 15. Edit. Mangey. 9 De Profugis. Tom. i. pp. 554, 555. De Joseph. Tom. ii. p. 78.

10 De Præmiis, et Pœnis, Tom. ii. p. 419. De Execrationibus, Tom. ii. p. 433.