phantoms, exhibited by divine power for occasional purposes, and then dissipated or withdrawn by the same power.

Josephus tells us that this sect was comparatively small, consisting chiefly of men possessing high rank and opulence. Worldly riches and grandeur, by attaching them to this life, and nourishing sensual and dissolute habits, prepared them to embrace doctrines, which flattered their earthly and vitious inclinations, and delivered them from the painful apprehensions of a future retribution. Sadducism therefore among the Jews, like deism among Christians, was the growth of moral depravity. Like modern infidelity and irreligion, it flourished most in that class of society, whose fortune, splendor, and luxury made them peculiarly dislike both the promises and threatnings of a life to come. As these higher orders in the Jewish nation were cut off in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, this whole sect seems to have perished with them; insomuch that no trace of it appears for many following ages. At length however there was some re

vival or resemblance of it in a

III. Sect, called the Karraites from Kara, that is, scripture; because they adhered to the scriptures only, and rejected the traditions taught by the Rabbies; while those, who followed the latter, were styled Rabbinists. As these were the prevailing and popular party, they branded the former as schismatics, heretics, and sadducees. But the fact is, that the Karraites were the most orthodox and pious of all their sects. They agreed with the Sadducees in no other point, but in exploding fabulous traditions, and cleaving to the scriptures alone. They respected the talmud, as a learned human composér, to be soberly used as a help for explaining scripture,

so far as it corresponded with, or tended to enlighten the sacred text. They were formed into a distinct and complete sect about the middle of the eighth century by Anan, a Babylonish Jew; who with his followers, publicly condemned all traditions, as mere human inventions. This party still exists, and embraces the greatest share of real learning and probity in the nation. It flourishes chiefly in the north of Europe, and in the eastern countries. This sect, as the learned Reland informs us, differs from the other Jews or Rabbinists in their construction of many texts of scripture, and their observance of many rites of worship.

It is worthy of remark, that there are two great divisions among both the Mahometans and Christians, corresponding to this among the Jews. The Mahometans have a sect, called the Sonnites, who adhere to the Sonna or collection of traditions, concerning the sayings and actions of their prophet, which they regard as a necessary supplement to the Koran. This party embraces the Turkish nation. But the Persians, who are followers of Ali, son in law of Mahomet, reject the Sonna as fabulous, and adhere to the Koran only. These two parties hate each other as cordially, as they both agree in hating the christians. The christian world is also divided into two grand sections of Papists and Protestants; the former of which, like the Jewish Rabbinists have added ecclesiastical tradition to the word of God; while the latter adhere to the Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice. This regard to scripture, as the only standard of religion, gave birth, support, and triumph to the reformation from popery. This principle has ever distinguished and adorned all consistent dissenters from the church of Rome. I add with grateful exultation, this principle gave existence

and glory to New England. Having described those Jewish sects, who professed an exclusive regard to the written word, we proceed

IV. To the most distinguished party in the Hebrew church, I mean the Pharisees. These derived their name from a Hebrew or Chaldee verb, signifying to separate; because they professed an uncommon separation from the world, and devotion to God and religion. Agreeably St. Paul in his speech before king Agrippa calls them Η ακρισεσατη αιρεσις, which our translation renders by a double superlative, "the most straitest or strictest sect." Josephus says that this sect was esteemed more devout than all others, and valued itself on its accurate knowledge and observance of the law, and the customs of the fathers. The rise and date of this sect are uncertain. It probably grew up by degrees to maturity. According to Josephus it made a considerable figure above a hundred years before Christ. The high reputation and influence of this party are strikingly illustrated by the following anecdote. When one of the Jewish kings, Alexander Janneus, lay on his death bed, about eighty years before the christian era, his wife expressed great anxiety on account of the exposed state, in which she and her children would be left, by means of the bitter animosity of the Pharisees against him and his family. Upon which the dying prince earnestly advised her to court the Pharisees, as the sure method of conciliating the mass of the people. He particularly enjoined her, after his death, to give up his body to their disposal, and to assure them that she would thenceforth resign herself to their direction. She followed his counsel, and hereby obtained for her husband a splendid funeral, and for herself a firm establishment in the kingdom.

This sect was directly opposed to that of the Sadducees, in many particulars. For the Pharisees believed in angels and spirits, and a future resurrection. Josephus, who was one of their sect, tells us that their doctrine was, "that every soul is immortal, that those of the good only enter into another body, but those of the bad are tormented with eternal punishment." When Josephus says that the souls of the good enter into another body, he may mean either their immediate transmigration into different bodies, which was the notion of the Pythagoreans and Platonists, and of some among the Jews, or their receiving another, that is, a more refined body at the resurrection. The former construction seems to be favoured by that question of Christ's disciples respecting a person blind from his birth. "Who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" This plainly implies the preexisting state of the soul, and its passing into a blind body, as a supposed punishment for some antecedent offence. But this passage only proves that the notion of transmigration had infected some of the Jews; but it does not clearly fix it on the whole sect of the Pharisees. Nor does the opinion, which some entertained of our Savior, that he was Elias, or Jeremiah, or John the Baptist, prove that the Pharisees held the transmigration of souls; for this opinion of Christ is not specifically predicated of them; nor does it imply a belief that the soul of Elias or the Baptist had entered into the body of Jesus, but rather that the body of one of these prophets was raised, and reunited to its former spirit. Accordingly St. Luke expresses it thus, "others say that one of the old prophets is risen again." Herod also expressed a similar belief, when he heard of the fame of Jesus"It is John the baptist; he is risen from the dead." It

is therefore most probable that the Pharisees believed in a proper resurrection of the dead; especially as St. Paul, when brought before the Sanhedrim, declared himself a Pharisee, and asserted that he was called in question for maintaining the doctrine of that sect concerning the resurrection of the dead. Now the resurrection, which Paul preached, was a real future revival of those who sleep in the grave. On his openly professing this doctrine, the Pharisees belonging to the council vindicated him against the Saducees.* Thus far then the tenets of the Pharisees appear sound and scriptural. But their fundamental error lay in their attachment to the traditions of the fathers, which they held in equal veneration with the sacred writings; insomuch that their superstitious regard to the former destroyed the true spirit and observance of the latter, and prompted them to substi tute trifling ceremonies and external mortifications, such as frequent washings, fastings &c. in the room of genuine virtue and piety. Hence our Savior stigmatizes them as vainglorious "hypocrites" and "whited sepulchres ;" because while they were very exact and pompous in their ritual observances, their hearts and secret practices were full of sensuality and covetousness, pride and malignity. Yet on account of their exterior sanctity they looked upon themselves, and were esteemed by the multitude as eminent saints, and high in the favor of Heaven. Hence this sect not only drew the people after it, but at length completely devoured every opposing interest. Excepting the few Karraites abovementioned, the whole Jewish nation from their dispersion to this day have observed the traditions of the Pharisees, as the great rule of their belief and practice; so that the present religion of the

* Acts. xxiii. 6.

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