Notion of a the World over. you teach that there is a Devil, a certain great * ma- Cred. You cannot pretend to expofe the Chriftian NoDevil all tion of a Devil, without taxing the Opinion of perhaps the whole World befides. The Ancients Cacodemons, Furies, Mali Genij, &c. were but the fame Thing in other Words; and Pluto, the God of Hell, and Governour of infernal Spirits, is much the fame with the fcriptural Satan, the Prince of Darkness. The fame Notion of a great powerful evil Spirit, was got among the old Perfians, under the Name of Arimanius, and is ftill among the Americans, under the Name of Codovangi; the like is to be found in the Theology of the Chinese. From whence I conclude, that this is a Part of ancient traditionary Religion, kept up among the diverfe Nations of the World, and derived from the firft Progenitors of Mankind; who, by the Unhappinefs of their Fall, had efpecial Occafion very often to re-mind their Pofterity of the wicked Cause of it. Spirits. Reasonable But why is the Character of a Devil fo difficult to be there should believed? I can fee no Reafon, but why there may not be wicked be depraved or fallen Angels, as well as Men. If they have Free-will, as Men have, then they may abuse it, and that to the most wicked and pernicious Purpofes, becaufe of their extraordinary Knowledge. Because they know fo much, fince they want Goodness, they will be but the more arrogantly Proud; and that Pride, when they fee * Celf. apud Orig. p. 303. them themselves defpifed by God and good Angels, will render But you mistake, when you think that Chriftians Devil does own, that the Devil is fuch an Adverfary of God, that not hinder God cannot eafily defend himself from him. God might, God. if he pleased, annihilate the Prince of Darkness, with all his Adherents, or fink them a thousand Times deeper into Damnation than they are; neither do we think that his Wiles are fo great, that he circumvents, or over-reaches God Almighty. But though he cannot be too cunning for God, he may But further, there is no Doubt to be made, but that God over rules his Wiles by his Phil. The Notions you Chriftians generally have of Hell, and everlasting Punishments, do likewife very much difguft me. For my Part, I look upon those idle Stories of Lakes of Fire and Brimftone, of a Worm that dies not, and Mens rolling about for ever in Rivers of Flame; to be only Bug-bear Tales of defigning Men, and which ferve to fcare filly ones. Of thefe Stories, Lucretius has handfomely paffed his Judgment formerly, Cerberus &Furia, tum vero & Lucis egenus, Thefe are only the Result of Men's idle Fears, and fuperftitious Education. Hinc Acherufia fit ftultorum denique Vita, Uncafy Guilt does make Men's Confcience groan, But to fpeak my Mind freely, I must needs own, that there is fome Probability that the Soul fhould be in a Degree of Happiness, according to its virtuous Behaviour in this World; but thofe endless Punishments in mercilefs Flames, feem to impute fuch an uncompaffionate Nature, and bowellefs Cruelty to God Almighty, the best of Beings, as a charitable Man can hardly fuppofe of the worst. And therefore, methinks, the Reafoning of Lucretius, applied to this Purpose, is very juft. Apparet Divum numen fedefque Quieta, Sed contri nufquam apparent Acherufia Templa. The 2 The Gods we fee, and Heavens peaceful Towers, } God is too good to create any Creature, which he will let be eternally miferable; and he is too juft, to punish a flight temporary Sin with an eternal Punishment. All his Penalties are graciously defign'd to make Men better; but no Man can be better'd, by being infinitely tormented. Hell came Cred. It is none of my Defign to vindicate the old My- Heathens thological Stories about Tartarus, or Hell, where wicked Notion of Souls were fuppofed to be punished; though, I doubt not, rather from but there was fome Truth in the Bottom of them, and that Tradition they were grounded upon fome old Revelation, handed than Fear. down from the Time of the firft Patriarchs, and not owing to Mens Fears or groundless Superftitions. For I look upon Confcience, or Fear of future Punishments, to be a good Argument, that there are fuch future Punishments, which all Men do fear; but I don't fee any Reafon why Fear alone fhould give them a Being, For what all Men fear, they have Reafon to fear; for though a great many Men are led by Humour and Fancy, yet what all Men do, must have a Foundation in Nature, or found Reafon. Neither have you any Reason to find Fault with the Chri- Some of the Stian Defcription of Hell by Fire and Brimstone, &c. For Scripture Defcriptions thefe Expreffions may, for ought we know, be only me- of Hell metaphorical; and Hell being a moft dreadful Place, the taphorical, Torments whereof being unknown, and wanting a Name, they could not be better illuftrated than by the most horrid Pains, which we are acquainted with. Though there is nothing unreasonable, if we take these Expreffions in their literal Senfe. For fince the Bodies of wicked Men are to be punished in Hell, as well as their Souls, there is nothing more fuitable to produce a moft raging Pain in them, them, than Fire and Brimstone. And the Diffolution of the Earth being to attend the future Judgment, it is not improbable that the burning of the Naro-fulphureaus Earth may be a local Hell. Eternity of But as you object against an eternal Punishment, That Hell Tor it would be unmerciful and unjust; when you confider ments vin- thefe Matters aright, you will own, that the Justice and i dicated. Mercy of God may be fufficiently vindicated in this Par- 1. Because it is not requifite that the Punishment which is forewarned, fhould always be proportioned to the Guilt. For it is very juft in a Legislator oftentimes to make very fevere Laws against flight Crimes, especially when the Offenders grow numerous and infolent. Now when we fee that Sinners are fo bold and daring, that they will venture upon Sin, when an Infinity of Punifbment is denounced againft it can you think it reasonable that God fhould have been obliged to have made the Punishment lefs fevere, thereby to have given wicked Men the Opportunity to be more impudent. Indeed the Cafe had not been the fame, if God had not given Warning of the Grievousness of the Punishment; but when Men know beforehand what they must truft to upon their Difobed ence, it is no Injuftice in God to inflict the Severity of his Laws, when it lay in Mens Power to have avoided it. And befides, that which makes fuch a fevere Legiflation the more reasonable, is, that God has annexed an Eternity of Reward to the Obedience of his Laws, as he has an Eternity of Mifery to the Disobedience; fo that the Infinity on one Side, does as much exceed all Pretence of Proportion, as on the other; and Man has a Free-wil to take either Choice: So that upon the whole, 'tis his OW |