Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (3).pdf/3

 It is ſaid alſo, and I am apt to believe it, that he was very familiar with that holy father Pope Silveſter II. and ſome charge him with perſonating Pope Hildebrand on an extraordinary occaſion, and himſelf ſitting in the chair apoſtolic, in a full congregation; and you may hear more of this hereafter: But as I do not meet with Pope Diabolus among the liſt, in all Father Platina's lives of the Popes, ſo I am willing to leave it as I find it.

But to ſpeak to the point, and a nice point it is I acknowledge; namely what religion the Devil is of; my anſwer will indeed be general, yet not at all ambiguous: for I love to ſpeak poſitively, and with undoubted evidence.

1. He is a believer. I think none of my Readers will doubt but he has more religion than is to be found in all the preſent French Convention, that even ſome of our countrymen ſhew themſelves devils enough to admire; for beſides abjuring God and all religion, they even refuſed the reſpect that Satan thinks he has a right to, as they have decreed that all the people of France ſhall believe death is eternal ſleep: thus puting even the devil out of the queſtion; but as he wiſhes to be ſupreme in that reſpect, he ſoon brought part of them to the Guillotine, and the reſt taking the hint, ſet up Paganiſm, and worſhip, even at preſent his infernal majeſty under the title of the God of Reaſon: only inſtead of allowing every ſeventh day to him, as they uſed to do to God; they give him every tenth. Thus have they and their britiſh admirers far out-deviled Satan; for I can aſſure them their prototype the Devil is no Infidel.

2. He fears God. This you have the Devils own authority for; and that in a conſeſſion againſt himſelf. 1. He confeſſes Chriſt to be the Son of God; but no thanks to him for that, for it does not need the Devil's evidence 2. He acknowledges he may be tormented. 3. He acknowledges that there is a time