The history of the Devil / [Anon].

  • Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of the Devil / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/360 (page 11)
    It has indeed been suggested, that he has taken or- ders ; and that a certain Pope, famous for being an ex- traordinary favourite of his, gave him both institution and induction ; but as this is not upon record, and therefore we have no authentic document for the pro- bation, I shall not affirm it for a truth, for I would not slander the Devil. 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 Hil- debrand on an extraordinary occasion, and himself sit- ting in the chair apostolic, in a full congregation; and you may here more of this hereafter: But as I do not meet with Pope Diabolas 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 am- biguous ; for I love to speak positively, and with un- doubted evidence. First. He is a believer. And if in saying so it should follow that even the Devil has more religion than some of our men of fame can at this time be charged with, I hope my Lord , and his Grace the of —, and some of the upper class in the red-hot club, will not wear the coat, however well it may fit to their shapes ; or challenge the satire, as if it were pointed at them, because it is due to them: in a word, whatever their Lordships are, I can assure them that the Devil is no infidel. Second. He fears God. We have such abundant evidence of this in sacred history, that if I were not at present, in common with a few others, talking to an infidel sort of gentlemen, with whom these remote things called Scriptures are not allowed in evidence, I might say it was sufficiently proved; but I doubt not B 2