The Anti-universalist, or history of the fallen angels of the Scriptures; proofs of the being of Satan and of evil spirits: intended as a refutation of the three main points of universalism, namely, that there is no hell after death; no devil or Satan as a being; and no future day of final judgment / by Josiah Priest ; embellished with twenty-two engravings. Part I.

Josiah Priest

Date:: 1837

Credit: The Anti-universalist, or history of the fallen angels of the Scriptures; proofs of the being of Satan and of evil spirits: intended as a refutation of the three main points of universalism, namely, that there is no hell after death; no devil or Satan as a being; and no future day of final judgment / by Josiah Priest ; embellished with twenty-two engravings. Part I. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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alter deatli; and has qualified those sanctions, in dooming the had^ who pass out of this life having that character, to a state of unutter¬ able wo : while on the contrary, the good^ sustaining that character when they change worlds, enter into a state of rapturous and cease¬ less happiness—a trait of jurisprudence in the government of God, seemingly well suited to restrain over acts and injurious behaviour among his subjects, so far as threatened coercion can have such an effect; and likewise to encourage the practice of virtue. But there has arisen, out of the great sea of religious opinions, in these latter days, a sect, namely, the Universalists, who deny not only the being of this one Satan, and his coadjutors or associate evil spirits ; but the whole of the penal sanctions of this great sub¬ ject, religion, as being inflicted, or as existing after this life, not¬ withstanding the Scriptures seem to be against them—the text of which they acknowledge—whose influence w^e will not deny is very great, and pervades all ranks of people, all communions of Chris¬ tians, far more than is commonly supposed, and is exerted against the doctrines of the orthodox sects, and as we believe the Bible itself. The object of this work therefore is to examine the Bible in re] lation to the claims of either side to the truth. We have from childhood heard of the existence of a devil, or Satan, from books, the Bible, in prayers, sermons, and conversation on the subject of religion, as if there could be no doubt of it—and also of evil spirits, and yet we have never met with any attempt to examine this trait of theology, as we have the rest, the being of a God, the existence of a hell, a day of judgment, &c. : toe have therefore undertaken to give our opinion of this belief—the being of Satan and evil spirits* In traversing the subject, we of necessity have been compelled to dip into many curious things connected with our main one, yet we have aimed so to manage it as not to debate disputed topics with any of the orthodox orders, endeavoring to maintain all the great and leading features of their faith ; while we combat only with the opinions of Universalists ; who, in our opinion, pervert the whole design of the Scriptures by their opinions. The course we have pursued in this work has been to avoid prolixity, aiming to furnish ready and short arguments against Universalist sentiments, for the use of the rising generation, and such as scarcely know what to believe, having not much considered the matter ; believing we have done what we can in this work to counteract the influence ©f those priiiciples, we hope for support and patronage, therefore.

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