Religio laici written in a letter to John Dryden, Esq.

Of Reward and Punishment after Death.

As to the Fifth and last Arti∣cle, Of a Future Reward or Pu∣nishment: Tho concerning the Place, Quantity, Quality, Man∣ner, or Duration of Reward or Punishment after this Life, there is no universal Consent or A∣greement; yet that the Souls of Pious, Vertuous, and Good Men enjoy a better State after this Life, and Vicious Wicked Men a worse, is universally ac∣knowledged by all Religions, hardly any of the Indians ex∣cepted; it being congruous to Reason, and the Notions we have of Divine Justice, that Good

Men (especially those who were afflicted in this Life) should re∣ceive their Reward hereafter, as well as that Wicked Men (who were happy here) should have in the next World condign Punish∣ment. Which I say, because there is no other Universal Rule, whereby to guide our Belief concerning God's Justice here∣after; but that his Punishment is proportionable to the Offence: whilst Reward passing all Pro∣portion is given to us, not one∣ly according to his acceptation of our pious Endeavours and Actions, but also according to the Extent and Latitude of his Infinite Goodness and Mercy, in Creating, Redeeming, and Preserving us.

Now these Five Points may be matter of great Joy to all

Men; since hereby they may perceive, that the Vniversal Pro∣vidence of God hath proceeded thus far in giving Means for Salvation to all Mankind, and therein declared himself Commu∣nis Pater. Neither can I ima∣gine so much as any one Arti∣cle more in Common Reason, that could make Man better, or more pious, when the aforesaid Five Articles were rightly explicated and observed.