2l8 ON THE RELIGION AND 



**. Other good aftions, commonly life the ceremony 

 " of pouring a little water on the ground, which is 

 *' explained to be emblematical of their wifhing to 

 " participate the merit of good works with other be- 

 " ings. Thofe criminals, who during life performed 

 " this ceremony, the Imamen v/iW mildly raifeup,will 

 " affuage their fears, and exempt from the torments 

 *' of hell, unlefs they have been guilty of any great 

 " crimes. But to thofe who have negleded this cere- 

 *' mony, the Imamen, with a horrible countenance, 

 *' will declare, that they have done no gooda6tion; 

 *' then the criminals, all trembling, will dare advance 

 *' no excufe : but the demons will advance, and fnatch 

 *' them away to punifhmcnt." 



" XXVI. The duration of thefe punifliments, as 

 '* has been already faid, is not fixed and determined, 

 " but depends upon the lot of bad actions. The 

 " ^wrwz^ writings enumerate four of thefe lots: the 

 *' firft they fay is heavy, the other three light. The 

 " evil deeds, which after death produce the heavy 

 *' lot, are chiefly five: i, matricide; 2, parricide; 3, 

 " flaying a jR^7iJ?i; 4, flrikinga God; (thus Deva- 

 " DAT, the name by which the Rdhdns know Jesus, 

 '' incurred the heavy lot by throwing a ftone at Go- 

 •' dama;) 5, exciting diffentions among the Rahans. 

 " Thofe who have been guilty of fuch crimes, for the 

 " whole duration of a world, fufFer, in one of the 

 " great hells, the punifliment of fire, and other cruel 

 *' torments. This lot is called heavy, and the finl, 

 " becaufe thofe who die under its weight, enjoy no 

 *' benefit from the good actions they may have per- 

 *' formed; at Icaft, till the whole time of their punifh- 

 " ment has expired. But even more fevere than this 

 *' is the lot of thofe called Deitii, or thofe impious 

 *' perfons who have difcredited the evidences of Go- 

 " DAMA, or of fome former God: who, contrary to 

 *' the exprefs dotirine of all Gods, deny Nieban, and 

 " the tranfmigration of men into animals, or into fu- 

 " perior beings, according to the merit of their aftions; 



" who 



