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HAVE examined the antiquities of Satan's hiſ-

tory, and brought his affairs down from the

creation as far as our bleſſed Chriſtian times; eſpe

cially to the coming of the Meſſiah, when one

would think the Devil could have nothing to do

among us. I have indeed but touched at ſome

things which might have admitted of a farther

deſcription of Satan's affairs, and the particulars

of which we may all come to a farther knowledge

of hereafter; yet I think I have ſpoken to the

material part of his conduct, as it relates to his

empire in this world; what has happened to his

more ſublimated government and his angelic ca-

pacities, I ſhall have an occaſion to touch at in

ſeveral ſolid particulars as we go along.

The Meſſiah was now born, the fulneſs of time

was come that the old ſerpent was to have his

head broken, that is to ſay, his empire or domi-

nion over man, which he gained by the fall of our

firſt father and mother in paradiſe, received

a downfal or overthrow.

It is worth obſerving, in order to confirm what

I have already mentioned of the limitation of Sa

tan's power, that not only his angelic ſtrength

ſeems to have received a farther blow upon the

coming of the Son of God into the world, but he

ſeems to have had a blow upon his intellects; his

ſerpentine craft and devil-like ſubtilty ſeem

have been circumciſed and cut ſhort; and inſtead

of his being ſo cunning a fellow as before, when,

as ſaid, it is evident he outwitted all mankind,

not only Eve, Cain, Noah, Lot, and all the pa-

triarchs, but even nations of men, and that in

their public capacity: and thereby led them into

abſurd and ridiculous things, ſuch as the building