Page:History of the Devil, ancient and modern (2).pdf/2



DOUBT not but the title of this book will

amuſe ſome of my reading friends a little at

firſt, they will make a pauſe, perhaps as they do

at a witch's prayer, and be ſome time a reſolving

whether they had beſt look into it or not. leſt

they ſhould really raiſe the Devil by reading his

ſtory.

It muſt certainly therefore be a moſt uſeful un-

dertaking, to give a true hiſtory of this tyrant of

the air, this god of the world, this terror and

averſion of mankind, which we call the Devil;

to ſhow what he is, and what he is not, where

he is, and where he is not, when he is in us, and

when he is not; for I cannot doubt but what

the Devil is really and bona fide, in great many

of our honeſt weak hearted friends, when they

know nothing of the matter.

It may, perhaps, be expected of me in this hiſ-

tory, that once I ſeem inclined to ſpeak favour-

ably of Satan, to do him juſtice, and to write his

ſtory impartially, I ſhould take ſome pains to tell

you what religion he is of, and even this part

may not be ſuch jeſt as at first ſight you may

take it to be; for Satan has ſomething of religion

in him, I aſſure you: nor is he ſuch an unprofit-

able Devil that way, as ſome may ſuppoſe him to

be; for tho' in reverence to my brethren, I will

not reckon him among the Clergy; no, not ſo

much as a gifted brother; yet I cannot deny but

that he often preaches; and if it be not profitable