Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (1).pdf/17

17 would be able even to fright mankind from the face of the earth, and to destroy and confound God's creation. Nay, even as they are, were not their power limited, they might destroy the creation itself, reverse and overturn nature, and put the world into a general conflagationconflagration [sic]. But were those immortal spirits embodied, though they were not permitted to confound nature, they would be able to harass poor, weak and defenceless man out of his wits, and render him useless, either to his Maker or himself.

But let his power be what it will there, we are sure it is limited here, and that in two particulars: First, He is limited as above, from assuming a body, or bodily shapes, with substance; and Secondly, From exerting seraphic powers, and acting with that supernatural force, which as an angel, he was certainly vested with before the fall, and which we are not certain yet taken from him; or, at most, we do not know how much it may or may not be diminished, by his degeneracy, and by the blow given him at his expulsion. This we are certain that be his power greater or less, he is retrained from exercise of it in this world; and he, who was once equal to the angel who killed 180,000 in one night, is not able now, without new a commission, to take away the life of one ob nor touch any thing he had.

But let us consider him then limited and restrained as he is, yet he remains a mighty, a terrible, an immortal being; infinitely superior to man, as well in the dignity of his nature as the dreadful powers he retains still about him. It is true the brain-sick heads of our ehthusiastics paint him blacker than he is; and I have said, wickedly represent him clothed