Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (3).pdf/10

 ( 10 ) So Satan looking narrowly into the nature and frame of our firſt Parents; from the nature of Eve he had room to conclude, that ſhe was of a conſtitution eaſy to be ſeduced, and eſpecially by flattering her; raiſing, a commotion in her ſoul; and a diſturbance among her paſſions: and accordingly he ſet himſelf to work, to diſturb her repoſe, and put dreams of great things in- to her head; together with ſomething of a nameleſs kind, which (however ſome have been ill natured enough to ſuggeſt) I ſhall not injure the Devil ſo much as to mention, without better evidence. But I only give the general hint of theſe things, as they appear recorded in the annals of Satan's firſt tyranny, and at the beginning of his government in the world; thoſe that would be more particularly in- formed may inquire of him, and know farther. And here, to be ſure, began the Devil's new king- dom; as he had now ſeduced the two firſt creatures, he was pretty ſure of ſucceſs upon all the race; and therefore prepared to attack them alſo, as ſoon they came on; nor was their increaſing multitude any diſ- couragement to his attempt, but juſt the contrary; for he had agents enough to employ, if every man and woman that ſhould be born was to want a Devil to wait upon them, ſeparately and ſingly to ſeduce them; whereas ſome whole nations have been ſuch willing ſubjects to him, that one of his ſeraphic imps may, for aught we know, have been enough to guide a whole country: the people being entirely ſubjected to his government for many ages, as in America, for example, where ſome will have it that he conveyed the firſt inhabitants; at leaſt, it he did not, we don't well know who did, or how they got thither.

But as to the Americans, let the Devil and them alone to account for their going thither; this we are certain of, that we knew nothing of them for many a hundred years; and when we did, they that want from hence found Satan in a full and quiet poſ-