Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (3).pdf/14

 THE MODERN HISTORY OF THE DEVIL PART II. I Have examined the antiquities of Satan's hiſtory, and brought his affairs down from the creation as far as to our bleſſed Chriſtian times: eſpecially 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 re- lates to his empire in this world: what has happened to his more ſublimated government, and his angelic capacities, I ſhall have any occaſion to touch at in ſe- veral 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 dominion over man, which he gained by the fall of our firſt father and mother in Paradiſe, received a downfall or overthrow. It is worth obſerving, in order to confirm what I have already mentioned of the limitation of Satan'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 ſubtility ſeem to have been circumciſed, and