Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (3).pdf/16

 ( 16 ) put him upon that fooliſh, as well as cruel order, to kill all the children, that he might deſtroy the Meſſiah among the reſt. The next ſimple ſtep the Devil took and indeed the moſt fooliſh one that he could ever be charged with, unworthy the very dignity of a Devil, and below the underſtanding that he always was allowed to act with, was that of coming to tempo the Meſſiah in the wilder- neſs; it is certain, that the Devil knew our Saviour to be the Son of God; and it is as certain, he knew, that as ſuch he could have no power or advantage over him ; how fooliſh then was it in him to attack him in that manner, “ If thou be the Son of God?" why, he knew him to be the ſon of God well enough; he ſaid ſo afterwards, " I know thee who thou art, the holy One of God;" how then could he be ſo weak a Devil as to ſay, if thou art, then do ſo and ſo? The caſe is plain, the Devil, though he knew him to be the Son of God, did not fully know the myſtery of the incarnation : nor did he know how far the power of Chriſt extended, and whether, as man, he was not ſubject to fall as Adam was though his reſerved God- head might be ſtill immaculate and pure : and upon this foot as he would leave no method untried, he attempts him three times, one immediately after another ; but then, finding himſelf diſappointed, he fled. This evidently proves, that the Devil was ignorant of the myſtery of godlineſs, as the text calls it, God manifeſt in the fleſh ; and therefore made that fooliſh attempt upon Chriſt, thinking to have conquered his human nature, as capable of ſin, which it was not: and at this repulſe, hell groaned; the whole army of regi- mented Devils received a wound, and felt the ſhock of it : it was a ſecond overthrow to them; they had a long train of ſucceſs: carried a deviliſh conqueſt over the greateſt part of the creation of God: but now they were cut ſhort; the ſeed of the woman was now come to break the ſerpent's head; that is to cut ſhort his