Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (3).pdf/18

 ( 18 ) but like King James II he drove too hard; and Julian had ſo provoked the whole Roman empire, which was generally become Chriſtian, that had the apoſtate lived, he would not have been able to have held the throne; but as he was cut off in his beginning, Paganiſm ex- pired with him; and even Satan with propriety might have joined him when mortally wounded (throwing a handful of his own blood, as it were at heaven) cry- ing, Thou haſt conquered me, O Galilean. Juvian, the next emperor, being a glorious Chriſ- tian, and a very good and great man, the Devil abdi- cated for a while, and left the Chriſtian armies to re- eſtabliſh the orthodox faith ; nor could he bring the Chriſtians to a breach again among themſelves a great while after. But the Devil, a cunninger fiſherman than ever St. Peter was, ſoon ſet the Biſhops effec- tually, by the cars with the new notion of Primary ; which bait the prieſts eagerly ſwallowed, and ſoon fell to bandying and party making for the ſuperiority, as heartily as ever temporal tyrants dig for dominion; and took as black and deviliſh methods to carry it on, as the worſt of thoſe tyrants ever had done before them. At laſt Satan declared for the Roman pontiff, and that upon excellent conditions, in the reign of the em- peror Mauritus; for Boniface, who had long contend- ed for the title of ſupreme, fall into a treaty with Phocas, captain of the emperor's guard; whether the bargain was from hell or not, let any one judge; the conditions abſolutely entitle the Devil to the honour of making the contract, viz. That Phocas firſt murdered his maſter (the emperor) and his ſons, Boniface ſhould countenance the treaſon, and declare him emperor; and in return, Phocas ſhould acknowledge the pri- macy of the church of Rome, and declare Boniface univerſal biſhop. A bleſſed compact! which at once let the Devil to the head of affairs in the Chriſ- tian world, as well ſpiritual as temporal, eccleſiaſtic as