Page:History of the devil, ancient and modern (3).pdf/7

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"---But Satan with his powers "-- An hoſt "Innumerable as the ſtars of night, “O fears of morning, dew drops, which the ſun "Imperial on ev'ry leaf, and ev'ry flower." Par. Left, book v.

Be their number as it is, numberleſs millions, and legions of millions, that is no part of my preſent in- quiry: Satan the leadar, guide and Superior, as he was author of the celeſtial rebellion, is in the great head and maſter Devil as before: under his authority they ſtill act, nor obeying, but carrying on the ſame inſurrection againſt God which they began in heaven; making war ſtill with heaven, in the perſon of his image and creature man; and though vanquiſhed by the thunder of the Son of God and caſt down head- long from heaven, they have yet reaſſured, or rather not loſt, either the will or the power of doing evil. After we have ſeen him ſo ignominiouſly toſſed out of heaven, we ſhall inquire a little what he is. We believe there is ſuch a thing, ſuch a creature as the Devil; and that he may ſtill with propriety of ſpeech, and without injuſtice to his character, be called by his ancient name, Devil. That he is of an ancient and noble original muſt be acknowledged: or he is heaven born, and of ange- lic race, as has been touched already. If Scripture evidence may be of any weight in the queſtion, there is no room to doubt the genealogy of the Devil He is not only ſpoken of as an angel, but as a fallen an gel; one that had been in heaven, had beheld the face of God in his full effulgence of glory, and for- grounded the throne of the Moſt High; from when re, commencing rebel, and being expelled, he was caſt down, down, down, God and the Devil himſelf only know where : for indeed we cannot ſay that any man on earth knows it; and wherever he is, he has, ſince man's creation, been a plague to him; been a temp