Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/138

 confederate angels first rebelled against God, and were cast out of heaven: and he declares that the Almighty Creator effected this by the ministry of the Archangel St. Michael: of which we will just observe how completely this statement coincides with the teaching of the Catholic Church, that God usually acts through the ministry of angels and saints; while it is at variance with the Protestant theory, which completely ignores all such ministry and action on the part of blessed spirits. St. John then goes on to tell us, in the ninth verse, what was the result of Lucifer's ejection from heaven: "He was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him:" and the effect of this he tells by the character he gives of Satan, "who seduceth the whole earth."

In these few words the Prophet sums up the history of mankind from the time of Adam, the seduction of the whole earth. For it was, alas! a total seduction; with the single exception of the Jewish people, all mankind had been seduced into idolatry and every sort of wickedness.

But in the tenth verse a new and brighter scene dawns upon the world: "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ." This