History of the Devil
History of the DevilPREFACEChap. I.Chap. II.Chap. III.Chap. IV.Chap. V.Chap. VI.Chap. VII.Chap. VIII.Chap. IX.Chap. X.Chap. XI.PART II. Modern History OF THE DEVIL.Chap. I.Chap. II.Chap. III.Chap. IV.Chap. V.Chap. VI.Chap. VII.Chap. VIII.Chap. IX.Chap. X.Chap. XI.CONCLUSION.FootnotesCopyright
History of the Devil
Daniel Defoe
PREFACE
This Second Edition of this Work, notwithstanding a large
Impression of the First, is a Certificate from the World of its
general Acceptation; so we need not, according to the Custom of
Editors, boast of it without Evidence, or tell a F——b in its
Favour.The Subject is singular, and it has been handled
after a singular Manner: The wise World has been pleased with it,
the merry World has been diverted with it, and the ignorant World
has been taught by it; none but the malicious part of the World has
been offended at it: Who can wonder, that when theDevilis not pleased,his
Friends should be angry?The strangest thing of it all is, to
hearSatancomplain that the
Story is handled prophanely: But who can think it strange that his
Advocates shouldbe, what he was from the
Beginning?The Author affirms, and has good Vouchers for it
(in the Opinion of such whose Judgment passes with him for an
Authority) that the whole Tenor of the Work is solemn, calculated
to promote serious Religion, and capable of being improv’d in a
religious manner. But he does not think that we are bound never to
speak of theDevilbut with an
Air of Terror, as if we were always afraid of
him.
’ Tis evident theDevil,as subtle and as frightful as he is, has acted the
ridiculous and foolish Part, as much as most of God’s Creatures,
and daily does so. And he cannot believe ’tis any Sin to expose him
for a foolishDevil,as he is,
or shew the World that he may be laugh’d
at.Those that think the Subject not handled with
Gravity enough, have all the Room given them in the World to handle
it better; and as the Author professes he is far from thinking his
Piece perfect, they ought not to be angry thathe
gives them leave to mend it.He has had the
Satisfaction to please some Readers, and to see good Men approve
it; and for the rest, as my LordRochestersays in another Case,He counts their Censure Fame.As for a certain Reverend Gentleman, who is pleased
gravely to dislike the Work(he
hopes, rather for the Author’s sake than theDevil’s)he only says,Let
the Performance be how it will, and the Author what he will, it is
apparent he has not yet preach’d away all his
Hearers.It is enough to me (says the Author) that
theDevilhimself is not pleased
with my Work, and less with the Design of it; let theDeviland all his fellow Complainers stand
on one side, and the honest, well meaning, charitable World, who
approve my Work, on the other, and I’ll tell Noses withSatan,if he dares.
Chap. I.
Being an Introduction to the whole
Work.I doubt not but the title of this book will amuse some
of my reading friends a little at first; they will make a pause,
perhaps, as they do at a witch’s prayer, and be some time resolving
whether they had best look into it or no, lest they should really
raise theDevilby reading his
story.Children and old women have told themselves so many
frightful thingsof the Devil,
and have form’d ideas of him in their minds, in so many horrible
and monstrous shapes, that really it were enough to fright
theDevilhimself, to meet
himself in the dark, dress’d up in the several figures which
imagination has form’d for him in the minds of men; and as for
themselves, I cannot think by any means that theDevilwould terrify them half so much,
if they were to converse face to face with him.It must certainly therefore be a most useful
undertaking to give the true history of thisTyrant of the air, thisGod of the world, this terror and
aversion of mankind, which we callDevil; to shew what he is, and what he
is not, where he is, and where he is not, when he is in us, and
when he is not; for I cannot doubt but that theDevilis really andbona fidein a great many of our honest
weak-headed friends, when they themselves know nothing of the
matter.Nor is the work so difficult as some may imagine.
TheDevil’shistoryis not so hard to come at, as
it seems to be; His original and the first rise of his family is
upon record, and as for his conduct, he has acted indeed in the
dark, as to method in many things; butin
general, as cunning as he is, he has been fool
enough to expose himself in some of the most considerable
transactions of his Life, and has not shewn himself a politician at
all: Our old friendMatchiaveloutdid him in many things, and I may in the process of this
work give an account of several of the sons ofAdam, and some societies of ’em too,
who have out-wittedthe Devil,
nay, who have out-sin’dthe Devil, and that I think may be call’d out-shooting him in his own
bow.It may perhaps be expected of me in this history, that
since I seem inclin’d to speak favourably ofSatan, to do him justice, and to write
his story impartially, I should take some pains to tell you what
religion he is of; and even this part may not be so much a jest, as
at first sight you may take it to be; forSatanhas something of religion in him,
I assure you; nor is he such an unprofitableDevilthat way, as some may suppose him
to be; for tho’, in reverence to my brethren, I will not reckon him
among the Clergy; No not so much as a gifted Brother, yet I cannot
deny, but that he often preaches, and if it be not profitably to
his hearers; ’tis as much their fault, as it is out of his
design.It has indeed been suggested that he has taken orders,
and that a certain Pope, famous for being an extraordinary
favourite of his, gave him both institution and induction; but as
this is not upon record, and therefore we have no authentic
document for the probation, I shall not affirm it for a truth, for
I would not slander theDevil.It is said also, and I am apt to believe it, that he
was very familiar with that holy father PopeSilvesterII. and some charge him with
personating PopeHildebrandon
an extraordinary occasion, and himself sitting in the chair
apostolick, in a full congregation; and you may hear more of this
hereafter: But as I do not meet with PopeDiabolusamong the list; in all
fatherPlatina’s lives of the
Popes, so I am willing to leave it as I find
it.But to speak to the point, and a nice point it is I
acknowledge;namely, what
religionthe Devilis of; my
answer will indeed be general, yet not at all ambiguous, for I love
to speak positively and with undoubted
evidence.1.He is a believer.And if in saying so it should follow, that even theDevilhas more religion than some of
our men of fame can at this time be charged with, I hope my Lord ——
and his Grace the —— of —— and some of the upper class in the
red-hot club, will not wear the coat, however well it may sit to
their shapes, or challenge the Satyr, as if it were pointed at
them, because ’tis due to them: In a word, whatever their Lordships
are, I can assure them that theDevilis no Infidel.2.He fears God.We
have such abundant evidence of this in sacred History, that if I
were not at present, in common with a few others, talking to an
infidel sort of Gentlemen, with whom those remote things call’d
Scriptures are not allow’d in evidence, I might say it was
sufficiently prov’d; but I doubt not in the process of this
undertaking to shew, thatthe Devilreallyfears God, and
that after another manner than ever he fear’d SaintFrancesor SaintDunstan; and if that be proved, as I
take upon me to advance, I shall leave it to judgment, who’s the
better Christian,the Devilwhobelievesandtrembles, or our modern gentry of ——
who believe neitherGod nor Devil.Having thus brought theDevilwithin thePale, I shall leave him among you for
the present; not but that I may examine in its order who has the
best claim to his brotherhood, the Papists or the Protestants; and
among the latter the Lutherans or the Calvinists; and so descending
to all the several denominations of churches, see who has less
ofthe Devilin them, and who
more; and whetherlessormorethe Devil has not a seat in every
synagogue, a pew in every church, a place in every pulpit, and a
vote in every synod; even from the Sanhedrim of theJews, to our friends at theBull and Mouth, &c. from the
greatest to the least.It will, I confess, come very much within the compass
of this part of my discourse, to give an account,or at least make an essay toward it,
of the sharethe Devilhas had
in the spreading religion in the world; and especially of dividing
and subdividing opinions in religion; perhaps, to eke it out and
make it reach the farther; and also to shew how far he is or has
made himself a missionary of the famous clande
propaganda fide; it is true, we find him
heartily employ’d in almost every corner of the worldad propagandum errorem: But that may
require a history by it self.As to his propagating religion, ’tis a little hard
indeed, at first sight, to chargethe
Devilwith propagating religion, that is to say,
if we take it literally, and in the gross; but if you take it as
theScotsinsisted to take the
oath of fidelity,viz.with
anexplanation, it is
plainSatanhas very often had a
share in the method, if not in the design of propagating thechristian faith: For
example.I think I do no injury at all to the Devil, to say that
he had a great hand in the oldholy
war, as it was ignorantly and enthusiastically
call’d; stirring up the christian princes and powers ofEuropeto run a madding after
theTurksandSaracens, and make war with those
innocent people above a thousand miles off, only because they
entred into God’s heritage when he had forsaken it; graz’d upon his
ground when he had fairly turn’d it into a common, and laid it open
for the next comer; spending their nation’s treasure, and embarking
their kings and people, (I say) in a war above a thousand miles
off, filling their heads with that religious madness, call’d, in
those days,holy zealto recover
theterra sancta, the
sepulchers of Christ and the Saints, and as they call’d it falsly,
theholy city, tho’ true
religion says it was the accursed city, and not worth spending one
drop of blood for.This religiousBubblewas certainly ofSatan,
who, as he craftily drew them in, so like a trueDevilhe left them in the lurch when
they came there, fac’d about to theSaracens, animated the immortalSaladinagainst them, and manag’d so
dexterously that he left the bones of about thirteen or fourteen
hundred thousand Christians there as a trophy of his infernal
politicks; and after the christian world had runa
la santa terra, or inEnglishasaunt’ring, about a hundred year, he
dropt it to play another game less foolish, but ten times wickeder
than that which went before it,namely, turning the crusadoes of the Christians one against
another; and, asHudibrassaid
in another case,
“ Made them fight like mad or drunk
“For dame religion as for punk.Of this you have a compleat account in the history of
the Popes decrees against the Countde
Thoulouse, and theWaldensesandAlbigenses, with the crusadoes and
massacres which follow’d upon them, wherein to dothe Devil’s politicks some justice, he
met with all the success he could desire; the zealots of that day
executed his infernal orders most punctually, and planted religion
in those countries in a glorious and triumphant manner, upon the
destruction of an infinite number of innocent people, whose blood
has fatten’d the soil for the growth of the Catholick faith, in a
manner very particular, and to Satan’s full
satisfaction.I might, to compleat this part of his history, give you
the detail of his progress in these first steps of his alliances
withRome; and add a long list
of massacres, wars, and expeditions in behalf of religion, which he
has had the honour to have a visible hand in; such as theParisianmassacre, theFlemishwar under the Duked’ Alva, theSmithfieldfires in theMarian daysinEngland, and the massacres inIreland; all which would most
effectually convince us thatthe Devilhas not been idle in his business; but I may meet with these
again in my way, ’tis enough, while I am upon the generals only, to
mention them thus in a summary way; I say, ’tis enough to prove
thatthe Devilhas really been
as much concerned as any body, in the methods taken by some people
for propagating the christian religion in the
world.Some have rashly, and I had almost said maliciously
charg’dthe Devilwith the great
triumphs of his friends theSpaniardsinAmerica, and would
place the conquest ofMexicoandPeruto the credit of
his account.But I cannot join with them in this at all, I must say,
I believethe Devilwas innocent
of that matter; my reason is, because,Satanwas never such a fool as to spend
his time, or his politicks, or embark his allies to conquer nations
who were already his own; that would beSatanagainstBeelzebub, making war upon himself,
and at least doing nothing to the purpose.If they should charge him, indeed, with deludingPhilipII. ofSpaininto that preposterous attempt
call’dthe Armada, (anglice, theSpanish
Invasion,) I should indeed more readily join
with them; but whether he did it weakly, in hope,which was indeed not likely, that it
should succeed; or wickedly, to destroy that great fleet of
theSpaniards, and draw them
within the reach of his own dominions, the elements; this being a
question which authors differ exceedingly about, I shall leave it
to decide it self.But the greatest piece of management, which we
findthe Devilhas concern’d
himself in of late, in the matter of religion, seems to be that of
the mission intoChina; and
here indeedSatanhas acted his
master-piece: It was, no doubt, much for his service thatthe Chinesesshould have no insight
into matters of religion, I mean, that we call christian; and
therefore, tho’Poperyand
theDevilare not at so much
variance as some may imagine, yet he did not think it safe to let
the general system of Christianity be heard of among them inChina. Hence when the name of the
christian religion had but been received with some seeming
approbation in the country ofJapan,Satanimmediately, as if
alarm’d at the thing, and dreading what the consequence of it might
be, arm’d theJaponesesagainst
it with such fury, that they expell’d it at
once.It was much safer to his designs, when, if the story be
not a fiction, he put thatDutchwiticism into the mouths of the States commanders, when they
came toJapan; who having more
wit than to own themselves Christians in such a place as that, when
the question was put to them, answered negatively,That they were not, but thatthey were of another religion call’dHollanders.However, it seems the diligentJesuitsout-witted the Devil inChina, and, as I said above, over-shot
him in his own Bow; for the mission being in dangerby the Devil and theChineseEmperor’sjoining
together, of being wholly expell’d there too, as
they had been inJapan, they
cunningly fell in with the ecclesiasticks of the country, and
joining the priestcraft of both religions together, they
broughtJesus ChristandConfuciusto be so reconcilable, that
theChineseand theRomanidolatry appeared capable of a
confederacy, of going on hand in hand together, and consequently of
being very good friends.This was a master-piece indeed, and,as they say, almost frightedSatanout of his wits; but he being a
ready manager, and particularly famous for serving himself of the
rogueries of the priests, fac’d about immediately to the mission,
and making a virtue of necessity, clapt in, with all possible
alacrity, with the proposal[1]; so
theJesuitsand he form’d
ahotch-potchofreligionmade up ofPoperyandPaganismand calculated to leave the
latter rather worse than they found it, binding the faith of Christ
and the philosophy or morals ofConfuciustogether, and formally
christening them by the name ofreligion; by which means the politick
interest of the mission was preserved; and yetSatanlost not one inch of ground with
theChineses, no, not by the
planting the Gospel it self,such as it
was, among them.Nor has it been such disadvantage to him that this plan
or scheme of a new modell’d religion would not go down atRome, and that the Inquisition damn’d
it with Bell, Book and Candle; distance of place serv’d his new
allies, the missionaries, in the stead of a protection from the
Inquisition; and now and then a rich present well plac’d found them
friends in the congregation it self; and where any Nuncio with his
impudent zeal pretended to take such a long voyage to oppose
them,Satantook care to get him
sent backre infecta, or
inspir’d the million to move him off the premisses, by methods of
their own (that is to say, being interpreted) tomurther him.Thus the mission has in itself been trulydevilish, and the Devil has interested
himself in the planting the christian religion inChina.The influencethe Devilhas in the Politicks of mankind, is another especial part of
his history, and would require, if it were possible, a very exact
description; but here we shall necessarily be obliged to inquire so
nicely into the Arcana of circumstances, and unlock the cabinets of
state in so many courts, canvass the councils of ministers and the
conduct of princes so fully, and expose them so much, that it may,
perhaps, make a combustion among the great politicians abroad; and
in doing that we may come so near home too, that tho’ personal
safety and prudentials forbid our medling with our own country, we
may be taken in a double entendre, and fall unpitied for being only
suspected of touching truths that are so tender, whether we are
guilty or no; on these accounts I must meddle the less with that
part, at least for the present.Be it that the Devil has had a share in some of the
late councils ofEurope,
influencing them this way or that way, to his own advantage, what
is it to us? For example, What if he has had any concern in the
late affair ofThorn? What need
we put it upon him, seeing his confederates theJesuiteswith theAssessorialtribunal ofPolandtake it upon themselves? I shall
leave that part to the issue of time. I wish it were as easy to
persuade the world that he had no hand in bringing the injur’d
Protestants to leave the justice due to the cries of protestant
blood to the arbitrament of a popish power, who dare say
thatthe Devilmust be in it, if
justice should be obtain’d that way: I should rather say,the Devilis in it, or else it would
never be expected.It occurs next to enquire from the premisses,
whetherthe Devilhas more
influence or less in the affairs of the world now, than he had in
former ages; and this will depend upon comparing, as we go along,
his methods and way of working in past times, and the modern
politicks by which he acts in our days; with the differing
reception which he has met with among the men of such distant
ages.But there is so much to enquire of aboutthe Devil, before we can bring his
story down to our modern times, that we must for the present let
them drop, and look a little back to the remoter parts of this
history; drawing his picture that people may know him when they
meet him, and see who and what he is, and what he has been doing
ever since he got leave to act in the high station he now appears
in.In the mean time, if I might obtain leave to present an
humble petition toSatan, it
should be, that he would according to modern usage oblige us all,
with writingthe history of his own
times; ’twould, as well as one that is gone
before it, be a Devilish good one; for as to the sincerity of the
performance, the authority of the particulars, the justice of the
characters,&c.if they were
no better vouch’d, no more consistent with themselves, with
charity, with truth, and with the honour of an historian, than the
last of that kind which came abroad among us, it must be a reproach
tothe Devilhimself to be the
author of it.WereSatanto be
brought under the least obligation to write truth, and that the
matters of fact, which he should write, might be depended upon, he
is certainly qualified by his knowledge of things to be a compleat
historian; nor could the Bishop himself,who, by
the way, has given us already the Devil of a history, come up to him:Milton’sPandemonium, tho’ an
excellent dramatick performance, would appear a meer trifling
sing-song business, beneath the dignity ofChevy-chase: TheDevilcould give us a true account of
all the civil wars in Heaven; how and by whom, and in what manner
he lost the day there, and was oblig’d to quit the field: The
fiction of his refusing to acknowledge and submit to theMessiah, upon his being declar’d
Generalissimo of the Heavenly forces, which Satan expected himself,
as the eldest officer; and his not being able to brook another to
be put in over his head; I say, that fine-spun thought of
Mr.Miltonwould appear to be
strain’d too far, and only serve to convince us that he (Milton) knew nothing of the
matter.Satanknows very well,
that theMessiahwas notdeclared to be the Son of God with powertill by and afterthe resurrection from the
dead, and that all power was then given
himin Heaven and earth, and
not before; so thatSatan’s
rebellion must derive from other causes, and upon other occasions,
as he himself can doubtless give us an account, if he thinks fit,
and of which we shall speak further in this
work.What a fine History might this old Gentleman write of the
Antediluvian world, and of all the weighty affairs, as well of
state as of religion, which happen’d during the fifteen hundred
years of the patriarchal administration!Who, like him, could give a full and compleat account
of the Deluge, whether it was a meer vindictive, a blast from
Heaven, wrought by a supernatural power in the way of miracle? or
whether, according to Mr.Burnet’sTheory, it was a
consequence following antecedent causes by the meer necessity of
nature; seen in constitution, natural position, and unavoidable
working of things, as by the Theory publish’d by that learn’d
enthusiast it seems to be?Satancould easily account for
all the difficulties of theTheory, and tell us whether, as there was a natural necessity of
the Deluge, there is not the like necessity and natural tendency to
a Conflagration at last.Wouldthe Devilexert himself as an Historian, for our improvement and
diversion, how glorious an account could he give us ofNoah’s Voyage round the world, in the
famous Ark! he could resolve all the difficulties about the
building it, the furnishing it, and the laying up provision in it
for all the collection of kinds that he had made; He could tell us
whether all the creatures came voluntier to him to go into the ark,
or whether he went a hunting for several years before, in order to
bring them together.He could give us a true relation how he wheedled the
people of the next world into the absurd ridiculous undertaking of
building aBabel; how far that
stupendous stair-case, which was in imagination to reach up to
Heaven, was carried, before it was interrupted and the builders
confounded; how their speech was alter’d, how many Tongues it was
divided into, or whether they were divided at all; and how many
subdivisions or dialects have been made since that, by which means
very few of God’s creatures, except the Brutes, understand one
another, or care one farthing whether they do or
no.In all these thingsSatan, who, no doubt, would make a very good chronologist, could
settle every Epocha, correct every Calendar, and bring all our
accounts of time to a general agreement; as well theGrecian Olympiads, theTurkish Heghira, theChinesefictitious account of the
world’s duration, as our blindJulianandGregorianaccounts,
which have put the world, to this day, into such confusion, that we
neither agree in our holy-days or working days, fasts or feasts,
nor keep the same sabbaths in any part of the same
globe.This great Antiquary could bring us to a certainty in
all the difficulties of ancient story, and tell us whether the tale
of the siege ofTroy, and the
rape ofHelenwas a fable
ofHomeror a history; whether
the fictions of the Poets are form’d from their own brain, or
founded in facts; and whether letters were invented byCadmusthePhœnician, or dictated immediately
fromHeavenat mountSinai.Nay, he could tell us how and in what manner he
wheedledEve, deludedAdam, putCaininto a passion, till he made him
murther his own brother; and madeNoah, who was above 500 years a preacher of righteousness, turn
Sot in his old age, dishonour all his ministry, debauch himself
with wine, and by getting drunk and exposing himself, become the
jest and laughing-stock of his children, and of all his posterity
to this day.And would Satan, according to the modern practice of
the late right reverend Historian, enter into the characters of the
great men of his age, how should we be diverted with the just
history ofAdam, in paradise
and out of it; his character, and how he behaved at and after his
expulsion; howCainwandered in
the land ofNod, what the mark
was whichGodset upon him,
whose daughter his wife was, and how big the city was he built
there, according to a certain Poet of noble
extraction,HowCainin the land
ofNod
When the rascal was alone
Like an owl in an ivy tod
Built a city as big asRoan.Roch.He could have certainly drawnEve’s picture, told us every feature
in her face, and every inch in her shape, whether she was a perfect
beauty or no, and whether with the fall she did grow crooked, ugly,
ill-natur’d and a scold; as the learnedValdemarsuggests to be the effects of
the curse.Descending to the character of the Patriarchs in that
age, he might, no doubt, give us in particular the characters
ofBelus, worship’d under the
name ofBaal; withSatan, andJupiter, his successors; who they were
here, and how they behaved; with all thePharaohsofEgypt, theAbimilechsofCanaan, and the great monarchs
ofAssyriaandBabylon.Hence also he is able to write the lives of all the
Heroes of the world, fromAlexanderofMacedontoLewisthe XIV. and fromAugustusto the great KingGeorge; nor could the Bishop himself
go beyond him for flattery, any more than the Devil himself could
go beyond the Bishop for falshood.I could enlarge with a particular satisfaction upon the
many fine things whichSatan,
rummaging his inexhaustible storehouse of slander, could set down
to blacken the characters of good men, and load the best Princes of
the world with infamy and reproach.But we shall never prevail with him, I doubt, to do
mankind so much service, as resolving all those difficulties would
be; for he has an indelible grudge against us; as he believes, and
perhaps is assur’d that men were at first created by his sovereign,
to the intent that after a certain state of Probation in life, such
of them as shall be approved, are appointed to fill up those
vacancies in the Heavenly Host, which were made by the abdication
and expulsion of him (the Devil) and his Angels; so that man is appointed to come inSatan’s stead, to make good the
breach, and enjoy all those ineffable Joys and Beatitudes
whichSatanenjoy’d before his
fall; no wonder then, thatthe Devilswells with envy and rage at mankind in general, and at the
best of them in particular; nay, the granting this point is giving
an unanswerable reason, why theDevilpractises with such unwearied and indefatigable application
upon the best men, if possible, to disappoint God Almighty’s
decree, and that he should not find enough among the whole Race, to
be proper subjects of his clemency, and qualified to succeedthe Deviland his host, or fill up the
places vacant by the Fall. It is true indeed,the
Devil, who we have reason to say is no fool,
ought to know better than to suppose that if he should seduce the
whole race of mankind, and make them as bad as himself, he could,
by that success of his wickedness, thwart or disappoint the
determined purposes of Heaven; but that those which are appointed
to inherit the Thrones, which he and his followers abdicated, and
were deposed from, shall certainly be preserv’d in spite of his
Devices for that inheritance, and shall have the possession secur’d
to them, notwithstanding all thatthe
Deviland all the Host ofHellcan do to prevent
it.But, however he knows the certainty of this, and that
when he endeavours the seducing the chosen servants of the most
High, he fights against God himself, struggles with irresistible
grace, and makes war with infinite power; undermining the church of
God, and that faith in him which is fortified with the eternal
promises of Jesus Christ, that the gates ofHell, that is to say, theDeviland all his power, shall not
prevail against them; I say, however he knows the impossibility
there is that he should obtain his ends, yet so blind is his rage,
so infatuate his wisdom, that he cannot refrain breaking himself to
pieces against this mountain, and splitting against the
rock.qui Jupiter vult perdere hos
dementat.But to leave this serious part, which is a little too
solemn, for the account of this rebel; seeing we are not to expect
he will write his own History for our information and diversion, I
shall see if I cannot write it for him: In order to this, I shall
extract the substance of his whole story, from the beginning to our
own times, which I shall collect out of what is come to hand,
whether by revelation or inspiration, that’s nothing to him; I
shall take care so to improve my intelligence, as may make my
account of him authentick, and,in a
word, such as the Devil himself shall not be
able to contradict.In writing this uncouth story I shall be freed from the
censures of the Criticks, in a more than ordinary manner, upon one
account especially; (viz.)
that my story shall be so just and so well grounded, and, after all
the good things I shall say ofSatan, will be so little to his satisfaction, thatthe Devilhimself will not be able to
say, Idealt with the Devilin
writing it: I might, perhaps, give you some account where I had my
intelligence, and how all the Arcana of his management have come to
my hands;but pardon me, Gentlemen, this would be to betray conversation, and to discover my
agents, and you know statesmen are very careful to preserve the
correspondences they keep in the enemy’s country, lest they expose
their friends to the resentment of the Power whose councils they
betray.Besides, the learned tell us, that ministers of state
make an excellent plea of their not betraying their intelligence,
against all party inquiries into the great sums of money pretended
to be paid forsecret service;
and whether the secret service was to bribe people to betray things
abroad or at home; whether the money was paid to some body or to no
body, employ’d to establish correspondences abroad, or to establish
families and amass treasure at home; in a word, whether it was to
serve their country or serve themselves, it has been the same
thing, and the same plea has been their protection: Likewise in the
important affair which I am upon, ’tis hoped you will not desire me
to betray my Correspondents; for you knowSatanis naturally cruel and malicious,
and who knows what he might do to shew his resentment? at least it
might endanger a stop of our intelligence for the
future.And yet, before I have done, I shall make it very
plain, that however my information may be secret and difficult,
that yet I came very honestly by it, and shall make a very good use
of it; for ’tis a great mistake in those who think that an
acquaintance with the affairs ofthe
Devilmay not be made very useful to us all: They
that know no evil can know no good; and, as the learned tell us,
that a stone taken out of the head of a Toad is a good antidote
against poison; so a competent knowledge ofthe
Devil, and all his ways, may be the best help to
make us defiethe Deviland all
hisworks.
Chap. II.
Of the wordDEVIL,as it is a proper name to the Devil, and any or all his
host, Angels,&c.
It is a question, not yet determined by the learned, whether the
wordDevilbe asingular, that is to say, thenameof a person standing by himself,
or anoun of multitude; if it
be a singular, and so must be used personally only asa proper name, it consequently implies
one imperialDevil, Monarch or
King of the whole clan of Hell; justly distinguish’d by the term
the Devil, or as theScotscall
him,the muckle horn’d Dee’l,
or as others in a wilder dialect,the Devil of
Hell, that is to say, theDevilof aDevil; or (better still) as the
Scripture expresses it, by way of emphasis, thegreat red Dragon, theDevilandSatan.But if we take this word to be, as above,a noun of multitude, and so to be
usedambo-dexter, as occasion
presents, singular or plural; thenthe
DevilsignifiesSatanby himself, orSatan with all his Legionsat his
heels, as you please, more or less; and this way of understanding
the word, as it may be very convenient for my purpose, in the
account I am now to give of the infernal Powers, so it is not
altogether improper in the nature of the thing: It is thus
express’d in Scripture, where the person possess’dMatt.iv. 24. is first said to be
possess’d ofthe Devil(singular) and our Saviour asks him, as speaking to a single
person,what is thy name?and is
answer’d in the plural and singular together, my name is Legion,
forwe are many.Nor will it be any wrong tothe
Devil, supposing him a single person, seeing
entitling him to the conduct of all his inferior Agents, is what he
will take rather for an addition to his infernal glory, than a
diminution or lessening of him in the extent of his
Fame.Having thus articl’d with theDevilfor liberty of speech, I shall
talk of him sometimes in the singular, as a person, and sometimes
in the plural, as an host ofDevilsor of infernal Spirits, just as occasion requires, and as the
history of his affairs makes necessary.But before I enter upon any part of his history, the
nature of the thing calls me back, and my Lord B—— of —— in his
late famous orations in defence of liberty, summons me to prove
that there is such a thing or such a person asthe
Devil; and in short, unless I can give some
evidence of his existence, as my Lord —— said very well, I am
talking ofnobody.D—m me, Sir, says a graceless comrade of his to a great
man,your Gracewill go
tothe Devil.D—m ye, Sir, says the D——, then I shall gono where; I wonder where you intend to
go?Nay, tothe D——ltoo
I doubt,says Graceless, for I
am almost as wicked as myLord Duke.D.Thou ar’t a silly empty Dog,
says the D—, and if there is such a place asa
Hell, tho’ I believe nothing of it, ’tis a place
for fools, such as thou art.Gr.I wonder then, what Heaven
the great wits go to, such as myLord
Duke; I don’t care to go there, let it be where
it will; they are a tiresome kind of people, there’s no bearing
them, they’ll makea Hellwherever they come.D.Prithee hold thy fool’s
tongue, I tell thee, if there is any such place as we call no
where; that’s all the Heaven or Hell that I know of, or believe any
thing about.Gr.Very good, my Lord—; so
thatHeavenisno where, andHellisno
where, and theDevilisnobody, according to myLord Duke!D.Yes Sir, and what
then?Gr.And you are to gono wherewhen you die, are
you?D.Yes, you Dog, don’t you know
what that incomparable noble genius my LordRochestersings upon the subject, I
believe it unfeignedly,After death nothing is,
And nothing death.Gr.You believe it, my Lord, you
mean, you would fain believe it if you could; but since you put
that great genius my LordRochesterupon me, let me play him back uponyour
Grace; I am sure you have read his fine poem
uponnothing, in one of the
stanzas of which is this beautiful thought,And to be part of[2]thee
The wicked wisely pray.D.You are a foolish
Dog.Gr.And myLord
Dukeis a wise Infidel.D.Why? is it not wiser to
believeno Devil, than to be
always terrify’d at him?Gr.But shall I toss another Poet
upon you, my Lord?If it should so fall out, as who can tell
But there may be a God, aHeavenandHell?
Mankind had best consider well, for fear
’T should be too late when their mistakes
appear.D.D—m your foolish Poet, that’s
not my LordRochester.Gr.But how must I be damn’d, if
there’sno Devil? Is notyour Gracea little inconsistent there?
My LordRochesterwould not have
said that, and’t please your Grace.D.No,you
Dog, I am not inconsistent at all, and if I had
the ordering of you, I’d make you sensible of it; I’d make you
think your self damn’d for want ofa
Devil.Gr.That’s like one ofyour Grace’s paradoxes, such as when
you sworeby Godthat you did
not believe there was any such thing asa
God, orDevil; so you swear bynothing, and damn me tono where.D.You are a critical Dog, who
taught you to believe these solemn trifles? who taught you to say
there is a God?Gr.Nay, I had a better
school-master than myLord Duke.D.Why, who was your
school-master pray?Gr. The Devil, and’t please
yourGrace.D.The Devil!the Devil he did?what you’re going to
quote Scripture, are you? Prithee don’t tell me ofScripture, I know what you
mean,the Devils believe and tremble; why then I have the whip-hand ofthe
Devil, for I hate trembling; and I am deliver’d
from it effectually, for I never believed any thing of it, and
therefore I don’t tremble.Gr.And there, indeed, I am a
wickeder creature than theDevil, or even than myLord Duke, for I believe, and yet don’t tremble
neither.D.Nay, if you are come to your
penitentials I have done with you.Gr.And I think I must have done
with myLord Duke, for the same
reason.D. Ay, ay, pray do, I’ll go and
enjoy my self; I won’t throw away the pleasure of my life, I know
the consequence of it.Gr.And I’ll go and reform my
self, else I know the consequence too.This short Dialogue happen’d between two men of
quality, and both men of wit too; and the effect was, that the Lord
brought the reality ofthe Devilinto the question, and the debate brought the profligate to
be a penitent; so in short,the Devilwas made a preacher of repentance.The Truth is,Godandthe Devil, however
opposite in their nature, and remote from one another in their
place of abiding, seem to stand pretty much upon a level in our
faith: For as to our believing the reality of their existence, he
that denies one, generally denies both; and he that believes one,
necessarily believes both.Very few, if any of those who believe there is a God,
and acknowledge the debt of homage which mankind owes to the
supreme Governor of the World, doubt the existence ofthe Devil, except here and there one,
whom we call practical Atheists; and ’tis the character of an
Atheist, if there is such a creature on Earth, that like myLord Duke, he believes neither God
orDevil.As the belief of both these stands upon a level, and
that God and theDevilseem to
have an equal share in our faith, so the evidence of their
existence seems to stand upon a level too, in many things; and as
they are known by their Works in the same particular cases, so they
are discover’d after the same manner of
demonstration.Nay, in some respects ’tis equally criminal to deny the
reality of them both, only with this difference, that to believe
the existence of a God is a debt to nature, and to believe the
existence ofthe Devilis a like
debt to reason; one is a demonstration from the reality of visible
causes, and the other a deduction from the like reality of their
effects.One demonstration of the existence of God, is from the
universal well-guided consent of all nations to worship and adore a
supreme Power; One demonstration of the existence of theDevil, is from the avow’d ill-guided
consent of some nations, who knowing no other God, make a God of
theDevil, for want of a
better.It may be true, that those nations have no other Ideas of the
Devil than as of a superior Power; if they thought him a supreme
Power it would have other effects on them, and they would submit to
and worship him with a different kind of fear.But ’tis plain they have right notions of him as a
Devil or evil Spirit, because the best reason, and in some places
the only reason they give for worshiping him is, that he may do
them no hurt; having no notions at all of his having any power,
much less any inclination to do them good; so that indeed they make
a meerDevilof him, at the same
time that they bow to him as to a God.All the ages of Paganism in the World have had this
notion ofthe Devil: indeed in
some parts of the World they had also some Deities which they
honour’d above him, as being supposed to be beneficent, kind and
inclined, as well as capable to give them good things; for this
reason the more polite Heathens, such as theGreciansand theRomans, had theirLaresor houshold Gods, whom they paid
a particular respect to; as being their Protectors from Hobgoblins,
Ghosts of the Dead, evil Spirits, frightful Appearances, evil
Genius’s and other noxious Beings from the invisible World; or to
put it into the language of the day we live in, fromthe Devil, in whatever shape or
appearance he might come to them, and from whatever might hurt
them: and what was all this but setting upDevilsagainstDevils, supplicating oneDevilunder the notion of a good
Spirit, to drive out and protect them from another, whom they
call’d a bad Spirit, the whiteDevilagainst the blackDevil?This proceeds from the natural notions mankind
necessarily entertain of things to come;superiororinferior, God and theDevil, fill up all futurity in our
thoughts; and ’tis impossible for us to form any images in our
minds of an immortality and an invisible World, but under the
notions of perfect felicity, or extreme misery.Now as these two respect the Eternal state of man after life,
they are respectively the object of our reverence and affection, or
of our horror and aversion; but notwithstanding they are plac’d
thus in a diametrical opposition in our affections and passions,
they are on an evident level as to the certainty of their
existence, and, as I said above, bear an equal share in our
faith.It being then as certain that there isa Devil, as that there isa God, I must from this time forward
admit no more doubt of his existence, nor take any more pains to
convince you of it; but speaking of him as a reality in Being,
proceed to enquire who he is, and from whence, in order to enter
directly into the detail of his History.Now not to enter into all the metaphysical trumpery of
his Schools, nor wholly to confine my self to the language of the
Pulpit; where we are told, that to think of God and of theDevil, we must endeavour first to form
Ideas of those things which illustrate the description of rewards
and punishments; in the one the eternal presence of the highest
good, and, as a necessary attendant, the most perfect, consummate,
durable bliss and felicity, springing from the presence of that
Being in whom all possible Beatitude is inexpressibly present, and
that in the highest perfection: On the contrary, to conceive of a
sublime fallen Arch-angel, attended with an innumerable host of
degenerate, rebel Seraphs or Angels cast out of Heaven together;
all guilty of inexpressible rebellion, and all suffering from that
time, and to suffer for ever the eternal vengeance of the Almighty,
in an inconceivable manner; that his presence, tho’ blessed in it
self, is to them the most compleat article of terror; That they are
in themselves perfectly miserable; and to be with whom for ever,
adds an inexpressible misery to any state as well as place; and
fills the minds of those who are to be, or expect to be banish’d to
them with inconceivable horror and amazement.But when you have gone over all this, and a great deal
more of the like, tho’ less intelligible language, which the
passions of men collect to amuse one another with; you have said
nothing if you omit the main article, namely, the personality
ofthe Devil; and till you add
to all the rest some description of the company with whom all this
is to be suffer’d,viz.theDevil and his Angels.Now who thisDevil and his
Angelsare, what share they have either actively
or passively in the eternal miseries of a future state, how far
they are Agents in or Partners with the sufferings of the place, is
a difficulty yet not fully discover’d by the most learned; nor do I
believe ’tis made less a difficulty by their medling with
it.But to come to the person and original ofthe Devil, or, as I said before,
ofDevils; I allow him to come
of an ancient family, for he is from Heaven, and more truly than
theRomanscould say of their
idoliz’dNuma, he is of the
race of the Gods.ThatSatanis a
fallen Angel, a rebel Seraph, cast out for his Rebellion, is the
general opinion, and ’tis not my business to dispute things
universally receiv’d; as he was try’d, condemn’d, and the sentence
of expulsion executed on him in Heaven, he is in this World like a
transported Felon never to return; His crime, whatever particular
aggravations it might have, ’tis certain, amounted to High-treason
against his Lord and Governor, who was also his Maker; against whom
he rose in rebellion, took up arms, and in a word, rais’d a horrid
and unnatural war in his dominions; but being overcome in battle,
and made prisoner, he and all his Host, whose numbers were
infinite, all glorious Angels like himself, lost at once their
beauty and glory with their Innocence, and commenc’dDevils, being transform’d by crime
into monsters and frightful objects; such as to describe, human
fancy is obliged to draw pictures and descriptions in such forms as
are most hateful and frightful to the
imagination.These notions, I doubt not, gave birth to all the
beauteous Images and sublime expressions in Mr.Milton’s majestick Poem; where, tho’
he has play’d the Poet in a most luxuriant manner, he has sinn’d
againstSatanmost egregiously,
and done theDevila manifest
injury in a great many particulars, as I shall shew in its place.
And as I shall be oblig’d to doSatanjustice when I come to that part of his History, Mr.Milton’s admirers must pardon me, if I
let them see, that tho’ I admire Mr.Miltonas a Poet, yet that he was
greatly out in matters of History, and especially the History of
theDevil; in short, That he
has chargedSatanfalsly in
several particulars; and so he hasAdamandEvetoo: But that I shall leave till I
come to the History of the Royal Family ofEden; which I resolve to present you
with when theDeviland I have
done with one another.But not to run down Mr.Miltonneither, whose poetry, or his
judgment, cannot be reproached without injury to our own; all those
bright Ideas of his, which make his poem so justly valued, whether
they are capable of proof as to the fact, are notwithstanding,
confirmations of my hypothesis; and are taken from a supposition of
the Personality of theDevil,
placing him at the head of the infernal host, as a sovereign
elevated Spirit and Monarch of Hell; and as such it is that I
undertake to write his history.By the word Hell I do not suppose, or at least not
determine, that his residence, or that of the whole army ofDevils, is yet in the same local Hell,
to which the Divines tell us he shall be at last chain’d down; or
at least that he is yet confin’d to it, for we shall find he is at
present a prisoner at large: of both which circumstances of Satan I
shall take occasion to speak in its course.But when I call the Devil the Monarch ofHell, I am to be understood as suits
to the present purpose; that he is the Sovereign of all the race of
Hell, that is to say of all the Devils or Spirits of the infernal
Clan, let their numbers, quality and powers be what they
will.Upon this supposed personality and superiority
ofSatan, or, as I call it, the
sovereignty and government of one Devil above all the rest; I say,
upon this notion are form’d all the systems of the dark side of
futurity, that we can form in our minds: And so general is the
opinion of it, that it will hardly bear to be oppos’d by any other
argument, at least that will bear to be reason’d upon: All the
notions of a parity of Devils, or making a common-wealth among the
black Divan, seem to be enthusiastick and visionary, but with no
consistency or certainty, and is so generally exploded, that we
must not venture so much as to debate the
point.Taking it then as the generality of mankind do, that
there is a Grand Devil, a superior of the whole black race; that
they all fell, together with their General,Satan, at the head of them; that tho’
he,Satan, could not maintain
his high station in Heaven, yet that he did continue his dignity
among the rest, who are call’d his servants,in
Scripture his Angels; that he has a kind of
dominion or authority over the rest, and that they were all, how
many millions soever in number, at his command; employ’d by him in
all his hellish designs, and in all his wicked contrivances for the
destruction of man, and for the setting up his own kingdom in the
world.Supposing then that there is such a superior Master-Devil
over all the rest, it remains that we enquire into his character,
and something of his History; in which, tho’ we cannot perhaps
produce such authentick documents as in the story of other great
Monarchs, Tyrants, and Furies of the World; yet I shall endeavour
to speak some things which the experience of mankind may be apt to
confirm, and which the Devil himself will hardly be able to
contradict.It being then granted that there is such a thing or person,
call him which we will, as a Master-Devil; that he is thus superior
to all the rest in power and in authority, and that all the other
evil Spirits are his Angels, or Ministers, or Officers to execute
his commands, and are employ’d in his business; it remains to
enquire, whence he came? how he got hither, into this World? what
that business is which he is employ’d about? what his present state
is, and where and to what part of the creation of God he is limited
and restrained? what the liberties are he takes or is allow’d to
take? in what manner he works, and how his instruments are likewise
allow’d to work? what he has done ever since he commenc’d Devil,
what he is now doing, and what he may yet do before his last and
closer confinement? as also what he cannot do, and how far we may
or may not be said to be exposed to him, or have or have not reason
to be afraid of him? These, and whatever else occurs in the History
and conduct of this Arch-devil and his Agents, that may be useful
for information, caution, or diversion, you may expect in the
process of this work.I know it has been question’d by some, with more face
than fear, how it consists with a compleat victory of the Devil,
which they say was at first obtained by the Heavenly Powers
overSatanand his apostate army
inHeaven, that when he was
cast out of his holy place, and dash’d down into the abyss of
eternal darkness, as into a place of punishment, a condemn’d hold,
or place of confinement, to be reserved there to the judgment of
the great Day;I say, how it
consists with that entire victory, to let him loose again, and give
him liberty, like a thief that has broken prison, to range about
God’s creation, and there to continue his rebellion, commit new
ravages, and acts of hostility against God, make new efforts at
dethroning the almighty Creator; and in particular to fall upon the
weakest of his creatures, Man? howSatanbeing so entirely vanquish’d, he
should be permitted to recover any of his wicked powers, and find
room to do mischief to mankind.Nay they go farther, and suggest bold things against
the wisdom of Heaven, in exposing mankind, weak in comparison of
the immense extent of theDevil’s power, to so manifest an overthrow, to so unequal a fight,
in which he is sure, if alone in the conflict, to be worsted; to
leave him such a dreadful enemy to engage with, and so ill
furnish’d with weapons to assist him.These objections I shall give as good an answer to as the
case will admit in this course, but must adjourn them for the
present.That the Devil is not yet a close prisoner, we have
evidence enough to confirm; I will not suggest, that like
ourNewgateThieves, (to bring
little Devils and great Devils together) he is let out by
connivance, and has some little latitudes and advantages for
mischief, by that means; returning at certain seasons to his
confinement again. This might hold, were it not, that the
comparison must suggest, that the power which has cast him down
could be deluded, and the under-keepers or jaylors, under whose
charge he was in custody, could wink at his excursions, and the
Lord of the place know nothing of the matter. But this wants
farther explanation.
Chap. III.
Of the original of theDevil,who he is, and what he was before his
expulsion out of Heaven, and in what state he was from that time to
the creation of Man.To come to a regular enquiry into Satan’s affairs, ’tis
needful we should go back to his original, as far as history and
the opinion of the learned World will give us leave.It is agreed by all Writers, as well sacred as
prophane, that this creature we now call a Devil, was originally an
Angel of light, a glorious Seraph; perhaps the choicest of all the
glorious Seraphs. See howMiltondescribes his original glory:Satan, so call him now, his
former name
Is heard no more in Heaven: He of the first,
If notthe first Archangel;
great in power,
In favour and preeminence.lib.v.fol.140.And again the same author, and upon the same
subject:
——— Brighter once amidst the host
Of Angels, than that star the stars among.lib.vii.fol.189.The glorious figure which Satan is supposed to make
among theThronesandDominionsin Heaven is such, as we
might suppose the highest Angel in that exalted train could make;
and some think,as above, that
he was the chief of the Arch-angels.Hence that notion, (and not ill founded)namely, that the first cause of his
disgrace, and on which ensued his rebellion, was occasioned upon
God’s proclaiming his Son Generalissimo, and with himself supreme
ruler in heaven; giving the dominion of all his works of creation,
as well already finish’d, as not then begun, to him; which post of
honour (say they)Satanexpected
to be conferr’d on himself, as next in honour, majesty and power to
God the Supreme.This opinion is follow’d by Mr.Miltontoo, as appears in the following
lines, where he makes all the Angels attending all a general
summons, and God the Father making the following declaration to
them.
“ Here, all ye Angels, prodigy of light,
“Thrones, dominions, princedoms, virtues, pow’rs!
“Hear my decree, which unrevok’d shall stand.
“This day I have begot whom I declare
“My only Son, and on this hill
“Him have anointed, whom you now behold
“At my right hand; your Head I Him appoint:
“And my self have sworn to him shall bow
“All knees in Heav’n, and shall confess him Lord,
“Under his great vice-gerent reign abide
“United, as one individual soul,
“For ever happy: Him who disobeys,
“Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day
“Cast out from God, and blessed vision, falls
“Into utter darkness, deep ingulph’d, his place
“Ordain’d without redemption, without end.Satan, affronted at the appearance of a new Essence or
Being in Heaven, call’d the Son of God; for God, says Mr.Milton, (tho’ erroneously) declared
himself at that time, saying,This day have I
begotten him, and that he should be set up,
above all the former Powers of Heaven, of whom Satan (as above) was
the Chief and expecting, if any higher post could be granted, it
might be his due; I say, affronted at this he
resolv’d
“ With all his Legions to dislodge, and leave
“Unworship’d, unobey’d, the throne supreme
“Contemptuous. ———Par. lost, lib. v. fo. 140.But Mr.Miltonis
grosly erroneous in ascribing those words,This
day have I begotten thee, to that declaration of
the Father before Satan fell, and consequently to a time before the
creation; whereas, it is by Interpreters agreed to be understood of
the Incarnation of the Son of God, or at least of the
Resurrection:[3]seePooluponActsxiii. 33.In a word, Satan withdrew with all his followers malecontent
and chagrine, resolv’d to disobey this new command, and not yield
obedience to the Son.But Mr.Miltonagrees in that opinion, that the number of Angels which
rebel’d withSatanwas infinite,
and suggests in one place, that they were the greatest half of all
the angelick Body or seraphick Host.
“ But Satan with his Power,
“An host
“Innumerable as the stars of night,
“Or stars of morning, dew drops, which the Sun
“Impearls on ev’ry leaf and ev’ry flower.ib.lib. v. fo.
142.