the _Titans_ against
_Jupiter_, yet we do not read that ever Satan was come to such a Length
as to bring them to Idolatry; indeed we do read of Wars carried on among
them, whether it was one Nation against another, or only Personal, we
cannot tell; But the World seem'd to be swallow'd up in a Life of
Wickedness, that is to say, of Luxury and Lewdness, Rapine and Violence,
and there were _Giants_ among them, and Men of Renown, that is to say,
Men fam'd for their mighty Valour, great Actions of War we may suppose,
and their Strength, who personally oppos'd others. We read of no
considerable Wars indeed, but 'tis not to be doubted but there was such
Wars, or else it is to be understood that they liv'd (in common) a Life
somewhat like the Brutes, the Strong devouring the Weak; for the Text
says, _the whole Earth was filled with Violence_, hunting and tearing
one another in Pieces, either for Dominion or for Wealth, either for
Ambition or for Avarice, we know not well which.

Thus far the old Antediluvian World went, and very wicked they were,
there is no doubt of that; but we have Reason to believe that was no
Idolatry, the _Devil_ had not brought them to that Length yet: perhaps
it would soon have follow'd, but the Deluge interven'd.

After the Deluge, _as I have said_, he had all his Work to do over
again, and he went on by the same Steps; _first_ he brought them to
Violence and War, then to Oppression and Tyranny, then to neglect of
true Worship, then to false worship, and then Idolatry by the meer
natural Consequence of the Thing; who were the first Nation or People
that fell from the Worship of the true God, is something hard to
determine; the _Devil_, who certainly of all _God_'s Creatures is best
able to inform us, having left us nothing upon Record upon that
Subject, but we have Reason to believe it was thus introduc'd.

_Nimrod_ was the Grandson of _Ham_, _Noah_'s second Son, the same who
was cursed by his Father for exposing him in his Drunkenness: This
_Nimrod_ was the first who it seems _Satan_ pick'd out for a Hero: Here
he inspir'd him with ambitious Thoughts, dreams of Empire, and having
the Government of all the Rest, _that is to say_, universal Monarchy;
the very same Bait with which he has plaid upon the Frailty of Princes,
and ensnar'd the greatest of them ever since, even from his most August
Imperial Majesty King _Nimrod_ the first, to his most Christian Majesty
_Louis_ the XIV. and many a mighty Mon