d beaten back, and his Kingdom has greatly
declin'd in many Parts of the World; and especially in the Northern
Parts, except _Great Britain_; and how he has politically maintain'd his
Interest and encreased his Dominion among the wise and righteous
Generation that we cohabit with and among, will be the Subject of the
_modern_ Part of _Satan_'s _History_, and of which we are next to give
an Account.

PART II.
OF THE
MODERN HISTORY
OF THE
DEVIL.

CHAP. I.

I have examined the Antiquities of Satan's History in the former Part of
this Work, and brought his Affairs down from the Creation, as far as to
our blessed Christian Times; especially to the Coming of the _Messiah_,
when one would think the _Devil_ could have nothing to do among us. I
have indeed but touch'd at some Things which might have admitted of a
farther Description of Satan's Affairs, and the Particulars of which we
may all come to a farther Knowledge of hereafter; yet I think I have
spoken to the material Part of his Conduct, as it relates to his Empire
in this World: What has happen'd to his more sublimated Government, and
his Angelic Capacities, I shall have an Occasion to touch at in several
solid Particulars as we go along.

The _Messiah_ was now born, _the Fulness of Time was come_, that the old
Serpent was to have his _Head broken_, that is to say, his Empire or
Dominion over Man, which he gain'd by the Fall of our first Father and
Mother in _Paradise_, receiv'd a Downfal or Overthrow.

It is worth observing, in order to confirm what I have already mention'd
of the Limitation of Satan's Power, that not only his Angelic Strength
seems to have received a farther Blow upon the Coming of the Son of God
into the World, but he seems to have had a Blow upon his Intellects; his
Serpentine Craft and _Devil-like_ Subtilty seems to have been
circumscrib'd and cut short; and instead of his being so cunning a
Fellow as before, when, _as I said_, 'tis evident he outwitted all
Mankind, not only _Eve_, _Cain_, _Noah_, _Lot_, and all the Patriarchs,
but even Nations of Men, and that in their publick Capacity; and thereby
led them into absurd and ridiculous Things, such as the Building of
_Babel_, and deifying and worshiping their Kings, when dead and rotten;
idolizing _Beasts_, _Stocks_, _Stones_, _any Thing_, and even _Nothing_;
and in a Word, when he manag'd Mankind just as he pleased.

Now and from this Time forward he appeared a weak, fo