easy. Before the advent of the Saviour, the demon had that
power; but he no longer possesses it, since Jesus Christ by his death
consummated the great work of our redemption. It is what St. John
clearly teaches in the Apocalypse, when he says[689]--"I saw an angel
descend from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the well of the
abyss, and a long chain with which he enchained the dragon, the old
serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and he bound him for a thousand
years." The Evangelist here makes use of the term "a thousand years"
to designate a period both very long and indeterminate, since we read,
a little lower down, that the demon shall be unbound at the coming of
Antichrist.[2] And "after a thousand years," says St. John, "Satan
shall be unbound, and shall come out of his prison." Whence it
happens, that in the time of Antichrist all the wonders of magic shall
be renewed, as the apostle tells us, when he says[691] that his
arrival shall be marked with the greatest wonders that Satan is
capable of working, and by all sorts of signs and lying prodigies.
But till then, "the prince of this world," that is to say, the demon,
"will be cast out." Which made St. Peter say, that in ascending to
heaven, Jesus Christ has subjugated "the angels, the powers, and the
virtues;" and St. Paul says, that "he has enriched himself with the
spoils of principalities and powers;" and that "when he shall give up
the kingdom to God even the Father, and destroyed all principalities,
and powers, and rule." These various names indicate the different
orders of reprobate spirits, as we learn from different parts of the
New Testament. Now, to understand that the might and power which the
demon has been deprived of by the Saviour, is precisely that which he
had enjoyed until then of deceiving the world by magical practices, it
is proper to observe, that until the coming of Jesus Christ there were
three ways or means by which the reprobate spirits exercised their
power and malice upon men:--1. By tempting them and leading them to do
evil. 2. By entering into their bodies and possessing them. 3. By
seconding magical operations, and sometimes working wonders, to wrest
the worship which was due to Him. At this day, of these three kinds of
power, the demon has certainly not lost the first by the coming of the
Saviour, since we know with what determination he has continued since
then, and daily does continue, to tempt us. Neither has he been
deprived