Apollo, or any of those Demons they worshipp'd for Gods, forthwith to quit their Poffeflions with Fear and Trembling and gnashing of Teeth, and proclaim themselves Devils in the presence of their Worshippers, and if he fail'd in any one Inftance, the Chriftians defir'd no Mercy, but to be look'd upon as Cheats, and were willing to be pro ceeded against with the utmost Contempt and Cruelty imaginable. This F fay, was fo publick and fenfible a Proof, fo level to the lowest Understandings, fo daring and demonftrative of a good Cause and a good Confcience, that you judg'd it highly reasonable for the lefs knowing People to be better acquainted with it; and I believe nothing can be found more miraculous and aftonishing in all Chriftian Antiquity.

The Devil, who in Scripture is ftiled the Prince, and the God of this World, had reign'd as fuch above two thousand Years; upon the coming of Chrift, the Oracles of a fudden in a great measure

were

were all ftruck dumb; the Philofophers prefently and Men of Parts fet their Heads to work about the Causes of this strangeuniverfal Silence; fome affign one Cause, fome another, and fome lay it upon the Christians themselves; St. John declares, For this purpose the Son of God was manifefted, that he might deftroy the Works of the Devil; the unclean Spirits own him to be Jefus of Nazareth, the Holy One of God, and befeech him not to deftroy them. The Seventy return'd again with Foy, Saying, Lord: even the Devils are fubject unto us through thy Name. After his Refurrection, when he fent out his Apoftles to preach the Gospel, he particularly promis'd the Power over evil Spirits both to them and their Followers; And these Signs fhall follow them that believe; in my Name they shall cast ont Devils, &c. And with what Exultation, Triumph, and Affurance, the Primitive Chriftians appeal'd to this Power over the Heathen Gods upon all Occafions, is fufficiently evident from thefe Apologies; and the Cafting out

the

the Prince of this World, being the End of Chrift's coming into the World; and the most plain, proper, and convincing Argument that all the Gods of the Nations were Devils, being to prove it by their own Confeffion: This aftonishing Power lafted longeft in the Church, and was a standing Miracle for feveral hundred Years together, till the Kingdom of Darkness was destroy'd, and the Chriftian Religion became the Joy of the whole Earth. And was ever Argument like this, both for the Be ing of a God, and the Truth of the Gospel ?

But though Chrift is faid to come on purpose to deftroy the Works of the Devil, though he did it effectually to the Conviction of the Heathen World by a continu'd Miracle, unquestionably of above three hundred Years standing, yet (if we may believe fome Men) all this Devil-craft was nothing more than pure Prieft-craft only; bewitching Name, that in fome mea fure

a

fure fupplies the Place of the Devil, and does his Bufinefs to a Wonder; for Prief-craft is an Answer to every Thing, a Charm against all the Force both of Reafon and Revelation. Surely these Priests, if they were Men, were very ftrange ones, and as Active, Bloody and Cunning, as we can poffibly imagin Devils to be. But while thefe Men tax others with Credulity and Eafinefs for believing a Matter of Fact attefted by the general Consent of all Hiftorians both prophane and facred, what a Train of Incredibilities do they (poor Wretches!) with a feeming Complacency believe themselves? They believe against Mofes and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, and all the Primitive Fathers, and what these say were acted by Devils, they affirm to be acted by Men. They believe that these Priefts, were a fuperior Order of Jugglers, who for two thousand Years could fuccefsfully impose upon Mankind in all the distant Places of the Earth, that they could

make

make the whole World dance constant Attendance to their Temples and Ora cles, at the Expence of numerous, cóftly, and impertinent Ceremonies; and perfuade Nations to leave their Coun try; and Kings, and Princes, as well as People, in fpite of all the Reluctancies of Nature, to facrifice their Sons and their Daughters without a Murmut, and think it meritorious fo to do; they be lieve likewise, that all these Priests fucceffively were fo much the fame, fo ftanch in Blood and Secrecy, that in this vaft Tract of Time none could find in their Heart to relent, and betray the Imposture; that this their Craft was above the Reach of Emperors, States-Men, and the wisest Philosophers in the wifeft Ages; that is, all the World, befide the Priefts, all this time were perfectly befotted. And yet our Scepticks find that these Active, Bloody, Cunning Priests, were of a fudden put all to Silence, Shame and Confufion, they find all the Demoniacks cured, and all this effected by the most contemp