Of the Nature of Spirits. 127
counfel be let lpofe his chains , that then he would defend and mercifully preferveus.
Pollux. Thou faieft well ; for even as a wilde boare is noc to be feared if he be bound, and held wich a flrong chain by a powerful flrong man, and who is able by his ftrength to reflrain the fiercenefs of the boare ; but the man js to be feared, and requefted,thathe would not let loofethe boare: So 3l\{o Satan is not co be feared, being bound with the cords of the Almighty; but the Almighty rather, whoholdeth him with a cord, left at any time he fliould let loofe his cord, for to execute his will againftus.
Cafior. We know that the Devils,afcer incarnation of the Tbedevlls Word, were called the Lords of the earth ; hut I wonder, feducemcn where the Word is noc yet incarnate , whether they have wherc . thc power alfo over men. ™°** 1S
Pollux. If it pleafeth God, they have very much ; but take a demonfiration thereof, £")«fr>r,from the fa/deans, amongft whom the Devil raged with fo much power and dominion, that they made no efteem of the true God , but worfliipped the elements. There needeth not a demonftration of the Greeks ; for the fury of the Devil did fo much reign amongft them , that by his Arguments, they accounted Saturn for a very great God, devouring their own proper Children ; and Jupiter, an adulterer and father of all filthinefs , they named to be the father of Gods and men ; Becchm, the mod wicked example of all fervitudeand bondage, they called a free fa- ther ; Venui a ftrumper, they termed a pure virgin ; and they worfhippedFVor/* an harlor,as a type or example of virginity. There is no man that is ignorant ,that the Egyptians have been worfe then the Greeks , when they made peculiar Gods to themfelves, by the inanimate perflations of the Devil ; for one worfhipped a fheep, another a goat, another a calfe, very many did worfliip hoggs , crows , hawkes, vultures, eagles, crocodiles, cats, dogs, wolves, aftes, dragons; and things growing alfo, asonyons, garlick, and thornes ; as every one that is covetous of reading, fhall finde in Damafcen/ts, in his Hiftory ofjofaphai and Ztar;Wj and in Enfebiw^ in the fourth
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