John Milton: 3 books to know The Devil

But I return to the Devil’s managing our wicked part; for this he does with most exquisite subtilty; and this is one part of it; namely, he thrusts our vices into our virtues, by which he mixes the clean and the unclean; and thus, by the corruption of the one, poisons and debauches the other, so that the slave he governs cannot account for his own common actions, and is fain to be obliged to his Maker, to accept of the heart, without the hands and feqt; to take, as we vulgarly express it, the will for the deed, and if Heaven was not so good to come into that half-and-half service, I don’t see but the Devil would carry away all his servants. Here indeed I should enter into a long detail of involuntary wickedness, which, in short, is neither more nor less than the Devil in everybody, ay, in every one of you, (our governors excepted,) take it as you please.

What is our language, when we look back with reflection and reproach on past follies? I think I was bewitched. I was possessed, certainly the Devil was in me, or else I had never been such a sot. Devil in you, sir, ay, who doubts it? you may be sure the Devil was in you, and there he is still, and next time he can catch you in the same snare, you will be just the same sot that you say you were before.

In short, the Devil is too cunning for us, and manages us his own way; he governs the vices of men by his own methods; though every crime will not make a man a devil, yet it must be owned, that every crime puts the criminal, in some measure, into the Devil’s power, gives him a title to the man, and he treats him magisterially ever after.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.