John Milton - 3 books to know The Devil

Nay, they go farther, and suggest bold things against the wisdom of heaven, in exposing mankind, weak in comparison of the immense extent of the Devil’s power, to so manifest an overthrow, to so unequal a fight, in which he is sure, if alone in the conflict, to be worsted; to leave him such a dreadful enemy to engage with, and so ill-furnished with weapons to assist him.

These objections I shall give as good an answer to, as the case will admit of in this course, but must adjourn them for the present.

That the Devil is not yet a close prisoner, we have evidence enough to confirm: I will not suggest, that like our Newgate thieves (to bring little devils and great devils together) he is let out by connivance, and has some little latitudes and advantages for mischief, by that means; returning at certain seasons to his confinement again.

This might hold, were it not that the comparison must suggest, that the power which has cast him down could be deluded, and the under-keepers or gaolers, under whose charge he was in custody, could wink at his excursions, and the Lord of the place know nothing of the matter. But this wants farther explanation.

OF THE ORIGINAL OF the Devil, who he is, and what he was before his expulsion out of Heaven, and in what state he was from that time to the creation of man,

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TO COME TO A REGULAR inquiry into Satan’s affairs, it is needful we should go back to his original, as far as history and the opinion of the learned world will give us leave.

It is agreed by all writers, as well sacred as profane, that this creature we now call a Devil, was originally an angel of light, a glorious seraph; perhaps the choicest of all the glorious seraphs. See how Milton describes his original glory:

“Satan, so call him now; his former name

Is heard no more in heaven: he of the first,

If not the first archangel; great in power,

In favor and preeminence.”

—— Lib. v. fol. 140.

And again the same author, and upon the same subject:

“Brighter once amidst the host

Of angels, than that star the stars among.”

—— Lib. vii. fol. 189.

The glorious figure which Satan is supposed to make among the thrones and dominions in heaven is such, as we might suppose the highest angel in that exalted train could make; and some think, as above, that he was the chief of the archangels.

Hence that notion (and not ill-founded); namely, that the first cause of his disgrace, and on which ensued his rebellion, was occasioned upon God’s proclaiming his son generalissimo, and with himself supreme ruler in heaven; giving the dominion of all his works of creation, as well already finished, as not then begun, to him; which post of honor (say they) Satan .expected to be conferred on himself, as next in honor, majesty, and power, to God the Supreme. 3

This opinion is followed by Mr. Milton too, as appears in the following lines, where he makes all the angels attending a general summons, and God the Father making the following declaration to them:

“Hear all ye angels, progeny of light,

Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers!

Hear my decree, which unrevok’d shall stand.

This day I have begot whom I declare

My only Son, and on this holy hill

Him have anointed, whom ye now behold

At my right hand; your head I him appoint:

And by myself have sworn, to him shall bow

All knees in heav’n, and shall confess him Lord;

Under his great vicegerent reign abide

United, as one individual soul,

For ever happy: him who disobeys,

Me disobeys, breaks union; and that day

Cast out from God, and blessed vision, falls

Into utter darkness, deep ingulph’d, his place

Ordain’d without redemption, without end.”

Satan, affronted at the appearance of a new essence or being in heaven, called the Son of God, for God, says Mr. Milton, (though erroneously,) declared himself at that time, saying, This day have I begotten him, and that he should be set up above all the former powers of heaven, of whom Satan (as above) was the chief, and expecting, if any higher post could be granted, it might be his due; I say, affronted at this, he resolved

“With all his legions to dislodge, and leave

Unworship’d, unobey’d, the throne supreme,

Contemptuous.”

—— Par. Lost, lib. v. fol. 140.

But Mr. Milton is grossly erroneous in ascribing those words, This day have I begotten thee, to that declaration of the Father, before Satan fell, and consequently to a time before the creation; whereas it is by interpreters agreed to be understood of the incarnation of the Son of God, or at least of the resurrection: see Pool upon Acts xiii. 33. 1

1Mr. Pool’s words are these: Some refer the words, this day have I begotten thee, to the incarnation of the Son of God, others to the resurrection; our translators lay the stress on the preposition of which the verb is compounded, and by adding again, (namely) raised up Jesus again, (Acts xiii. 33,) intended it to be understood of the resurrection; and there is ground for it in the context; for the resurrection of Christ is that which St. Paul had propounded in verse 30 of the same chapter, as his theme or argument to preach upon.

Not that Christ at his resurrection began to be the Son of God, but that he was manifested then to be so.

In a word, Satan withdrew with all his followers, malcontent and chagrin, resolved to disobey this new command, and not yield obedience to the Son.

Now Mr. Milton agrees in that opinion, that the number of angels which rebelled with Satan was infinite; and suggests in one place, that they were the greatest half of all the angelic body, or seraphic host.

“But Satan with his powers

An host

Innumerable as the stars of night,

Or stars of morning, dew-drops, which the sun

Impearls on ev’ry leaf, and ev’ry flower.”

—— Ib. lib. v. fol. 142.

Be their number as it is, numberless millions, and legions of millions, that is no part of my present inquiry; Satan, the leader, guide and superior, as he was author of the celestial rebellion, is still the great head and master-devil as before; under his authority they still act, not obeying, but carrying on the same insurrection against God, which they began in heaven; making war still against heaven, in the person of his image and creature, man; and though vanquished by the thunder of the Son of God, and cast down headlong from heaven, they have yet reassumed, or rather not lost, either the will or the power of doing evil.

This fall of the angels, with the war in heaven which preceded it, is finely described by Ovid, in his War of the Titans against Jupiter; casting mountain upon mountain, and hill upon hill, (Pelion upon Ossa,) in order to scale the adamantine walls, and break open the gates of heaven; till Jupiter struck them with his thunder-bolts, and overwhelmed them in the abyss. Vide Ovid Metam., new translation, lib. i. p. 19.

“Nor were the gods themselves secure on high;

For now the giants strove to storm the sky:

The lawless brood with bold attempt invade

The gods, and mountains upon mountains laid.

But now the bolt, enrag’d, the Father took:

Olympus from her deep foundations shook:

Her structure nodded at the mighty stroke,

And Ossa’s shatter’d top o’er Pelion broke:

They ‘re in their own ungodly ruins slain.”

Then again speaking of Jupiter, resolving in council to destroy mankind by the deluge, and giving the reasons of it to the heavenly host, says thus, speaking of the demigods, alluding to good men below:

“Think you that they in safety can remain,

When me myself, who o’er immortals reign,