If History may be credited, the _French_ Court at the Time of our old Confusions was made the Scene of Satan's Politicks, and prompted both Parties in _England_ and in _Scotland_ also to quarrel, and how was it done? Will any Man offer to scandalize the _Devil_ so much as to say, or so much as to suggest that _Satan_ had no Hand in it all? Did not the _Devil_, by the Agency of Cardinal _Richlieu_, send 400000 Crowns at one Time, and 600000 at another, to the _Scots_, to raise an Army and march boldly into _England?_ and did not the same _Devil_ at the same time, by other Agents, remit 800000 Crowns to the other Party, in order to raise an Army to fall upon the _Scots_? nay, did not the _Devil_ with the same Subtilty send down the Archbishop's Order to impose the Service-Book upon the People in _Scotland_, and at the same Time raise a Mob against it, in the great Church (at St. _Giles_'s)? Nay, did not he actually, in the Person of an old Woman (his favourite Instrument) throw the three-leg'd Stool at the Service-Book, and animate the zealous People to take up Arms for Religion, and turn Rebels for God Sake? All these happy and successful Undertakings, tho' 'tis no more to be doubted they were done by the Agency of _Satan_, and in a very surprizing Manner too, yet were all done in secret, by what I call Possession and Injection, and by the Agency and Contrivance of such Instruments, or by the _Devil_ in the Disguise of such Servants as he found out fitted to be employ'd in his Work, and who he took a more effectual Care in concealing of. But we shall have Occasion to touch all this Part over again, when we come to discourse of the particular Habits and Disguises which the _Devil_ has made use of, all along in the World, the better to cover his Actions, and to conceal his being concern'd in them. In the mean Time the Cunning or Artifice the _Devil_ makes use of in all these Things is in it self very considerable; 'tis an old Practice of his using, and he has gone on in diverse Measures, for the better concealing himself in it; which Measures, tho' he varies sometimes, as his extraordinary Affairs require, yet they are in all Ages much the same, and have the same Tendency; namely, that he may get all his Business carried on by the Instrumentality of Fools; that he may make Mankind Agents in their own Destruction, and that he may have all his Work done in such a Manner as that he may seem to have no Hand in it; nay he contrives so well, that the very Name _Devil_ is put upon his opposite Party, and the Scandal of the black Agent lies all upon them. In order then to look a little into his Conduct, let us enquire into the common Mistakes about him, see what Use is made of them to his Advantage, and how far Mankind is imposed upon in those Particulars, and to what Purpose. CHAP. IV. _Of Satan's Agents or Missionaries, and their Actings upon and in the Minds of Men in his Name._