The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two PartsDefoe, Daniel
Philosophy
The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two Parts
Defoe, Daniel
Devil -- Early works to 1800
If the Ark was (as Mr. _Burnet_ thinks) guided by two Angels, they not
only held it from foundering or being swallow'd up in the Water, but
certainly kept the Waters calm about it, especially when the Lord
brought a strong Wind to blow over the whole Globe, which by the Way was
the first, and, I suppose, the only universal Storm that ever blew, for
to be sure it blew over the whole Surface at once; I say, if it was thus
guided, to be sure the _Devil_ saw it, and that with Envy and Regret
that he could do it no Injury, for doubtless had it been in the Devil's
Power, as God had drown'd the whole Race of Man, except what was in the
Ark, he would have taken care to have dispatch'd them too, and so made
an End of the Creation at once; but either he was not empower'd to go
to the Ark, or it was so well guarded by Angels, that when he came near
it he could do it no harm: So it rested at length, the Waters abating on
the Mountains of _Arrarat_ in _Armenia_, or some where else that Way,
and where they say a Piece of the Keel is remaining to this Day; of
which, however with Dr. ------ I say, I believe not one Word.
The Ark being safe landed, 'tis reasonable to believe _Noah_ prepared to
go on Shore, as the Seamen call it, as soon as the dry Land began to
appear; and here you must allow me to suppose Satan, tho' himself
cloth'd with a Cloud, so as not to be seen, came immediately, and
pearching on the Roof, saw all the Heaven-kept Houshold safely landed,
and all the Host of living Creatures dispersing themselves down the
Sides of the Mountain, as the Search of their Food or other proper
Occasions directed them.
This Sight was enough; Satan was at no Loss to conclude from hence that
the Design of God was to repeople the World by the Way of ordinary
Generation, from the Posterity of these eight Persons, without creating
any new Species.
Very well, says the _Devil_, then my Advantage over them, by the Snare I
laid for poor _Eve_, is good still; and I am now just where I was after
_Adam_'s Expulsion from the Garden, and when I had _Cain_ and his Race
to go to work with; for here is the old expung'd Corrupted Race still,
as _Cain_ was the Object then, so _Noah_ is my Man now, and if I do not
master him one way or another, I am mistaken in my Mark. _Pardon me for
making a Speech for_ the Devil.
_Noah_ big with a Sense of his late Condition, and while the Wonders of
the Deluge were fresh in his Mind, spent his first Days in the Extasies
of his Soul, giving Thanks, and praising the Power that had been his
Protection, in and thro' the Flood of Waters, and which had in so
miraculous a Manner, safely landed him on the Surface of the newly
discover'd Land; and the Text tells us, as one of the first Things he
was employ'd in, _He built an Altar unto the Lord, and offered
Burnt-Offerings upon the Altar_. Gen. viii. 20.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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