Quote by Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia E

And first Satan's endeavours have ever been, and they cease not yet to instill a belief in the minde of man, There is no God at all. . . . that the necessity of his entity dependeth upon ours, and is but a Politicall Chymera. . . . Where he succeeds not thus high, he labours to introduce a secondary and deductive Atheisme; that although, men concede there is a God, yet . . . that he intendeth only the care of the species or common natures, but letteth loose the guard of individuals, and single existencies therein: That he looks not below the Moon, but hath designed the regiment of sublunary affairs unto inferiour deputations. To promote which apprehensions or empuzzell their due conceptions, he casteth in the notions of fate, destiny, fortune, chance and necessity. . . . Whereby extinguishing in mindes the compensation of vertue and vice, the hope and fear of heaven or hell; they comply in their actions unto the drift of his delusions. . . .

And first Satan's endeavours have ever been, and they cease

Summary

This quote suggests that Satan's primary goal is to instill a belief in humans that there is no God. If he fails in convincing people of this, he attempts to introduce a secondary form of atheism, which acknowledges the existence of God but questions His concern for individuals. The quote suggests that Satan uses ideas such as fate, destiny, fortune, chance, and necessity to confuse people's understanding of virtue and vice, heaven and hell. By promoting these ideas, Satan aims to manipulate people's actions and lead them astray from the path of righteousness.

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By Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia E

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