A dispute between the woman and the powers of darkness

and his paths past finding out. No man by searching can find out God. Who can find out the Almighty to perfection ? Job 11:7

Joanna. Then here thou ownest that God is Almighty ; and that thou wast cast out of Heaven for being a too cheerful and innocent a spirit. How came the devil to be so much changed, from an innocent, cheerful spirit, to a proud, malicious, revengeful spirit, full of deadly poison ? Now answer that, and tell me what spirit I am of, and led by. For what Satan came out of heaven for, the Lord knoweth ; and thou hast not lied unto me, but unto God, if thou hast lied concerning Satan’s fall.

Satan’s Friend. Thou art come to the very inquiry I wished for to answer. Thou art of the spirit of fallen angels, who are full of liberty and cheerfulness. Do not say, when men commit sin and cruelty one with the other, it is of the devil that they are tempted : they are drawn away by their own lusts and enticing. But do not charge Satan foolishly, to say, he was the author of all evil.

Joanna. To whom must I ascribe evil, when our Saviour said, sin was of the devil, and his works sinners did do ? Now if Satan be of my spirit, he will love the Lord with all his heart, and fall down before the most high God, and love the Lord Jesus Christ, and wish to bring all men to the knowledge and love of God, and to worship at his feet ; to confess he is worthy to be loved, worthy to be feared, worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance.

Satan’s Friend. Is this thy spirit ? Then I tell thee thou art lost for ever. God has forsaken thee. And now I will tell thee the mystery from the Bible : an evil spirit hath loved thee from thy youth up to this present day, and finding there was no way to make access to thy heart, except under the pretence of religion, he began that way ; and knowing from angels, what was coming on—that some new