Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

30 THE GODS OF THE NATIONSworld," athat malignant one in whom the wholeworld is lying," " the prince of the power of theair, the spirit who now works in the children ofdisobedience," who musters "the principalities,the powers, the world-rulers of this life's darkness,the spirits of wickedness in ethereal places," toserve him in his conflict with man's flesh andblood; in fine, for S. Paul's language goes onepoint even beyond that of his Master, and termshim - not merely the ruler, but " the God of thisworld ;"28 that is to say, this manifold idolatry isthe establishment of his kingdom, the enthronementof his godhead over men, the mark of theircaptivity and prostration before him.The statements of our Lord and his apostlesbeing so express and definite as to the existenceof this diabolic kingdom, and as to the personalsway of a sovereign over it, let us look once moreat this idolatry itself by the light thus shed upon it.And first, whether we regard men as made tobe members of a well-ordered society, enjoyingtemporal prosperity in this life, or as further intendedfor happiness in a future life, resultingfrom their present actions,29 the condition in whichthe heathen nations are actually found at ourLord's coming is quite unintelligible unless we28 See John xii. 31; xiv. 30; xvi. 11; Luke xxii. 53; x. 19; Apoc.xii. 9; Heb. ii. 14; 1 John v. 18; Ephes. vi. 12; ii. 2; 2 Cor. iv. 3.2D These two subjects occupy respectively the first five and the secondfive books of S. Augustine's City of God, where the argument is carriedout in great detail.