THE UNITED GOSPEL, &ca 
remonies, lustrations,-and sometimes by the 
most contemptible juggling —Comp. Acts 
xix, i8-19. He endeavours to point out the 
exciting causes of epilepsy, and to establish a 
rational method of cure for it, finally observ- 
ing, that sheep, goats, &c. are often affected 
with it; and that in them the effect on the 
brain is, on dissection, found the same as in 
men to whom it had proved fatal. Hippoc. 
& Gal. de morbo sacr. Arist. probl. i— 
Alex. Trall. i. 15. 
« Areteus, of Cappadocia, a celebrated 
ysician, whose works were published about 
the same time as the gospels, speaks on this 
subject with candour and moderation.’ In 
describing the chronic species of epilepsy, 
«which neither the skill of the physician, 
nor any change of constitution through life 
ean remove,’ he makes the following remarks : 
—‘ The nature of this disease is not easil 
explained; some think it inflicted by the 
_ moon on offenders, whence they call it the 
sacred disease. However, it might have the 
denomination of sacred on other accounts, 
either from its magnitude, every thing great 
being deemed sacred, or because it could not 
‘be removed by human means, but only by 
divine power, or from the opinion that a de- 
mon had entered into the patient, or for all 
the reasons together.’ —De Caus. Affect.lib. i. 
The same author, like Plato, refers mania, 
in some instances, to supernatural impulse. 
(<beos si8¢ % wav )—Lib. i. cap. 6. He ob- 
‘serves on tetanus, that it is a calamity out of 
= course of human nature, (cEavPeuares 
| ovPoen) and an incurable malady. Loe. 
eit. 
«*« Oribasius and Actius, Greek physicians 
of the fourth century, have made nearly the 
same observations. ‘The former, referring 
to the opinion of dzmoniacal influence in 
another disease, says, ‘ the incubus is not an 
evil spirit, but should rather be considered as 
the prophet and minister of A%sculapius,’ 
because it often denotes the accession of epi- 
lepsy, apoplexy, or mania.—Synops, lib. vil. 
peap. 2. Aet. Vetr..ii. 2,12. 
«« Succeeding writers have distinguished 
_ between epilepsy arising from physical causes, 
and the analogous disease referable to the 
Operation of demons, Actuarius and Nico- 
Jaus Myrepsus, the Jast of the Greek physi- 
_€lans, mention spécific antidotes for persons 
affected with demons and evil spirits. —Aet. 
Med. 5,4. Myreps. de Antidot. 1.2. It is 
: flicted, by means of incantations, magic ce- 
~ 
which they applied in the cure of the dis- 
_ eases above enumerated. 
___“ The opinion of the Romans on demo- 
Riacal possession, may be easily understood. 
Tt is indeed manifest, irom the various words 
in their language, as well as from their me- 
fical terms, e.g, ceritus, lymphaticus, lar- 
_ vatus, bacchatus, furiatus, lunaticus, syde- 
' fatus, panicum, corybantismus, lues deifica, 
% 
Pee also called the remedies ‘sacred, (sp) 
_ to be noticed, that the more ancient physi- , 
121 
sacer ignis, &c. See Plin. Hist. Nat. xxiv. 
17. & xxxiv. 15; and Coel. Aurelian. de 
Morb. Cron. lib. i. cap. 4. 5. & de Morb. 
Acut. ii. S30. 
**« Among the Arabian physicians, John 
Serapion says, that ‘mania is a species of 
the demon.’ Epilepsy, he observes, has se- 
veral names; among the rest, that of the di- 
vine or sacred disease, because it is referred 
to the operations of demons, whence it is in- 
jurious to the principal organs of the body. 
«© Avicenna (lib. ii. tr. 11. cap. 661) men- 
tions, that in his time a certain Jew cured 
epileptic patients, and demoniacs, by some 
mode of fumigation. Though doubtful re- 
specting the particular remedy employed, he 
does not question its efficacy in such cases. 
«© The following passages on this subject 
from Alsaharavius, (Pract. cap. 34) contains 
also the sentiments of an Arabian writer ma- 
ny years prior to him. ‘ Of the symptoms 
of epilepsy caused by demons, I was always 
doubtful, till of late they were manifest to 
me. I saw the complaint under various 
forms ; some patients suddenly fell senseless 
to the ground ; changed countenance ; spoke 
in foreign languages, with which they were 
not before acquainted; read, wrote, and 
treated of sciences which they had never 
learned ; finally, when they recovered, these 
extraordinary powers were lost; and they 
returned as well to their natural complexion, 
as to their usual state of intellect. J was 
wholly ignorant of the causes of this malady 
before I had read the works of Hamen, the 
son of Isaac, who treats, among other pa- 
thological enquiries, of the diseases caused 
by the evil Ghin, or demons called Eblis. In 
the management of these disorders, if ha- 
man genius be foiled, or unable to decide 
with certainty, leave all to the Creator, who 
will shew mercy on the works he hath 
framed. Physicians, through fear or want 
of information, are not forward in treating on 
this subject; however I have no doubt, but 
that the cure of such diseases is one of the 
ancient sciences which are, at this day, con- 
cealed from the knowledge of men.” 
These curious quotations, we readily 
acknowledge, ‘ fully prove that the opi- 
nion respecting the agency of malicious 
spirits, on the human body, has pre- 
vailed among mankind in all ages;” 
but that this opinion is confirmed either 
by the conduct or the words of the 
founder of christianity, is much more 
than we are prepared toown. Suchan 
opinion, these quotations most clearly 
shew, have been the offspring of igno- 
rance and superstition. 
With the following short but very 
important remark upon Matt. xxvii. 63, 
we will conclude this article: 
«© This text, and some other similar pas- 
sages, as Matt xij. 40, where it is said, 
