DEMONIACAL 
tries, the ee of demons generally aha from the 
earlieft ag From the Gentiles it was t ed f thei 
various expreffions ufed by Chrift and his apoftles are 
thought by fome to affert or imply the reality of poffeffions. 
We are told, that the people brought to Jefus were fuch as 
were poffeffed and vexed with ie {pirits ; and that he caf 
out [pirits with his word. erhaps thefe learned writers 
do not fufficiently confider, ae = reality of poff-flions and 
difpoffeffions was never taught by Chrift and his apoftles as 
a doftrine; and that they could not, with propriety, inter- 
pofe their authority in eltablifhing the reality of poffeffions, m 
confidered as the fecret caufe of thofe diforders imputed to 
them; for the miraculous cure of thefe diforders being a part 
of that evidence which was aflizned for the conviétion of un- 
be admitted previous to its performance. 
{effion by demons was anciently thought to produce fome 
maniacal diforder ; and the expulfion a hal aes of demons 
was thought to effet a removal of t 
or author of any thing is put for the thing itfelf, the caufe 
or author is not included. When Ceres, for example, ftands 
merely to exprefs madnefs, without taking 
the account. Jofephus (Bell. Jud. lib. ti. cap. 13. fe@. 4.) 
pofed to have an uence, is n {ed for phrenfy in ge- 
ne Nor he evangelifts to be blamed for defcribin 
the diforder and cu eemoniacs in the popular language, 
re 
that is, by poffeflions and difpoffleffi 
might adopt the popular oe on this fubje&t (as they 
cetinly have done on r fubjects, and all other perfons 
do) without deiging, to eltablifh the doctrine on 
oth it was ap age foun 
So far, fi ects is the Chriftian revela- 
ity of demoniacal poffeflions, or 
t of that do€trme which they were 
they fay, w 
of the jJewifh and Chriftian difpenfations, 
th 
dw 
se ‘Chniftian difpentations nee that Thock is the one true 
God, the fole C nd Sovereign of the world, which 
he governs by fixed laws? Do not the Old and the New 
‘Teftaments concur in referring to the immediate and mira- 
culous agency of God alone, ail effets which are contrary 
to that courfe and order of events, which he has eftablifhed? 
If then there be no fovercign of nature but God, and no 
mediator between God and man but Chrift, there can be no 
voice proclaimed the utter impotence of d 
by intirely fubverted the do€trine of demoniacal poffeffions. 
Whoever, it is faid, the heathen demons or deities were, 
whether human or angelic fpirits, they are all, without ex- 
ception, branded in Scripture as being utterly void of all 
power to nee either good or evil to mankind, See Damon 
and Ipo 
Di 
t GA f. thisfubject, 
how far prejudice is capable eee the onderandigy i 
ult fzemircredible m their judgme 
of the fentiments of i Trered writers pa soft ions 
by their defcriptions of demoniacs, rather than by their pro- 
. If what all the prophets 
both Teftaments, have tauzht us concerning 
the utter abiliGy of demons or heathen deities to do either 
good or ae to mankind; if this ia be true, there 
never was, 0 , a real dzemoni 
The a oer of the reality of polieffions have urged a 
variety of arguments in favour of their opinion. Thefe we 
fhall now, in as brief and concife a manner as is confiftent 
with juftice and candour, recite. 
of evil {pirits in the time o 
how came this opinion fo generally to prevail, and why 
fhould many a have thought themfelves to be poffeffed 
by evil {pirits ? this argument it has been replied, that 
this is not the aul inftance in which unfounded notions have 
been very prevalent; and that the influence of demons 
ledged for a ‘ong time before our Saviour’s appearance in 
the wor notions of this ue had vie | pails 
amongit the v le and leaft informed, an been ex-- 
ploded, as groundlefs and fallacious, ‘se eatne of fuperior 
wifdom, reflection, and experience. owever, whilit fuch 
fentiments prevailed, it was not unlikely, that fome a 
who were afflited with grievous diftempers, fhou'd think 
themfelves haraffed and tormented by evil {pirits, ae oce- 
oy {peak in conformity to their inward appre 
"AY peal has been made to what is reported to have been 
faid ae ae b ence it has 
and eae Jefus t 
I »1. 24. Matth.-vil. 
thefe ent. know Jefus to be the Chri 
pane the ann of evil {pirits of great knowledge a as well: 
much power? Thefe dsemoniacs, it is Ww ere 
ane -epilepties or maniacs, with eccafional ae of {a-- 
nity, had the fame means of knowing Jefus to be the Chrift 
which others poffeffed. = was the obje of univerfal ate 
tention ; his fame had bee 
they were not 
perfuafion that he was the N 
fore they were feized with their diforder in their inters 
ce 
° 
a 
o 
8 
O° 
ba 
3) 
is faid, than that infernal {pirits fhould freely oe ality 
aflert the divine claims, and fpread the glory of as as the 
Aeffiah. 
