:

us, that there is, and must be, a fixed order of caufes and effects throughout the whole fyftem of nature; and that both the generation and cure of the diseases in queftion are the effects of this conftitution; then reafon doth certainly remonftrate against afcribing them to supernatural caufes; which is the point we undertook to prove.

of any

Nor let any think this a point of small importance. Not to mention here the many other inconveniences attending the belief of our being in the power fuperior malevolent fpirits, this belief hath a direct tendency to fubvert the foundation of natural piety, and to beget idolatry and fuperftition *. Thefe, we are certain, were the effects which this belief produced amongst the Heathens. They endeavoured (as it was natural for them

mankind, we should foon find a fatal difference in our condition.

Differt, on Mir, chap. ii, fect, 4.

* Id. p. 100.

to

to do) to appease the anger of the demons to whom they attributed their difeases; and to them they applied for a cure. The Jews themselves, when they adopted the pagan system of demonology, offered facrifices to Sammael, to prevent him from accufing them to God for their fins. Endless fuperftitions hath the doctrine of poffeffions generated amongst Chriftians, especially in the darkest ages of the church. Fascination and witchcraft then made a capital article of religion. According to the account given us by historians, “ nothing was to be feen but priests driving out devils from those who were said to be poffeffed. The courts of justice, compofed of magiftrates who ought to have had more understand

e

Morbos tum ad iram deorum immortalium relatos effe, et ab iifdem opem pofci folitam. Celfus, Prefat. See alfo Hippocrates de Morbo facro, the introduction; and Homer's Odyff, lib. v. v. 394

397.

Buxtorf in voc. Sammael, or Differt on Mir. P. 103.

ing than the vulgar, were employed in trying witches and forcerers, who were found guilty upon the pretended evidence

of the devils "."

Is this a history of creatures who boast of being rational? Their Maker had indued them with the faculty of reason; but they had neglected to cultivate it they were taught to think it impious to ufe it, and to try doctrines by it; evident as it is, that there is no other principle in our frame that can enable us to distinguish between truth and falfhood. It can be no matter of furprize to us, that

I fhall mention one inftance, which may ferve as a specimen of the reft. Urban Grandier, the curate and canon of Loudun, was found guilty of exercifing the black art (for which he was burnt alive), upon the evidence of the following devils: Aftaroth (a devil of the order of the feraphims, and chief of the poffeffing devils); Eafas, Celfus, Acaos, Eudon, Afmodeus (of the order of the thrones); Alex, Zabulon, Nephtalim, Cham, Uriel, Achas (of the order of the principalities). See the General Dictionary, under the articles URBAN GRANDIER and LoUDUN.

the

the doctrine of poffeffions, though totally unfupported by reason, though contrary to the clearest principles of it, contrary to all we know concerning the order of nature, and the perfections of its author, to the certain evidence we have, that the reputed effects of fupernatural poffeffion are in reality the effects of natural causes; it cannot be matter of furprize to us, that this doctrine, however abfurd, should be too generally received by men, who made no more use of their reason, than if they had none.

Great occafion have we to be thankful to God, that, in proportion to the degree in which men cultivate their reafon, ftudy nature, the animal system in particular, and become concerned to yield affent only to evidence, and to affert the honour of the divine administration; the destructive doctrine we are oppofing finks into contempt. The light of the Gospel, at its first appearance, expofed the folly of all

the

the magic arts". And fo it did when it fhone forth a fecond time at the reformation from popery. At this glorious æra, reason, which had long been enslaved by the most debafing fuperftitions, recovered fome degree of her proper influence, and began to reject the idle ftories of witchcraft, poffeffions, exorcifms, which had been propagated by artful and interefted impoftors, and adopted by the credulous part of mankind.

It is needless to pursue this point any farther, inasmuch as the ablest advocates for the demoniac fyftem, from a conviction of its abfurdity, contend only for the reality of the poffeffions which are taken notice of in Scripture; and reft their belief of those poffeffions upon the authority of Scripture. We shall therefore proceed to examine the sentiments of the facred writers on this subject.

h Acts xix. 18-20,

SECT.