SECT. X.

PROP. X. The doctrine of demoniacal poffeffions, inftead of being fupported by the Jewish or Chriftian revelation, is utterly fubverted by both.

THIS is a point of the greatest import

ance, and therefore deferves to be fully confidered. Here I would observe, I. That whether the doctrine of poffeffions be true or falfe, it was not originally founded on revelation; nor did it ever receive the fanction of any of the prophets either of the Old or New Testa

ment.

With regard to the prophets of the Old Teftament, they ftand clear from all fufpicion of countenancing the doctrine of real poffeffions. It is not pretended, that they ever exprefly taught it. In all their writings, no traces of it are to be found, no mention of a single inftance of reputed

reputed poffeffion, nor any allufion to it. For, with regard to Saul, of whom we read, that an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him1, it is fufficient to observe, that the word spirit is often applied to the temper and affections of the human mind*; and that the Jews were wont to call all kinds of melancholy an evil Spirit'. Saul's disorder, therefore, was a deep melancholy. This appears, not only from the language in which it is defcribed, but also from the hiftory of its cure; for it was not cured by prayer, but by mufic; a proper method of exhilirating the animal

* See Numb. v. 14. Pf. li. 10. If. xxxvii. 7,

1

36, 37. Ezek. xviii. 31. Hofea iv. 12. v. 4. Luke ix. 55. Rom. viii. 15. 2 Tim. i. 7. In Judg. ix. 23, an evil spirit denotes a fpirit of difcord. In Hof. xii. 1, the Septuagint calls the falfhood and treachery of the Ifraelites wornpov veμm, a wicked Spirit or difpofition.

Lightfoot, Hor. Heb, in Luc. xiii. 11. Maimonides in Sabbat. ii. 5.

fpirits,

fpirits, though not of expelling demons. Some, indeed, have inferred from the case of Elisha, on whom the hand of the Lord came, when the minstrel playedTM, that mufic, if it was a natural means of inviting a good spirit into men, might prove as effectual in driving out a bad one. But the only use of mufic in this case was to compose the spirit of the prophet, which had been disturbed by anger, and thereby unfitted to receive divine influence and inspiration.

There were several occafions, on which it is natural to fuppofe, fome mention of the doctrine of poffeffions would have been made in the Old Teftament, if it had been revealed to the ancient prophets. On this fuppofition, who would not expect, in the hiftory of their miraculous cures, to read of their expelling demons" ? So likewise, when Moses pre

" In Deut. xxviii. God threatens to punifh the

fcribed

scribed the means of being purified from the defilement of natural disorders, is it not strange, that he appointed no method of being cleansed from the defilement even of a diabolical poffeffion? The pagan religion provided many rites of purification for those who were poffeffed by demons, the gods of that religion. Now, if Mofes knew these gods to be the devil and his angels, and that they poffeffed mankind, would it not have been judged neceffary by this prophet, and highly defirable by the Ifraelites, that fome rites of purification should be appointed for thofe who were inhabited by fuch impure infernal fpirits? Is not a

Ifraelites, in case they disobeyed his laws, as with other evils, fo with various diseases, and particularly with madness, (v. 28) the very disease usually imputed to the poffeffion of demons. Nevertheless, there is no intimation here given of the existence and power of fuch evil fpirits, much as it would have been to the purpose of Mofes to have made mention of them.

• See Hippocrates de Morbo Sacro,

diabolical poffeffion more contaminating than the leprosy, and other merely corporeal diforders? Nevertheless, though many rites and facrifices were appointed, in order to cleanse perfons from the latter, not the least notice is taken of the former.

It is more extraordinary ftill, that the Old Testament prophets, though they foretel the peculiar glories of the Meffiah, describe those extraordinary gifts of the spirit which he bestowed upon his followers, and the miracles which he himfelf performed; though they specify his other fupernatural cures, his giving fight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, fpeech to the dumb, feet to the lame, and health to the diseased ", have taken no notice of what is supposed to be one of the chief glories of the Meffiah, and more extraordinary than any miraculous cure of mere bodily disorders, his ejecting demons, and enabling his followers to do the fame.

P If. xxix. 18. xxxv. 5, 6. liii. 4.