and impreffions here explained, and of a difordered understanding.

Perceiving at a distance the company, at the head of which was Jefus, the demoniac, then in the height of his disorder, ran to them, as he was wont to do to all paffengers, whom he was eager to affault: for we are told, that he was exceeding fierce, fo that no man might pass that way. Our Lord obferving his approach, faid, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. This language is by two evangelifts exprefly affigned as the reafon of the demoniac's addrefs to Chrift', and confequently was

Mark v. 6.

i Mat. viii. 28. Similar examples, were they wanted, might be found in Wetften. in loc. p. 354. Thefe demoniacs were chiefly dangerous to strangers, who paffed pretty near the tombs, whence they might be fuddenly and unexpectedly affaulted. The fwine-herds, though at no very great diftance, might have no apprehenfion of danger, either on account of their own fuperior numbers, or on account of their former fuccefs against the madmen, who are not wont to renew their affault upon those by whom they have been once feverely handled. * Mark v. 8. Luke viii. 29.

1 For he had commanded the unclean Spirit to come out of the man. Luke viii. 29. Mark v. 8.

prior to it. Hence the demoniac concluded, that the perfon who addreffed him was the fame who was fo famed all over Judea for his power over demons, and he worshipped, or fell down before him, acknowledging him to be the Son of God". It is obfervable, that fome space of time intervened between the command of Chrift and the cure of the demoniac, though, on other occafions, his commands were inftantly obeyed. Here the execution of it was fufpended, and a converfation carried on with the demoniac, to give the spectators, who were strangers to him, an opportunity of deliberately obferving his vifage and behaviour, (which manifested great diforder of his mind) as well as to prepare the way for the event that im-. mediately fucceeded the cure of the demoniac. No fooner, however, did Chrift fay, Come out, thou unclean Spirit, than the demoniac was awed and checked", as it

the

m

Mark v. 7. Luke viii. 28. Compare John ix. 35-38.
His awe of Chrift might be owing to some fus

was

was neceffary he should, to prevent his doing mischief to the company. But, inftead of rejoicing in the hope of deliverance from his prefent mifery, and being thankful to Jefus for the favour defigned him, he conceives himself injured, is difpleafed, and remonstrates: What have I to do with thee, thou Son of the Moft High God? Believing himself to be an evil demon, or that he was actuated by a demon fpeaking in and by him, he feels a dread of Chrift's power; and, in the name of the demon, or his own, he befeeehes and adjures Chrift not to torment him. He

pernatural impreffion, or elfe be the mere effect of Chrift's rebuke. It is well known, that even the fierceft madmen are liable to strong impreffions of fear, and are often reftrained by threatenings. See Mead's Med, Sacr. p. 79, 80. The following account is given by Aëtius, iii. 8, 9. de Melancholia: Γίγνονται δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν μελαγχολικῶν δειλοί. In the cafe before us, the demoniac was certainly much afraid of Chrift; and, on this account, it is probable, forbore to affault the company.

• It is difficult to determine the precife ideas of the madman, when he befought Chrift not to torment

pleads

pleads with him, that the time appointed for the punishment of wicked spirits was

him before the time, Mat. viii. 29. I cannot forbear to mention Wetstein's interpretation of this paffage, which may deferve to be examined. Non quod aliquando tempeftivum effet torqueri, fed ita loquuntur maniaci; recordabantur, quomodo vi et vinculis conftricti, modo medicamentum ingratum & purgans bibere, modo venæ fectionem pati, & ad præfcriptum medici vivere fuerint coacti, quibus fimila metuebant. That maniacs were anciently treated with great severity, appears from the teftimonies produced by Wetstein, p. 355, and from Celfus, lib. iii. cap. 18, who recommends punishing fuch of them as do mifchief with hunger, chains, and ftripes. What was dreaded, feems to be, not fuch treatment, but the being fent to the abyss. Compare the language of another demoniac parallel to this: Art thou come to destroy us? Mark i. 24. Luke iv. 34.

It is very remarkable, that not only this demoniac, but others, (Mark i. 24.) express great perturbation at the fight of Chrift, and the apprehenfion of being cured. If you fay it was the devil who expressed this perturbation; I anfwer, Why then did he not immediately withdraw himself from the prefence of Chrift, and enter and torment perfons at a diftance? It is certain, that the demoniacs fpeak as if they themselves were demons; and they might fancy themselves really fuch, more naturally than fancy their being many other things.

not

not yet come; and feemingly upbraids him with an intention of inflicting that punishment before the time. Then dropping the thought of the day of judgment, he expects fome marks of displeasure immediately; what he could not tell, whether being banished from that country, or drowned in the fea, or fent to the abyss. Our Saviour, to give the spectators a still farther

Cælius Aurelian. Morb, Chron. i. 5. de Mania: Furens alius fe pafferem exiftimavit, alius gallum gallinaceum, alius fictile, alius laterem, alius deum. And P. Ægineta, iii. 14, de melancholia et infania, et his qui numine affati putantur: Putant aliqui fe animalia bruta effe, et illorum voces imitantur aliqui vero vafa teftacea fe effe putant, et ne frangantur timent-Quidam vero etiam putant, fe ab aliquibus majoribus poteftatibus impeti.

Now, a madman, who conceived himself to be a demon, or who reprefented one, being accommodated, as he thought, with a fuitable habitation, and believing that Jefus was that extraordinary prophet who caft out demons, might be (as the demoniacs of the Gofpel were) greatly terrified at Jesus's approach, left he should be expelled by him, and perhaps fubjected to fome additional or premature puaishment. See above, p. 262, 263.

just