An Essay on the Demoniacs of the New Testament

CHA P. I.

and establishing the true

f demoniacs in the New Tef-

under the ten following pro-

p. 12.

I. The fpirits that were thought to

of men's bodies, are in the New Tef-

lemons, not devils, ib. An objection

14. Beelzebub, the prince of the

ons, different from the devil, p. 16.

n, applicable to the former, ib,

II. By demons, whenever the word

ence to poffeffions, either in the fcrip-
ancient writings, we are to under-
n angels, but the Pagan deities, fuch
d once been men, p. 21. Demons
afe, 1. By the Heathens, particularly
d Romans, p. 22. 2. By the Jews,
Pharifees in particular, when they

ift, that he caft out demons by Beel-

A 3
zebub,

and by Jofephus, p. 40. 3. By Chrift and his

Apostles, p. 42. 4. And by the primitive Chrif-

tians, p. 47. By Justin Martyr, ib. How it came

to pass that the fathers, after his time, and Chry-

foftom in particular, referred poffeffions to celestial

demons, p. 49, note i. Of the spirit of Python or

Apollo, with which the damfel at Philippi was

thought to be poffeffed, p. 56.

SECT. III. PROP. III. Thofe demons who were

thought to take poffeffion of men's bodies, were, it

is probable, confidered by the Jews as evil beings,

p. 58. As fuch they were regarded by the Heathens,
and by Jofephus, ib. and yet not confidered as
fallen angels, p. 63. Whether the epithets of evil
and unclean, deaf and dumb, given them by the Evan-
gelifts, exprefs their personal qualities, or the effects.
they were fuppofed to produce, p. 61.

SECT. IV. PROP. IV. The perfons who are spoken

of as having demons, fuffered real and violent difor-

ders, from whatever caufe thofe diforders proceeded,

p. 64.

SECT. V. PROP. V. The particular disorders which

the ancients, whether Heathens or Jews, afcribed to

'the poffeffion of demons, were such only as disturbed

the understanding, p. 69. A diftinction to be made

between diseases fupernaturally inflicted, and poffeffions,

ib. Of being oppreffed by the devil, Acts x. 38, p. 74,

and bound by fatan, Luke xiii. 11, 16, p. 76. Pof-

feffion

3, the Greeks, p. 79, the Jews, p.
aftern people, p. 86. That all the
ad, proved from the dramatic writ-
ients, p. 87. All diforders of the
ere not afcribed to poffeffion, p. 88.
ribed to this cause, p. 89.

VI. The demoniacs fpoken of in the

were all either madmen or epi-

This proved from the Jews re-
- with having a demon, p. 93, and
96, from the fimilar reproach they
The Baptift, p. 97, and from the de-
Gadarene demoniac, p. 100. Mary
en demons underftood by Celfus as
phrenzy, p. 105. The pythonefs at
raving prophetefs, ib. Epilepfy af-
on, and on what account, p. 107.
a which the ancients had of demo-
The account here given of the New
oniacs cleared from the objections of
112. This account juftifies the re-

pre made of demoniacs, as perfons

der real diforders, p. 118. Shews

nds poffeffions are diftinguished from

ral, and from lunacies in particular,

t reason madness and epileptic fits,

er disorders, are ascribed to poffeffion,

, it is confirmed by the view given

niacs in the Chriftian church, who

SECT. VII. PROP. VII. Demoniacal poffeffions (whe-

ther they are supposed to be real or imaginary,) and

the diforders imputed to them, were not peculiar to

the country of Judea, and the time of Chrift; nor

doth it appear that they abounded more in that coun-

try, or at that time, than any other, p. 128. The
reasons invented to account for their abounding in
the age of the Gofpel, p. 129. The fact difproved
by numerous teftimonies, p. 134.

SECT. VIII PROP. VIII. The demoniacs of the New

Teftament are not different from those mentioned in

other ancient authors; and a like judgment, is to be

formed of both, p. 142. The bishop of Gloucester's
attempt to make a distinction between them, con-
fidered, p. 144.

SECT. IX. PROP. IX. There is no fufficient evidence

from reason for the reality of demoniacal poffeffions;

nay reafon ftrongly remonftrates against it, p. 150.

No natural evidence of the fpirits of dead men having

power to enter the bodies of the living, ib. The dif-

orders imputed to poffeffion, may proceed from na-

tural caufes, p. 152. Who firft invented the doc.

trine of poffeffions, p. 153. By whom it hath been