session included in it the idea of madness, amongst

the Latins, p. 78, the Greeks, p. 79, the Jews, p.

83, and other Eastern people, p. 86. That all the

possessed were mad, proved from the dramatic writ-
ings of the ancients, p. 87. All disorders of the

understanding were not ascribed to poffesfion, p. 88.

The epilepsy ascribed to this cause, p. 83.

Sect. VI. Prop. VI. The demoniacs spoken of in the

New Testamenty were all either madmen or epi-
leptics, p. 92. This proved from the Jews re-
proaching Christ with having a demon, p. 93, and
Beelzebub, p. 96, from the similar reproach they
cast upon John the Baptist, p. 97, and from the de-
fcription of the Gadarene demoniac, p. 100. Mary
Magdalene's seven demons understood by Celsus as
expressive of her phrenzy, p. 105. The pythoness at
Philippi was a raving prophetess, ib. Epilepsy as-
cribed to possession, and on what account, p. 1071
· The general idea which the ancients had of demo-
niacs, p. 110. The account here given of the New

Testament demoniacs cleared from the objections of

· Dr. Lardner, p. 112. This account juftifies the re-

présentation before made of demoniacs, as persons

that laboured under real disorders, p. 118. Shews

upon what grounds poffeffions are distinguished from

diseases in general, and from lunacies in particular,

ib. and for what reason madness and epileptic fits,
rather than other disorders, are ascribed to poffefsion,
p. 124. Lastly, it is confirmed by the view given
us of the demoniacs in the Christian church, who

....... A 4. .

were

were all either mad, melancholy, or epileptie per-

fons, p. 126.

Sect. VII. Prop. VÍI. Demoniácal' poffefsións (whé.

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

" the disorders 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 Gospel, p. 129. The fact difproved

by numerous testimonies, p. 134.

Sect. VIII Prop. VIII. The demoniacs of the New

Testament are not different from those mentioned in

1. 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-

sidered, p. 144.

Sect. IX. Prop. IX. There is no sufficient evidence

i from reason for the reality of demoniacal possessions ;

:: nay reason ftrongly remonftrates against it, p. 150.

No natural evidence of the spirits of dead men having

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

orders imputed to possession, may proceed from na-

tural causes, p. 152. Who first invented the doc.

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

rejected, p. 155. Disorders, deemed (demoniacal de

proceed from natural causes, p. 159, and are cured

by natural remedies, p. 163. Are inconsistent with

the order of the natural world, p. 166, and with the

wisdom and goodness of God, p. 167. The absur-

dity and danger of allowings that men are in iho

power of superior malevolent fpirits, p. 168, s.'
Sect. X. PROP. X. The doctrine of demoniacal pos-

feffions, instead of being fupported by the Jewith or

: Christian revelation, is utterly' fubverted by both, p.

: . 173. I. This doctrine was not originally founded

on revelation ; neither taught, nor feferred to, by

s the ancient prophets, ib. - Saul's evil spirit, explain-

ed, p. 124. On what occasions the mention of
poffeffions 'might have been expected in the Old
Testament, had this do&rine been revealed under

that difpenfation, p. 175. It was generally enter-
* tained before the age of the gofpel, p. 179, but ne-

ver received the fanction of Christ or his Apostles,

p. 181. II. It is inconsistent with the fundamental

* principle both of the Jewish and Christian difpenfae

*** tions, p. 182, with the evidence of miracles ini gé.

peral, on which they reft, p. 184, and with the

.: nature of that miracle in particular, which was pero

· formed upon demoniacs, p. 185. III. The absolute -

aullity of demons, to whom poffeffions were ascribed,

: afected by all the prophets of God, when professedly

in delivering their divine messages to mankind, p. 189.

Sa Paul's reasoning on this subject in his-mt Epiftle

.osto che Corinthians, examined at large, and that deala-
: ration in particular, We know that an idol is nothing in
w the the world, Ch. viii. 4. p. 193; I. By an idol, he here
1 vs means a Heathen demon, or deity, p: 1946 2: The de-
..mons of the Heathens here fpoken of, were not deuils,

. . p. 199, but deified human spirits, as is sewn from

** the ordinary acceptation of demons amongst the

Greeks

Greeks, p. 202, from the constant use of the word
in the New Testament, p. 206,- (particularly in
Acts xvii. p. 208, I Tim. iv. 1, p. 210. James ii.
-19, p. 211. Rev. ix. 20, ch. xvi. '14, ch. xviii. 2,
P: 218, 219:) from the occasion on which it is used
in the place in question, p. 220, and from the Sep-
cuagint, p. 223. 3. These Heathen demons were
nathing in the world, p. 224. 4. As mere nullities

they were esteemed by St. Paul, 'himself, as well as
: by other Christians, p. 229.5. This opinion a just

inference from the fundamental articles of Christiani-
- ty, p. 232. Demons being mere nullities, there

never could be a real demoniac, p. 239. ';. ise

CHAP. II.

Attempting to solve the several objections

against the foregoing explication of the

Gospel demoniacs, p. 241. - www.de

being really pofseffed, p. 266. 4. From their dif-

covering more than human ftrength, p. 275. The

case of the demoniac at Ephesus, p. 276. ***

Sect. II. The objection drawn from the destruction

of the herd of swine, p. 280. The swine were not

driven into the sea by the two madmen, ib. but

grew mad at the instant the demoniacs were cured,

p. 281. Their madness was not owing to the in-

fluence of demons, but to a divine agency, p. 291.

The miraculous destruction of the swine vindicated,

p. 294. 1. It was a just punishment of the owners,

ib. It served, 2. To ascertain the reality, and to spread

the fame, of the miracle performed upon the demo-

niacs, p. 296. 3. To correct the false notions of

the world concerning the power of demons, p. 299:

-- 4. To prevent several great inconveniencies that

would otherwise have attended the personal miniftry
of Christ,, p 303. 5. To warn all, who, overlook.
ing the justice of God, are in danger of abusing the

Gospel, considered as a dispensation of mercy,

P. 305.

Sect. III. The objection taken from the language

.. used by Christ and his apostles, in performing and

recording the cure of demoniacs, or in describing the

; case of these unhappy men, p. 307. This language
i was not first introduced by Christ or his apostles,

but was the common popular language of the age in
· which the Gospel was first published, p. 314. The

first teachers of Christianity could not, without

great inconsistency, give their sanction to the opinion

on which that language was originally founded, ib.

Nor