Biblical Envestigations.

DEMONIACAL POSSESSIONS.

MR. EDITOR, NOTWITHSTANDING the consciousness which I feel of having been visited more severely with your editorial displeasure than I have fairly merited, in your "Notice to Correspondents" for August, the gratification and advantages which I have ever derived (excepting this instance) from the perusal of your Magazine, will not allow me to take offence at your conduct, and break off all acquaintance As you. have inserted a summary of the arguments against the generally received opinion of "Demoniacal Possessions1," which appear to me to lead to very dangerous results, I hope your candour will induce you to record also the following summary of the arguments in favour of that notion; after which I shall be fully satisfied to leave your readers in forming their deliberate and unprejudiced opinions. It is taken from Mr. Townsend's just published and valuable" Arrangement of the New Testament," vol. i. p. 157.

with

you

CRITICUS.

The subject of Demoniacal Possession, since the time of the learned Jos. Mede, has given rise to much discussion. One class of authorities have supposed that the Demoniacs were merely madmen, others that the bodies of human beings were actually possessed, and controlled, and governed, and inhabited by wicked and impure spirits. Among the supporters of the first opinion, we find Heinsius (Exercitationes Sacræ, on Mat. iv. 24.); Jos. Mede (Works, 4th edit. fol. London, p. 28, &c. sermon on John x. 20. and b. iii. ch. v. on the Demons of the Ancients), Dr. Sykes 2, Dr. Mead 3, Dr. Farmer 4, Dr. Lardner, Kuinoel, and Rosenmüller, on Matt. iv. 24: and in general all those writers of every sect who would believe that origin

1 Vide p. 53, supra.

2 Enquiry into the Demoniacs of the New Testament.

3 Enquiry into the diseases of Scripture.

4 Essay on the Demoniacs of the New Testament.

5 Remarks on Dr. Ward's dissertations, works, 4to. edit. Hamilton, vol. 5. p. 475, and vol, i. p. 236. Discourses on the Demoniacs.

of the Scriptures, which appears to them rational. On the other side of the question may be placed the uniform interpretation of the passage, in its literal sense by the ancient Church, the best commentators, and all who are generally called orthodox, as desirous to believe the literal interpretation of Scripture, and the opinions of the early ages, in all points of doctrine, whether it can be brought to a level with their reason or not. It is quite unnecessary to attempt to refer to all these writers: of those, however, of a later period, who have written on this subject, may be mentioned Macknight1, Bishop Newton, Jortin3 (who would hardly have been expected among this number), Campbell, Dr. Adam Clarke, in his Commentary, and many others. The sum of their argument is stated by Horne 3, Macknight, and Dr. Hales 7, with great fairness and impartiality. I have endeavoured to follow so good an example in the following brief summary of the respective arguments on both sides, beginning with those which are considered conclusive against the doctrine of demoniacal possessions.

1. The word dæmon, properly signifies the soul of a dead person. It cannot be supposed that the speeches and actions recorded of the imagined dæmoniacs could be imputed to these.

In reply to this, it is justly said, that the word does not uniformly denote the spirits of the departed.

2. Among the Heathens, lunacy and epilepsy were ascribed to the operation of some dæmons, who were therefore called larvati, and cerriti.

Several answers may be given to this objection.—One, that it is not quite impossible, but that the Heathens were right.—Another, that the opinion of the Heathens, whether right or wrong, is no proof that the Jews were in error: for the demoniacs of Scripture are represented as differing from insane and epileptic persons. Compare Matt. iv. 24, where the caipovičoμévovs, are opposed to the σεληνιαζομένους, the παραλυτικούς, and the ποικίλαις νόσοις, και Barávous, ovvexoμévous. And in Matt. x. 1, the power to cast out devils, or dæmons, by whatever name the evil spirits might be called, is expressly opposed to the power of healing all other diseases whatever. See Luke iv. 33-36; compare also ver. 41, with ver. 40, where the same contrast is observable.

3. It is argued that the Jews had the same idea of these diseases as the Heathen, and the instance of the madness of Saul, and Matt.

1 Essay prefixed to his Harmony, 4to. edit. p. 172.

2 Dissertation on the Demoniacs.

3 Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, Works, 8vo. edit. vol. i. p. 199.

4 Essay on the words Aionos, Daiμar, and saquéviov -- prelim. dissert. vol. i. p. 182, 4to. edit. of the work on the Gospels.

5 Critical Introduction, 2nd edit. vol. ii. p. 483.

6 Essay prefixed to the Harmony.

7 Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. p. 764. See also Bishop Gleig's edition of Stackhouse, vol. iii. p. 57; and Doddridge's Lectures, vol. ii. p. 431. Kippis's

edition.

xvii. 14, 15; John vii. 20, viii. 48. 52, x. 20, are adduced to prove the assertion. These passages certainly prove that lunatics, epileptics, and demoniacs, are sometimes synonymous terms; but this admission, however, will only shew that they were occasionally identified the argument deduced from the contrast between lunatics and demoniacs, in the passages quoted above, will not be destroyed.— The literal interpretation is confirmed by the recollection of the source from whence the Heathens derived their ideas of demons, and their philosophy in general.

1

Pythagoras, as I have endeavoured elsewhere to prove, probably derived much of his philosophy, and many opinions and institutions, from the Jews in their dispersion, at the time of the Babylonish captivity. He was of opinion that the world was full of demons.2 Thales, too, the contemporary of Pythagoras, and after them Plato and the Stoics, affirmed that all things were full of demons. 3 And it is well known that the priests, in giving forth their oracles, are always represented as being possessed by their gods.

4. Christ is said to have adopted the common language of the people, which it was not necessary to change. He was not sent to correct the mistakes in the popular philosophy of the day in which he lived.

This argument takes for granted the very point to be proved.With respect also to the philosophy of the day, it would be difficult to shew that our Lord sanctioned an error because it was popular.

5. No reason can be given why there should be demoniacal possessions in the time of our Lord, and not at present, when we have

1 Arrangement of the Old Testament, vol. ii. p. 642, &c. &c.

2 Είναι πάντα τὸν ἀέρα ψυχῶν ἔμπλεων καὶ τόντους δαίμονας τε καὶ ἥρωας νομίζεσθαι. Diog. Laert. lib. 8. s. 32. apud Biscoe, p. 285.

3 Tov xóoμor dasμóvav mangn.-Diog. Laert. lib. i. § 27. ap. Biscoe.

4 They much mistake, says Mr. Biscoe, who assert that Demoniacs abounded in the Jewish nation alone. We learn from the writers of other nations, that they abounded elsewhere. If they were not always known by the name of Dæmoniacs, they were spoken of under several other names, which signify the same thing; such as, Ευρυκλεῖται, νυμφόληπτοι †, θεοφόρητος 5, θεόληπτος ||, Φοιβόληπτοι, TUVES, Bacchantestt, Cerriti, Lavati ‡‡, Lymphatici§§, Nocturnis Diis, Faunisque agitati ||||.

*History of the Acts confirmed, p. 283.

+ Εγγαςρεῖται δε καὶ ἐυρυκλεῖται ἐκαλοῦντο, &c. schol. in Aristophan. Vesp. p. 503. Plato in Phæd.

§ gevoμans TIS E Eоpopnes, Esch. Agamemnon, 1149.

Scholia in Sophoc. Antiq. ad v. 975.

Herod. Melpom. §. 13.

** Plut. de Orac. def. p. 414.

++ Plaut. Amph. act. 2, scene 2, v. 71. Herod. lib. iv. § 79.

Plaut. Mon. act. 5, scene 4, v. 2. Bag. Amph. v. 5, &c. &c. &c.

$$ Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 25, s. 24, and lib. 27, s. 83, &c. &c.

Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 30, s. 24.

an intimate knowledge both of his person and character, which was hidden from the wise and prudent of the nation. The spirits that have apostatized are destined to future misery-their Judge was before them," Ah, what hast thou to do with us, in our present condition," they exclaim, "Art thou come to torment us before our time?" And they intreat him not to command them to leave this earth, and to go to the invisible world. The demons believed and trembled.

It is an admirable observation of Jortin on this point, that where any circumstances are added concerning the demoniacs, they are generally such as shew that there was something preternatural in the distemper; for these afflicted persons unanimously joined in giving homage to Christ and his Apostles; they all know him, and they unite in confessing his divinity. If, on the contrary, they had been lunatics, some would have worshipped, and some would have reviled our Saviour, according to the various ways in which the disease had affected their minds. 1

V. The other facts recorded of the demoniacs are such, that it is impossible to conclude that they were madmen only. The usual and principal of these is that most extraordinary event of the possession of the herd of swine, by the same demons which had previously shown their malignity in the human form. It has ever been found impossible to account for this extraordinary event, excepting upon the ancient and literal interpretation of Scripture.

A singular instance of the absurdities into which some have been led, in their endeavours to overthrow the testimony of Scripture, and establish some proposition in their place which may seem more rational, or, as they very strangely think, more philosophical, may be found in Lardner, vol. i. p. 239; who, among the various opinions which had been advanced on the subject of the demoniacs, mentions one which endeavours to account for the destruction of the herd of swine, by imagining that Christ drove the lunacy, and not the demons, from the man into the swine.

VI. It cannot be supposed, as Doddridge observes, that our Lord humoured the madmen by adopting their language, and inducing his disciples to do the same. Hold thy peace, and come out of him— What is thy name-thou unclean spirit, &c. &c. These are all expressions which imply truths and doctrines of infinitely greater moment than any which could be conveyed to the minds of his hearers by flattering a madman, or increasing and encouraging the religious errors of a deluded and wicked generation.

Dr. Lardner, in his remarks on Dr. Ward's Dissertations, quotes a letter from his friend Mr. Mole, which accurately expresses the feel

1 Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, Works, 8vo. edit. vol. i. p. 199.

2 The Socinian version of the New Testament has no note on this place. With the usual modesty, however, which characterizes the writers of this school, Evanson is quoted to prove the whole history of the Gadarene demoniac (Luke viii. 27-40) to be an interpolation.

ing that induced so many to reject what appears to me to be the plain narrative of Scripture. "This affair of the possessions is an embarrassment, which one would be glad to be fairly rid of," &c. &c. It is the part of reason to examine the evidences of revelation. When reason is satisfied of its truth, as it must be, its only remaining duty is to fall prostrate before the God of reason and Scripture, and implicitly to believe the contents of the sacred volume in their plain and literal meaning. This stage of our existence is but the introduction to, and the preparation for another; and it seems therefore but rational and philosophical to conclude, that some things would be recorded in revelation, which should serve as links to connect the visible with the invisible world. Among these may be considered such facts as the resurrection-the three ascensions-the visits of angels -the sudden appearances of the Jehovah of the Old Testamentthe miraculous powers of prophecy conferred upon the favoured servants of God. Among these events also, I would place the fact of demoniacal possessions. As at the transfiguration, Moses and Elias appeared in glory, to foreshow to man the future state of the blessed in heaven; so also do I believe, that the fearful spectacle of a human being possessed with, and by evil spirits, was designed as a terrible representation of the future punishment. The demoniac knew Christ, yet avoided and hated him. An outcast from the intellectual and religious world, he grieved over his lot, yet he could not repent. In the deepest misery and distress, he heightened his own agony by selfinflicted torments. The light of heaven, which occasionally broke in upon his melancholy dwelling among the tombs, served only to make more visible the darkness of his wretchedness, and embittered every anguish and suffering by the torturing remembrance of what he was, and what he might have been. Although I have not met with the opinion elsewhere, I cannot but consider, that we are here presented with a fearful and overwhelming description of the future misery of the wicked, by the visible power of the devil, over the bodies and souls of men. The account of demoniacal possessions may be regarded as an awful warning addressed to mankind in general, lest they also come into the same state of condemnation. At the last day, when every eye shall see Him, and every knee bow down before Him, many, like the raving demoniac, shall hail the same Saviour, who died to redeem them, with unavailing horror and despair.— Many, like the demoniac, will be compelled to acknowledge his divinity-" We know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God"— while they join in the frantic and piercing cry, "Art thou come to

torment us?"

It appears to me also, that the demoniacs powerfully represent to us the state to which all the sons of Adam would have been reduced for ever, if the Son of God had not descended from heaven, to accomplish the wonderful plan of redemption, which is revealed in the inspired writings. The experience of common life, indeed, not unfrequently sets before us many deplorable instances of the exceeding