struction may be drawn from the discussion of any subject in which our Saviour was principally concerned.

The part of the gospel-history which I have prefixed to my discourse to be considered by us, contains the description of a human creature in a most deplorable state, whose extraordinary cure by our Lord was attended with singular and uncommon circumstances. And although the subject has been handled by learned and able writers, particularly of our own country, and in the present century, there may, perhaps, be something left to glean up after them, or it may not fall in the way of every one to be acquainted with what others have remarked on such a curious point.

The account of it is given by the three former evangelists, who also agree in mentioning the violent storm which happened in passing the lake, from which the ship that carried Christ and his apostles, and other ships in their company, were in great danger.

Luke thus begins his narrative; (viii. 26, 27.) "And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And there met him a certain man of the city,

which had demons a long time, and wore no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

'

Matthew says; (viii. 28.) " And when he was come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way."

The difference of names, Gergesenes and Gadarenes, is easily reconciled, as Matthew mentions the name of the inhabitants of the country at large: Mark and Luke, the particular district of Gadara where the scene of the transaction lay.

Some may think it a wider disagreement not so easy to be accounted for, that Matthew says there were two of these wretched objects, whereas the other evangelists name one only.

There are, however, very satisfactory reasons to be given, why Mark and Luke, knowing there were two of them, might mention but one. For one of them most probably was a person of fortune and better known; was, perhaps, more fierce and terrible than the other, and he alone desirous after his cure,

from

from a sense of such an unspeakable blessing, to attend upon Christ, which would appear sufficient reasons to distinguish him from the other. And moreover, as the sacred historians were not studious to set off the miraculous works of their divine Master, but are remarkable for a modest reserve about them; Mark and Luke might judge it needless to name any more than this one. And they do not contradict Matthew, though they differ from him.

We, however, who live at a distance from those times, reap advantage from this and other the like variations of the sacred historians in their accounts of the same things. For it shows that they did not copy after each other, but are so many independent witnesses of the same facts; which is a further confirmation of their truth. And although Mark has been generally looked upon as a mere abridger of Matthew, their different representations of the circumstances of this one transaction may show it to have been otherwise. At the same time that it has been well accounted for, whence it came to pass, that in relating many things concerning Christ, the three former evangelists

might

might use the very same expressions, and with very little diversity of circumstance, without copying each other.

But to enter upon our subject, and for the more clear and distinct discussion of it, it will be my business, first, to explain the terms that are used; devils, or demons, unclean spirits, possessions, &c. Next, to show how void of all foundation were the opinions of the Jews about these things at that time. And then to pass on to illustrate the miracle before us. And, first, concerning the terms.

the

In transcribing the words of the evangelisids in their descriptions of these men, I have be followed our English translation, which så that they were possessed with devils, or h devils, but have put it, "were possessed wandemons, having a demon;" as few of the learan ed, who have any value for their characters will now maintain the propriety of our present translation. The late Bp. Pearce, a truescholar, although he supposes evil spirits really possessing persons, does nevertheless render the word demons.

The term devil, it may be proper to note,

meaning

meaning thereby a supposed mighty evil being, author of all wickedness that is in the world, is always spoken of in scripture in the singular number, devil, not devils; and never used when persons are spoken of as possessed, but another word, dayona, which is therefore very justly rendered differently, demons.

And the word demons, according to the best and most ancient accounts, was first used for the spirits, or souls, of dead men, which were supposed to survive the body, and to become dispensers of good and evil in the world.

It was also a name peculiarly given and appropriated to the gods of the heathens, who weke known to have been, and were allowed by themselves to be, dead men deified, such as Jupiter, Juno, Apollo, Venus, and the like, who were their immediate objects of worship.

The Psalmist says, concerning the Israelites, when they fell away to idolatry, (cvi. 37.) "that they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons ;" i. e. their false gods, the spirits of dead men deified.

St. Paul, warning the christian converts in the city of Corinth against mingling with their heathen friends as formerly, and feast