der of caules and effects throughout the whole fyftem of nature; and that both

the generation and cure of the diseases in

queftion are the effects of this conftitution; then reafon doth certainly remonftrate against afcribing them to fupernatural causes; which is the point we undertook to prove.

d

Nor let any think this a point of small importance. Not to mention here the many other inconveniences attending the belief of our being in the power of any fuperior malevolent fpirits, this belief hath a direct tendency to fubvert the foundation of natural piety, and to beget idolatry and fuperftition *. These, we are certain, were the effects which this belief produced amongst the Heathens. They endeavoured (as it was natural for them

mankind, we should foon find a fatal difference in our condition.

d Differt, on Mir, chap. ii, fect. 4.

* Id. p. 100.

to

to whom they attributed their difand to them they applied for a The Jews themselves, when they ed the pagan fyftem of demonology, facrifices to Sammael, to prevent om accufing them to God for their Endless fuperftitions hath the ne of poffeffions generated amongst ians, especially in the darkest ages church. Fascination and witchthen made a capital article of reliAccording to the account given historians, "nothing was to be out priests driving out devils from who were faid to be poffeffed. The of justice, compofed of magiftrates ought to have had more underftand

orbos tum ad iram deorum immortalium reTe, et ab iifdem opem pofci folitam. Celfus,

See alfo Hippocrates de Morbo facro, the &tion; and Homer's Odyff. lib. v. v. 394

uxtorf in voc. Sammael, or Differt on Mir.

found guilty upon the pretended evidence of the devils "."

Is this a history of creatures who boast of being rational ? Their Maker had indued them with the faculty of reafon; but they had neglected to cultivate it; they were taught to think it impious to ufe it, and to try doctrines by it; evident as it is, that there is no other principle în our frame that can enable us to distinguish between truth and falfhood. It can be no matter of furprize to us, that

I fhall mention one inftance, which may ferve as a specimen of the rest. Urban Grandier, the curate and canon of Loudun, was found guilty of exercifing the black art (for which he was burnt alive), upon the evidence of the following devils: -Aftaroth (a devil of the order of the feraphims, and chief of the poffeffing devils); Eafas, Celfus, : Acaos, Eudon, Afmodeus (of the order of the thrones); Alex, Zabulon, Nephtalim, Cham, Uriel, Achas (of the order of the principalities). See the General Dictionary, under the articles URBAN GRANDIER and LoUDUN.

the

ctrine of poffeffions, though totally ported by reason, though contrary

cleareft principles of it, contrary we know concerning the order of e, and the perfections of its author, è certain evidence we have, that the ed effects of fupernatural poffeffion reality the effects of natural caufes; not be matter of furprize to us, that octrine, however abfurd, fhould be enerally received by men, who made ore use of their reafon, than if they

one.

eat occafion have we to be thankful to that, in proportion to the degree in h men cultivate their reafon, ftudy e, the animal fyftem in particular, ecome concerned to yield affent only idence, and to affert the honour of livine administration; the deftructive ine we are oppofing finks into conot. The light of the Gospel, at its appearance, expofed the folly of all

the

2

tion from popery. At this glorious æra, reason, which had long been enslaved by the most debafing fuperftitions, recovered fome degree of her proper influence, and began to reject the idle ftories of witchcraft, poffeffions, exorcifms, which had been propagated by artful and interefted impoftors, and adopted by the credulous part of mankind.

It is needless to pursue this point any farther, inasmuch as the ableft advocates for the demoniac system, from a conviction of its abfurdity, contend only for the reality of the poffeffions which are taken notice of in Scripture; and reft their belief of thofe poffeffions upon the authority of Scripture. We fhall therefore proceed to examine the fentiments of the facred writers on this fubject.

Acts xix. 18-20.

SECT.