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But it is incredible, that Satan, or any other evil fpirits, un• der his influence and direction, fhould freely and chearfully • bear witness to our Lord, as the Christ.

• When the Pharifees reviled him, and faid, that he caft out • Demons by Beelzebub, the Prince of Demons, our Lord con• futed that reflection and charge, by fhewing, that the thing was very unlikely. So in Matt. xii. 25, 28. and elsewhere. For the doctrine taught by our Lord being contrary to the kingdom and intereft of Satan, it was altogether improbable, that fo fubtle and malicious a spirit should concur with him for the fupport of it.

In like manner is it incredible, that any unclean spirits fhould chearfully bear teftimony to Jefus, as the Chrift, the < Son of God. Therefore that profeffion, or declaration, did • not proceed from fuch spirits, but from the unhappy, diseased perfons, who under their melancholic affections, thought themfelves to have Demons, in conformity to the prevailing opinion, though they had not.

This is a much more reasonable way of accounting for this matter, than to fuppofe, that evil fpirits openly profelled Jefus to be the Chrift, the Son of God.

Indeed this appears to me a very forcible argument. I have ⚫ been sometimes apt to think, that this confideration has been • overlooked by learned and pious men, who have fo readily ad'mitted real poffeffions.

However, it may be here faid, that poffibly this teftimony was not free and voluntary, but conftrained and compelled. • To which I answer, that this cannot be faid with good rea<fon. Our Lord certainly did not conftrain any fuch to bear that teftimony to him, and fpeak fo of him. For he never • received it, but difallowed of it, and checked it: though afterwards, when thofe perfons were by his mighty power deli<vered from the indifpofitions under which they had laboured, ⚫ he was not unwilling that they should bear witness to him, as we fee in the cafe before us. He bid the man go home to his friends, and tell them, how great things the Lord had done for him, and had compassion on him.'

The Doctor obferves further, that those perfons who are fpoken of as having Demons, or an unclean fpirit, had fome bodily indifpofition; fome laboured under diftraction, others had other diforders; and that it does not appear from the hiftory of these cafes, that there was any thing more than bodily indifpofitions, and that difcompofure of mind, which ufually accompanies them. What

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What neceffity, therefore, for the supposition of the agency of interpofition of evil spirits?

He proceeds now to confider the objections to his opinion, or the arguments in favour of real poffeffions, and takes notice of the four following. 1. There might be fuch cases in former times, though there are none now. 2. There are divers things faid of those perfons who were called Demoniacs, which are very difficult, or even impoffible to be accounted for, but by the fuppofition of real poffeffions, or the operation and interpofition of evil fpirits. 3. The Evangelifts appear to have believed, that thefe perfons had really one or more unclean spirits. 4. Our Lord himself does not oppofe the opinion of real poffeffions, as he would have done, it is likely, if not true.

To the firft objection, viz. That tho' fuch things may not be allowed of in the common and ordinary course of Divine Providence, they might poffibly be permitted at the time of our Saviour's appearance, when there was an uncommon and effectual remedy at hand; the Doctor anfwers, that this fuppofition does not fuit the histories related in the Gofpels: for these cafes do not there appear to be extraordinary, but are looked upon by every body as ordinary and usual things. No one expreffès a furprize that fuch people are brought to Jefus. His enemies never mention it as a reproach and difhonour to him, that their country was then infefted with evil fpirits. If people have been all on a fudden feized with disorders never heard of among them before, and if fuch cases had been numerous, it would have oc cafioned the utmost astonishment, and have raised a loud and general clamour. But there was no ground for fuch a charge; it was never mentioned; it was impoffible to be made: for fuch cafes were well known, and are spoken of by other Writers cotemporary with the Evangelifts, by Jofephus, and others, as common in Judea and elsewhere, not only at that time, but also before and afterwards.

But, fecondly, it is faid, that divers things appear in the hiftory of these perfons, which are very difficult, if not impoffible to be accounted for, but upon the fuppofition of real poffeffions, or at least the interpofition and operation of evil spirits. First of all it may be faid: if there was no agency of evil spirits, how came it to pass that this opinion fo prevailed, as it did? And how came it, that many perfons thought themselves to be poffeffed by evil fpirits? To this the Doctor answers, that it is no uncommon thing for opinions to prevail in the world, which have no folid foundation. How many have been disposed to afcribe the diseases of the human body, and other difaftrous events in the world, to the planets or other ftars! It was for a

long

Tong time a very common opinion, that spirits of inferior orders, in a manner filled the region of the air: and many diftempers were afcribed to their influence. When fuch an opinion prevailed, it was very likely that fome, who fell under grievous dif tempers, fhould think themselves harraffed and tormented by evil fpirits, and upon fome occafions fpeak in conformity to their inward apprehenfions. This, particularly, was the cafe of the man, called Legion, and perhaps of many others, who were under a deep melancholy.

But how came thefe perfons who are faid to have evil spirits, to know Jefus to be the Chrift, if they were not under the influence of evil fpirits, of great knowlege, as well as much powe-The Doctor thinks, that these perfons knew Jefus to be the Chrift, the Son of God, in the fame way that others did. The expectation of the coming of the Meffiah had been for fome time very common, and even univerfal, founded upon just interpretations of the ancient Prophets, which were publicly read in the fynagogues, and were in the hands of all men. people, before they were feized with the diforders which they now laboured under, were well apprized of the common notions concerning the greatnefs of the Methah, which were allowed by the Jews in general. It is not at all ftrange, therefore, that they thould bear teftimony to him.

Thefe

All thofe faid to have evil foirits were not difcompofed in mind. Many of them were epileptical, or paralytical. Thefe, undoubtedly, enjoyed, at fome feafons, the free use of their fenfes and understandings, and might difcern the evidences of our Lord's great character: and being fincere and honeft, might be difpofed to own it, and declare the fenfe of their minds. But thinking their diftempers to be owing to the operation and influence of evil spirits, they affect to fpeak in their name.

To the third objection, viz. That the Evangelifts feem to have believed real poffeffions, &c. the Doctor answers, that this cannot be denied, and that it needs not be contefted. Nor ought this, he says, to be thought strange, even fuppofing, that there was no agency or interpofition of evil fpirits. For the opinion. of pofieffions being common at that time, and generally admitted by the knowing, as well as by others, it is no wonder that the Evangelifts fhould be of the fame fentiment. The twelve Apoftles of Chrift were unlearned men; our Lord chose to have fuch for Apostles; and he did not teach them a Philofophy, but Religion and, indeed, if the Evangelifts had appeared to know more than others in this and other points of philofophical nature, it might have diminished the credibility of their Hiftory. If they had been wifer and more knowing than most others, and REV. Aug. 1758. I

even

even than the knowing and learned of that time, fome would have been apt to charge them with art and contrivance in the main parts of their Hiftory.

To the fourth objection our Author anfwers, That tho' our bleffed Lord undoubtedly knew the truth of the cafe, yet he was not therefore obliged to speak his mind, or to correct every falfe and mistaken notion among the people whom he taught. He was concerned in a defign of the utmost importance, that of teaching the principles of true Religion, and recommending them by works of mighty power, and great goodness. When any afflictive cafes were brought to him, it was fufficient to heal them, to whatever caufe they were afcribed. It was expedient not to enter into any debate upon that head: it might have diverted him from his main work.

In the Appendix, our Author, for the further illuftration of his fubject, makes remarks upon two paffages of Jofephus concerning Demoniacs, and explains feveral texts of the New Teftament in relation to them. But the general view we have given, will be fufficient, we apprehend, for moft of our Readers.

R.

A Specimen of true Theology, or, Bible Divinity: in which the benefits of Chrift's Redemption made known, fairly, and plainly, from the Holy Scriptures alone; become the most powerful motive to all fincere Chriflians, conftantly to perfevere in the true faith and practice of the Gospel Covenant. And at the fame time the most natural, most awful, and most merciful Warning and Call to mere nominal Chriftians; unbelieving Jews; and finners of all kinds and degrees. By a Searcher after Religious Truth, and a Well-wisher to all Mankind. 8vo. 2s. Whiston.

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T is not eafy to know what the Author of this confused piece of Bible Divinity, as he calls it, aims at. He fets out, however, with endeavouring to raise his Readers expectation of fomething very great and uncommon to be performed by the help of this truth, viz. That there is an Unity and Concord of all God's Attributes. The holy fcriptures,' fays he, may be truly and readily understood, it we duly fearch them by that most certain teft of all religious truth, namely, the Unity and Concord of all God's Attributes-This infallible teft will moft readily and certainly lead us to the true knowlege of the most important truths regarding the falvation of all mankind in various degrees.' Thefe wonder-working words, Unity and Concord of Attributes,

butes, are every now and then repeated, like a fpell or charm, to raise up fome furprizing truth or tenet. One of thefe principal and favourite tenets which make up his Bible Divinity, feems (for he is far from fpeaking clearly or confiftently of the matter) to be this, viz. That all mankind will be finally faved in fome degree, on faith in Chrift, and fincere repentance. Thus, fpeaking of the comfort we may receive from the Attributes of God acting in Unity and Concord, he fays, For in his (Chrift's) gofpel, we are moft plainly and exprefly affured by Chrift himself, that all mankind will be finally faved in fome degree on faith in him, and fincere repentance-Whosoever fall call on the name of the Lord fhall be faved. Thus the great Erafmus understands this fcripture, Si quis vel ab extremis inferis intendat ad Dominum clamorem, vivâ adhuc fcintillâ fidei, exauditur. Mifericordia enim Domini fuperexultet judicio. Erafmus.-If any one fhall cry unto the Lord, even from the lowest pit of Hell, with a remaining fpark of faith, the Lord will hear him and will help him. For the mercy of God glorieth over judg'ment.'

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In another place, fpeaking of the miffion, incarnation, fufferings, and death of Chrift, he fays, And all this for the falvation of every individual of mankind, in various degrees, who were univerfally become fervants of fin, through Adam's tranfgreffion.' Sometimes, as in this place he speaks of this falvation as purchased for all mankind, without mentioning the terms of faith, or repentance, or both. So again he afferteth elfewhere, God gave his only begotten Son to die in the behalf of all finners, and in full fatisfaction to his Divine juftice for all the fins of the whole world, as we find it revealed throughout the facred writings. So that no one of God's rational 'creatures fhall utterly perish.'

If we understand our Author right in the diftinction he makes, the falvation spoken of here, is what he terms abfolute in oppofition to that of believers in Chrift, which he calls conditional falvation. But as we cannot be pofitive, that we mistake not his meaning, let our Readers take the following extract, which, if he be intelligible any where, may fhew them his fentiments on this head.

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He gave him for us all,' (fays he) abfolutely for all rational Spirits in fome degree, and conditionally for the falvation of the whole man in an high degree, both in spirit, in soul, and in body.

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Nevertheless, as we are all prone to evil, through the great 'corruption we are tainted with from Adam's fin, fo those who ⚫ continue to live wickedly, muft expect to futter in proportion to the things done in the body, before the rational spirit can I 2

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