word in the New Testament, p. 123, (particularly in Acts xvii.

p. 125. 1 Tim. iv. 1, ib. James ii. 19, p. 126. Rev. ix. 20,

ch. xvi. 14, ch. xviii. 2, p. 138:) from the occasion on which it

is used in the place in question, p. 131, and from the Septuagint,

p. 133. 3. These Heathen demons were nothing in the world,

p. 134. 4. As mere nullities they were esteemed by St. Paul

himself, as well as by other Christians, p. 137. 5. This opinion

a just inference from the fundamental articles of Christianity,

P. 139. Demons being mere nullities, there never could be a

real demoniac, p. 143.

CHAPTER II.

Attempting to solve the several objections against the

foregoing explication of the Gospel demoniacs,

P. 145.

SECT. I.

The objections drawn from what was said and done by the demo-

piacs themselves, considered, p. 145. 1. From their knowing

and proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah, p.146. 2. From their

being forbidden by Christ to discover him, p. 150.
3. From

their arguing rationally with Christ, and speaking to better pur-

pose than the bulk of those who were in their senses, p. 156.

How ill this observation applies to the Gadarene demoniac, ib.
His conduct accounted for on the supposition of his not being
really possessed, p. 160. 4. From their discovering more than
human strength, p. 167. The case of the demoniac at Ephe-
sus, ib.

SECT. II.

The objection drawn from the destruction of the herd of swine,

p. 169. The swine were not driven into the sea by the two

madmen, p. 170, but grew mad at the instant the demoniacs

were cured, p. 171. Their madness was not owing to the in-

fluence of demons, but to a divine agency, p. 176. The mira

culous

culous destruction of the swine vindicated, p. 178. 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 demoniacs, p. 179. 3. To correct the false notions of
the world concerning the power of demons, p. 181. 4. To pre-
vent several great inconveniences that would otherwise have at-
tended the personal ministry of Christ, p. 183. 5. To warn all,
who, overlooking the justice of God, are in danger of abusing
the Gospel, considered as a dispensation of mercy, p. 185.

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. 186. This lan

guage 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. 190. 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 can they by impartial persons be understood to do so,

merely by using that language. For, I. It is customary with

all sorts of persons, with the sacred writers in particular, and

our Saviour himself, to speak on many subjects in the language

of the vulgar, though known and admitted to have been origi

nally grounded on a false philosophy, p. 191. II. They all do

this, the sacred writers, and our Saviour himself not excepted,

when speaking on the yery subject in question, p. 196. III. The

common phraseology was adopted by Christ and his apostles

with good reason; for, though originally built upon a false

philosophy, it was commonly employed to describe the real case

of the demoniacs, both the symptoms of their disorder, and

their cure, p. 206. The symptoms of their disorder better de-

scribed by this language than by calling them madmen, p. 210.

What was meant by the dispossession of demons, p. 213. Why

demoniacs are distinguished from the diseased, and their cure

from

from the healing of diseases, p. 215. Why demons were com

manded to come out, p. 216. IV. It doth not appear, that

either Christ or his apostles were commissioned by God te in-

struct mankind in the secret causes of those diseases which

were imputed to possession, any more than of other diseases;

or to change the vulgar language in describing the case of the

demoniacs, p. 218. V. As the first publishers of the Gospel were

not, so they could not with any propriety be, commissioned by

God to instruct mankind in the physical causes of those diseases

which they healed, p. 221. VI. They have, however, in the most

proper manner, rectified the dangerous errors mankind were

under with regard to demons, and thereby sufficiently secured

the interests of true piety, p. 225. Recapitulation, p. 228.

CHAPTER III.

Pointing out the inconveniences attending the com-

mon explication of the Gospel demoniacs, and the

advantages which result from the account given of

them in the two preceding chapters, p. 231.

A view of the advantages supposed to be derived from the demo-

niac system, and particularly of the arguments urged to shew

the expediency and necessity of the devil's enjoying an unusual

liberty in the first age of the Gospel, and of Christ's gaining a

public triumph over him, ib. In answer to this reasoning it is

observed, 1. That it is not supported by the testimony of scrip-

ture, p. 232. 2. It is built upon this false hypothesis, viz. that

possessing demons were devils or fallen angels, p. 234. 3. It

farther supposes that possessions were more frequent in the age

of the Gospel than at any other time; which is also a false

supposition, ib. 4. The cases of reputed demoniacs described

in the Gospel, do not furnish any proof or evidence of the

agency of the devil or any evil spirit, p. 235. 5. The expulsion

of demons, literally understood, no public specimen of Christ's

power over the devil; both because possessions were not referred

to

to the devil, and because there is no evidence of dispossessions
arising from the facts themselves, even supposing them to be
real, p. 237.
Revelation improperly appealed to in proof of
their reality, p. 238. 6. The bare ejection of demons cannot be
pronounced a greater miracle than the cure of natural disorders,
nor any miracle at all with regard to mankind, p. 241. 7. The
doctrine of demoniacal possession a great prejudice to Christi-
anity, p. 243; a source of much superstition, ib. sets reason
and revelation at variance, p. 244; discredits the miraculous in-
fliction and cure of diseases, p. 245, and destroys the evidence
of miracles in general, p. 247. 8. The true explication of the
Gospel demoniacs establishes the certainty, and displays the full
glory, of the miracles performed upon them, which are spoken
of in the New Testament with singular emphasis, made a very
powerful impression upon the spectators, and deserve to be
ranked amongst the most illustrious attestations to Christ's di-
vine commission, p. 248, to the end.

THE

THE

INTRODUCTION.

IN a late Dissertation on Miracles, the author attempted to shew, that all effects produced in the system of nature contrary to the general laws by which it is governed, are proper miracles; and that all miracles are works appropriate to God. But the case of the gospel demoniacs is by many considered as an objection against the general principle of that Dissertation, as well as against what is there advanced with respect to demons in particular. Supernatural possessions, it may be truly said, suppose the power of evil spirits to inflict diseases, and to deprive men of their reason; and, being effects produced in the system of nature contrary to the general laws by which it is governed, are therefore proper miracles; provided the account of these works here referred to be just.

In order to solve this objection, it is necessary to shew, that the disorders imputed to supernatural pos