Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

tions. Indeed, the lofs of this gift of tongues, after the temporary use of it, would imply other miracles, as oft as there was occafion to restore what was loft by actual deprivation. Unless we can fuppofe that the Apoftles, in the exercife of this gift, were merely irrational organs, Automati, through which certain founds were conveyed. In a word, it was as much in the courfe of nature for an Apoftle, when the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecoft had enabled him to speak a ftrange language, ever afterwards to have the use of that language, as it was for the Cripple, whom Jefus had restored to the use of his limbs on the fabbath-day, ever afterwards to walk, to run, and perform all the functions of a man perfectly found and entire.

In one thing, indeed, the power of healing the difeafed, and of fpeaking with frange tongues, agreed. As the Disciples could not heal at all. times, and when they would; so neither could they speak when they would, in an unknown tongue, when it was firft effayed. Yet when the Holy Spirit had once enabled them to speak and understand a Language till then unknown. to them, I conceive they must retain the use of it with the fame facility as if they had acquired it in the ordinary way of inftruction.

But

But the confufion in this matter, and the embarras which follows it, in the Doctor's ftating the Question, arise from not distinguishing between the active power and the paffive gift. In healing the diseased, the Apostles are to be confidered as the Workers of a Miracle; in speaking a strange tongue, as Subjects of a miracle performed*.

P. 264. [L]. The serious Reader will be ready to ask, what learned discoveries they are, which have encouraged these men to innovate from the common opinion concerning the Gospel Demoniacs? Have they found in the Scripture hiftory of the Demoniacs any thing either hurtful to Morals, or falfe in Phyfics? Nothing of either. And yet whatever is found there, they are not the finders.

An excellent Divine of the last age had, in his extenfive researches into antiquity, collect ed, that both Jews and Gentiles, at and before the time of Chrift, were infected with one common Superftition, that Demons and the Souls of wicked men deceafed frequently feized upon the

He who would fee a more complete account of this. whole affair and its dependencies, is recommended to the FIRST BOOK of the Doctrine of Grace, or the Office and Operations of the Holy Spirit, 3d Edition, Lond. 1763.

5

bodies

bodies of the living, and tormented them in va rious ways. Hence he too haftily, yet with his ufual modefty, infinuated, that the Poffeffions recorded in the Gofpel, and called demoniacal, might be of that imaginary fort; and no other in reality than oCCULT DISEASES; which being intractable by the art of medicine, were fuppof ed to be supernatural (as if a good Physician was a match for any thing but the Devil).-To the unhappy wretches fo afflicted, he supposed that Jefus might apply his falutary hands and that to this malady, fo relieved, the People gave the fashionable name by which, at that time, it was commonly diftinguifhed.

Without doubt this truly learned Divine went the more readily into this bold opinion, as he had obferved it to have been God's gracious method, in the courfe of his DISPENSATIONS, to take advantage of men's habitual prejudices, towards the fupport of his Revelation, by keeping his fervants attached to his Ordi

hances.

But, here, the excellent perfon should have diftinguished (as his Followers were not likely to do it for him) between RITES and DocFRINES. As they were RITES only, of which

* Dr. Sykes-Dr. Lardner, &c. &c.

God,

God was pleased to avail himself, for the benefit of his People, in order to combat, or to elude their fondness for Pagan ufages.-In matters of DOCTRINE, the like compliance was not, nor could be, fafely indulged to them, without violating the truth of things; and therefore Sacred Scripture affords us no example of fuch a condefcenfion. In things pertaining only to Rites we have, indeed, many instances. Thus the ufe of linen garments, lighted lamps, luftrations, and a multitude of other usages, in themselves indifferent, were brought out of false Religions into the true and this, with high propriety and wisdom, while their new deftination fanctified their use; and their use served to the easier introduction of the new establishment.-But to affert and support a groundless, fuperftitious opinion (if fuch it were) of Diabolical possessions, would be the infecting and contaminating the Chriftian Faith.

However, if the admirable Author of this hurtful Novelty did himself miss of so just and obvious a diftinction, we have lefs reafon to wonder that thofe of his Followers, who only aimed at fomething, by a faint reflection from the other's, learning, fhould not hit (as we have faid) upon what their Mafter had overlooked.

A late

A late eminent Phyfician, who hath borrow ed this notion profeffedly from this great man, acted a more modeft and becoming part. He might pretend, by virtue of his Profeffion, and ftill more by his fuperior skill in it, to a profounder infight into Nature: At the fame time, Theology being in another department, he was the more excufable, if he did not fee all that this Divine Science oppofed to the Opinion; an Opinion, which might be faid to defcend to him by inheritance from his great name-fake and relation whofe concifenefs, ftrength, and modesty of reasoning, he hath fo well copied, that to confute objections fo borrowed will be to overthrow the whole Syftem of the Antidemoniac Party *.

In his Medica Sacra, he hath a chapter de damoniacis; in which he hath treated the Evangelic History with all that decency and reverence

*Ut redeam autem ad Dæmoniacos; non mea eft, profecto, fed aliorum ante me pietate & doctrina præftantium virorum fententia quam hic propono. Et prox imo quidem fæculo, inter noftrates etiam JOSEPHUS MEADUS, Theologus, rerum facrarum cognitione, nulli fecundus, luculenta differtatione eam propugnabit. Cum ex eadem, igitur ac ille, familia fim oriundus, &c.” Præf. in Med. Sacr. p. ix. Authore RICHARDO MEAD.

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »