第83章

andtomakesomeofthemgooddemons，andothersevil；theoneasaspurtotheobservance，theotherasreinstowithholdthemfromviolationofthelaws。

Whatkindofthingstheyweretowhomtheyattributedthenameofdemonsappearethpartlyinthegenealogyoftheirgods，writtenbyHesiod，oneofthemostancientpoetsoftheGrecians，andpartlyinotherhistories，ofwhichIhaveobservedsomefewbefore，inthetwelfthChapterofthisdiscourse。

TheGrecians，bytheircoloniesandconquestscommunicatedtheirlanguageandwritingsintoAsia，Egypt，andItaly；andtherein，bynecessaryconsequence，theirdemonology，or，asSt。Paulcallsit，theirdoctrinesofdevils：andbythatmeansthecontagionwasderivedalsototheJews，bothofJudaeaandAlexandria，andotherparts，whereintotheyweredispersed。Butthenameofdemontheydidnot，astheGrecians，attributetospiritsbothgoodandevil；buttotheevilonly：andtothegooddemonstheygavethenameoftheSpiritofGod，andesteemedthoseintowhosebodiestheyenteredtobeprophets。Insum，allsingularity，ifgood，theyattributedtotheSpiritofGod；andifevil，tosomedemon，butakakodaimen，anevildemon，thatis，adevil。Andtherefore，theycalleddemoniacs，thatis，possessedbythedevil，suchaswecallmadmenorlunatics，orsuchashadthefalling-sickness；orthatspokeanythingwhichthey，forwantofunderstanding，thoughtabsurd。Asalsoofanuncleanpersoninanotoriousdegree，theyusedtosayhehadanuncleanspirit；ofadumbman，thathehadadumbdevil；andofJohntheBaptist，forthesingularityofhisfasting，thathehadadevil；*andofourSaviour，becausehesaid，hethatkeepethhissayingsshouldnotseedeathinaeternum，“Nowweknowthouhastadevil；Abrahamisdead，andtheprophetsaredead。“*(2)Andagain，becausehesaidtheywentabouttokillhim，thepeopleanswered，“Thouhastadevil：whogoethabouttokillthee？“*(3)WherebyitismanifestthattheJewshadthesameopinionsconcerningphantasms；namely，thattheywerenotphantasms，thatis，idolsofthebrain，butthingsreal，andindependentonthefancy。

Whichdoctrine，ifitbenottrue，why，maysomesay，didnotourSaviourcontradictit，andteachthecontrary？Nay，whydoesHeuseondiverseoccasionssuchformsofspeechasseemtoconfirmit？TothisIanswerthat，first，whereChristsaith，“Aspirithathnotfleshandbone，“*thoughheshowthattherebespirits，yethedeniesnotthattheyarebodies。AndwhereSt。Paulsays，“Weshallrisespiritualbodies，“*(2)heacknowledgeththenatureofspirits，butthattheyarebodilyspirits；whichisnotdifficulttounderstand。Forairandmanyotherthingsarebodies，thoughnotfleshandbone，oranyothergrossbodytobediscernedbytheeye。ButwhenourSaviourspeakethtothedevil，andcommandethhimtogooutofaman，ifbythedevilbemeantadisease，asfrenzy，orlunacy，oracorporealspirit，isnotthespeechimproper？Candiseaseshear？Orcantherebeacorporealspiritinabodyoffleshandbone，fullalreadyofvitalandanimalspirits？Aretherenotthereforespirits，thatneitherhavebodies，noraremereimaginations？TothefirstIanswerthattheaddressingofourSaviour’scommandtothemadnessorlunacyhecurethisnomoreimproperthanwashisrebukingofthefever，orofthewindandsea；forneitherdothesehear：orthanwasthecommandofGodtothelight，tothefirmament，tothesun，andstars，whenHecom