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。“*2Andagain，becausehesaidtheywentabouttokillhim，thepeopleanswered，“Thouhastadevil：whogoethabouttokillthee？“*3WherebyitismanifestthattheJewshadthesameopinionsconcerningphantasms；namely，thattheywerenotphantasms，thatis，idolsofthebrain，butthingsreal，andindependentonthefancy。
Whichdoctrine，ifitbenottrue，why，maysomesay，didnotourSaviourcontradictit，andteachthecontrary？Nay，whydoesHeuseondiverseoccasionssuchformsofspeechasseemtoconfirmit？TothisIanswerthat，first，whereChristsaith，“Aspirithathnotfleshandbone，“*thoughheshowthattherebespirits，yethedeniesnotthattheyarebodies。AndwhereSt。Paulsays，“Weshallrisespiritualbodies，“*2heacknowledgeththenatureofspirits，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，whenHecommandedthemtobe；fortheycouldnothearbeforetheyhadabeing。Butthosespeechesarenotimproper，becausetheysignifythepowerofGod’sword：nomorethereforeisitimpropertocommandmadnessorlunacy，undertheappellationofdevilsbywhichtheywerethencommonlyunderstood，todepartoutofaman’sbody。Tothesecond，concerningtheirbeingincorporeal，I
havenotyetobservedanyplaceofScripturefromwhenceitcanbegatheredthatanymanwaseverpossessedwithanyothercorporealspiritbutthatofhisownbywhichhisbodyisnaturallymoved。
*2ICorinthians，15。44
OurSaviour，immediatelyaftertheHolyGhostdescendeduponHimintheformofadove，issaidbySt。Matthewtohavebeen“ledupbytheSpiritintothewilderness“；*andthesameisrecited，Luke，4。
1，inthesewords，“JesusbeingfulloftheHolyGhost，wasledintheSpiritintothewilderness“：wherebyitisevidentthatbySpiritthereismeanttheHolyGhost。Thiscannotbeinterpretedforapossession；forChristandtheHolyGhostarebutoneandthesamesubstance，whichisnopossessionofonesubstance，orbody，byanother。Andwhereasintheversesfollowingheissaid“tohavebeentakenupbythedevilintotheholycity，andsetuponapinnacleofthetemple，“shallweconcludethencethathewaspossessedofthedevil，orcarriedthitherbyviolence？Andagain，“carriedthencebythedevilintoanexceedinghighmountain，whoshowedhimthenceallthekingdomsoftheworld“：whereinwearenottobelievehewaseitherpossessedorforcedbythedevil；northatanymountainishighenough，accordingtotheliteralsensetoshowhimonewholehemisphere。Whatthencanbethemeaningofthisplace，otherthanthathewentofhimselfintothewilderness；andthatthiscarryingofhimupanddown，fromthewildernesstothecity，andfromthenceintoamountain，wasavision？ConformablewhereuntoisalsothephraseofSt。Luke，thathewasledintothewilderness，notby，butintheSpirit：whereas，concerninghisbeingtakenupintothemountain，anduntothepinnacleofthetemple，hespeakethasSt。Matthewdoth，whichsuitethwiththenatureofavision。
*Matthew，4。1
Again，whereSt。LukesaysofJudasIscariotthat“Satanenteredintohim，andthereuponthathewentandcommunedwiththechiefpriests，andcaptains，howhemightbetrayChristuntothem“；*itmaybeansweredthatbytheenteringofSatanthatis，theenemy
intohimismeantthehostileandtraitorousintentionofsellinghisLordandMaster。ForasbytheHolyGhostisfrequentlyinScriptureunderstoodthegracesandgoodinclinationsgivenbytheHolyGhost；sobytheenteringofSatanmaybeunderstoodthewickedcogitationsanddesignsoftheadversariesofChristandhisDisciples。ForasitishardtosaythatthedevilwasenteredintoJudas，beforehehadanysuchhostiledesign；soitisimpertinenttosayhewasfirstChrist’senemyinhisheart，andthatthedevilenteredintohimafterwards。ThereforetheenteringofSatan，andhiswickedpurpose，wasoneandthesamething。
Butiftherebenoimmaterialspirit，noranypossessionofmen’sbodiesbyanyspiritcorporeal，itmayagainbeaskedwhyourSaviourhisApostlesdidnotteachthepeopleso，andinsuchclearwordsastheymightnomoredoubtthereof。ButsuchquestionsasthesearemorecuriousthannecessaryforaChristianman’ssalvation。MenmayaswellaskwhyChrist，thatcouldhavegiventoallmenfaith，piety，andallmannerofmoralvirtues，gaveittosomeonly，andnottoall：andwhyheleftthesearchofnaturalcausesandsciencestothenaturalreasonandindustryofmen，anddidnotrevealittoall，oranymansupernaturally；andmanyothersuchquestions，ofwhichneverthelesstheremaybeallegedprobableandpiousreasons。
ForasGod，whenHebroughttheIsraelitesintotheLandofPromise，didnotsecurethemthereinbysubduingallthenationsroundaboutthem，butleftmanyofthem，asthornsintheirsides，toawakenfromtimetotimetheirpietyandindustry：soourSaviour，inconductingustowardhisheavenlykingdom，didnotdestroyallthedifficultiesofnaturalquestions，butleftthemtoexerciseourindustryandreason；thescopeofhispreachingbeingonlytoshowusthisplainanddirectwaytosalvation，namely，thebeliefofthisarticle，thathewastheChrist，theSonofthelivingGod，sentintotheworldtosacrificehimselfforoursins，and，athiscomingagain，gloriouslytoreignoverhiselect，andtosavethemfromtheirenemieseternally：towhichtheopinionofpossessionbyspiritsorphantasmsisnoimpedimentintheway，thoughitbetosomeanoccasionofgoingoutoftheway，andtofollowtheirowninventions。IfwerequireoftheScriptureanaccountofallquestionswhichmayberaisedtotroubleusintheperformanceofGod’scommands，wemayaswellcomplainofMosesfornothavingsetdownthetimeofthecreationofsuchspirits，aswellasofthecreationoftheearthandsea，andofmenandbeasts。Toconclude，IfindinScripturethattherebeangelsandspirits，goodandevil；butnotthattheyareincorporeal，asaretheapparitionsmenseeinthedark，orinadreamorvision，whichtheLatinscallspectra，andtookfordemons。AndIfindthattherearespiritscorporeal，thoughsubtleandinvisible；butnotthatanyman’sbodywaspossessedorinhabitedbythem，andthatthebodiesofthesaintsshallbesuch，namely，spiritualbodies，asSt。Paulcallsthem。
Nevertheless，thecontrarydoctrine，namely，thattherebeincorporealspirits，hathhithertosoprevailedintheChurchthattheuseofexorcismthatistosay，ofejectionofdevilsbyconjuration
isthereuponbuilt；and，thoughrarelyandfaintlypractised，isnotyettotallygivenover。ThatthereweremanydemoniacsintheprimitiveChurch，andfewmadmen，andothersuchsingulardiseases；
whereasinthesetimeswehearof，andseemanymadmen，andfewdemoniacs，proceedsnotfromthechangeofnature，butofnames。ButhowitcomestopassthatwhereasheretoforetheApostles，andafterthemforatimethepastorsoftheChurch，didcurethosesingulardiseases，whichnowtheyarenotseentodo；aslikewise，whyitisnotinthepowerofeverytruebelievernowtodoallthatthefaithfuldidthen，thatistosay，asweread“inChrist’snametocastoutdevils，tospeakwithnewtongues，totakeupserpents，todrinkdeadlypoisonwithoutharmtaking，andtocurethesickbythelayingonoftheirhands，“*andallthiswithoutotherwordsbut“inthenameofJesus，“isanotherquestion。AnditisprobablethatthoseextraordinarygiftsweregiventotheChurchfornolongeratimethanmentrustedwhollytoChrist，andlookedfortheirfelicityonlyinhiskingdomtocome；andconsequently，thatwhentheysoughtauthorityandriches，andtrustedtotheirownsubtletyforakingdomofthisworld，thesesupernaturalgiftsofGodwereagaintakenfromthem。