To conclude, We have attempted to examine the common doctrines of the devil and eternal punishment with all the candor and fairness we could command. It has resulted in the fullest conviction, that these 'doctrines are not taught in Scripture, but are the production of the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God and which cometh to naught. Persuaded, the more the Scriptures are examined this will the more clearly appear, we have published our views on the subject; hoping it will be pursued by others who have more time, and better talents, to throw additional light on it. We can sincerely say that we have sought after the truth, and from the love of truth, for this only can stand, when all human devices in religion shall fall. If we have not found the truth, but have embraced error, we hold ourselves in readiness to attend to whatever can be said on the other side. Truth can never suffer by calm, candid discussion, but error shuns the light, deprecates investigation, and is ever ready to cry heresy, and that the church is in danger. END OF PART II. PART III. AN INQUIRY INTO THE POSSESSIONS OF DEVILS, MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. In the first part of this work it has been shown, that the terms devil and satan, in the Bible, do not designate an evil spirit-an angel who fell from heaven.We shall now inquire, if the devils with which persons were supposed to be possessed, are evil spirits who fell with him, as many believe. It is often said in the New Testament, that certain persons were possessed with a devil, and one man declared, that he had a legion of them within him. But no such statements are to be found in the Old Testament, nor do we find any such things in the present day. In the apostolic age, these devils were supposed to inflict madness and other disorders on men, yet no person imputes the same evils to them in the present day. Are such devils all dead? Have they lost their power to inflict such disorders? Are they all turned good devils? or have we been mistaken in what is said in the New Testament about them? It is very certain, the word devil misleads the English reader. The Greek words diabolos, daimon, daimonion, are all rendered, in the common version of the New Testament, by this word devil, and in the plural devils. But the last two words are essentially different in meaning from-the first, and in modern translations are rendered demon, and in the plural demons. The three words are never used to express the same being or thing by the sacred writers. They never intimate that any person was possessed with diabolos, the devil. The devil is spoken of as one, and is only used in the plural number when speaking of human beings. But the demons are spoken of as many, and were cast out of persons. Diabolos is never said to be cast out of any person. This marked distinction between the devil and demons is lost in our common English version: for diabolos, daimon and daimonion are all rendered by our English word devil. If the terms devil and satan do not designate an angel who fell from heaven, the presumption is, demons are not angels who fell with him. It is very certain no such thing is taught in the Bible, and if not found there, how came it to be known, that demons are fallen angels? Some have supposed, demons to be the mongrel breed of some angels with the daughters of men. Others, as a race of malignant and mischievous spirits; and we shall see they are deemed by some the ghosts of deified dead men, mere imaginary beings, and originated in the vain imaginations of the heathen. It is certain, the Bible no where says that God created them, or gives us any account of their origin. Dr. Campbell says, What the precise idea of demons, to whom possessions were ascribed, then was, it would be, perhaps, impossible for us, with any certainty, to affirm." This, in one sense is true, for the Bible gives us no precise idea of demons, as real beings. But if they were ideal beings, created by the imaginations of men, we may, perhaps, ascertain this to be a fact, which is sufficient on the subject. It is evident, the New Testament writers speak of demons, and of persons being possessed with them, not as a new thing under the sun, but as a popular and common thing, and speak in the common language of the age about them. They speak of demons, the devil and satan, of the god mammom, of transmigration, and other things, without saying how such opinions originated, or, whether they were true or false. To have corrected all the false opinions of the age, would have been an arduous and vain work, and had they not spoken of things in the common language of other people, they could not be understood, but would have subjected themselves to the charge of vanity and affectation. They did then, what we do now, speak in the popular language of the day. We speak of St. Anthony's fire, St. Vitus' dance, and of the rising and setting of the sun, and people would smile at the man who refused to do so. The question with us now ought to be, what is the best course, to arrive at true views about the demons, and the possessions of them in the New Testament? I answer, to examine first, what the Old Testament teaches us about demons, evil spirits, etc. The Old and New Testaments were written principally by Jews, and among Jews; and he who would correctly understand the latter, must make himself acquainted with the former. The Old Testament is the best dictionary, to learn the language of the New. That person is ill prepared to understand the New Testament about demons, who has not consulted the old, respecting them, evil spirits, etc. And in his examination of both, ought to consider himself a Jew; living among them in past ages; and passing with them through all their changes; going with them into their captivities; and returning with them to their own land, with all the heathen notions they had imbibed. The shortest and surest way which we can take, to arrive at the truth about the demons mentioned in the New Testament, is |