they understood the Meaning of it, to folve it according to their Principles. And there is nothing probable imagin'd by the Oppofers of eur Opinion to folve fuch Oracles by Priestcraft. Fifthly, It fhould not feem ftrange according to the Chriftian Monuments and Records, that Devils or Evil Spirits fhould actuate and infpire thefe Priefteffes, in delivering the Heathen Oracles We mention not what the Fathers have urg'd to this Putpofe; the Fury and Agony they were under, and the ftrange and ghaftly Shapes and Forms tranfported into, when their Infpirations feiz'd them, even to the downright Aftonishment of all Spectators, and which Heathen Authors abundantly confirm: Neither of the manner of their receiving these Infpirations, too filthy and obfcene indeed to be related; thefe Things being reckon'd by fome Moderns, all accountable in a way no higher than Human Craft and Deceit; and Inftances are produc'd of later date of fome that have out-acted the Heathen Priefteifes themfelves. Waving therefore all this; it is most notoriously known, that for many Years after our Saviour, Men were poffefs'd of Evil Spirits; and on nothing do the Fathers more confidently infift, for the Truth of their Religlion, than a Power amongst the Chriftians, of difpoffefling Men of thefe Spirits; and on the Iffue of this, they of ten place the whole ftrefs of their Caufe. Quotations feem unneceffary in a Matter fo common, and infifted on by all Authors, that treat of the Chriftian Religion. However we fhall here infert one out of Tertullian (a); Sed hactenus, fays he, verba, jam demonftratio rei ipfius. (a) Apol. lib. 2, p. 143. Edatur Edatur hic aliquis fub tribunalibus veftris, quem demone agi conftet. fufus à quolibet Chriftiano loqui Spiritus ille, tam fe dæmonem confitebitur, de vero, quam alibi deum de falfo.- So again of other forts of Poffeffion or Infpiration, Nifi fe dæmones confeffi fuerint, Chriftiano mentiri non audentes, ibidem illius Chriftiani procaciffimi fanguinem fundite. Quid opere ifto manifeftius? Quid hac probatione fidelius? And much more to this Purpose. If the Spirits poffeffing thefe Perfons at other Times profeffing themselves Gods, do not being ask'd by a Chriftian, confefs themselves Devils, fpare not, pour out the Blood of Chriftians. What fay the Criticks here? Are thefe Words foifted into the Text? Or was there no fuch thing as Evil Spirits acting Men in those Days? Or could not the Fathers difpoffefs them? If the latter be fuppos'd, what Folly and Vanity poffefs'd thefe firft Chriftians? In what can they be rely'd on? What can their Teftimony fignifie? So that furely they must be 'difcarded as the most idle ridiculous Pretenders, or Evil Spirits muft be acknowledg'd to poffefs the Heathens in their time, and that they were forc'd to confefs themfelves plainly and openly, to the Ruin of their own Intereft, when adjur'd in the Name of Chrift. Now if Evil Spirits poffefs'd the Bodies of Men, and were difpoffefs'd by the antient Chriftians very frequently, (which must be acknowleg'd, or elfe the Authority of the Fathers in all things comes to nothing, they are not to be credited in Things done or taught in their Time;) why should not any Man think it al together as credible, that the Devils might af fift at these Heathen Oracles, and inspire the Perfons in the Delivery of them? It is much more to their Purpose, because this tended more especially efpecially to confirm Men in their abfurd Notions of a GOD, as well as in their Idolatry and abominable and deteftable Practices under the Notion of Religion; the worst of the Heathen Worship and Superftition receiving their greatest Encouragement from thefe Oracles, as all Men are ready to allow. If therefore never any Man was poffefs'd with an Evil Spirit, it might become Matter of Difpute, whether Pythia were or not; but feeing we must own, many have been poffefs'd with these Spirits; why fhould any Man be backward to imagine that there was nothing of this Nature in the Oracles of Apollo? Let any Man fhew me a good Reafon why the Devil fhould enter a particular Man, more than the Priestess, that all the Heathen World paid religious Deference and Regard to, were ready to confult on all Occafions, and hearken to, as the Voice of GOD? If a Thirft of doing Mischief, of abufing and delu::ding Mankind, of betraying Men into the most abfurd and abominable Practices; In a Word, if exalting his own Kingdom were his Defign, I am fure this must be a defireable Poft to him; whereby all thofe Ends could be more easily attain'd and promoted; and if he did not affift in thefe Matters to carry on thefe Frauds, it was not want of Will, but Power. 1 So fome fay (a), Providence would not permit Mankind to be thus abus'd. But did not Providence permit particular Men to be poffefs'd? Let them reconcile this to their Scheme of Providence if they can; I am fure, the one is as difagreeable to their Apprehenfions of it as the other; at leaft the Poffeffion of particular (a) Dale de ethnic. oraculis. Fontenel Hift. of Orac. · X · Men Men being admitted, will make way for an eafie Belief of the other, and whatsoever Arguments they produce from the Nature of Providence against the Poffeffion of Heathen Priefteffes, will hold against the Poffeffion of other particular Perfons; and indeed againft many other Evils permitted, and particularly in the Heathen World. I think all Men muft' confefs that in Delivery of thofe Oracles by which Idolatry was fo much encourag'd, there was a very great Abufe fomewhere, and one would admire why it fhould be more confiftent with Providence, to permit the World to be abufed by Evil Priefts than by Evil Dæmons. Sixthly, As touching the Poffeffion of particular Perfons, not only are the Fathers unanimous, but likewife the Scripture it felf is very plain and exprefs, and we cannot disbelieve this, without rejecting the Authority of our Saviour, as well as the Fathers. What a common thing was Poffeffion amongst the Jews? And why fhould we think the Devil had greater Licence there than amongst the Heathens? And what our Bleffed Saviour did himfelf he promiles to his Followers a Power of doing; In my Name Shall ye caft out Devils. And particularly St. Paul acquaints us, that the Worship of the Heathens was not the Worfhip of GOD, but the Worship of Devils, That they Sacrificed not to GOD but Devils, particularly in Worfhipping of Idols. And from whence did thefe Sacrifices and Rules of Worfhip more proceed than from the Oracles? This is fuch an Argument for the Oracles being acted or fupernaturally affifted, that one can fcarcely refift, without refifting the Authority of Sacred Scripture. And indeed it seems very much to have embaraffed 4 embaraffed an ingenious (a) French Man, who How to encourage B. I believe Evil Spirits had great Hand in thefe Oracles of old; but yet as they come down to us, they're fuch a medly of Stuff, that account for one cannot tell what to make of them; fome fome Ora Things father'd on them, look Ridiculous and cles that Mean, below the Senfe and Apprehenfion of a feem'd to common Man; others feem plain and evident Virtue and Predictions confirm'd by the Events. As in Morality. your Prophecy out of Plutarch, Sparta beware. Others of this kind Cicero mentions. Again, fome are full of the most horrid Impiety; others feem to encourage Morality and a good Life, as that in regard to Socrates, that he was the wifeft of Men; who quitted and expos'd all Study of Natural Philofophy as a thing vain, beyond Human Reafon to attain to, and befide the Intention and End of Human Life; which was to know and rectify, and reform it felf. Hence Morality became his only Care and Study, both to understand and teach, and recommend it to (a) M. Fontenel. Hift. of Oracles. p. 33. X 2 others. |