With respect to the souls of men, Satan and his angels are utterly destitute of any power either to change the heart or to coerce the will, their influence being simply moral, and exercised in the way of deception, suggestion, and persuasion. The de- scriptive phrases applied by the Scriptures to their working are such as — " the deceivableness of unrighteousness/' " power, signs, lying wonders," 2 Thess. ii., 9, 10 ; he " transforms himself into an angel of light," 2 Cor. xi., 14. If he can deceive or persuade he uses " wiles," Eph. vi., 11 ; "snares," 1 Tim. iii., 7 ; " depths," Rev. ii., 24 ; he " blinds the mind," 2 Cor. iv., 4 ; " leads captive the will," 2 Tim. ii., 26 ; and so "deceives the whole world," Rev. xii., 9. If he can not persuade he uses " fiery darts," Eph. vi., 16 ; and "bufferings," 2 Cor. xii., 7.
As examples of his influence in tempting men to sin the Scriptures cite the case of Adam, Gen. iii.; of David, 1 Chron. xxi., 1 ; of Judas, Luke xxii., 3 ; Ananias and Saphira, Acts v., 3 ; and the temptation of our blessed Lord, Matt. iv.
15. Where do they reside, and what is the true interpretation of Eph. ii., 2, and vi., 12 ?
These passages simply declare that evil spirits belong to the unseen spiritual world, and not to our mundane system. Nothing is taught us in Scripture as to the place of their residence, further than that they originally dwelt in and fell from heaven, that they now have access to men on earth, and that they will be finally sealed up in the lake of fire prepared for them, Rev. xx., 10 ; Matt. xxv. 41.
16. By what terms ivere those possessed by evil spirits desig- nated ?
They are called " demoniacs," translated possessed with devils, Matt, iv., 24 ; "having the spirit of an unclean devil," Matt, xv.,
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22 ; " oppressed of the devil," Acts x., 38 ; " lunatics/' Matt, xvii., 15.
17. What arguments are urged by those who regard the de- moniacs mentioned in the New Testament as simply diseased or
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That we can not discriminate between the effects of de- moniacal possession and disease. That precisely the same symptoms have, in other cases, been treated as disease and cured.
That, like witchcraft, the experience of such possessions has been confined to the most ignorant ages of the world.
They argue further that this doctrine is inconsistent with clearly revealed principles. 1st. That the souls of dead men go immediately either to heaven or hell. 2d. That fallen angels are already shut up in chains and darkness in expectation of the final judgment, 2 Pet. ii., 4 ; Jude vi.
They attempt to explain away the language of Christ and his apostles upon this subject by affirming, that as it was no part of their design to instruct men in the true science of nature or disease, they conformed their language on such subjects to the prevalent opinions of the people they addressed, calling diseases by the popular name, without intending thereby to countenance the theory of the nature of the disease, out of which the name originated. Just as we now call crazed people " lunatics," with- out believing in the influence of the moon upon them. — Kitto's Bib. Ency.
18. How may it be proved that the demoniacs of the New Testament were really possessed of evil spirits ?
The simple narratives of all the evangelists put it beyond per- adventure that Christ and his apostles did believe, and wished others to believe, that the demoniacs were really possessed with devils.
They distinguish between possession and disease, Mark i., 32; Luke vi., 17, 18.
The " daamons," as distinct from the " possessed," spoke (Mark v., 12), were addressed, commanded and rebuked by Christ, Mark i., 25, 34 ; ix., 25 ; Matt, viii., 32 ; xvii., 18.
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Their desires, requests and passions are distinguished from those of the possessed. Matt, viii., 31 ; Mark ix.; 26, etc. The number of daemons in one person is mentioned, Mark xvi., 9. They went out of the "possessed" into the swine, Luke viii., 32. We never speak of the moon entering into, and sore vexing a man, or being cast out of a lunatic, or of the moon crying aloud, etc. The argument of those who would explain away the force of Christ's language on this subject, therefore, fails.
CHAPTER XIII.
PROVIDENCE.
1. Define the term providence.
See Confession of Faith, Chapter V., and L. Cat., question 18, and S. Cat., question 11. Providence, from pro and video, literally signifies foresight. Turrettin defines this term as includ- ing, in its widest sense, 1st, foreknowledge ; 2d, foreordination ; 3d, the efficacious administration of the thing decreed. But in its common and technically proper sense, providence designates simply God's temporal preservation and governing of all things according to his eternal purpose.
2. What are the three principal theories respecting the rela- tion which God sustains to the universe ?