A CAUTION AGAINST BIGOTRY. MARK ix. 38, 39.
_And John answered him saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
And Jesus said, Forbid him not._
1. IN the preceding verses we read, that after the twelve had been disputing, _which of them should be the greatest_, Jesus _took a little child, and set him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of these little children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me_ (only) _but him that sent me_. Then _John answered_ (that is, said with reference to what our Lord had spoken just before) _Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbad him, because he followeth not us_. As if he had said, “Ought we to have received him? In receiving him, should we have received thee? Ought we not rather to have forbidden him? Did not we do well therein?” _But Jesus said, Forbid him not._
2. The same passage is recited by St. _Luke_, and almost in the same words. But it may be asked, What is this to us? Seeing no man now _casts out devils_. Has not the power of doing this been withdrawn from the church, for twelve or fourteen hundred years? How then are _we_ concerned in the case here proposed, or in our Lord’s decision of it?
3. Perhaps more nearly than is commonly imagined, the case proposed being no uncommon case. That we may reap our full advantage from it I design to shew, first, In what sense men may and do now _cast out devils_: secondly, What we may understand by, _He followeth not us_. I shall, thirdly, explain our Lord’s direction, _Forbid him not_, and conclude with an inference from the whole.
I. 1. I am, in the first place to shew, in what sense men may, and do now _cast out devils_.
In order to have the clearest view of this, we should remember, that (according to the scriptural account) as God dwells and works in the children of light, so the devil dwells and works in the children of darkness. As the holy Spirit possesses the souls of good men, so the evil spirit possesses the souls of the wicked. Hence it is that the apostle terms him, _The God of this world_: from the uncontrolled power he has over worldly men. Hence our blessed Lord stiles him _the prince of this world_: so absolute is his dominion over it. And hence St. _John_, _We know that we are of God_, and all who are not of God, _the whole world_, ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται· Not, lieth in wickedness: but _lieth in the wicked one_; lives and moves in him, as they who are not of the world, do in God.
2. For the devil is not to be considered only as _a roaring lion, going about seeking whom he may devour_: nor barely as a subtle enemy, who cometh unawares upon poor souls, and _leads them captive at his will_: but as he who dwelleth in them and walketh in them; _who ruleth the darkness_ or wickedness of _this world_, of worldly men and all their dark designs and actions, by keeping possession of their hearts, setting up his throne there, and bringing every thought into obedience to himself. Thus the _strong one armed keepeth his house_; and if this _unclean spirit_ sometime _go out of a man_, yet he often returns with _seven spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there_. Nor can he be idle in his dwelling. He is continually _working in_ these _children of disobedience_. He works in them with power, with mighty energy, transforming them into his own likeness, effacing all the remains of the image of God, and preparing them for every evil word and work.
3. It is therefore an unquestionable truth, that the God and prince of this world, still possesses all who know not God. Only the manner wherein he possesses them now, differs from that wherein he did it of old time. Then he frequently tormented their bodies, as well as souls, and that openly, without any disguise. Now he torments their souls only, (unless in some rare cases) and that as covertly as possible. The reason of this difference is plain. It was then his aim to drive mankind into superstition. Therefore he wrought as openly as he could. But ’tis his aim to drive _us_ into infidelity. Therefore he works as privately as he can: for the more secret he is, the more he prevails.