A Body of Divinity, Vol. 1 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger CatechismRidgley, Thomas
Religion
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 1 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
“Mark iii. 11, v. 7; Luke viii. 28; and Mat. viii. 29. These
extraordinary personages in the New Testament, are not called
_devils_, Διαβολοι, in the original; that word never occurring in the
Christian scriptures, but in the singular number, and as applied to
one Being alone. They are called _dæmons_, Δαιμονες or Δαιμονια. Yet
they are plainly devils in fact; being called Unclean Spirits, though
sometimes only Spirits (Mark ix. 20; and Luke x. 20;) and showing
themselves to be devils, by their whole history. In Mat. xii. 24 and
26 particularly, the Pharisees say ‘our Saviour casts out devils,
(dæmons) by Beelzebub the prince of the devils (dæmons);’ and our
Saviour replies, that then ‘Satan casts out Satan.’ See also Luke x.
17-18; where the apostles rejoicing declare, ‘even the devils (dæmons)
are subject unto us;’ and our Saviour says unto them, ‘I beheld Satan
as lightning fall from heaven.’ So very false in itself, and directly
contradicted by the very words of our Saviour, is that hypothesis of
Dr. Campbell’s in his new translation of the Gospels; which asserts
these possessions of the New Testament to be nowhere attributed to the
devil, and which avers the dominion or authority of the devil to be
nowhere ascribed to the dæmons! Beelzebub is expressly called the
_prince_ of the dæmons, the dæmons are expressly denominated _Satan_
with him, and these are only inferior devils subordinate to the great
one. And though the word _dæmons_ (as Dr. Campbell urges) might
critically be more exact in a translation; yet the word _devils_
better accords, with the usages of our language and the course of our
ideas. Exactness therefore has been properly sacrificed to utility.”
WHITAKER.
Footnote 64:
_See Quest. xx._
Quest. VIII.
QUEST. VIII. _Are there more Gods than one?_
ANSW. There is but one only, the living and true God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account