4. The fourth and last particular that he setteth down, that the Devils have power in, and operate here below, is, that they can insinuate themselves into and penetrate our bodies, and so move Men diverse ways, driving them into the solitary places and Monuments, and by throwing them into the fire or water, by strange tearing and tormenting of them, and by many other ways, of which we shall only note these few things.
1. It is manifest that in the times of our Saviours being here upon earth, and his Disciples, that there were many Demoniacks or Men possessed with Devils, or Men that were devillished, or over whom the Devil exercised an effective and ruling power, and the reason was plain and manifest, for our blessed Saviour being to establish the Doctrine of the Gospel, by great and true miracles, it was necessary that there might be fitting subjects for the effecting of such stupendious miracles in and by, and therefore the Father in his providence had prepared and provided Lunaticks, Demoniacks, those that were born blind, and other strange Diseases that the power of Christ and his Apostles might be manifest in their miraculous cures. But whether or no that Devils have at all times the same power over mens bodies is much to be doubted, there being not the same causes or ends for permitting the same now that was at that season, as we perhaps shall shew hereafter.
2. The manner of the Devils possessing of the minds and bodies of Men, he laboureth to prove, to be essential and personal, and not virtual and effective, which he thinketh he sufficiently proveth by the words to enter, and to dwell, of which we shall only say this.
1. That upon the supposition that Devils are corporeal and have thin, pure and etherial bodies, it may be granted that they may really and substantially enter into bodies, for he saith: Dæmones autem habent corpora aerea, et aere etiam subtiliora et tenuiora. Deindè, ut Tertullianus ait, Dæmones sua hæc corpora contrahunt, et dilatant, ut volunt, sicut etiam lumbrici, et alia quædam insecta. Ita difficile illis non est penetrare in nostra corpora.
Vid. Dialog. disc. of Spir. and Devils, Dialog. 2. p. 34. &c.
2. But secondly, there is none of those places that he citeth, nor any other that signifieth a local, or personal possession, or any such local inherency in the bodies of Men, but only a spiritual rule, he (that is Satan) worketh in the children of disobedience, or an effective dominion over them, by which he doth actually afflict, vex and torment Men sundry and diverse ways. Neither is the word Dæmonizomenos translated or understood by learned Men of an essential, or personal possession of Devils to be inherently in men, but only of an effective dominion in afflicting and tormenting of them.
Ephes. 3. 17.
John 13. 2. 27.
Acts 5. 3.
Luke 8. 33.