Obsession of the Devil

OBSESSION of the Devil. Obsession is distinguish’d from Possession of the Devil in this; that in Possession the evil one enters into the Body of the Man, and leaves him not, whether he is always tormenting and disturbing him, or whether he does it only by Fits and Intervals. On the contrary Obsession is, when without entering into the Body of the Person, he besieges him without, and torments him, pretty much like a troublesome Guest, who follows and teazes a Man, from whom he is resolved to get some Advantage. Examples of Possession and Obsession are known both in Story and in Holy Scripture.

1 Sam. xvi. 23.In the Class of Obsessions should be placed, I think, what the Books of Samuel tell us about Saul, who from time to time was disturbed by an evil Spirit, and who was greatly comforted by the Sound of the Musical Instruments, which David play’d upon before him. And I think we must put in the same Class the Demon Asmodeus, who put to Death all the Husbands of Tob. iii. 7, 8, 9.Sarah the Daughter of Raguel. This evil Spirit properly obsess’d this young Woman, Matt. iv. 24. xvii. 14.but did not display his Malice but only against those that would have marry’d her. Young Tobias deliver’d her from this Obsession, by the Means of the Liver of the Fish which he burnt in the Chamber where the evil Spirit exercised his Power. There is great Probability that those mention’d in the Gospel, who were¹ particularly tormented about the Full and Change of the Moon, were rather obsess’d than possess’d.

Both Possessions and Obsessions by the evil Spirit are justly look’d upon as Punishments sent by the Justice of God, either to punish Sins committed, or for having delivered themselves up to the Power of the Devil, or to exercise the Virtue and Patience of good People. For it is known, that there have been Persons obsess’d, who have liv’d in a very innocent Manner before Men.

Marks of Obsession are there; to be lifted up into the Air, and afterwards to be thrown down with Violence against the Ground, without being hurt; to speak strange Languages that the Person had never learn’d; at the time of Obsession not to be able to come near Holy Things, or the Sacraments, but to have an Aversion to them, not to endure to hear them mention’d, to know and foretel secret Things, to perform things that exceed the Person’s ordinary Strength, to say or to do Things which the Person would not or durst not say or do, if he were not externally moved to it; if the Dispositions of his Body, of his Health, of his Constitution, of his Inclinations, have no natural Proportion to what he is seen to do by the Strength of the Obsession. If the best Remedies avail nothing, if the Patient suffers violent Contorsions of his Limbs, which afterwards are brought to their natural State without Violence or Struggle. All these Symptoms, or some Part of them, may seem to determine, that the Person is really obsess’d of the Devil.

The Church prescribes no other Remedy against this sort of Evils, but Prayer, good Works, and Exorcisms: But it does not disallow natural Means, which may be made use of, to calm the Humours, and to remove the ill Temper of the Body of the Patient; for Example, Melancholy, Sorrow, black Humours, Gall, Want of Transpiration, Obstruction of certain Parts, and whatever may corrupt, thicken, or sour the Blood and the Juices. Thus we find that Musick relieved Saul in a Fit of his Distemper. We have Experiments of the like Cure effected by Herbs, Fumigations, Essences. But it belongs to Physicians to enter into a farther Discussion of these Matters. See the Universal Dictionary under the Title OBSESSIONS: And the Reader may also consult what we shall say hereafter of Possessions of the Devil.

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