1

Finally, I obferve, that in the facred writings extant, prior to the writing the book of Chronicles, there is not the least mention of any angel being caft out of Heaven on account of his having finned against God, as the common opinion of fuch an apoftate fpirit; and therefore the writer of it, by the word Satan, could not intend fuch a being. Indeed, had any of those writers made mention of fuch a being, and that he had tempted or provoked any of the people to fin by his fecret wiles or fuggeftions, there would then be fome plaufible ground to suppose that Satan provoked David to number the people but it is certain they have not, even in a single inftance. The Satan, or adversary, that excited him to undertake it, probably was his pride, or fome other inordinate or criminal defire; or perhaps, the fear of a formidable enemy. One or other of thefe, it is probable, led him to overrule the better judgment and expoftulation of Joab, who was entirely againft it. That it was his act only, is plain, from his own words. 1 Chron. xxi. 8. 17.

The next text where the word Satan occurs, is in Job. i. 8. and ii. 1. 2. That a fallen angel, or a wicked apoftate fpirit is not meant, appears to me, at least highly probable, from the following confiderations: One is, it is very incredible that the Lord fhould hold the conversation there related, with such a being, and also that he should give him leave to afflict his pious fervant with the fore diforder of the boils merely to gratify the groundless and invidious infinuation or charge of fuch a wicked fpirit; that his ferving God was not from a pious and good principle, but because he had bleffed him with an abundance; but, that if he endangered his life, he would rebel against him. In either view of this relation, it certainly is without any precedent in all the Bible; and, I own, I cannot reconcile the latter

latter part with the many declarations in those very writings in which is expreffed God's regard to thofe that ferve him, in like manner as is related of Job's piety to God; his paternal regard for his children's religious welfare and happiness; and his acts of beneficence manifefted to the neceffitous, related in chap. xxix.

That neither Job, nor his wife believed the boils were inflicted by Satan, as a wicked spirit, but by the hand of God, is plain, from chap. ii. 9, 10. and from chap. i. 21. it is equally plain he believed that his other afflictions came upon him from God; and from the speeches of his friends, it is alike evident that they understood all his afflictions came upon him by the appointment of God; and after the Lord had bleffed him with a double portion of goods, as chap. xlii. 10, 11. it is faid, Then came there unto him, all his brethren and all his fifters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and they bemoaned over him all the evils that the Lord had brought upon him; and, according to the custom of that time, and what is fimilar with it at present in the Eastern countries, every man also gave him a piece of money, and, every one an earring of gold.

Laftly, I obferve in all that is related of Satan, refpecting Job, there is not the leaft intimation of his infufing into his mind evil thoughts, or exciting in him any inordinate defires, by which he tempted him to fin against the Lord, either prior to, or after he was afflicted with the boils.

The next text in which the word Satan is mentioned is, Zach. iii. 1, &c. The firft fix chapters appear to contain a revelation by a vifion made to the prophet concerning the Ifraelites, upon their return from the Babylonian captivity, and their building the Temple; and the principal perfons that are mentioned are Joshua and Zerubbabel.

This

This appears highly probable by confulting the time when the prophet lived and prophefied, and comparing what he fays in the context, we are confidering with what is related. Ezra v. Then the prophets Haggai, and Zachariah the fon of Iddo, prophefied unto the Jews that were in Judea and Jerufalem, in the name of the God of Ifrael, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the fon of Shealtiel, and Jefhua the fon of Jofzadak, and began to build the houfe of God which is at Jerufalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them: i. e. by their prophefying. Their adverfaries are thus defcribed: At that time came to them Tatnai, Governor on this fide the river; and Shether-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who hath commanded you to build the house and make the walls? Then faid we unto them, after this manner; What are the names of the men that make this building? In fhort, they would have made them defift from building, and wrote to Darius for that purpose; but it stands recorded thus: The eyes of the Lord were upon the elders of the Jews, fo that they, (their adverfaries, or Satan) could not caufe them to ceafe till the affair came before Darius, who made a decree, that they should not only fuffer the building to go on, but also affift the builders with fuch things as might be needful.

Another text in which the word Satan occurs, is, Pfal. cix. 6. Set thou a wicked man over him, (i. e. mine enemy) and let Satan stand at his right hand. It is exceeding plain that in the context David is fpeaking of men who were his enemies, he faith,

On this verfe Dr. Patrick comments, Let the worst man that can be found be appointed to hear his caufe when he is accufed, and his moft malicious adverfary plead against him.

For

For my love, they are my adverfaries. But the Hebrew word rendered adverfaries, and alfo in the verfes 20, 29, is the fame as in verse 6, translated Satan.* Had the word in the former verfes been tranflated as in the latter, it would be, They are my Satans. But, I judge, there is no difcerning man who can believe that the perfons he had mentioned as the wicked, who encompaffed him about with words of hatred, and fought against him, were fallen angels, but men only.

Befides the foregoing texts where the words Devils and Satan occur, there are others wherein mention is made of an evil fpirit, that, by fome perfons, may be interpreted and understood to intend a fallen angel, and therefore be urged against what I have afferted respecting the entire filence of those writings concerning fuch a being. These texts will be confidered, and the first I will produce is, 1 Kings, xxii. 21, 22, 23.† The occafion of the Prophet's mentioning the vifion, is related in the foregoing verfes, which need not be cited. The vision will be easily discerned, and alfo allowed to be not a relation of a fact, which then took place, but only a representation made to the Prophet relative to Ahab and Jehoshaphat's going to befiege Ramoth Gilead. Farther, it appears to me highly improbable, at least, that the Prophet believed, the fpirit faid, to come forth, or out from among the good angels, who are reprefented as standing be

* See Taylor's Hebrew Concordance, No. 1928.

And there came forth a spirit and ftood before the Lord, and faid, I will perfuade him, i. e. Ahab. And the Lord faid, wherewith? And he faid I will go forth and will be a lying fpirit in the mouth of all his prophets; and he said, thou fhalt perfuade and prevail alfo, go forth and do fo. Now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying fpirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

fore

fore the throne of God, was intended to reprefent a fallen angel, or apoftate fpirit; and, I think it will appear in that light to every one who attends to the paffage. I judge it will also be granted to have been equally improbable to the Prophet, that God fhould fend fuch a being to execute the meffage there related. That which, in my opinion, is an unanfwerably ftrong and decided proof of the juftnefs of the foregoing obfervations, refpecting the Prophet's opinion of the evil spirit not being a fallen angel, is the entire filence of the Scriptures, that fuch a being had been caft out of Heaven, as I have already observed; and it is past doubt, that in the vifion there is not the leaft hint that the evil fpirit was a reprefentation of one of them.

If it is admitted the vifion was fubfequent to what is related of the 400 prophets who prophefied to Ahab and Jehoshaphat, that fuccefs would attend their besieging Ramoth Gilead, it is plain, that the former was already perfuaded of the truth of their prediction, particularly by what is faid of Zedekiah and the other prophets, v. 11, 12. fuppofing it should be granted that the evil spirit who came forth and offered to go and perfuade Ahab represents a fallen angel, yet it will not prove there is more than one.

But

I may ftill add, that whoever will be at the pains to look at the numerous texts in the Old Teftament, particularly in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, wherein mention is made of the falfe prophets, will not find the leaft hint that they were stirred up, or excited to prophefy falfely, and thereby deceive the people, by an evil spirit, i. e. a fallen angel. thofe writings have affigned very different and apparent caufes, from whence they were induced or excited to deceive the people by their prophefying falfe things, as the prophets did we have mentioned.

But

On