Michael Psellus on the Operation of Daemons

see not, etc.; but while I grant this, I still maintain that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, of which the idols are symbolic representations." Possibly the particular demon intended by the idol might have no existence, but idols may be considered with propriety to represent the class—namely, beings intermediate between God and man, inferior to the former, but superior to the latter; "for to all who come under this description, real or imaginary, good or bad, the name demons (intelligences) is promiscuously applied. The reality of such an intermediate order of beings revelation everywhere supposes, and rational theism does not contradict. Now, it is to the kind expressed in the definition now given that the pagan deities are represented as corresponding, and not individually to particular demons actually existing. To say, therefore, that the Gentiles sacrifice to demons is no more than to say that they sacrifice to beings which, whether real or imaginary, we perceive, from their own account of them, to be below the Supreme." (Campbell, Dissertation vi., p. 1, § 15.)

It may be asked, of what practical utility is a work of this nature? Of what practical importance can it be whether we believe or disbelieve the existence of demons? We humbly conceive it is not optional with us to treat any portion of divine truth as unimportant because we cannot see its practical bearing upon our conduct. If it can be unequivocally shown from the Word of God that demons exist, the belief of the fact belongs to us, the utility of it to Him who permits it. At the same time, we cannot forbear observing that if it is a useful work to throw light, in the least degree, on any portion of the Word of God, and to rescue a term or a passage from a perverted use, then we flatter ourselves such ends may be in some measure effected by the publication of Psellus's work. But if there were no other reason for its publication than a desire to communicate the arguments with which, in those comparatively early times, men of a philosophic turn of mind fortified