and inclinations, as those other communications did on the senses or the imagination. Its use, therefore, could not have been to impart an original revelation, but supposes one already given.

§. 3. The nature and extent of supernatural qualifications for receiving a revelation.

THE first remark suggested by a review of the various kinds of revelation is, that, in all, the senses and the imagination appear to have been affected only as in the ordinary course of naturethat the exercise of sight, of hearing, and of fancy, was, it would seem, in every case, of the same kind as that produced by natural objects, natural sounds, and natural sleep. Thus Samuel is described as mistaking the voice of God for that of Eli; and another, more experienced, as desiring to be certified by a sign, that the impression was supernatural, and being gratified in his desire as reasonable '.

This being so, it follows, (as was remarked under the head of Proofs,) that, besides the vehicle f Judges vi. 17.

e 1 Sam. iii.

of communication, whether voice, vision, or dream, some sign of confirmation must always have been provided, in order to satisfy the person visited, that he was neither imposed on, nor imposing on himself-imposed on, as in the case of " lying spirits," of human contrivances, or of accidental phenomena; imposing on himself, as in the case of enthusiasm. Not that in all or in most instances any record will be found of the sign of confirmation: partly, perhaps, because the revelation alone concerned those to whom the records of the event are addressed-the sign, the persons visited. Still it is in many instances mentioned. In some indeed it was unavoidable; whenever, namely, the same display served the double purpose of confirming sign and vehicle of communication, as in the case of the hand-writing addressed to Belshazzar. In some cases, again, the two are connected together, so as to form what may be called in loose phrase one revelation. Of this kind was that which occurred at St. Paul's conversion". The voice alone was the medium of communication; while the light served

g Dan. v.

5.

"Acts ix. 3—5.

to certify that it proceeded from no human lips *. The same may be observed of the call of Moses at the bush". Sometimes also the two were so joined, as that the sign should not become proof until afterwards; it being in this case a sort of prophetic appendage. Of this kind was Zacharias's revelation respecting John the Baptist, that of Cornelius concerning his own admission into the Church, and the like. The last case is where the two were disjoined; and then the confirmation was effected either by some distinct revelation, or by a specific miracle. Thus the budding of Aaron's rod was a sign of confirmation to Aaron, and the miracle of the fleece to Gideon . Thus, too, the power of working miracles, granted in all ages to the messengers of God, were signs not only to those to whom they were sent, but to themselves also, that they were really so commissioned.

It is often asserted, that St. Paul then saw the Lord. But this could not have been the case. He was immediately struck blind, and the manifestation of Christ, of which he speaks, took place subsequently in the Temple at Jerusalem. h Exod. iii. 2, 4. i Luke i. 11. Acts x.

* Numb. xvii. 8. Judges vi. 37–40.

It is probable, that for those who were in the habit of receiving frequent communications, a miracle in every case might not have been requisite. For, although it is true, that these modes of addressing the senses or imagination were apparently the same as if ordinary and natural causes were operating; still, the eye, the ear, or the mind, would become familiarized to these, as to any other sounds, sights, or even dreams. The experience of many may be appealed to, for the fact, that dreams do recur, and are remembered as repetitions of former dreams. Now, a dream ascertained to be divine, might have had some characteristic, which, when recognized in other subsequent dreams, might have served to indicate their divine origin. Thus, when Samuel is represented, (in the instance already noticed,) as ignorant of the nature of the heavenly call, the expression of Scripture is, that "he did not yet know the Lord";" the natural interpretation of which seems to be, that he had not yet become acquainted with the voice by experience. In like manner, Adam is said to have "known"

1 Sam. iii. 7.

or recognised the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden". That, even in these cases, it might have been sometimes the duty of the inspired to wait for a confirming sign-suppose such only as the instinctive impulse-and that for neglecting to do so they might have been sometimes misled, as in the case of Balaam, is not improbable ".

Again, although the eye or ear was opened to impressions, which would seem to have been of themselves undistinguishable from natural sounds and sights, it does not follow that the import of these sounds and sights was always intelligible to unassisted and uninspired men. Some miraculous assistance-some inspiration of power to understand the meaning of the voice or vision or dream, must occasionally have been needed and given. Instances are recorded too, in which the revelation was given to one, the interpreting faculty, or inspiration for understanding its import, to another. Joseph, for example, was inspired to understand the meaning of miraculous dreams which Pharaoh had, and Daniel for interpreting those of the Babylonish king. Peter's