7G OPERATIONS Oie THE HOLT smHiut, Cations unto their minds. (t.) There were sometime' appearances of persons or things made to their outward senses. And herein God made use of the ministry of angels. Thus three men appeared unto Abraham, Gen. xviìi. 1, 2. one whereof was the Son of God himself, the other two ministering angels, as hath been proved elsewhere. So was theburning bush which Moses saw, Exod. iii. 5. The appearances without similitude of any living thing on mount Sinai at the giving of the law, Exod. xix. The man that Joshua saw at the siege of Jericho, chap. v. 13, 11. Such were the seething-pot and almond-rod seen by Jeremiah, chap. i. 11, 1s. as also his baskets of figs, and many more of the like kind might be instanced in. In thesecases God made repre- sentations of things unto their outward senses. (2.) They were made sometimes only to their minds. So it is said .expressly, that when Peter saw his visionof a sheet knit at the four corners, and letdown from -hea- ven to earth, he was in a trance, has,. /cr. 0..7011 vev,ö, Acts x. 10. An ecstasy seized on him, whereby, for a season, he was deprived of the use of his 'bodily senses. And to this head I refer Daniel's and the Apocalyptical visions. Especially I do so all those wherein a repre- sentation was made of God himself and his glorious throne: Such as that of Micaiah, 1 Kings xxii. 18. and Isa. vi. I. Ezek. i. 3, 4, 5. It is evident, that in all these there was no use of the bodily senses of the prophets, but only their minds were affected with the ideas and representation of things. But this was so effectual, as that they understood not but that they also made use of their visive faculty. Hence Peter, when he was actu- ally delivered out of prison, thought a good while that he had only seen a vision, Acts xii. 9. for he knew how powerfully the mind was wont to be affected by them. Now, these visions of both sorts were granted unto the prophets, to confirm their minds in the apprehension of the things communicated unto them for the instruction of others: For hereby they were deeply affected with them, whereunto a clear idea and representation of things Both effectually tend. But yet two things were required to render these visions direct and complete parts of di- vine revelation: (1.) That the minds of the prophets were actuated, guided, and raised in a due manner by the Holy Spirit for the receiving of them; this gave them their assurance that their visions were from God. {2.) His enabling them faithfully to retain, and infalli- bly to declare, what was so represented unto them: For instance, Ezekiel received) a vision by way of represen- tation unto his mind of a glorious fabric of a temple, to instruct the church in the spiritual glory and beauty of gospel -worship which was to be introduced, chap. xliv. 4, 5, 6, &c. It seems utterly impossible for the mind of mad to conceive and retain, at once, all the harmon- ious structure, dimensions, and laws of the fabric repre- sented. This was the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost, namely to implant and preserve the idea presented unto him on his salad, and to enable him accurately and in- fallibly to declare it. So David affirms that the Spirit of God made him to understand the pattern of the tem- ple built by Solomon, in writing, by his hand upon. him. Sect. 15.Secondly; There were some accidental ad- junctsof prophecy, which, at sometimes, accompanied it. In the revelationof the will of God to the prophets, they were sometimes enjoined symbolical actions. So Isaiah was commanded to walk naked and barefoot, lsa. xx. 1, 2, 3. Jeremiah to dispose of a linen girdle, chap. xiii. 1, 2. Ezekiel to lie in the siege, chap. iv. 1, 2, 3, 4. and to remove the stiff of leis house, chap. xii. 3, 4. Hosea to take a wife ofwàoredoms, andcleildren ofwhore- doms, Hos. i. 2. I shall be brief in what is frequently spoken unto. SomeOf these things, as Isaiah's going naked, and Hosea's taking a wife of whoredom, con- tain things in them against the light of nature, and the express law of God, and of evil example unto others. None of these therefore canbe granted to have been ac- tually done; only these things were represented unto them, in visions, to make the deeper impression upon them. And what they saw or did in.vision, they speak positively of their so seeing or doing, see Ezek. viii. 3, 4. For the other instances, I know nothing but that the things reported might be really performed, and not in vision only. And it is plain that Ezekiel was com- manded to do the things he did in the sight of the peo- ple, for their more evident conviction, chap. sü. 4, .5, 6. and on the sight whereof they made inquiry what those things belonged unto them, chap. xxiv. 19. Sect. 16.Secondly; Their revelations were accom- panied with local mutations, or their being carried and transported from one place to another; so it was with Ezekiel, chap. viii..8, and 11, 24. And it is expressly said, that it was in the visions of God. Falling by di.
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