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the difference, which of the two was most Real, either what paffed in his Sleep, or broad awake. So that I think, we may very fairly conclude, that the immediate Mark of Diftinction to those Holy Men in Scripture, between Natural and Supernatual Dreams, was this Livelinefs, and Order, and Regularity of Ideas; becaufe this feems to make Things appear like Realities to the Mind, to diftinguish them from meer Fancies and Dreams. And when it is faid, GOD appear'd to fuch a Man in a Dream, can we think this Appearance had lefs Force upon the Mind, or Fancy, than Outward Objects make? So the moft rational Platonifts, Jamblicus (a); who in Truth delivers many things on this and other Divine Subjects, that look agreeable both to Reafon and Revelation, tells us, "There is à vaft difference between Divine and Common Dreams; fometimes their first approach is extraordinary, they are ufher'd in with a very clear and furprifing Light, which affects the Mind exceedingly, raifes in it a very uncommon Paffion or Sentiment. But more especially, he places the Distinction in the Clearnefs, Order, and Vivacity of Ideas, which are then prefented to the Soul, which he conceives to be fo great, that the Man is as ftrongly affected, as much moved with them, as with outward Objects, when awake; little Difference is there as to the Soul's Per ceptions in this Eftate, from its Perceptions in the contrary, when awake; all Things feem as lively, as ftrong, as certain, as what we really fee, or hear, when awake. This we fuppofe, he fays, as a Man of Reafon, not that he was ever under Supernatural Impreffions,

1

but

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but fomething he found neceffary to pitch on, as a Mark of Diftinction between Divine and Common Dreams; and we must think it, rationally conceiv'd. To this Purpose he. Neither is this without good Foundation in Scripture, as might be collected from diverfe Inftances, particularly that of St. Peter, when GOD fent an Angel to deliver him, the Night before Herod determin'd to bring him forth. Behold the Angel of the Lord came upon bim, and a Light Shined in the Prifon, and be fmote Peter on the fide, and raifed him up; Saying, Arife up quickly, and bis Chains fell off from his Hands. It is needless to repeat all; what follow'd are the Words of St. Peter, which I think are to our purpose. And Peter went out, and follow'd him, and wift not that it was true, that was done by the Angel, but thought he faw a Vifion. What fhould this imply, but that Divine Vifions or Dreams, were as clear and lively, as Things prefented outwardly to the Senfe, and there required fome Time and Recollection to diftinguish them ?

B. You speak of Livelinefs and Order of Ideas, but when a Man is afleep, he really believes himself awake, and all those Scenes as real, as what he sees or hears.

4. But what doth he think of thefe Things when really awake? Then they appear to have been faint, idle and incoherent. And when a Man's awake, I fuppofe the time of judging of thefe Things; and if then Things appear to have been otherwife; Lively, void of all Irregularity, and fuch as we have endeavour'd to defcribe, thefe Dreams muft appear different from what is ufual and natural, and confequently, raise in the waryeft and moft unfanciful Man, a ftrong Prefumption of fomething Peculiar, and Extraordinary, that was in them. Although,

Things an

the Event

natural.

In the Third Place, I believe generally Things fwering in answering according to the Purpose of thefe according Divine Dreams, the coming to pass of fome to the Pur-Event, foretold in them, or fome other mirapofe of the culous and extraordinary Circumftances, that Dreams, attended them, were the Grounds that afforded the stron geft Argu- to fuch as received them, the highest and most ment of abfolute Certainty of their peculiar and extratheir be ordinary Nature; agreeable to Tertullian; Non ing Super enim quia videntur vera funt, fed quia adimplentur ; fides, fomniorum de effectu, non de confpectu renuntiatur (b). To this there is great Encouragement given from Sacred Authority, as well as Reafon. For in the foremention'd Inftance of Mofes, as we obferved, notwithstanding the many Miracles wrought before him, and by him, there is yet a farther Sign vouchfafed him, which he was to expect, and from whence he was more especially to conclude his Divine Authority and Commiffion; and if this were a more fpecial Confirmation to Mofes, of his being fent, and acted by GOD, (as is hard to deny, when made fo by GOD himself) much more may fome outward Confirmation be fuppofed neceffary, to this way of Revelation, to beget in him, that receives it, the highest Affurances of its Truth; because this way feems darker, and liable to more Miftake, and the Expectation of an External Proof, is affuredly very warrantable in any Man, upon his firft receiving of it; because warranted and granted to a way of Divine Revelation, the moft confpicuous, that seemed to need it not; according to the Divine Teftimony it felf, this way of GOD's revealing himself to Mofes, exceeding, in point of Clearnefs and Familiarity, any that was ever

(b) Tertullian. de Anima.

granted

granted to other Prophets. So that how manifeft foever thefe Divine Impreffions or Revelations by way of Dreams were, it cannot be pretended, they carry'd a greater Evidence with them, of their Divinity, than the way wherein GOD reveal'd himself to this great Prophet Moses; to which yet, if a higher Proof be granted, we cannot doubt, fometimes of the Neceffity, but always of the Usefulness of fuch an Evidence, to ways lefs clear and difcernible. And befides, it is clear from Sacred Hiftory, whatsoever Impreffions a Man feels, whether Sleeping or Waking, faving in Inftances hereafter to be mention'd, if the Event fucceeded not according to the Revelation, that Revelation was false; and if other Men are to look to the Event, and be led into an Opinion of the Prophet from it, why not the Prophet himself look to it, and be led hence into an Opinion of his own Revelations? I mean, before he is throughly acquainted with Revelation. But of this furely, we have faid enough. To proceed to Vifion, and extraordinary In- of vision. fpiration. The former of which, Vifion, we take to be Supernatural Impreffions,or Images, or Scenes excited in the Fancy or Imagination, when the Senses are awake, and confequently the higher Powers of the Mind, Reafon and Judgment exerted, for doubtlefs there is a very clear Diftination between thofe two Faculties of the Mind, the Reafon and Imagination,and this every Man will find, that will look into himfelf; for fuppofing a Man would recall what he had feen a day before, what Perfons, Things, Occurrences he had met with; is there not a Faculty or Power, that fets these things afresh before us, that pictures them again to the Mind? Do we not imagine them as prefent in the fame Order, we

faw

rence be

That there faw them? This is the work of the Imagination is a Diffeor Fancy. But cannot we go further, cannot, tween the We Reafon, Reflect, draw Conclufions from what Faculty of we See, Hear, or Read; who can deny it? And Reasoning this is the business of the Reafon or Underftanand Imagi- ding of Man. Is there no Difference between a ping. Power in a Man of recalling to his Mind the Fi

gure of a Triangle, and that Power or Faculty a Man has, of confidering and demonftrating its Propertys? Of comparing it with other Fi gures? As much Difference is there in this, as between a Man's feeing a fine and delicate Pi&ture, and his confidering, reafoning on the Proportions,Sweetness of its Stroaks andColours; what does this latter? Does his Sight reafon, and fhew the Proportions, conceive the Art of the Peice? His Eyes furely only fee the Piece, there they end, and a higher Faculty does the reft; otherwife a Hog may be an excellent Judge of Painting and Limning, for he fees the Piece, as well as Man. The Imagination or Fancy does that, when the Picture is removed, which the Sight does when it is prefent; it recalls the Picture, excites its Image, and no more rea fons upon the Figures, it excites, than the Sight does upon what it fees; and yet we find we have Power of Judging, Reafoning upon the Images Fancy excites, as well as we have upon the things we fee or read. There is there fore a Faculty of Reasoning in the Mind different from the Imagination.

This being fo clear, I cannot but admire, what fhould prevail upon a Man of a moft profound Judgment, to declare, he could fee no Diftinction between these two Faculties, the Imagination, and the Understanding or Reafon, We presume this would have been corrected,

had