[565]. Mr. Stowell, in his Lecture on the Personality and Agency of Satan (pp. 703, 704), intimates that probably no visible form presented itself to Jesus: and though strongly, and as it appears to me reasonably, objecting to the interpretation which resolves the whole temptation into a vision, he supposes, with more latitude than consistency of explanation, that the Devil “showed” to our Lord all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them,—not really and objectively,—but by means of “a glowing though scenical representation.” The Lecturer does not state whether he conceives the solicitations of Satan to have been conveyed by the method of real and organic talking: but if, in the peculiar style of this narrative, the Tempter can be described as “showing” things without the presence of any visible objects, he may be described as “saying” things without the presence of any audible sounds. English orthodoxy, in conformity with the gross and hard materialism which pervades it, seems to have encouraged the idea, that all preternatural communications, whether diabolic or divine, with the human mind, must be made by articulate noises or sensible images; that the action of spirit on spirit is inconceivable; and a revelation in silence and darkness a thing impossible. Adverting to this prejudice, the admirable Barclay says, “We must not think his” (Abraham’s) “faith was built upon his outward senses, but proceeded from the secret persuasion of God’s spirit in his heart;”—“by which many times faith is begotten and strengthened without any of these outward and visible helps; as we may observe in many passages of the Holy Scriptures, where it is only mentioned, ‘And God said,’ &c., ‘And the word of the Lord came’ unto such and such, ‘saying,’ &c. But if any one should pertinaciously affirm, that this did import an outward audible voice to the carnal ear, I would gladly know, what other argument such an one could bring, for this his affirmation, saving his own simple conjecture. It is said indeed, ‘The Spirit witnesseth with our spirit;’ but not to our outward ears, Rom. viii. 16. And seeing the Spirit of God is within us, and not without us only, it speaks to our spiritual, and not to our bodily ear. Therefore I see no reason, where it’s so often said in Scripture, ‘The Spirit said,’ ‘moved,’ ‘hindered,’ ‘called,’ such or such a one, to do or forbear such or such a thing, that any have to conclude, that this was not an inward voice to the ear of the soul, rather than an outward voice to the bodily ear. If any be otherwise minded, let them, if they can, produce their arguments, and we may further consider of them.”—Barclay’s Apology for the true Christian Divinity, Prop. II.
[566]. Mr. Stowell’s Lecture, p. 713.
[567]. Ibid. p. 695.
[568]. John viii. 42, 47.
[569]. John x. 14, 27.
[570]. John vi. 44.
[571]. Οἱ δὲ νομίζουσι Διὶ μὲν, ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλότατα τῶν οὐρέων ἀναβαίνοντες, θυσίας ἔρδειν, τὸν κύκλον πάντα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ Δία καλέοντες. i. 131.
[572]. De Iside et Osiride, § 46, 47.
[573]. See his Treatise, Über die Sprache und Weisheit der Indier: an abstract of which, with a translation of the portions relating to the dualistic system, will be found in Dr. Prichard’s Analysis of the Egyptian Mythology, Book III.