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power of reason。
（13） Our conclusions on the subject must be drawn solely from Scripture； for
what can we affirm about matters transcending our knowledge except what is
told us by the words or writings of prophets？ （14） And since there are； so
far as I know； no prophets now alive； we have no alternative but to read the
books of prophets departed； taking care the while not to reason from
metaphor or to ascribe anything to our authors which they do not themselves
distinctly state。 （15） I must further premise that the Jews never make any
mention or account of secondary； or particular causes； but in a spirit of
religion； piety； and what is commonly called godliness； refer all things
directly to the Deity。 （16） For instance if they make money by a
transaction； they say God gave it to them； if they desire anything； they say
God has disposed their hearts towards it； if they think anything； they say
God told them。 （17） Hence we must not suppose that everything is prophecy or
revelation which is described in Scripture as told by God to anyone； but
only such things as are expressly announced as prophecy or revelation； or
are plainly pointed to as such by the context。
（18） A perusal of the sacred books will show us that all God's revelations
to the prophets were made through words or appearances； or a combination of
the two。 （19） These words and appearances were of two kinds； 1。… real when
external to the mind of the prophet who heard or saw them； 2。… imaginary
when the imagination of the prophet was in a state which led him distinctly
to suppose that he heard or saw them。
（20） With a real voice God revealed to Moses the laws which He wished to be
transmitted to the Hebrews； as we may see from Exodus xxv：22； where God
says； 〃And there I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from the
mercy seat which is between the Cherubim。〃 （21） Some sort of real voice must
necessarily have been employed； for Moses found God ready to commune with
him at any time。 This； as I shall shortly show； is the only instance of a
real voice。
（22） We might； perhaps； suppose that the voice with which God called Samuel
was real； for in 1 Sam。 iii：21； we read； 〃And the Lord appeared again in
Shiloh； for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the
Lord；〃 implying that the appearance of the Lord consisted in His making
Himself known to Samuel through a voice； in other words； that Samuel heard
the Lord speaking。 （23） But we are compelled to distinguish between the
prophecies of Moses and those of other prophets； and therefore must decide
that this voice was imaginary； a conclusion further supported by the voice's
resemblance to the voice of Eli； which Samuel was in the habit of hearing；
and therefore might easily imagine； when thrice called by the Lord； Samuel
supposed it to have been Eli。
（24） The voice which Abimelech heard was imaginary； for it is written；
Gen。 xx：6； 〃And God said unto him in a dream。〃 （25） So that the will of God
was manifest to him； not in waking； but only； in sleep； that is； when the
imagination is most active and uncontrolled。 （26） Some of the Jews believe
that the actual words of the Decalogue were not spoken by God； but that the
Israelites heard a noise only； without any distinct words； and during its
continuance apprehended the Ten Commandments by pure intuition； to this
opinion I myself once inclined； seeing that the words of the Decalogue in
Exodus are different from the words of the Decalogue in Deuteronomy； for the
discrepancy seemed to imply （since God only spoke once） that the Ten
Commandments were not intended to convey the actual words of the Lord； but
only His meaning。 （27） However； unless we would do violence to Scripture； we
must certainly admit that the Israelites heard a real voice； for Scripture
expressly says； Deut。 v：4；〃 God spake with you face to face；〃 i。e。 as two
men ordinarily interchange ideas through the instrumentality of their two
bodies； and therefore it seems more consonant with Holy Writ to suppose that
God really did create a voice of some kind with which the Decalogue was
revealed。 （28） The discrepancy of the two versions is treated of in
Chap。 VIII。
（29） Yet not even thus is all difficulty removed； for it seems scarcely
reasonable to affirm that a created thing； depending on God in the same
manner as other created things； would be able to express or explain the
nature of God either verbally or really by means of its individual
organism： for instance； by declaring in the first person； 〃I am the Lord
your God。〃
（30） Certainly when anyone says with his mouth； 〃I understand；〃 we do not
attribute the understanding to the mouth； but to the mind of the speaker；
yet this is because the mouth is the natural organ of a man speaking； and
the hearer； knowing what understanding is； easily comprehends； by a
comparison with himself； that the speaker's mind is meant； but if we knew
nothing of God beyond the mere name and wished to commune with Him； and be
assured of His existence； I fail to see how our wish would be satisfied by
the declaration of a created thing （depending on God neither more nor less
than ourselves）； 〃I am the Lord。〃 （31） If God contorted the lips of Moses；
or； I will not say Moses； but some beast； till they pronounced the words；
〃I am the Lord；〃 should we apprehend the Lord's existence therefrom？
（32） Scripture seems clearly to point to the belief that God spoke Himself；
having descended from heaven to Mount Sinai for the purpose … and not only
that the Israelites heard Him speaking； but that their chief men beheld Him
（Ex：xxiv。） （33） Further the law of Moses； which might neither be added to
nor curtailed； and which was set up as a national standard of right； nowhere
prescribed the belief that God is without body； or even without form or
figure； but only ordained that the Jews should believe in His existence and
worship Him alone： it forbade them to invent or fashion any likeness of the
Deity； but this was to insure purity of service； because； never having seen
God； they could not by means of images recall the likeness of God； but only
the likeness of some created thing which might thus gradually take the place
of God as the object of their adoration。 （34） Nevertheless； the Bible
clearly implies that God has a form； and that Moses when he heard God
speaking was permitted to behold it； or at least its hinder parts。
（35） Doubtless some mystery lurks in this question which we will discuss
more fully below。 （36） For the present I will call attention to the passages
in Scripture indicating the means by which God has revealed His laws to man。
（37） Revelation may be through figures only； as in I Chron：xxii。； where God
displays his anger to David by means of an an