these writings from those of the first lawgiver, who raised his nation from the nature worship of Egypt, to those of the prophetic king and psalmist, and to the last admonitory words in the desert, are, according to their contents and the inward sense, prophetic writings; the nation may be called a prophetic one in the highest sense, and is accepted as such historically, having been and become so in its existence and strange fortunes."

"The guidance of the Jewish nation," says Molitor, "gives the most clear proof of the truth of their God and religion. In all other nations there certainly were oracles; they were questioned on all important points, and no action of life was undertaken without the advice of the gods being asked. In no single pagan religion do we find a truly positive, divine guidance; man stands alone in his own power. It is far different in the Israelitish people, which was nothing in itself and alone, but whose whole being and guidance were evidently the work of the Divinity. Where is there a people which has such an ethical legislature? Where shall we find a nation in whom humility, obedience, and the most child-like resignation to God, is made the first duty of life; chastisements regarded as a proof of love, and man guided to his destination in humility and suffering? We certainly find in heathendom trials, but they are only trials in valiantly overcoming the temptations of evil. Nowhere do we find a word of praise of humility and self-denial. Moses, for instance, is called the most humble of men: is this praise which was ever bestowed upon heathen heroes ?" (Cabbalah, Part iii. p. 116.)

A material difference is evident between the Israelitish and heathen seers. If even the magical appearances proceed universally from natural capabilities, here as elsewhere; if the imagination and sympathy, and the outward natural influences, produced similar effects, and if the Israelites learned much from the Egyptian mysteries-as, for instance, the prophetic schools, the inspiring dances and songs-yet we shall find, as regards the motives and effects, so great a difference, that it deserves to be remarked upon here. Having already given the particular signs of the true prophets, the signs of the false prophets are as follows :

:

1. The magician, the Indian Brahmin, the mysterious

priest, produces ecstasy through his own will, and by selfchosen means, attaining, at the same time, his supposed union with God; Moses and the true Israelitish prophets received the call to serve God unexpectedly.

2. The magician raises himself, through his own powers, to a higher state than the surrounding world; he, therefore, intentionally secludes himself, and this seclusion even becomes a command: through this follow exclusions and gradations of rank, as the Indian and Egyptian castes, which produce a decided influence upon all the relations of the world and mind. Moses and the prophets are in seclusion rather from inward passive fear; suddenly the call is heard, and they follow in humility, with countenance covered with their garments. The redemption of the people of Moses did not proceed from his own will, and he himself does not desire any pre-eminence; he does not separate the classes, but he separates the united people from the blind heathendom, and sanctifies it to the Lord; he himself is the announcement of the belief in God's universal government; of future rewards and punishments; of the love of God, of order, and of justice.

3. Contempt for the world, and pride of their own worth in V a life of contemplation, are found in the magical seers. A wise use of life, an obedient service of God, and a continual remembrance of man's sinful nature, cause the true prophet to pray for divine aid, illumination, and knowledge of the truth, and for the power to obey a higher will than his own. To the Brahmin, for instance, this earth is a hell, an existence of trouble; to the prophet, it is a school where he may gain true happiness and peace through the fulfilment of his duties.

4. The magicians are themselves lawgivers; the prophets are child-like and obedient disciples, the declarers and expounders of the revelations of God.

5. There we find the means of producing ecstasy, with contempt and renouncement of the world, and unnatural chastisement of the body. Here the world is arranged for a regulated use of life; the prophet uses no means to produce ecstasy; he utters the received word of God without preparation, and imparts it to his brethren; he lives with his fellow men, and does not mortify the body.

6. The vision itself is, in the highest ecstasy of the

magicians, a kind of radiance, sunk in which, the world, with its signification, and perhaps even the inward constitution of the mind, may be clearly shown to them, as to our clairvoyants. But their lips are silent in the delight of the ecstasy and the dazzling radiance of a self-illumination: from this cause arise the many confusions of truth and falsehood, of impressions of the mind and pictures of the fancy in broken and inharmonic shapes, of spasms and contortions of the body and soul, as they appear fleetingly and in confused masses in our somnambulists. Their visions are, like those of the somnambulists, not always to be depended on, and require an explanation, not being always understood in their proper sense. In the prophets, visions are illuminations and reflections of a gentle divine light upon the mirror of a pure mind, which retains its individuality, and remains in conscious dependence and connection with God and the outer world; their visions refer to the common affairs of life, religious and civil; the prophet speaks, and his words are doctrines of truth, clearly expressed to all ages of mankind, and intelligible to every one. He seeks and finds his happiness, not in ecstasy, but in the pleasures of his mission, in spreading the word of God; not in secluded reflection, but in the communication and active co-operation with his fellow men; the true prophet is, therefore, not lost in inward contemplation, nor does he forget himself in the world, but remains in active communion with God, and with his neighbours, in word and deed.

Lastly,

7. As in the varieties of inspiration the motive and proceedure differ, so do also the object and the result. The Indian magicians complain of the gradual degeneracy of the mind from its original brilliancy, in the different periods of the world, in perishable nature, and the realms of death; and deplore the misery connected with this-the discordthe confusion and distraction of the mind, as we find it to be the case among the various heathen nations. On the contrary, how much has not the illumination of the mind, through true prophets, in respect to religion and the arts, increased and risen in construction and harmony by a steady progress. Engrafted upon Judaism, the spirit of Chris

tianity, which is spread over the West, extends its power still further: and, while in heathendom everything is sinking into unconsciousness and night, through unfruitful communion, here, by active belief, mountains are removed, and seeds sown in mutual assistance, whose fruits will only ripen to our use in the other world, towards which our endeavours should be directed.

The object of life is to the magician his inward contemplation; the true prophet lives in faith, and not in visions. Historians and philosophers of modern times have regarded the ecstatic phenomena of the Israelitish prophets, and especially of the Apostles, as identical with magnetic clairvoyance. Towards the explanation and closer consideration of this subject, we may add the following to the quotation already given.

True prophets are especially called by God, and influenced by the Holy Spirit to announce the will and counsel of God. They are called seers, men of God, servants and messengers of the Lord, angels, guardians. The distinguishing marks of a true prophet of the Old Testament were:

1. That their prophecies agreed with the teachings of Moses and the patriarchs (Deut. xiii. 1); 2. That they should prove true (Deut. xviii. 21; Jeremiah, xxviii. 9); 3. That they should perform miracles, but only when a particular covenant was to be formed, or a reformation of a degenerate age should be brought about; 4. That they should agree with other prophets (Es. viii. 2, Jerem. xxvi. 18);-5. That they should lead a blameless life (Jeremiah, xxvii. 4; Micah, ii. 11);-6. That they should show holy zeal for God's works (Jeremiah, xxvi. 13);-7. That they should have an impressive delivery (Jeremiah, xxi. 28, 29). Their duty consisted in, firstly, instructing the people, especially when the priests, whose duty it particularly was, were negligent;-secondly, in replacing the worship of God upon its former footing (2 Kings, xvii. 18; Ezek. iii. 17);-thirdly, to foretell future events, and, therefore, also to ask the counsel of God (1 Kings, xiv. 2, 3; xxii. 5, 8);fourthly, to pray for the people and avert the threatened punishment (Gen. xx. 7; Kings, xix. 2);-and fifthly, that they should commit the will of God to writing (1 Chron. ххіх. 9).

The same, on the whole, may be said concerning the Apostles, the messengers and announcers of the living word. They are called messengers, because Christ himself chose and sent them over all the world, to bring about the reconciliation with God, and to gather together the chosen. They did not offer themselves for this service, but Christ called them directly, and verbally imparted the teaching to them, that the Messias had appeared, and given them the power of working miracles through the word of the Lord. Their new teachings, namely, are very different to those of prophets of the Old Covenant,-repent and believe in the gospel, by which you will show that you love God above all, and your neighbour as yourself. Their life itself is a faithful following in the footsteps of their Lord and Master, in word and deed, in action and suffering.

If we bear these definitions well in mind, no one can find it difficult to distinguish between magical and magnetic clairvoyance, and prophetic inspiration; not to over-estimate the former and not to depreciate the latter. For although the appearances are similar at first sight, yet the difference is easily perceptible if we regard them according to their meaning, form, and their intention or object.

According to the originating cause, the difference consists in the magical and magnetic clairvoyance being in most cases of human origin, and having grown up in diseased ground, although it may be developed by the art of the physician, or by accident, or by its own innate power; an abnormal state of the health is, however, always the result, and sleep with a suspension of the outward senses is the first requisite. If there be a greater predisposition in certain individuals, there must be a physiological cause in the body itself; and if circumstances assist sleep-walking in others, it belongs to the kingdom of nature, which grasps the clairvoyant in strong bands, and still remains the ruling influence, even when he reaches the highest states.

Prophetic inspiration is not produced by nature or by man; its impulse is the Holy Spirit and the divine will. The divine call comes unexpectedly, and the physical condition is not regarded; the physical are never the influencing powers, but remain dependent upon the mind, which uses them as the instruments to purely spiritual ends.