I may here observe, that it has been the opinion of all ranks and denominations of men, in all ages and nations, among Heathens, Jews, Mahometans, and Christians, that the Divine Being doth make known his will upon some occasions in this manner. The holy scriptures always take it for granted, and indeed give us abundance of instances of such manifestations. Neither are other writings, whether ancient or modern, wanting in similar well-attested relations. The following are a few instances out of the Sacred Scriptures.

1. The first we meet with in the Bible, is in the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, where we are told God appeared unto Abraham, and acquainted him with the captivity and deliverance of his posterity.

2. In the twentieth chapter we are also informed, that Abi-melech, king of Gerar, had a dream, wherein God made known unto him that Sarah was the wife of Abraham.

3. In the twenty-sixth chapter it is said, the Lord appeared unto Isaac by night, and blessed him.

4. In the twenty-eighth chapter is recorded a very remarkable mysterious dream that Jacob had of a ladder, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it.

5. In the thirty-first chapter we find the angel of the Lord Spake unto Jacob in a dream, and showed him the reason of Laban's cattle bearing ring-straked, speckled, and grisled young.

6. In the same chapter it is related, that God spake unto Laban by night in a dream.

7. In the thirty-seventh chapter, we have two other prophetic dreams of Joseph; the one about the sheaves making obeisance to his sheaf, and the other about the sun, moon, and eleven stars doing him honour.

8. In the fortieth chapter we have two other significant and prophetic dreams; the one by the chief butler, and the other by the chief baker of Pharoah.

9. In the next chapter of the same book it is related that king Pharaoh himself had two expressive and prophetic dreams, both which, as well as the two former, Joseph truly interpreted.

10. There is another singular one recorded in the seventh chapter of the book of Judges, about a cake of barley bread which tumbled into the host of Midian, and which was interpreted to be the sword of Gideon. After this interpretation Gideon was encouraged to attack the enemy, and obtained a complete victory.

11. In the third chapter of the First Book of Kings, it is said, that the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and held a conversation with him. It is a very instructive one, and therefore I will produce it at length:- In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, thou hast showed unto thy servant David, my father, great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord, my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead: of David my father, and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give, there, fore, thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, because thou bast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour; so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father did walk, then I will lenghthen thy days. And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream; and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

12. The dreams of Nebuchadnezzer, king of Babylon, are very remarkable, and involve the history of the world. Those of Daniel, too, are much of the same kind, and contain a figurative view of the state of mankind to the end of time, and the dissolution of all things.

Several other dreams and night-visions are recorded, both in the Old Testament and in the Apocryphal books, highly worthy the attention of the curious; but as the volume in which they are contained is in every person's hand, and lest I should appear too tedious in multiplying quotations, we will pass on to those in the New Testament.

13. When our Saviour was about to be born, there were several notices conveyed to the mind of Joseph, his reputed father, in the same supernatural manner. Yea, in the two first chapters of St. Matthew's gospel there are no less than five admonitory dreams recorded.

14. I do not know if our Saviour's temptation in the wilderness was not of the dream or vision kind; for, if we read it considerately, we shall see that there are some circumstances in it that cannot easily be accounted for on any other principle.

15. The dream of Pilate's wife appears evidently to have been supernatural and admonitory.

16. In the eighteenth chapter of Acts we have a relation of a vision that St. Paul had, saying, be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee, to hurt thee; for I have much people in this city.

17. And again, in the twenty-seventh chapter, there is one similar: there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, " Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee."