VISION III.--PAUL'S ANTERIOR VISION, AS REPORTED BY THE LORD TO ANANIAS. By the nature of the acts which are the objects of it, the command, we see, is necessarily pregnant with information: but now comes the information given as such--the piece of information with which the command is followed. This information--in and by which another, an antecedent vision, is brought upon the carpet, and communicated--has been reserved for a separate consideration. This information is in its complexion truly curious: to present a clear view of it, is not an altogether easy task. The information thus given by the Lord--given to this Ananias--this information, of which Paul is the subject, is--what? that, on some former occasion, neither time nor place mentioned, he, Ananias, to whom the Lord is giving the information, had been seen by this same Paul performing, with a certain intention, a certain action; the intention being--that, in relation to this same Paul, a certain effect should be produced--to wit, that of his receiving his sight. The Lord declares, Acts ix. 12, to Ananias, that Paul "had _seen in a vision_ a man, Ananias himself, coming and putting his hand on him, that he (Paul) might receive his sight." Well then--this action which the Lord thus informs Ananias that he, Ananias, had performed,--did he, at any time and place, ever perform it? Oh, no; that is not necessary: the question is not a fair one; for it was only in a vision that it was performed. Well then--if it was only in a vision that it was performed, then, in reality, it was never performed. The Lord said that it had been performed; but in so saying the Lord had said that which was not true. The Lord had caused him to believe this--the Lord knowing all the while that it was not true. Such is the deed, which, according to our historian, the Lord relates himself to have achieved. But the _intention_, was that true? Oh, no; nor was there any need of its being so: for the intention, with which the act was supposed to be performed, was part and parcel of the divinely-taught untruth. The effect, the production of which had been the object of the intention, was it then--had it then been--produced? Wait a little; no, not at that time. But the time was not then as yet come; and now it is coming apace. But this effect--what is it? a man's receiving his sight; this same Paul's receiving his sight; this same Paul, of whom Ananias knew nothing, nor had ever heard anything, except what he had just been hearing--to wit, that, by a man of that name, he, Ananias, had once been seen--seen to do so and so--he, all the while--he, the doer, knowing nothing of what he was doing--knowing nothing at all about the matter. However, only in a vision did all this pass; which being the case, no proper subject of wonder was afforded to him by such otherwise somewhat extraordinary ignorance.