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Objection 1: It would seem that prophecy is unfittingly divided
according to a gloss on Mt. 1:23, "Behold a virgin shall be
with child," where it is stated that "one kind of prophecy proceeds
from the Divine predestination, and must in all respects be
accomplished so that its fulfillment is independent of our will, for
instance the one in question. Another prophecy proceeds from God's
foreknowledge: and into this our will enters. And another prophecy is
called denunciation, which is significative of God's disapproval."
For that which results from every prophecy should not be reckoned a
part of prophecy. Now all prophecy is according to the Divine
foreknowledge, since the prophets "read in the book of
foreknowledge," as a gloss says on Is. 38:1. Therefore it
would seem that prophecy according to foreknowledge should not be
reckoned a species of prophecy.
Objection 2: Further, just as something is foretold in
denunciation, so is something foretold in promise, and both of these
are subject to alteration. For it is written (Jer. 18:7,8):
"I will suddenly speak against a nation and against a kingdom, to
root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it. If that nation
against which I have spoken shall repent of their evil, I also will
repent"---and this pertains to the prophecy of denunciation, and
afterwards the text continues in reference to the prophecy of promise
(Jer. 18:9,10): "I will suddenly speak of a nation and of
a kingdom, to build up and plant it. If it shall do evil in My sight
. . . I will repent of the good that I have spoken to do unto
it." Therefore as there is reckoned to be a prophecy of
denunciation, so should there be a prophecy of promise.
Objection 3: Further, Isidore says (Etym. vii, 8): "There
are seven kinds of prophecy. The first is an ecstasy, which is the
transport of the mind: thus Peter saw a vessel descending from heaven
with all manner of beasts therein. The second kind is a vision, as we
read in Isaias, who says (Is. 6:1): 'I saw the Lord
sitting,' etc. The third kind is a dream: thus Jacob in a dream,
saw a ladder. The fourth kind is from the midst of a cloud: thus God
spake to Moses. The fifth kind is a voice from heaven, as that which
called to Abraham saying (Gn. 22:11): 'Lay not thy hand
upon the boy.' The sixth kind is taking up a parable, as in the
example of Balaam (Num. 23:7; 24:15). The seventh kind
is the fullness of the Holy Ghost, as in the case of nearly all the
prophets." Further, he mentions three kinds of vision; "one by the
eyes of the body, another by the soul's imagination, a third by the
eyes of the mind." Now these are not included in the aforesaid
division. Therefore it is insufficient.
On the contrary, stands the authority of Jerome to whom the gloss
above quoted is ascribed.
I answer that, The species of moral habits and acts are distinguished
according to their objects. Now the object of prophecy is something
known by God and surpassing the faculty of man. Wherefore, according
to the difference of such things, prophecy is divided into various
species, as assigned above. Now it has been stated above (Question
71, Article 6, ad 2) that the future is contained in the Divine
knowledge in two ways. First, as in its cause: and thus we have the
prophecy of "denunciation," which is not always fulfilled. but it
foretells the relation of cause to effect, which is sometimes hindered
by some other occurrence supervening. Secondly, God foreknows
certain things in themselves---either as to be accomplished by
Himself, and of such things is the prophecy of "predestination,"
since, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 30), "God
predestines things which are not in our power"---or as to be
accomplished through man's free-will, and of such is the prophecy of
"foreknowledge." This may regard either good or evil, which does
not apply to the prophecy of predestination, since the latter regards
good alone. And since predestination is comprised under
foreknowledge, the gloss in the beginning of the Psalter assigns only
two species to prophecy, namely of "foreknowledge," and of
"denunciation."
Reply to Objection 1: Foreknowledge, properly speaking, denotes
precognition of future events in themselves, and in this sense it is
reckoned a species of prophecy. But in so far as it is used in
connection with future events, whether as in themselves, or as in
their causes, it is common to every species of prophecy.
Reply to Objection 2: The prophecy of promise is included in the
prophecy of denunciation, because the aspect of truth is the same in
both. But it is denominated in preference from denunciation, because
God is more inclined to remit punishment than to withdraw promised
blessings.
Reply to Objection 3: Isidore divides prophecy according to the
manner of prophesying. Now we may distinguish the manner of
prophesying---either according to man's cognitive powers, which are
sense, imagination, and intellect, and then we have the three kinds
of vision mentioned both by him and by Augustine (Gen. ad lit.
xii, 6,7)---or according to the different ways in which the
prophetic current is received. Thus as regards the enlightening of the
intellect there is the "fullness of the Holy Ghost" which he
mentions in the seventh place. As to the imprinting of pictures on the
imagination he mentions three, namely "dreams," to which he gives
the third place; "vision," which occurs to the prophet while awake
and regards any kind of ordinary object, and this he puts in the second
place; and "ecstasy," which results from the mind being uplifted to
certain lofty things, and to this he assigns the first place. As
regards sensible signs he reckons three kinds of prophecy, because a
sensible sign is---either a corporeal thing offered externally to the
sight, such as "a cloud," which he mentions in the fourth
place---or a "voice" sounding from without and conveyed to man's
hearing---this he puts in the fifth place---or a voice proceeding
from a man, conveying something under a similitude, and this pertains
to the "parable" to which he assigns the sixth place.
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