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Objection 1: It would seem that the prophets of the demons never
foretell the truth. For Ambrose [Hilary the Deacon
(Ambrosiaster) on 1 Cor. 12:3] says that "Every truth, by
whomsoever spoken, is from the Holy Ghost." Now the prophets of
the demons do not speak from the Holy Ghost, because "there is no
concord between Christ and Belial" (2 Cor. 6:15).
Therefore it would seem that they never foretell the truth.
Objection 2: Further, just as true prophets are inspired by the
Spirit of truth, so the prophets of the demons are inspired by the
spirit of untruth, according to 3 Kgs. 22:22, "I will go
forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets." Now
the prophets inspired by the Holy Ghost never speak false, as stated
above (Question 111, Article 6). Therefore the prophets of
the demons never speak truth.
Objection 3: Further, it is said of the devil (Jn. 8:44)
that "when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for the devil
is a liar, and the father thereof," i.e. of lying. Now by
inspiring his prophets, the devil speaks only of his own, for he is
not appointed God's minister to declare the truth, since "light hath
no fellowship with darkness " (2 Cor. 6:14). Therefore the
prophets of the demons never foretell the truth.
On the contrary, A gloss on Num. 22:14, says that "Balaam
was a diviner, for he sometimes foreknew the future by help of the
demons and the magic art." Now he foretold many true things, for
instance that which is to be found in Num. 24:17: "A star
shall rise out of Jacob, and a scepter shall spring up from
Israel." Therefore even the prophets of the demons foretell the
truth.
I answer that, As the good is in relation to things, so is the true
in relation to knowledge. Now in things it is impossible to find one
that is wholly devoid of good. Wherefore it is also impossible for any
knowledge to be wholly false, without some mixture of truth. Hence
Bede says [Comment. in Luc. xvii, 12; Augustine,
Questions. Evang. ii, 40] that "no teaching is so false that it
never mingles truth with falsehood." Hence the teaching of the
demons, with which they instruct their prophets, contains some truths
whereby it is rendered acceptable. For the intellect is led astray to
falsehood by the semblance of truth, even as the will is seduced to
evil by the semblance of goodness. Wherefore Chrysostom says [Opus
Imperf. in Matth., Hom. xix]: "The devil is allowed sometimes
to speak true things, in order that his unwonted truthfulness may gain
credit for his lie."
Reply to Objection 1: The prophets of the demons do not always
speak from the demons' revelation, but sometimes by Divine
inspiration. This was evidently the case with Balaam, of whom we
read that the Lord spoke to him (Num. 22:12), though he was a
prophet of the demons, because God makes use even of the wicked for
the profit of the good. Hence He foretells certain truths even by the
demons' prophets, both that the truth may be rendered more credible,
since even its foes bear witness to it, and also in order that men, by
believing such men, may be more easily led on to truth. Wherefore
also the Sibyls foretold many true things about Christ.
Yet even when the demons' prophets are instructed by the demons, they
foretell the truth, sometimes by virtue of their own nature, the
author of which is the Holy Ghost, and sometimes by revelation of the
good spirits, as Augustine declares (Gen. ad lit. xii, 19):
so that even then this truth which the demons proclaim is from the Holy
Ghost.
Reply to Objection 2: A true prophet is always inspired by the
Spirit of truth, in Whom there is no falsehood, wherefore He never
says what is not true; whereas a false prophet is not always instructed
by the spirit of untruth, but sometimes even by the Spirit of truth.
Even the very spirit of untruth sometimes declares true things,
sometimes false, as stated above.
Reply to Objection 3: Those things are called the demons' own,
which they have of themselves, namely lies and sins; while they have,
not of themselves but of God, those things which belong to them by
nature: and it is by virtue of their own nature that they sometimes
foretell the truth, as stated above (ad 1). Moreover God makes
use of them to make known the truth which is to be accomplished through
them, by revealing Divine mysteries to them through the angels, as
already stated (Gen. ad lit. xii, 19; FP, Question 109,
Article 4, ad 1).
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