OF PROPHECY
(In Six Articles)
After treating individually of all the virtues and vices that pertain
to men of all conditions and estates, we must now consider those
things which pertain especially to certain men. Now there is a triple
difference between men as regards things connected with the soul's
habits and acts. First, in reference to the various gratuitous
graces, according to 1 Cor. 12:4, 7: "There are diversities of graces
. . . and to one . . . by the Spirit is given the word of wisdom, to
another the word of knowledge," etc. Another difference arises from
the diversities of life, namely the active and the contemplative
life, which correspond to diverse purposes of operation, wherefore it
is stated (1 Cor. 12:4, 7) that "there are diversities of
operations." For the purpose of operation in Martha, who "was busy
about much serving," which pertains to the active life, differed from
the purpose of operation in Mary, "who sitting . . . at the Lord's
feet, heard His word" (Luke 10:39, 40), which pertains to the
contemplative life. A third difference corresponds to the various
duties and states of life, as expressed in Eph. 4:11, "And He gave
some apostles; and some prophets; and other some evangelists; and
other some pastors and doctors": and this pertains to diversity of
ministries, of which it is written (1 Cor. 12:5): "There are
diversities of ministries."
With regard to gratuitous graces, which are the first object to be
considered, it must be observed that some of them pertain to
knowledge, some to speech, and some to operation. Now all things
pertaining to knowledge may be comprised under _prophecy,_ since
prophetic revelation extends not only to future events relating to
man, but also to things relating to God, both as to those which are
to be believed by all and are matters of _faith,_ and as to yet
higher mysteries, which concern the perfect and belong to _wisdom._
Again, prophetic revelation is about things pertaining to spiritual
substances, by whom we are urged to good or evil; this pertains to
the _discernment of spirits._ Moreover it extends to the direction of
human acts, and this pertains to _knowledge,_ as we shall explain
further on (Q. 177). Accordingly we must first of all consider
prophecy, and rapture which is a degree of prophecy.
Prophecy admits of four heads of consideration: (1) its essence;
(2) its cause; (3) the mode of prophetic knowledge; (4) the division
of prophecy.
Under the first head there are six points of inquiry:
(1) Whether prophecy pertains to knowledge?
(2) Whether it is a habit?
(3) Whether it is only about future contingencies?
(4) Whether a prophet knows all possible matters of prophecy?
(5) Whether a prophet distinguishes that which he perceives by the
gift of God, from that which he perceives by his own spirit?
(6) Whether anything false can be the matter of prophecy?
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