3. Conclu. Hence prophesying is not a habit, and it is a habit. It is not an habit. 1. Because no Prophet can simply prophecy when he will, except the man Christ, especially of things to come by contingent causes (the presence of which things (saith Suarez) is only connatural to God, 1and to no moral man) coming on men by a transient irradiation, while as the candle of Gods prophetical light glanceth upon the fancy, and from thence to the mind, that the man may see and read the species and images, and when this light shineth not Nathan and Samuel read beside the Bible and are widely out. Prophecy also is an habit. For 1. something remain in Isaiah and Jeremiah while they sleep, and prophecy not, from whence they are named Prophets, and really are Prophets; for when God hath once revealed himself to one as to his own Prophet, even from by past revelation. 1 There remaineth a disposition to prophecy, 1 Sam. 3. 20. All Israel knew, even from Dan to Beersheba, that Samuel was established to be a Prophet of the Lord. 2. Because there remaineth a prophetical light, whereby the man gave assent to the last prophetical revelation, and so the species and prophetical images must remain in the fantasy, and with these a prophetical memory of by past predictions, and so some experimental certainty, that what he fore-telleth shall come to pass: See Thomas and Caietan, 2now the object prophetical is known three ways,3 1. When the naked natural images or species of the material object are only cast in by God and no more, and this is most in dreams, as Nebuchadnezzar saw a tree in his dream, but knew not that it was a King, Pharaoh saw seven blasted reeds and seven lean kine, but knew not that they were seven years of Famine. And sometimes in a vision being in an ecstasy, as John, Rev. 1. saw 1. seven candlesticks, but knew not that they were the seven Churches of Asia, while Christ revealed the meaning to him. 2. The ⟨p. 253⟩images and species are known formally, as signs signifying thus and thus, as Joseph by a prophetical light saw the seven lean kine to be seven years of famine. 3. Now there is a third light, to judge of the act of seeing, which I take to be two-fold. 1.
3. Conclu. Hence prophecying is not a habit, and it is a habit. It is not an habit. 1. Because no Prophet can simply prophecy when he will, except the man Christ, especially of things to come by contingent causes (the presence of which things (saith Suarez) is onely connaturall to God, 1and to no morrall man) comming on men by a transient irradiation, while as the candle of Gods propheticall light glanceth upon the fancy, and from thence to the mind, that the man may see and reade the species and images, and when this light shineth not Nathan and Samuell reade beside the Bible and are widely out. Proph•cy also is an habit. For 1. something remaine in Isaiah and Jeremiah while they sleepe, and prophecy not, from whence they are named Prophets, and really are Prophets; for when God hath once revealed himselfe to one as to his owne Prophet, even from by past revelation. 1 There remaineth a disposition to prophecy, 1 Sam. 3. 20. All Israel knew, even from Dan to Beersheba, that Samuell was established to be a Prophet of the Lord. 2. Because there remaineth a propheticall light, whereby the man gave ass•nt to the last propheticall revelation, and so the species and propheticall images must remaine in the fantasie, and with these a propheticall memory of by past predictions, and so some experimentall certainty, that what he fore-telleth shall come to passe: See Thomas and Caietan, 2now the object propheticall is knowne three wayes,3 1. When the naked naturall images or species of the materiall object are only cast in by God and no more, and this is most in dreames, as Nebuchadnezar saw a tree in his dreame, but knew not that it was a King, Pharoah saw seven blasted reeds and seven leane kine, but knew not that they were seven yeares of Famine. And sometimes in a vision being in an extasie, as John, Rev. 1. saw 1. seven candl•sticks, but knew not that they were the seven Churches of Asia, while Christ revealed the meaning to him. 2. The ⟨p. 253⟩images and species are knowne formally, as signes signifying thus and thus, as Joseph by a propheticall light saw the seven leane kine to be seven yeares of famine. 3. Now there is a third light, to judge of the act of seeing, which I take to be two-fold. 1.
- 1Suarez d• tripl. virt. disp 8. sec. 8. n 7.
- 2Thomas 22. q. 172. ar. 2▪
- 3Ca••tan. co•. in 22. q. 171. ar•. 2.
