There Are Differences Of Gifts, Says The Apostle, But One
And The Same Spirit; Whence Peter, In His Second Epistle,
Writes,
"For the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man, but
men spake as if
They were inspired by the Holy Ghost:" to the same
effect did the Chaldeans answer king Nebuchadonazar on the
interpretation of his dream, which he wished to extort from them.
"There is not," say they, "a man upon earth who can, O king,
satisfactorily answer your question; let no king therefore, however
great or potent, make a similar request to any magician,
astrologer, or Chaldean; for it is a rare thing that the king
requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the
king, except the Gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." On this
passage Jerome remarks, "The diviners and all the learned of this
world confess, that the prescience of future events belongs to God
alone; the prophets therefore, who foretold things to come, spake
by the spirit of God. Hence some persons object, that, if they
were under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they would sometimes
premise, "Thus saith the Lord God," or make use of some expression
in the prophetic style; and as such a mode of prophesying is not
taken notice of by Merlin, and no mention is made of his sanctity,
devotion, or faith, many think that he spake by a Pythonic spirit.
To which I answer, that the spirit of prophecy was given not only
to the holy, but sometimes to unbelievers and Gentiles, to Baal, to
the sibyls, and even to bad people, as to Caiaphas and Bela. On
which occasion Origen says: "Do not wonder, if he whom ye have
mentioned declares that the Scribes and Pharisees and doctors
amongst the Jews prophesied concerning Christ; for Caiaphas said:
"It is expedient for us that one man die for the people:" but
asserts at the same time, that because he was high priest for that
year, he prophesied. Let no man therefore be lifted up, if he
prophesies, if he merits prescience; for prophecies shall fail,
tongues shall cease, knowledge shall vanish away; and now abideth,
faith, hope, and charity: these three; but the greatest of these
is Charity, which never faileth. But these bad men not only
prophesied, but sometimes performed great miracles, which others
could not accomplish. John the Baptist, who was so great a
personage, performed no miracle, as John the Evangelist testifies:
"And many came to Jesus and said, Because John wrought no signs,"
etc. Nor do we hear that the mother of God performed any miracle;
we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that the sons of Sheva cast
out devils in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preached; and in Matthew
and Luke we may find these words: "Many shall say unto me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy
name have cast out devils?
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