ular predicate is applicable to
one thing and less properly to another, does not prevent this latter
from being simply better than the former: thus the knowledge of the
blessed is more excellent than the knowledge of the wayfarer,
although faith is more properly predicated of the latter knowledge,
because faith implies an imperfection of knowledge. In like manner
prophecy implies a certain obscurity, and remoteness from the
intelligible truth; wherefore the name of prophet is more properly
applied to those who see by imaginary vision. And yet the more
excellent prophecy is that which is conveyed by intellectual vision,
provided the same truth be revealed in either case. If, however, the
intellectual light be divinely infused in a person, not that he may
know some supernatural things, but that he may be able to judge, with
the certitude of divine truth, of things that can be known by human
reason, such intellectual prophecy is beneath that which is conveyed
by an imaginary vision leading to a supernatural truth. It was this
kind of prophecy that all those had who are included in the ranks of
the prophets, who moreover were called prophets for the special
reason that they exercised the prophetic calling officially. Hence
they spoke as God's representatives, saying to the people: "Thus
saith the Lord": but not so the authors of the _sacred writings,_
several of whom treated more frequently of things that can be known
by human reason, not in God's name, but in their own, yet with the
assistance of the Divine light withal.

Reply Obj. 4: In the present life the enlightenment by the divine ray
is not altogether without any veil of phantasms, because according to
his present state of life it is unnatural to man not to understand
without a phantasm. Sometimes, however, it is sufficient to have
phantasms abstracted in the usual way from the senses without any
imaginary vision divinely vouchsafed, and thus prophetic vision is
said to be without imaginary vision.
_______________________

THIRD ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 174, Art. 3]

Whether the Degrees of Prophecy Can Be Distinguished According to the
Imaginary Vision?

Objection 1: It would seem that the degrees of prophecy cannot be
distinguished according to the imaginary vision. For the degrees of a
thing bear relation to something that is on its own account, not on
account of something else. Now, in prophecy, intellectual vision is
sought on its own account, and imaginary visi