ed for abstract
reasoning, whereas those who excel in intellect and its use keep their
imagination more restrained and controlled, holding it in subjection, so
to speak, lest it should usurp the place of reason.

Thus to suppose that knowledge of natural and spiritual phenomena can be
gained from the prophetic books, is an utter mistake, which I shall
endeavor to expose, as I think philosophy, the age, and the question
itself demand. I care not for the girdings of superstition, for
superstition is the bitter enemy of all true knowledge and true
morality. Yes; it has come to this! Men who openly confess that they can
form no idea of God, and only know Him through created things, of which
they know not the causes, can unblushingly accuse philosophers of
Atheism.

Treating the question methodically, I will show that prophecies varied,
not only according to the imagination and physical temperament of the
prophet, but also according to his particular opinions; and further that
prophecy never rendered the prophet wiser than he was before. But I will
first discuss the assurance of truth which the prophets received, for
this is akin to the subject-matter of the chapter, and will serve to
elucidate somewhat our present point.

Imagination does not, in its own nature, involve any certainty of truth,
such as is implied in every clear and distinct idea, but requires some
extrinsic reason to assure us of its objective reality: hence prophecy
cannot afford certainty, and the prophets were assured of God's
revelation by some sign, and not by the fact of revelation, as we may
see from Abraham, who, when he had heard the promise of God, demanded a
sign, not because he did not believe in God but because he wished to be
sure that it was God Who made the promise. The fact is still more
evident in the case of Gideon: "Show me," he says to God, "show me a
sign, that I may know that it is Thou that talkest with me." God also
says to Moses: "And let this be a sign that I have sent thee." Hezekiah,
though he had long known Isaiah to be a prophet, none the less demanded
a sign of the cure which he predicted. It is thus quite evident that the
prophets always received some sign to certify them of their prophetic
imaginings; and for this reason Moses bids the Jews (Deut. xviii.) ask
of the prophets a sign, namely, the prediction of some coming event. In
this respect, prophetic knowledge is inferior to natural knowledge,
which needs no sign, and