imagination；　they　could　indisputably　perceive　much　that　is　beyond　the
  boundary　of　the　intellect；　for　many　more　ideas　can　be　constructed　from　words
  and　figures　than　from　the　principles　and　notions　on　which　the　whole　fabric
  of　reasoned　knowledge　is　reared。
  （121）　Thus　we　have　a　clue　to　the　fact　that　the　prophets　perceived　nearly
  everything　in　parables　and　allegories；　and　clothed　spiritual　truths　in
  bodily　forms；　for　such　is　the　usual　method　of　imagination。　（122）　We　need　no
  longer　wonder　that　Scripture　and　the　prophets　speak　so　strangely　and
  obscurely　of　God's　Spirit　or　Mind　（cf。　Numbers　xi：17；　1　Kings　xxii：21；　&c。）；
  that　the　Lord　was　seen　by　Micah　as　sitting；　by　Daniel　as　an　old　man　clothed
  in　white；　by　Ezekiel　as　a　fire；　that　the　Holy　Spirit　appeared　to　those　with
  Christ　as　a　descending　dove；　to　the　apostles　as　fiery　tongues；　to　Paul　on
  his　conversion　as　a　great　light。　（123）　All　these　expressions　are　plainly　in
  harmony　with　the　current　ideas　of　God　and　spirits。
  （124）　Inasmuch　as　imagination　is　fleeting　and　inconstant；　we　find　that　the
  power　of　prophecy　did　not　remain　with　a　prophet　for　long；　nor　manifest
  itself　frequently；　but　was　very　rare；　manifesting　itself　only　in　a　few　men；
  and　in　them　not　often。
  （125）We　must　necessarily　inquire　how　the　prophets　became　assured　of　the
  truth　of　what　they　perceived　by　imagination；　and　not　by　sure　mental　laws；
  but　our　investigation　must　be　confined　to　Scripture；　for　the　subject　is　one
  on　which　we　cannot　acquire　certain　knowledge；　and　which　we　cannot　explain　by
  the　immediate　causes。　（126）　Scripture　teaching　about　the　assurance　of
  prophets　I　will　treat　of　in　the　next　chapter。
  CHAPTER　II。　…　OF　PROPHETS。
  （1）　It　follows　from　the　last　chapter　that；　as　I　have　said；　the　prophets　were
  endowed　with　unusually　vivid　imaginations；　and　not　with　unusually；　perfect
  minds。　（2）　This　conclusion　is　amply　sustained　by　Scripture；　for　we　are　told
  that　Solomon　was　the　wisest　of　men；　but　had　no　special　faculty　of　prophecy。
  （3）　Heman；　Calcol；　and　Dara；　though　men　of　great　talent；　were　not　prophets；
  whereas　uneducated　countrymen；　nay；　even　women；　such　as　Hagar；　Abraham's
  handmaid；　were　thus　gifted。　（4）　Nor　is　this　contrary　to　ordinary　experience
  and　reason。　（5）　Men　of　great　imaginative　power　are　less　fitted　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。
  （6）　Thus　to　suppose　that　knowledge　of　natural　and　spiritual　phenomena　can　be
  gained　from　the　prophetic　books；　is　an　utter　mistake；　which　I　shall
  endeavour　to　expose；　as　I　think　philosophy；　the　age；　and　the　question　itself
  demand。　（7）　I　care　not　for　the　girdings　of　superstition；　for　superstition　is
  the　bitter　enemy；　of　all　true　knowledge　and　true　morality。　（8）　Yes；　it　has
  come　to　this！　（9）　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。　（10）　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。　（11）　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。
  （12）　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。　（13）　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。〃　（14）　God　also　says　to　Moses：　〃And　let　this　be　a
  sign　that　I　have　sent　thee。〃　（15）　Hezekiah；　though　he　had　long　known　Isaiah
  to　be　a　prophet；　none　the　less　demanded　a　sign　of　the　cure　which　he
  predicted。　（15）　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。　（16）　In　this　respect；　prophetic　knowledge
  is　inferior　to　natural　knowledge；　which　needs　no　sign；　and　in　itself　implies
  certitude。　（17）　Moreover；　Scripture　warrants　the　statement　that　the
  certitude　of　the　prophets　was　not　mathematical；　but　moral。　（18）　Moses　lays
  down　the　punishment　of　death　for　the　prophet　who　preaches　new　gods；　even
  though　he　confirm　his　doctrine　by　signs　and　wonders　（Deut。　xiii。）；　〃For；〃　he
  says；　〃the　Lord　also　worketh　signs　and　wonders　to　try　His　people。〃　（19）　And
  Jesus　Christ　warns　His　disciples　of　the　same　thing　（Matt。　xxiv：24）。　（20）
  Furthermore；　Ezekiel　（xiv：9）　plainly　states　that　God　sometimes　deceives
  men　with　false　revelations；　and　Micaiah　bears　like　witness　in　the　case　of
  the　prophets　of　Ahab。
  （21）　Although　these　instances　go　to　prove　that　revelation　is　open　to　doubt；
  it　nevertheless　contains；　as　we　have　said；　a　considerable　element　of
  certainty；　for　God　never　deceives　the　good；　nor　His　chosen；　but　（according
  to　the　ancient　proverb；　and　as　appears　in　the　history　of　Abigail　and　her
  speech）；　God　uses　the　good　as　instruments　of　goodness；　and　the　wicked　as
  means　to　execute　His　wrath。　（22）　This　may　be　seen　from　the　case　of　Micaiah
  above　quoted；　for　although　God　had　determined　to　deceive　Ahab；　through
  prophets；　He　made　use　of　lying　prophets；　to　the　good　prophet　He　revealed　the
  truth；　and　did　not　forbid　his　proclaiming　it。
  （23）　Still　the　certitude　of　prophecy；　remains；　as　I　have　said；　merely；
  moral；　for　no　one　can　justify　himself　before　God；　nor　boast　that　he　is　an
  instrument　for　God's　goodness。　（24）　Scripture　itself　teaches　and　shows　that
  God　led　away　David　to　number　the　people；　though　it　bears　ample
  witness　to　David's　piety。
  （25）　The　whole　question　of　the　certitude　of　prophecy；　was　based　on　these　three　considerations：
  1。　That　the　things　revealed　were　imagined　very　vividly；　affecting　the
  prophets　in　the　same　way　as　things　seen　when　awake；
  2。　The　presence　of　a　sign；
  3。　Lastly；　and　chiefly；　that　the　mind　of　the　prophet　was　given　wholly；
  to　what　was　right　and　　good。
  （26）　Although　Scripture　does　not　always　make　mention　of　a　sign；　we　must
  nevertheless　suppose　that　a　sign　was　always　vouchsafed；　for　Scripture　does
  not　always　relate　every；　condition　and　circumstance　（as　many；　have
  remarked）；　but　rather　takes　them　for　granted。　（27）　We　may；　however；　admit
  that　no　sign　was　needed　when　the　prophecy　declared　nothing　that　was　not
  already　contained　in　the　law　of　Moses；　because　it　was　confirmed　by　that　law。
  （28）　For　instance；　Jeremiah's　prophecy；　of　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem　was
  confirmed　by　the　prophecies　of　other　prophets；　and　by　the　threats　in　the
  law；　and；　therefore；　it　needed　no　sign　；　whereas　Hananiah；　who；　contrary　to
  all　the　prophets；　foretold　the　speedy　restoration　of　the　state；　stood　in
  need　of　a　sign；　or　he　would　have　been　in　doubt　as　to　the　truth　of　his
  prophecy；　until　it　was　confirmed　by　facts。　（29）　〃The　prophet　which
  prophesieth　of　peace；　when　the　word　of　the　prophet　shall　come　to
  pass；　then　shall　the　prophet　be　known　that　the　Lord　hath　truly　sent　him。〃
  （30）　As；　then；　the　certitude　afforded　to　the　prophet　by　signs　was　not
  mathematical　（i。e。　did　not　necessarily　follow　from　the　perception　of　the
  thing　perceived　or　seen）；　but　only　moral；　and　as　the　signs　were　only　given
  to　convince　the　prophet；　it　follows　that　such　signs　were　given　according　to
  the　opinions　and　capacity　of　each　prophet；　so　that　a　sign　which
  convince　one　prophet　would　fall　far　short　of　convincing　another　who　was
  imbued　with　different　opinions。　（31）　Therefore　the　signs　varied　according　to
  the　individual　prophet。
  （32）　So　also　did　the　revelation　vary；　as　we　have　stated；　according　to
  individual　disposition　and　temperament；　and　according　to　the　opinions
  previously　held。
  （33）　It　varied　according　to　disposition；　in　this　way：　if　a　prophet　was
  cheerful；　victories；　peace；　and　events　which　make　men　glad；　were　revealed　to
  him；　in　that　he　was　natural