Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 375

Chap.

II]

THE OPERATION OF THIS FRINCIPIUM

351

spired should be able to speak just like the prophets of old, and the witness of one should confirm the witness of another. You never receive from Such, however, is not the case. these mystics a clear communication of what has been revealed

way to enrich our knowledge of God. For the most even avoid clear language, and hide themselves they part expressions of feeling and sounds withindefinite behind in this

out rational sense.

And where

they go a

little

further and

you the borrow either they always notice one of two things content of their communications from the Holy Scriptures, or fall back entirely into natural theology, and treat you to

come

to the communication of definite representations, :

philosophemes well

known from

From

other quarters.

this

appears that the pretended communication of knowledge of God, which they claim to receive, is the fruit of selfThe Holy Spirit simply does not work along deception.

it

this individual Avay, at least not

now, after the Scriptures

What the Holy Spirit personally does, is to are completed. direct faith to the revealed knowledge of God, to explain and apply this revealed knowledge of God to the heart according to its particular need, and also to quicken in the soul a lively sense of truth

;

but along this individual

way He

does not

impart an increase of content. With a clear understanding of this, the best known mystics have modified this monotonous-individual conception of inspiThis conception was not interesting enough, thereration. fore they have inclined to perpetuate the prophets' mantle.

Not every

child of

God has received such an As in former times among

inspiration,

the twelve but only a few. tribes there were no twelve prophets of influence at once, but generally a single " man of God " appeared in a given Hence there period, so the work of God is carried on now. not many, but a few now here, are present-day prophets ;

;

then there. These men of God receive special inspirations, which do not tend so much to enrich our knowledge of God, but rather serve to make prophecies concerning coming disasters, to establish the claim that all

God's people shall sub-

ject themselves to such a mystical prophet, and to regulate

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