Chapter XCV.

The true God, however, neither employs irrational animals, nor any individuals whom chance may offer,984    οὔτε τοῖς τυχοῦσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων. to convey a knowledge of the future; but, on the contrary, the most pure and holy of human souls, whom He inspires and endows with prophetic power.  And therefore, whatever else in the Mosaic writings may excite our wonder, the following must be considered as fitted to do so:  “Ye shall not practise augury, nor observe the flight of birds;”985    Cf. Lev. xix. 26.  The Septuagint here differs from the Masoretic text. and in another place:  “For the nations whom the Lord thy God will destroy from before thy face, shall listen to omens and divinations; but as for thee, the Lord thy God has not suffered thee to do so.”986    Cf. Deut. xviii. 14, cf. 12.  And he adds:  “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from among your brethren.”987    Cf. Deut. xviii. 15.  On one occasion, moreover, God, wishing by means of an augur to turn away (His people) from the practice of divination, caused the spirit that was in the augur to speak as follows:  “For there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor is there divination in Israel.  In due time will it be declared to Jacob and Israel what the Lord will do.”988    Cf. Num. xxiii. 23.  And now, we who knew these and similar sayings wish to observe this precept with the mystical meaning, viz., “Keep thy heart with all diligence,”989    Prov. iv. 23. that nothing of a demoniacal nature may enter into our minds, or any spirit of our adversaries turn our imagination whither it chooses.  But we pray that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God may shine in our hearts, and that the Spirit of God may dwell in our imaginations, and lead them to contemplate the things of God; for “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”990    Cf. Rom. viii. 14.

Τὸ δ' ἀληθῶς θεῖον εἰς τὴν περὶ τῶν μελλόντων γνῶσιν οὔτε τοῖς ἀλόγοις χρῆται ζῴοις οὔτε τοῖς τυχοῦσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλλὰ ψυχαῖς ἀνθρώπων ἱερωτάταις καὶ καθαρωτάταις, ἅστινας θεοφορεῖ καὶ προφήτας ποιεῖ. ∆ιόπερ εἴ τι ἄλλο θαυμασίως εἴρηται ἐν τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις κατατακτέον· "Οὐκ οἰωνιεῖσθε οὐδ' ὀρνιθοσκοπήσετε", καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· "Τὰ γὰρ ἔθνη, οὓς κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐξολοθρεύσει ἀπὸ προσώπου σου, οὗτοι κληδόνων καὶ μαντειῶν ἀκούσονται· σοὶ δὲ οὐχ οὕτως ἔδωκε κύριος ὁ θεός σου" εἶθ' ἑξῆς φησι· "Προφήτην ἀναστήσει σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου." Βουληθεὶς δέ ποτε ὁ θεὸς δι' οἰωνοσκόπου ἀποτρέψαι ἀπὸ τῆς οἰωνιστικῆς πεποίηκε πνεῦμα ἐν τῷ οἰωνοσκόπῳ εἰπεῖν· "Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰωνισμὸς ἐν Ἰακώβ, οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν Ἰσραήλ· κατὰ καιρὸν ῥηθήσεται τῷ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τῷ Ἰσραήλ, τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ θεός." Ταῦτα δὴ γινώσκοντες ἡμεῖς καὶ τὰ τούτοις παραπλήσια τηρεῖν βουλόμεθα μυστικῶς εἰρημένην ἐντολὴν τήν· "Πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει σὴν καρ δίαν"· ἵνα μὴ ἐπιβῇ τι τῶν δαιμονίων τῷ ἡγεμονικῷ ἡμῶν, ἢ πνεῦμά τι τῶν ἐναντίων πρὸς ἃ βούλεται τρέψῃ τὸ φανταστικὸν ἡμῶν. Εὐχόμεθα δὲ λάμψαι "ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν" τὸν "φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ", ἐπιδημοῦντος ἡμῶν τῷ φανταστικῷ πνεύματος θεοῦ καὶ φαντάζοντος ἡμᾶς τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐπεὶ "Ὅσοι πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοί εἰσι θεοῦ".