admitteth no companion in equality of perfection And euery man and creature is so much more indebted and religed to him then to any inferiour agent parent Prince or potentate to whome we yeeld reuerence for benefits receaued by how much his infinit greatnesse and perfection exceedeth any limited and depending thing and by how much euery effecte is more beholding to the first and vniuersall cause without which absolutely it cannot be then to any secondary and particuler worker without which by the power of the former absolutely it may bee produced But if sence and experience may not bee admitted with these sensuall and beastlie men if no reason can haue allowance with such vnreasonable mindes and all naturall arguments demonstrations and daily experiments must be condemned with such vnnatural monsters if we should grant them al they can demande with so many impossibilities in ordinary connaturall things that inferiour causes could worke without dependance assistance of the superiour that no creature is depending either in essence or opperation that there is no first principall cause that chance and fortune which can be nothing but the accidentary concourse or effect of inferiour causes made all thinges and whatsoeuer impossibility any foolish and franticke braine can imagine to excuse their wicked and lasciuious liues Yet thousands of effects which haue beene and coulde not be by the production of any created cause must needes condemne them For all nations and people in the world Christians Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans and all estates of men haue prooued and must and doe acknowledge that infinite miraculous and supernaturall operations haue beene wrought which no limited power with all the coniunctions inclinations aspects constellations either of celestiall elementary or compounded thinges which they can deuise coulde possibly doe hauing no potentiality in them to effecte the meanest of those strange and meruailous operations onely able to be produced by an omnipotent and infinite agent And further to shewe an absolute dominion ouer all creatures to resist and restraine the most vsuall and naturall habilities of all inferiour causes as the most mooueable heauēs that they did not mooue but stand as it were amazed at so great a maiestie that the greatest planets which could be commanded of no inferiour agent haue changed their course and order The highest and ascending Element of fire hath descended euen to punnish the Irreligious The Aire hath denyed respiration to creatures The Waters in most huge quantities haue ascended against their natural propēsity to dtowne both particuler countries and the whole world in the generall inundation The whole earth hath trembled and all the firmaments and foundations of the world haue bin mooued at the pleasure of their Creator which no creature nor al creatures togither could effect yet all countries peoples and estates are witnesses to these thinges Thus we see all testimonies crie out there is a God infinite omnipotent and independing which hath effected these thinges This is the euidence of all creatures all nations and kingdomes all estates and degrees of men Patriarkes Prophets Priestes Kings Rulers Princes Philosophers Christians Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans al Rabbynes Doctors Sybilles Flamens Arch-flamens Calyphes Brachmans al that can be cyted for authority agree in this that there is a God This is the sentence vniforme consent of them all that disagree so much about his nature and religion in particuler Al good men allowe of this this all impious and wicked haue confessed except perhaps some fewe priuate men in so many generations times of the world which drowned in all licentious liuing haue to excuse their impieties rather wished it in will then affirmed in iudgement and those also when they came to death and miseries as I cited before acknowledged it And to conclude against barbarous and absurde people with absurdities if there is no firste omnipotent and most excellent cause then no religion which is onely due to so great a maiesty is to be rendred Then all nations and people of the worlde in all generations and so many thowsands of yeares that euer professed it were fooles and one Lucretius that liued and dyed mad or any particuler and beastly man that to tumble in filthinesse would wish so vnpossible a thing is only wise and holy If there is no first absolute and independing cause no operation can be effected nothing is now done nothing can be brought to passe hereafter because depending causes cannot worke without assistance so there neither is or can be any change alteration generation or corruption in the worlde but all thinges must needes returne to nothing If there is no God first and illimited cause to haue created the worlde there is no science knowledge or facultye in the worlde there neither is was or can be any creature or the least effecte because none of these limited and depending thinges coulde by any possibility bee of it selfe or any other depending cause And a thousand such impossible absurdities which follow this most blasphemous and sacriledgeous assertion there is no GOD if any barbarous and beastlie mouth durst be so impudent to pronounce it But this will bee more manifest in many chapters the whole treatise following to the confusion of al enemies to true Religion For which cause as also that I hope no man can be so vnreasonably blasphemous to make it a doubt I passe it ouer more brieflie in this place THE NECESSITY OF A DIuine prouidence towards man and other creatures ordeyned for him and his duety to render Reuerence and Religion ¶ CHAP. III. BVT to preuent the prophane and blasphemous excuses of this impious generation accusing the infinit wisdome of God of folly challenging his incomprehensible goodnes of improuidence If by impossibility thinges could be effected caused without any cause which nature generally reacheth for a most euident contradiction yet nothing coulde endure or be preserued without the prouidence and protection of an independing cause For duration and perseuerance of second causes is no lesse depending then their first creatiō Then how doth that infinit number of things which this worlde possesseth endure without corruption How can so many and diuers creatures not only wanting iudgment and reason for their rule and direction but all sense and life obtayne their endes and remayne in order so infallibly as they doe When by reason we knowe nothing wanting reason can make comparison conferre past present and future times and things iudge and discerne what is danger what is not what euill to be auoided what good and to be followed or by any possibility either knowe prosecure or imbrace that order and ende whereunto it is ordeyned And yet the certaine orderly and indefectiue motions of Heauens operations of Elements concourse of causes and workes of all inferiour and compounded creatures sensitiue vegetiue and such as haue neither reason sence or vegetation vtterly vnable to order and direct themselues giue testemony they are guided
of such production Wherefore seeing there be so many millions of thinges and kindes of creatures most certainely produced and existing in the worlde as all our sences are witnesses no man can say these things were made of them selues for so the same shoulde be and not be togither which is a repugnancie in nature neither of any other former depending cause for that likewise must haue an other to produce it Therefore sith nothinge is made of nothinge by nature which alwaies worketh in a subiecte and something nothing of it selfe nothing of any thing that is depending and yet so many thinges be in the worlde and the first of those created effects must bee of nothing otherwise they shoulde haue former secondary and created causes and betweene being and not being nothing and some thing nothing and so many thinges as nowe be there is infinite difference and improportion that cause which of nothinge created all things of necessity must be infinite omnipotent and illimited conteyning all goodnesse and perfection and so worthy all reuerence worship and whatsoeuer homage may be conceaued belonging to religion And as so many millions and distincte degrees of thinges coulde not in the beginning be created without an infinit omnipotent cause so as well the orderly productions and generations of all creatures since then and the daylie and howerly preseruation of them and all those excellencies wherewith they be endued from falling to corruption cannot be attributed to any inferiour agent The continuance and duration of essence and perfection is as much depending of an infinite and illimited agent as their first production was and as in the beginning without the worke of that omnipotent cause they coulde not possibly haue bin made of nothing as they were so without the like assistance they woulde in an instant be annihilate and come to nothing againe For though we shoulde graunt to all conceited men that euer were or woulde be accounted Philosophers that these inferiour thinges be compounded of elementary causes that they be produced by creatures of their own kindes men by men beastes by beastes of the same nature and so of others that they are assisted of the celestiall bodies and receaue influence from the heauens that respiration is from the aire heate from the fire and other necessaries from other elements yet neuer any Philosopher or man of iudgment can bee so absurde in reasoning but confes that al these things themselues both in production of other creatures as also in their owne being and preseruance depende of a former infinite cause and that these as they made nothing in the beginning but were made and had emanation for themselues of an other so they cannot either produce others or themselues continue without like assistance Therefore in euery least action duration or preseruance for euery minute of time we must of necessity appeale to that first omnipotent Creator For no proceeding can be infinitely without ende either in the production emanation or preseruance of thinges for so all causality and effecting operations should be taken away and no least effect could be produced For in ordinate causes the latter dependeth of the former and all latter causes of some precedent and firste cause but where there is no beginning there is no first so no causality consequently no effect nothing is nothing euer was nothing can be produced or preserued hereafter all things are already returned to nothing which is euidently vntrue therefore that first cause must needes be most honourable and deseruing all reuerentiall dutie and submission Moreouer experience teacheth that there is an infinit number of things in the world whose essence and being is not of necessity but contingent so that they may and may not be and whether they be or no no absurdity in nature can be concluded For who can say that man to giue example or any other creature is absolute and necessary to be either in respect of himselfe or any other for their being or not being It he be absolute necessary for the beeing of other creatures of necessity those creatures both in being and preseruation must depende of him which is euidently vntrue For if man were not other things might be as the heauens and diuers others were before he was created if all men were consumed yet all other thinges might remaine in safety In respect of himselfe he cannot be named absolutely and of necessity to be for so he shoulde bee of himselfe and without dependance of any other which is euidently false of euery limited and depending thing such as man and all creatures are Therefore aboue all depending thinges and such as be not of necessity we must at last arriue to one that is of it self absolute in depending of which the rest must haue dependance and to whome religion and duety is belonging both for that absolute and independing preeminence in himselfe as also that of necessity we depende of him The same reason ioyned with experience teacheth there is a subordination in all inferiour thinges none of them is altogither for it selfe nothing without some order to an other In arts and sciences belonging to the minde and intellectuall powers there is a subalternation In corporall and bodily thinges the matter is more apparant the heauens their motions and influences are not for themselues but for others that take benefite of their motion and receaue influx for them the simple and elementary creatures are for compounded thinges no compounded thing is for it selfe but is subordinat beastes sowles fishes and the rest are referred to man man as he is not of himselfe so much lesse to himselfe can he bee subordinat and so of euery thing that made not this subordination Therefore at last wee must come to some excellent thing which as he appointed this subordination and of himselfe can be subordinat to none because he is the first deuiser of this order so they all must needes bee subordinat to him And when in all orders of things alwaies that which is the end of others is most perfect and no reasonable and intellectuall agents doe thinges by themselues without instrumental causes or worke by instruments and secondary helpes but to some end and purpose Then seeing so many intellectuall eternall glorious and admirable thinges of the worlde coulde not possibly be framed ordered or disposed of by any thing inferiour vnreasonable and not intellectuall of necessitie as the first cause in producing and ordering so many and meruailous degrees and estates of creatures argueth both a first cause and infinite and omnipotent power in him so in ordeyning them to some ende that ende muste bee the most perfecte thing then seeing none coulde be more greater then hee or equall to himselfe for his honour and dignity they were created and hee was and is their end because his infinitnesse in power excludeth assistance his onely immensity in goodnesse and perfection debarreth all other last and finall ends and
by some most prouident and carefull workeman cause and director of all thinges caused and directed by nothing but alwaies hauing from eternity existence beeing and all compleate and possible perfection to whome consequently all worshippe and homage euen by that title and for that preeminence is to be yeelded For as Cicero saith if it be not possible for a great number of letters and characters cast togither by chance without any order or disposition of sillables wordes and sentences to make the Annales of Ennius or compound any history or worke of learning if no man shoulde set them in order howe much more is it vnpossible to beleeue this admirable and wonderfull worlde to be made by accidentary concourse and meeting of thinges togither Yea such absurde irreligious Atheists must yeelde that of necessity in either case there is one first originall and independing both to frame and compose as also orderly to digest both the one and other For neither could those characters be made or ordered of themselues or those causes which by chance shoulde constitute the worlde be or haue concurrence without a Creator and former cause of such agreement For although some Phylosophers with many absurdities defended the eternity of the world an infinite number in successiue thinges yet they all euer graunted both a dependance emanation of them from God and that it was impossible an infinite progresse and proceeding coulde be in essentiall and subordinate causes such as the superior and inferior first and secondary causes are for where no beginning of causes could be founde there no operatiō could either be effected or begun And if that coulde by any man be imagined yet of necessity euen in that infinite number of causes one of whome the others shoulde depende must haue that supreame prerogatiue we assigne to the first and principall cause of thinges with out which nothing coulde be either gouerned or created Wherefore as Eusebius teacheth as in artificiall thinges to giue example an house cunningly curiouslie builded and adorned with all kinde of furniture is an vnfallible argument that there was a builder and disposer thereof much more doth the meruailous excellency number order and beawty of all naturall thinges in the great and glorious habitation house of the world giue euidence that a chiefe Prince artificer hath made digested and still ruleth and gouerneth them For which I prooued before as to make is an act of power and to make and create where there is infinite improportion is an euident argument of an infinitely able and omnipotent workeman so to see so many millions and innumerable multitudes of thinges not able to rule order digest prouide for themselues yet so vniformely without error so generally without exception so many thousandes of yeares as since the worlds creation and from eternity if it shoulde not be created in time without intermission to be ordered ruled digested continued preserued and prouided for is a manifest demonstration that they are thus maintayned and gouerned by some most prudent good and indefectible cause which performing that prouidence for the vse of man man a reasonable creature cannot be so vnreasonable and forgetfull of duty but yeeld vnto him that honour and Religion which so long and infinite a benefit deserueth That an infinite number of thinges besides man are and haue euer in all ages places and degrees of things beene ordered ruled and most certainly prouided for no Epicure can deny euery creature and euery sence he hath will bring euidence it is so That to rule gouerne order direct and prouide for thinges and to bring them to their end is an act and onely operation of reason vnderstanding no man can contradict man is the onely reasonable and vnderstanding creature of this inferiour worlde he doth not neither can he or any limited vnderstanding so certainely and vnfallibly order rule and haue prouidence ouer so many millions infinite and innumerable thinges none of them hath reason to order themselues and most doe want both sence and life therefore seeing there is neither act power or potentiality in them to order rule themselues and nothing else can bee assigned to exercise that vniuersall prouidence of necessity it must bee done by that chiefe and vniuersall cause their first maker for nothing else can perform it and their gouernment most properly belongeth to him No Prince that hath wonne instituted or otherwise obtayned a kingdome will neglect to rule it no Soueraigne may bee carelesse of his subiects no Parent regardelesse of his children he hath begotten no Artificer workeman or cause endued with reason can be without prouidence of the things and effects he hath produced although their care and charge require labour newe and daily costes in the agent Then that God and workeman whose infinite wisedome cannot alter and repent any worke he hath effected mislike no ende he hath entended whose goodnesse cannot be vnprouident or change to things he loued whose power is omnipotent whose act is but one and eternall with whome it is no greater businesse to gouerne a thousand worldes then one and the meanest creature whose vnderstanding is so illimited that nothing can possibly be concealed from him will not but take prouidence of man and al creatures he hath created And as the first creation of al things from nothing could not possibly be effected but by an infinite and illimited agent so both the duration and beeing of the same creatures which is as it were one continued production cannot be maintayned without the concourse of equall vertue neither their actions and operations which likewise be creatures and dependant possibly be effected without the same Creator Neither can any man imagine how an inferiour depending cause can begin continue or perfect any operation without this prouidence and assistance of the superiour and vniuersall Actor And although the heauens and celestiall bodies hauing a generall influence to inferiour thinges in that respect are tearmed vniuersall and common causes in regarde of these lower agents whose influx and actions are more particuler yet both they are inanimate and so vnfit for gouernment and if they be compared to God the supreame vniuersall cause they are priuate agents and howsoeuer they be considered they are secondary and depending and can worke nothing with out assistance of their Creator much lesse can the coniunctions aspectes sightes and constellations of the Planets onely accidents which worke nothing but in vertue of their subiect bee effectuall of such things And the Stoycks themselues commonly excepted from fatality the wils and free actions of men which is sufficient for this cause of Religion which is their homage And concerning meaner effectes of honour riches wealth prosperity death sicknesse and the like euery day and minute of time cryeth out with experience that like constellations doe not alwaies or ordinarily produce like dispositions and workes to exemplyfie was no man in England
time an Oxe ledde to bee sacrificed brought forth a calfe in the middest of the Temple and the East doore of the inner temple made of brasse and so heauie that twenty men could scarcely shut it beeing locked with strong lockes of iron and barred with deepe barres let downe into a thresholde of stone opened of it selfe in the night before the setting of the same fierie Chariots and armed battailes were seene in the aire about the city and the Priests did heare a voice saying Migremus hinc Let vs go from hence And that which is a moste strange testimomy of Gods continued prouidence towardes them on Ihesus son of Anani foure yeares before the warre began when the City was in great prosperity and peace vpon the suddaine in their festiuall day began to cry in these wordes A voice from the East a voice from the West a voice from the foure windes a voice vpon Hierusalem and the Temple a voice vpon newe married husbands newe married wiues a voice ouer all this people And this day and night going about all the streetes of the city cryed and although he was chastised for this cry yet he neither spake any thing for himselfe or against them that punished him but still continued crying the same wordes And beeing led to the ruler of the Romanes to bee punnished and his flesh torne to the bones with blowes he neither entreated fauor or once wept but at euery blowe bending downe pittifully viterred this speech Woe woe to Hierusalem and neuer gaue ouer mourning for the miserable city and still complained in these words Woe woe to Hierusalem And thus he continued seauen yeares and fiue moneths but principally vpon the festiuall dayes vntill at the time of the siedge going about the wall hee cryed out with his lowdest voice Woe woe to the City and Temple and People and at last also hee added Woe also to my selfe and was presently killed with a stone throwne from the ennemies hitherto bee the wordes of Iosephus liuing amonge them at the same time And concerninge Rome where the Pope and high priest of Christians is residēt how vnprobable was it in humane iudgement before S. Peter a poore fisher came thither that the prophesie of Sibilla the Fishers hooke shoulde conquer the Romane Empire shoulde be fullfilled Was not Christ his master put to death by that authority was not he himselfe crucified by the same and all his successors vnto S. Siluester thirtie in number eyther actually put to death or most grieuously persecuted were not Christians at that time without any friend or fauourer were not the Romane Emperours the most potent of the worlde and ruled all places did not the persecuted Popes preach Christ crucified pennance and great austerity to the eares of licentious Gentiles And yet we see that the prophesie of Sibilla was performed and the especiall prouidence which Christ promised to his holye Apostle and his successors that theyr faith should not faile that it should conquer all enemies that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it is miraculouslie effected and still continued to that holy See I haue shewed in my Apologicall Epistle how all the Pagan Princes of the worlde one time or other were opposed againste it but they were confounded How many Infidell and Pagan Emperors persecuted it but they were punished and it preuailed manye hereticall Emperors plagued it but they were confounded diuers wicked Christian Emperours and Kinges both in Englande and other nations afflicted it yet it conquered them howe often it was sacked and spoyled by Gothes Vandals Saracens Immbardes and others yet it flourished still that hath beene infested with many schysmes and assaulted by aboue 400. sects of heretickes before Luther and yet condemned them and yet at this time warreth against almost 300. knowne heresies and yet it is more glorious and renowmed nowe after 1500. yeares then euer it was before and dilated farther by many degrees daylie encreasing then euer any other regiment spiritual or temporall was and not subiecte to the least suspition to be overthowne hereafter And no man can make other reason of these thinges then the extraordinary prouidence of God to that holy place the enemies it hath and euer had bee more and more mighty then euer any city fought against It vseth not temporall armour against them The souldiours and Captaines it vsed were vnarmed with corporall weapons their conquest ouer their enemies was by suffering themselues to be killed That which they taught was vnpleasing to potent Princes against whome they warred and carnall mindes with whome they fought That which they laboured to ouerthrow and did destroy was liberty and things tending to delight and yet that hath vanquished and daylie is more glorious and triumphant the other perish and become more contemptible Who will not say but these thinges proceede from God and his most holy prouidence and protection to that Religious Apostolicke See And thus I might exemplifie in other thinges I will passe so many thousands of miraculous operations whereof the whole worlde can witnesse which coulde not be effected by any limited or created power I haue spoken of them already and must entreate them as well in diuers chapters of this booke as also more largely hereafter against internall enemies and whereof euery Argument I shall alleadge for true Religion to God our chiefe gouernour giueth witnesse therefore it needeth no more euidence in this place Onely I will conclude euery creature in the worlde euery parte member organe quality act or operation it hath is a demonstration in this case God himselfe ordinarily and superordinarily doth witnesse it all reasonable and vnreasonable thinges in their sence affirme it The heauens all simple and compounded thinges giue inuincible proofe it is so This is the sentence of all Nations Countries Schooles Cities Townes and people Catholickes Heretickes Iewes Pagans Brachmans Mahumetanes all Christian Panym Philosophers late auncient of all ages and places agree in this None but beastly men whose opinion is no authority to excuse their filthines deny it and they rather in voluptuous desire wishing then in iudgment affirming it Neither let them alleadge what multitudes of errors about religion in particuler are and haue reigned in the worlde for as these errors are to be imputed to the wickednesse of the authors from whome they proceede so such great contention for that cause is an euident argument of worshippe and the dignity of true Religion otherwise euerie man woulde not contende and make claime vnto it with so great daunger to himselfe and contempt of others And the causes of their complaint that errors and sinnes doe reigne proceede from their owne and such mens impious demerits and are no more to bee imputed to God which neither can nor will deceaue or be cause of sinne then the wilfull ignorance of a peruerse scholer to a learned and painfull master or the disobedience of
to reade their bookes And Attilius himselfe Duum vir one of the two principall men to whome their custody was committed only because hee wrote them forth was sewed into a sacke and cast into the Sea If we make comparison betweene the writers of holy Scriptures and Diagoras and such Atheists as woulde deny them or the Panym Philosophers though wee single them forth that were accounted best there is no semblance of proportion The Prophets and writers of holy Scriptures were most holy and a spectacle of sanctity to all generations and many of them dyed for defence of those thinges they committed to writing Many of the Phylosophers were of such filthy liues that their sinnes are not to bee named and their errors intollerable and their chiefest men as themselues acknowledge did not as they did beleeue beleeuing one God with Scriptures and seruing Idols as Plato to Dyonisius giueth plaine witnesse of himselfe If we consider the efficacie of the doctrine of those holy writers although they entreated of harde most difficulte vnpleasing things to sensuall mindes and the Pagan Philosophers of pleasing and delightfull thinges yet the austere doctryne of them hath almoste conuerted the whole worlde to liue as they beleeued and these philosophers could neuer yet allure one Kingedome or Citie euen to thinke only as they taught And yet as I wil proue herafter they haue attempted it by all meanes they coulde If we talke of consent or disagreement in Wrighters vpon which in matters of Authoritie Trueth or Falsehoode may easilie be concluded No man is ignorant that not only all Pagan prophane Historians disagree amonge themselues and all Philosophers of the diuided Sects of Stoicks Peripateticks Accademicks and Epicures but the professors of euerie of these sectes were at warre among themselues and yet they entreated onely of naturall things proportionate to humane capacitie contrariewise not onlie the sacred histories of Scriptures agree but all theyr Writers Prophets Priests Euangelists and Apostles agree in one without any leaste difference or variance in doctrine and yet they all entreate of matters Supernaturall and aboue the reache of mans reason Wherefore I conclude in this Argument when so many holie writers as moyses Dauid Esdras Ieremie Ezechiell Daniâ—ll Zachary Malachie S. Mathew Marke Luke Iohn Peter Paule Iames and others were so diuided in time seperated in place as Egipt Hierusalem Babilon Rome and others where they wrote so distinct in natures and naturall conceits and iudgementes as all men are and yet in so many bookes as the Scriptures conteine and in so manie supernaturall misteries agreed vniformely together without the leaste dissent or contradiction this Direction must needes proceed of God who penetrateth al things and cannot lead into error When I see so miraculous agreement in the 72. that by the appointment of Kinge Ptolomy of Egipt translated the olde testament recorded by enemies and like assistance in later handlers of those sacred workes farther consider how in so many garboiles troubles of Nations many writings of the moste allowed Pagans haue perished yet these haue bin preserued in all the most famous languages of the worlde I cannot bee induced but they be the euidence of God and preserued by him Further when I perceaue the greatest humane Authoritie that can be cited for anie monument vsed for the crediting of these religious testaments as for the bookes of the first testament all Christians Iewes Mahumetans and many Gentiles consenting that they be holie and for euery booke of the new testament besides the authorities of all Schooles Vniuersities and thousands of pâ—ouinciall Sinods the whole Christian worlde in their moste learned Doctors and Fathers assembled twenty times in generall councells and confirminge them all by theyr sentence and neuer so any ten persons together iudiciallie agreeing to approoue any Pagan writer in all things I cannot be of opinion but these books were penned by holie instinct from God Moreouer when the light and law of nature and reason make me secure and all Philosophers Christians Pagans the learned of the whole world euer ageed togither in this giue it for a distinction betweene a limmited and infinite power that future thinges which haue no certaintie in their causes cannot certainelye bee knowne and foretoulde but by an infinite knowledge penetrating thinges more perfectly then they be in their causes and whosoeuer certainlie prophesieth of such things must needes receaue that facultie from God which can bee ignorant of no effect But the whole sacred Scripture is euidence that many things within their causes be moste vncertaine as depending of the freedome of mans will election and others more secret onlie to bee produced at the moste secret will and pleasure and by the Omnipotent power of god himselfe haue bin as certainely plainelie foretolde with their manner and circumstances manie years before they came to passe as if they had bin present witnesses of those things as so manye Predictions of Abraham Iacob Moyses Dauid Daniell Esaie Ieremie Zacharye Christ his Apostles and others and â—oâ—ie Scriptures of the Regiment of Iuda the diuisioÌ„ of the Land of Canaan the perpetuall desolation of Ierico of the birth and acts of Iosias three hundred years before he was borne the destruction of Babilon by kinge Cirus his name foretolde two hundred years before he came And two witnesses named of it Vrias and Zacharias which were not borne manie yeares after this was prophesied The captiuitie of the Israelites in Babilon the time of that continuance and their deliuery againe in the time of Esdras The destruction of Balsasar kinge of Babilon and the verie night of his desolation the time of the coÌ„ming of the Messias his life death resurrection ascention other misteries as they were effected in christ the miracles which happened then the reprobation of the Iewish people conuersioÌ„ of the Gentiles destruction of Ierusalem the pittifull miseries it did endure and the like which were vncertaine thinges and yet were as certainelie fortolde as they were certaine when they were performed therefore seeing these things be so vndoubtedlie come to passe we cannot make question of any other to be effected in his time hereafter the one being as difficult to be foreseene as the other consequently much more all other matters reuealed in those holye writings which be of more easie subiect are vnfalliblie true and so to bee beleeued Lastlie to put all out of doubt that euen from the firste time of committinge those misteries to writinge by the holye penne men of Sacred Scriptures euerie man might be secure they were spoken and reuealed of God which coulde neither be deceaued in himselfe or bringe others into error So manye miraculous workes and operations which none but a diuine power and such as had authoritie from him coulde effect were giuen vnto those chosen Scribes of this holye lawe and wrought by them to confirme the