8+ The Vignitie oftheScripture. Nehemiae andezra,who were about the yearesofthe world3 goo. Fourtbly,the 4 admirable confentofthewhole bodyofthe Scripturewithin it felfe,a1confpwing together in thisone point,that through thename ofCbrift allthat beleeaein him yAftao,g3.yfhall recenie remiftionoffnnesr: whatfhewesofuncertaintyanddifferencesfoeuet may appeare, either in numbringofyeares, orin any circumftanceofhiflory, or in any point ofdoetrine , arefo fully and apparently reconciled by thofewhich baue laboured therein, there can be no iuft colourofexception. Fifdy, the S certaineeuentsof the prophefies thereof, as ofthecommingoftheMeffias, the calling of the Gentiles, the reuealing ofAntichrift, ofthe going of thepofteri- tyofAbraham into Egypt,and theredeliverance thence,ofthe fohre monarchies byDaniel. And it is worth the notingwhich we read in Ejay,whofpeakingof the captiuity ofthepeople ofthe IewesinChaldea, :lothnot onely prophetic their 16Y qf.t.. deliueráce but names the veryman bywhomthe Lord wouldfaue them,Cyruu , andyet Efayliuedat the leali anhundred yeares before Cyruswas borne. Like to that was that prophefie ofthe manof Godagainft the Altar of Bethelbuilt by a r Kn.r3.a., lerobeam, hee names the partie Ifah', and related theparticulars what bee fhoulddoe,and yet it wasatleaR33o .yearesbefore lojsah wasborne. So Jeremy told the people tuft the number ofyeares in which they fhouldbeecaptiues vn_ der Babylon,(yo.yeares)b. An we ourfelues ifwe will obferue it,ralayfee daily b Iers;.t s. how theprophefies of theSciipmreare accomplifhed. `Paalfaid in the laft times men Amid dotirinesofdowelsforbiding toMarry , and commanding ro Attains, c r Tim 4.}. from meat?, , wee fee it verified in Popery : hefaithagaine,that inthe lagdíyes d iTim.3.,. menthatl be loners ofthemflees d,&c. doe wenot perceiveamong ourfelues, how thefe twills doe dailyencrèale ? he faith further,the timewill comewhen menwill e uTim.4.3. notfifer wbolefome delirino'; we may behold howthis is made good enery day. There is no doârinemore wholeforne, then that which is applyed tomens par. ticular fines, and yet it isa thing which men will notendure. SaintPeter pro. phefied, and fo did Saint lade, thatin the lal times,there fbouldbe mockers, men f a Peaq.:. walkingaftertheir crone le/te,r, weneed notgoefarce to fee theaccomplifhment lud,r8, ofthis prophefie. How doemendefpife the iudgements ofGod, and fcoífe at all goodneffe and preferre the fatisfyingof their owne lofts , before obedience to the will ofGod ? Thus that which weeour fettlesare witnrffesof, declareththe certain euents of the foretellings ofthe Scripture, and it isan afluranceveto vs, that it is the wordofGod. Sixtly, the vnpartiall faithfulneflbof thole that haue beene enditorsofthefeuerall bookes. InMofis it is worth the notinghow he preferreth the relatingof the truth ofthe Rory, before thedifcreditingof his owne birth; hee wasborne of the TribeofLeni,yet ifyoureadegjenefor 49. you thatl find hee fpareth not toreport thehard fentencethat old Iacobganeof Lod at his death;Simeonaad Leui,brethrenintaillsnftraments oferueltie, intotheirfierce g Gen.49; leenot myfettle comea,&c. And in Numbers hhe doth notfpare AseenandMyri- verfe.e. am his ownebrother and fitter, but hath left there liane, and thedifpleahireof h Chap.rs. God againft it,vpon perpetuall record : nay, he is notafhamed ro reueale his owne errour,and how much the Lord wasoffendedwith him,and how for it he threatned him,that bee fhouldneuercome into thepromifedCanaan: bee cloth in the Rorie many times makementioa of ir. It is laid, that SaintMarke wrote the Golpel out ofSaint Peters mouth,and yet thedenial!ofPeter ismore ex_ pretty Iaieddowneby theEuangelift Saint Marke thenby anyother. AndSaint Paul fetteth dowse with his owne penne, his owne faults inmore fharpemea- fure, then any other man would doe, I wasablaffhemer,aperfcutour, anopprpef. a Tim.r, r3. fair'. This argueth that tiefemenwereguided byGod,in that they werefofree from flattery, as they (pared not themfelues. We know it iscontrary in other writers: you fhall fee generally tholethat write Hiftoiies,fpeakepartially either oflomemen ,oroftheirownenatiueconnerie: asifa man fhouldreale thechor. nioles ofEngland,he wouldthinke that theonlycountry.It thews theScripture to hallo
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