Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

CHAP.I.I2. 336 Plato. wttp6ntsspud vctcres tucrune fanorummmi Likes & inter. pretes oracuto. rnm.tufie Few. Cicero. what kind of L4Commentarie upon the preters and formes of theGods.But I take it the truth that he is fo called becaufehe was indeeda Prophet , and did diuine , and anfwer el events tocome; fomeofwhofeanfwers and oracles are yet extant and rotor, ded in authors; befides that tomeofthe Heathen confeffe , that he was the cheifeofrhofe,who by Curieprophecied of things to come. 9.2ef . But what kinde of Prophet was he , or how was heand theo- ther heatheMfh prophets diftinguithed front the true Prophets of Byimentd s`. 1 God ? eflnfir. TheProphets of God wereof two forts. Fir1l fuch as I weremore properly fo called, who beeing extraordinarily railed, and infpired by Gods fpirit,did reucale fome parts ofthe will ofGod,which he intended todoe in, and for his Church for time ro come : fuch were Ifay,Ieremy, and many other in the oldcTellament vntill Chrifl the cheifeProphet and accomplifher of all prophecies appeared ; but very few after. The fecond fort of true Prophets were fuch as oncly did teach,and interpret the holy Scriptures; & ordinarily had not adioyned the foretellingofthings to come, but vponTome fpeciali extraordinary occafion:and ofthefe weremany both in the old and newTetiament. In t.sam.19.1e. theold, fuch were the companyof Prophets, among whom Saul pro- phecied: and the childrenand fonnes oftheProphets,who (as it is like) were fuch as fludied,expounded,and more accuratly explaned the wri- tings ofMofes,and kept the doctrine deliuered by Motes vncorrupt in the Church, although the mailers and thofe which were more eminent had both thefe gifts, fuch as Eliah,Elifha ; and the tonnes of the Pro- phets fo farce as they were emploied and lent by thefe : as we reade,that the young Prophet knew not that Iehu wasto beannointed King till E- a.xiaeo.r. litho told him. In the newTefiament the Apofilebringeth all minifle riall and eccl efiafticall duties, ofecclefiafiicallperlons to, r.Prophecie, 2. Minitîcrie, Roma 2.7. the formerof which is nothing but the exer- cife of a gift of teaching in the Church, applying founddoctrine out of the word toexhortation,edification, confolation, t. Cor. 14.13. Both ofthefe are truly calleddiuine Prophets :both ofthem beeing ratledof God,gifted by God,dealtir, the things ofGod,and endeauoured to lead men vnto God. As for the other, loch aswere the oraclesof the Gentiles, whether Differences be. that ofApollo at Delphos:or ofother groaues,caues, dennes, &woods tweene the very frequent amongttthem; or elfe the fouthlayers , fuch as were Bac- Pro of God,anand the chis,theSibyis , p &daisE imenides , thefeconfentalmoßinnothingwith Prophets of , the former, for they differ in all the conks. r.Whereas the former fpake titertire'' byinflin& ofthe holyGhoft, and confequentlywhatfoeuer they fpake mutt needs come to paffe, in that manner, and thofe circumfiances in whichkwas deliuered, the which the Lord maketh a noteofa true Pio- pher:

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