The knowledg of Christ Jesus. Or The seventh book of commentaries vpon the Apostles Creed: containing the first and general principles of Christian theologie: with the more immediate principles concerning the true knowledge of Christ. Divided into foure sections. Continued by Thomas Jackson Dr. in Divinitie, chaplaine to his Majestie in ordinarie, and president of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford

CHAP. 15.

Whether all Testimonies alleaged by the Evangelists out of the old Testament, in which it is said or im∣plyed, [this was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled] be concludent proofes of the Evange∣licall truths for which they are alleadged.

IT would require a great deale of dili∣gence in later Divines to redeeme the negligence of former, either in not observing, or in not transmitting their observations to posterity; at what time, on what occasions, and by whom the severall Psalmes were written. For that all of them were written at the same time, or by the same hand, is no way probable in it selfe, nor so accounted amongst the best Divines of this age. Theodoret amongst the Ancients, Melancthen and Moller amongst mo∣derne writers, have better attempted this profi∣table worke, than they have beene seconded. The historicall occasions, and other circumstances of

the times wherein these Psalmes were written,* 1.1 were they knowne according to the literall sense, would lead us by a faire and safe way, as it were by the rule of three, unto the just product or ca∣pacitie of the true allegoricall and mysticall sense, in which they were fulfilled. But as our case now stands, the luxuriant and perplexed branches of such forced Allegories, as men fancie to them∣selves, or frame by guesse, without any perfect scale or proportion from the true historicall sense, have occasioned many judicious Divines, to doubt or question whether those things which by the Evangelists are said to bee done that the Scriptures might bee fulfilled doe alwayes imply some concludent proofe or demonstration of the Spirit. Calvin, for being sometimes too bold, sometimes too sparing in the exposition of such places, as the Evangelists say are fulfilled in Christ is deeply taxed by the Lutherans generally, and by many of the Romish Church. But Christian charity will perswade men of sober passions, that it was rather feare lest he should give offence un∣to the Jewes, then any desire or inclination to comply with them, which made him sometimes give the same interpretations of Scriptures which they doe, without expression of, or search after farther mysteries than the letter it selfe doth mi∣nister. How ever it be, if Calvin be lyable to a judgement, Iansenius, Sasbout, and Maldonat, three of the most judicious Commentators of the Ro∣mish Church for these many yeares, are lyable to a Councell, for their unadvised presumption in

this kinde. One of them denyeth that often fore∣cited place; I will be to him a Father, and be shall be to me a sonne, to bee literally meant of Salomon: wherein he gives just offence unto the Jewes, and by superstitious feare of committing that errour, whereof Calvin is often accused, doth fall into the contrary. The two others question whether that of the Prophet Hosea, Out of Egypt have I cal∣led my sonne, were properly fulfilled in our Savi∣our, or only said to be fulfilled per accommodatio∣nem, by way of allusion, that is, in such a manner as we might say that of the Poet,

Omnis in Ascanio chari stat cura Parentis,

were fulfilled in any father or mother, whom we saw to dote upon, or much to deligt in their lovely sonne. And this was the explicite meaning of Maldonats third rule before cited, in what sense the Scripture is said to be fulfilled.

2. That this was his meaning in that place, may be gathered from his comment on that other saying of S. Matthew, Chap. 13. ver. 34, 35. All these things spake Iesus unto the multitude in parables, and without a parable spake he not unto them; that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet saying, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things which have beene kept secret since the founda∣tion of the world. His observations upon this place are, in his owne words (englished) thus.

The particle, That, doth not denote the cause why our Saviour spake in parables; for he did not thus speake, to the end that Davids sayings might bee fulfilled, but because his Auditors

were unworthy of such perspicuous declarati∣ons, as he used to his Disciples in private.

This he takes as granted from our Saviours speech ver. 13, 14. Therefore spake I to them in parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing they heare not, neither doe they understand. And in them is fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaiah which saith, By hearing, &c. The abstract of his observations upon ver, 34, 35. is this; that it was no part of our Evangelists mea∣ning, to teach us, that Davids prophecy was pro∣perly fulfilled by our Saviours parables: seeing Davids discourse (as he conceives) was indeed no prophecy, but an historicall narration of matters past, besides that the word which the Psalmist there useth, doth not signifie such parables as our Saviour in this 13. chapter meant; but rather such pithy sentences, as the Greekes call Apoph∣thegmes. Maldonats conclusion therefore is, that the Evangelist (according to his usuall manner) did only accommodate that which David had spo∣ken, to our Saviours speeches in this place, to which they have some affinity or similitude, though no concludent congruity: and for our better satisfaction, hee referres us to his Com∣ments upon Matth. 2. 15. that is indeed, to his third rule, in what sense the Scriptures are said to be fulfilled. But in this, and other like passages to the same purpose, this Author onely gives us to understand, how easie a matter it is for good Di∣vines, sometimes to spend a great deale of lear∣ning and wit to no good purpose; especially when they strive to be hypercriticall, or to be censori∣ous

of others pious endeavours, though perhaps not so accurate.

3. To revise these his animadversions ordine retrogrado, that is, beginning with the last, and ending with the first:

No man did say that the narrations in that Psalme were propheticall in respect of the mat∣ters literally and immediately signified by the words themselves;

Yet in as much as these mat∣ters though past, as Gods wonders in Egypt and in the wildernesse, the conducting of his people to the land of Canaan, and their rebel∣lious behaviour in it, were true types or sha∣dowes of the like events in future times;

there is not any thing in that Psalme related, which in the mysticall sense doth not fore-represent some parallel event, when the God of their Fathers should come in person to expostulate with his people, in such a manner as David did with the people of his time, which he did not in his owne name or authority, but in the name and authori∣ty of his Lord and God. For so he beginnes that Psalme, Give eare, O my people, to my Law, incline your eares to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter darke sayings of old. This preamble cannot literally bee applyed to David or any Prophet, save only as he was a type or shadow of him that was to come. The Psal∣mists words immediately following though A∣pophthegmaticall and pithy, were plaine in re∣spect of the literall sense, (if you consider them only as matters of fact forepast;) were knowne

and had been taught, at the least by some of their Fathers, though perhaps forgotten by posterity. However, in respect of their mysticall importāce or as they containe a proportionable parallel of the Kingdome of Heaven with the Kingdome of Israel according to the flesh; they are sentences both hard and darke, and such as did require a better paraphrast upon David or the Author of this Psalme, then he was of Moses or of the sa∣cred Historians before his time. For by the pa∣rables meant in ver. 2. of this Psalme, if we may beleeve S. Matthewes paraphrase upon these words, were meant, things which had beene kept se∣cret from the foundation of the world Matt. 13. 35. This was the mysticall sense of the Psalmists words, and according to S. Matthewes literall ex∣pression of them, they necessarily import the my∣steries of the Kingdome of Heaven; and so all the parables which our Saviour used in that Chapter (as he there useth many) respect the Kingdome of Heaven, and were hard and darke to such as were not of Christs disciples, or such as the Psal∣mist there describes, A stubborne and faithlesse ge∣neration. It is true therefore which Maldonat in his second animadversion saith, that the cause why our Saviour spake to his common Auditors in parables was, because they were unworthy of cleerer revelatiōs, uncapable for the time of grea∣ter talents, having used their former ordinary ta∣lents so ill. Thus our Saviour resolves his Disci∣ples ver. 11, 12. Vnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven, but to them it

is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be gi∣ven: and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that hee hath. And to the same effect the Psalmist had pro∣phecied or forewarned this generation, even all generations following. It was then an allegati∣on unconcludent and impertinent, and no way beseeming Maldonat, to say our Saviour did not speake in parables, to the end that Davids sayings might be fulfilled, but because this present gene∣ration did deserve no other language. For these two are no way opposite, but subordinate. And if it be ill for men to separate those things which God hath conjoyned, it is much worse to set things at oddes or in opposition which the Spi∣rit of God hath made coordinate, or set in con∣cord.

Now both these assertions, as well that which Maldonat refuses, as that which he approves, have a divine truth in them. First it is most true that our Saviour did speake unto the multitude and to the Pharisees, on whom they relyed, in parables, because they were for the time unwor∣thy of such declarations as he made to his disci∣ples for the increase of their talent which they had used not so much amisse as the others had done. And no lesse true it is, that the Psalmist did foreprophecy that the posterity of Israel from his owne time untill the comming of the Messias should be more unworthy hearers of divine my∣steries then their forefathers had beene; unlesse they seriously repented both their owne sinnes,

and the sinnes of their forefathers. So that our Saviour did speak•• ••nto them in parables for these two reasons. First, because they were unworthy hearers. Secondly, to the end his disciples might know and beleeve, that this manner of speaking was foreprophecied by the Author of the 78. Psalme.

4. Maldonats first animadversion was, that this Latine particle ut, or the greeke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth not alwayes signifie the cause of what is said or spo∣ken, but sometimes the event only. How true so∣ever this be, it no way prejudiceth the truth now delivered by us. For it will not follow that this particle ut either in this place of S. Matthew, or in any other place where it imports the fulfilling of Scriptures, doth not signifie the cause, because it sometimes or oftentimes signifieth the event on∣ly. But seeing the right use of this particle, or the knowledge of its severall references, is much conducent to the just valuation of many testimo∣nies which have beene, and must be hereafter al∣leaged out of Scriptures; it will be very usefull in this place to unfold its severall significations or importances once for all.

Sometimes this particle, as well in the Greek, as in the Latine, and in our English, is transitive only; and imports neither any true cause nor the event; as in that of our Saviour Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall, that they may know thee, the only true God. The resolution of which words, without a∣ny wrong either to their full importance in logi∣call construction, or to their grammaticall elegan∣cy,

is but this, Cognoscere te esse verum Deum est vita aeterna, To know thee to be the onely true God is eter∣nall life. From this use or importance of this par∣ticle ut, that other, which Maldonat makes, is not different, or no otherwayes different then the end of a transition or passage is from the pas∣sage or transition it selfe; as when our Savi∣our saith Mat. 23. 34. I send unto you Pro∣phets and wisemen &c, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel, &c. God forbid any good Chri∣stian should referre this particle That unto the first words, Behold I send unto you Prophets, &c, and by this meanes conceive the end and cause why God did send wisemen and Prophets unto them should be this, that all the righteous blood shed by their Fathers, should be required of this generation; it refers only to those words, Some of them shall yee kill and crucifie, &c. The true importance is, as if he had said, yee shall, or you will, goe on in your Fathers sinnes so farre and so long, untill at length the blood of all the righ∣teous whom your Fathers have slaine, shall come upon you: Or, as S. Luke hath it, shall be required of you. So that the importance of this particle ut in this place denotes the event of their practises or resolutions, not the finall cause of the Prophets comming unto them. And it is the same with that which S. Paul expresses in the infinitive moode Rom. 1. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene, being under∣stood by the things that are made, even his eternall

power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The end why God did manifest himselfe unto men in the booke of his Creatures was, that they might know him to be God, and glorifie him as God. And it was the am∣ple measure of manifestations made to this end, which left even the Heathens themselves with∣out Apologie or just excuse; and according to this importance of the particle ut, (as it noteth onely the event or some transition to the event) many good writers would value that of S. Iohn chap. 12. 37, 38. Though he had done so many mi∣racles before them, yet they beleeved not on him. That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might bee fulfilled which he spake, ut impleretur ille sermo; Lord who hath beleeved our report, and to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene revealed. And I could wish, that Maldonats animadversions upon the forecited 35. verse of Mathew the 13. had beene as Orthodox∣all or discreet, as they are upon this place of Iohn. For of such Commentators as I have read, none speakes more pertinently or more discreetly to the difficultie wherewith that place is charged, unlesse it be his brother Tolet, who hammers out Athanasius his exposition as learnedly (and more fully) as Maldonat doth upon the expositions of other Greeke Fathers. However, I cannot assent to them, or to any others, in this one point, in that they would make the particle ut, here, (as elsewhere it doth) to poynt onely at the event, not any cause. That it cannot in this place denote the finall cause, Athanasius carryes

it clearely against some heretiques of his time or before him, who did so interpret it; who yet spake consequently enough to their wicked opinions in that they acquit these unbeleeving Jewes from blame and lay their charge upon E∣sayas, whose prediction, they thought, did either cause or inferre the necessity of these Jewes infi∣delitie, after so many glorious miracles as had beene done by our Saviour in their sight.

5. But that this particle, ut, doth in this place denote and import more then the event, that it refers unto some true Cause, is most evident, in that the use of it ver. 38. is, in S. Iohns meaning, aequivalent to that other particle used by him ver. 39, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Therefore they could not beleeve be∣cause Isaiah said againe &c. Now that this particle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, therefore, ideo, quia, and such like, do alwaies referre immediately unto some true cause, wee cannot deny without some wrong to Priscian or without some non obstante, or such licentious di∣spensation (as it is said a Pope once gave) ut fiatur contra omnes grammaticos. It is certaine againe, that neither particle doth immediately referre to any reall cause of the thing it selfe avouched by S. Iohn or that Esaias his saying, or the fulfill∣ing of it, should be any cause at all of the Jewes infidelity, neither the principall cause (as the Heretiques whom Athanasius refutes, did con∣ceive) nor any accessory or lesse principall cause, as some moderne writers imagine, whō Maldonat (without naming them) well confutes. But wee should consider how that which is the true effect

of some reall cause, is oft-times the true cause of our true knowledge or apprehension of the cause it selfe, or of its connexion with the effect: and such a causality these and the like causall parti∣cles or conjunctions, ideo, quia, propter, &c do usually import. As if one which had never seene the King or Court before, should say, Sure this is the King, because the rest stand bare before him: this speech imports a true cause not of the thing it selfe avouched, or why this is the King, but of the parties knowledge or notice of him as King. And so we know that Mary Magdalen had many sinnes forgiven her because she loved much: but her love was the effect not the cause of this plen∣tifull forgivenesse, as the more intelligent sort of Pontifician writers now grant, and the circum∣stance of the text will clearely evince it, against all that shall avouch it to be any more thē a cause of our knowledge. However seeing every cause is a cause of some effect, or referres to some things produced or occasioned by it, The question still remaines of what effect the fulfilling of Isaiahs prophecy, or the cōtemplation of the event which he foretold, should be the true cause, if it were no cause at all of these Jewes infidelity?

6 The serious contemplation of this Pro∣phets saying after the holy Ghost had called thē, and the matter which they so have fitted unto our Evangelists minde, was a true cause why he did cease to wonder at the stupiditie of this peo∣ple. For if Isaiah had not long before decyphered their froward & stubborne disposition, posterity

would have suspected either that S. Iohns taxati∣on of their stupidity had beene more hyperboli∣call than true, or else that our Saviours miracles had not beene so all sufficient in themselves, as the Evangelist makes thē, for winning credēce to his doctrine, or respect unto his person. But seeing nothing breakes forth in this last generatiō, whose seeds & roots had not beene discovered by Isaias in their forefathers, this takes away all occasion in posterity to suspect either the truth of S. Iohns narration, or sufficiency of our Saviours mira∣cles. No these causall particles onely, as, ut, or, propter, but adversative also, as verunt amen, sed, doe sometimes referre not to any written clause or sentence precedent, or any matter conteined in them, but unto the secret or tacite thoughts of the writer or speaker, or to some strong affe∣ction seeking to vent it selfe in such abrupt or un∣usuall language. To begin a speech with nam or veruntamen would be a ridiculous soloecisme, un∣lesse it were by way of decorum in some appoin∣ted to act or utter a ridiculous part. And yet an exquisite Poet did thus begin his doleful Elegie;

Hîc tamen umbrosum nactus nemus,* 1.2 hîc loca sola Ne mea quis nimiùm carpsit lamenta severus.

The particle, Tamen, without soloecisme or breach of Grammar rule, hath an elegant refe∣rence to his former thoughts or affections which had beene these or the like;

It is an unseemely part for a man of my place and breeding to blubber and weepe for the death of his Parents: notwithstāding seeing the place affords opportu∣nity,

nature shall take her forth for a while.

And after this manner the Psalmist begins the 73. psalme, Veruntamen Bonus est Deus Israel, Notwith∣standing God is good to Israel, This particle referres to his precedent thoughts or secret disputations with his owne heart, which had beene these or the like;

Surely God hath forgotten his pro∣mise unto Israel, or else he never meant them so much good as he seemed to promise, in that he suffers them to be trod under feet by their wick∣ed and blasphemous enemies;

and in the crisis or conquest of these and the like cogitations (which he afterwards confesseth of himselfe) he bursts out into the former expression, Notwith∣standing God is good to Israel. And after this man∣ner, these two causall speeches [ut impleretur ille sermo Isaiae, Joh. 12. Propterea non potuerunt credere &c.] referre to these or the like precedent cogi∣tations of S. Iohn;

Is it possible that men of Abra∣hams linage, that any creatures indued with rea∣son, should not beleeve, after so many miracles done in their sight?

Yes, I know it to be more then possible, because the Prophet Isaiah hath foretold as much. Yea, but S. Iohn goes further, and sayes, they could not beleeve because Isaiah had foretold their unbeleife. Yet if wee scan his words aright, S. Iohn doth not resolve the impos∣sibility or difficulty of their unbeliefe into Esaias his prediction formally taken, but into the hard∣nesse of heart which Esaias had foretold. For so his words are; Therefore they could not beleeve; be∣cause that Esaias said againe, He hath blinded their

eyes, and her deued their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart••, and be converted; and I should he 〈…〉〈…〉. These things spake Esaias, when he saw his glory. The most that can be made of these words, the strongest colle∣ctions that can be inferred from them, for infer∣ring any divine causality of their unbeleife, will amount to no more then this; It is not possible that the greatest part of men in our times should understand many divine truths about which they dispute, or be wise unto salvation; because it is said by a good Author, [Wisdome cannot enter into a froward heart.] This speech is Canonically true of all such men sensu composito, that is, whilest they continue perverse and froward, but not true iu sensu diviso. for though it were absolutely true, that it is impossible for wisedome to enter into a froward heart, yet it is possible for a froward heart to put off frowardnesse, and for such as are now a stifnecked and stubborne people in good time to brooke the yoake of Christian obedience.

7 But doth this period of S. Iohn [after so many miracles done before them, they did not beleeve, that the saying of Esaias might be fulfilled] import no more than if a man should say, the factious spirits of our times cannot beleeve aright, because it is written that wisdome cannot enter into a froward heart? In Maldonats exposition on this place of S. Iohn, and of that other Mat. 13. 34. &c,

this is the utmost value of both allegations [that the Prophets words do so well fit the evēts related by these two Evangelists, as that they could not

fit them better although 'twere granted that it were meant of them alone, or had beene spoken to no other end, than to notifie these two e∣vents.

] Yet if we may have the libertie to ex∣presse the Prophets meaning, or to speake conse∣quently unto the truth it selfe (acknowledged by all good Christians) or to some speciall truths for∣merly delivered, the prophecy of Isaiah, alleaged by S. Iohn, was in a more peculiar manner fulfil∣led in the strange infidelity of the Jewes which saw our Saviours miracles, then any Proverbs of Salomon or other generall Maximes can be fulfil∣led or verified of any misbeleevers in these our times, either of such as deny Christ in expresse words, or confessing him in words deny him in deeds. For the words of Salomon or other moral sayings of Canonicall writers, how well soever they may fit the errors or infidelity of our times, had no punctuall aspect to them, but were utter∣ed as absolute truths without respect of age, time, or persons, and fit all men and every sort of men, of what condition, age, or nation soever they be. Whereas the former forecited prophecy of Isaiah was punctually or literally meant of the Jewish Nation, which lived after his time unto the de∣struction of the City and Temple, and to the re∣turne of the Babilonish captivitie. For so it fol∣lowes in the 6. chap. ver. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavie, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and understand with their hearts, and con∣vert and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And

he said, untill the cities be wasted without inhabitants, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate: and the Lord have removed men farre away, and there be a great forsaking in the middest of the Land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return and shall bee eaten, as a Teyle tree and as an Oake, whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. This ve∣ry prophecy was more exactly fulfilled in the ex∣cecation and obduration of the Jewes which did not beleeve our Saviours miracles, and in that de∣solation of Judea which ensued upon his death. But whether the last part of this prophecy, con∣cerning their returne againe to God, shall bee as exactly fulfilled in these out-casts of Israel, future times would better resolve us or such as shall live after us, then any living interpreter of Scriptures can. With this question S. Iohn meddles not, but besides that the former part of that prophecy doth according to the literall sense as truly point at this later generation of the Jewes, as at the for∣mer: The reall event it selfe or matter of fact foretold was more conspicuously remarkable in this later generation, then it had beene in the former: For it was a prediction prophetically typicall. The first desolation was such a reall type of the later, as Israels casting off God from being their ruler in the time of Samuel, was of that so∣lemne abrenunciation of Christ which these later Jewes made before Pilate, when they cryed; Wee have no King but Caesar. Or the like desolation was such a Crisis of that deadly disease, whereof

the excecation and obduration mentioned by S. Iohn was the symptome, as that calamity which befell Iudah the next yeare after Zacharias death was, of the calamity which befell the whole Na∣tion within forty yeares after our Saviours death.

8. So then the particle Vt, neither in this place of S. Iohn, nor in any other, doth ever import a∣ny true causality of excecation or obduration on Gods part or his Prophets; but in this place of S. Iohn, and in every other, where it is said, [that this or that was done that the Scripture might be ful∣filled] the same particle doth alwayes import, that whatsoever was so done, whether positively or directly by God himselfe, or with permission of his just providence, by the positive intentions of Sathan or incorrigible stubbornnesse of men, was alwayes ordered by God to this end and purpose that posterity might beleeve and know, no such event did follow by chance, or that the Prophet did foretell such events only in generall, without speciall reference unto the particular events rela∣ted by the Evangelist. Seing every finall cause is purposed or projected by some intelligent nature, one and the same particle, That, or the like, with reference to severall projectures, may sometimes denote a true finall cause, sometimes the event or consequent only, in one and the same proposi∣tion; as in that of our Saviour Matth. 23. 34. Some of them you shall kill and crucifie; &c. that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, The finall cause projected by Sathan, was to bring righteous blood upon these Jewes, but this was

the event or consequent only, no finall cause, of their projects against Gods messengers: But these messengers were sent by God onely to this end, that they might recall his people to their allegi∣ance; yet this end or purpose did include this condition, that if they continued or made up the measure of their Fathers stubbornnesse, they were to suffer more grievous punishment, then if they had not beene forewarned by the Prophets. In like manner the excecation and obduration of these later Jewes was the marke at which Satan aimed, no true cause (though a necessary conse∣quent) of their continued abuse of that talent which God had given them; but no finall cause, no cause at all why our Saviour did so many mi∣racles amongst them: their excecation and per∣dition was from themselves.

9. That Prophecy of Isaiah, and that other of our Saviours Matt. 23. 35. that upon you may come all the righteous blood, (or as S. Luke hath the same prediction more emphatically,) Verily I say unto you it shall be required of this generation: both these and the like were conformable to that generall rule delivered by Ieremie, Chap. 18. ver. 7, 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdome, to pluck up and to pull downe, and to destroy it: If that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turne from their evill, I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them. And our Savi∣ours prediction Luke 11. 31. though the words may seeme most peremptory, did implicitely conteine or admit the same condition, which he

in another prediction of his to the same effect doth expresse Luke 13. 3. I tell you nay, but except you repent yee shall all likewise perish, that is, perish after the same disastrous manner that the Galile∣ans there mentioned, or the inhabitants of Jeru∣salem, had perished. Now however the predicti∣on of Isaiah or Zacharias his imprecation when he dyed; were no true causes of this peoples infi∣delity or destruction, yet in as much as what they threatned, though with this condition and Pro∣viso [Vnlesse they doe repent] did so exactly come to passe, the event is of most concludent proofe to us that they spake by the Spirit of God; a true cause of our knowledge that they were Prophets indeed, and that these events were not causuall in respect of their predictions, though in themselves contingent, or holding the true meane betweene necessity of being, and necessity of not being.

10. But the best way to convince them of er∣rour, who teach that prophecies are sometimes said to be fulfilled only by allusion, will be, to de∣clare the particular manner how these places at which they stumble most, doe conclude what the Evangelists rather intimate, then fully expresse. For so it was the will of God, that even the Evan∣gelists themselves should oft times only give us hints for searching out those demonstrations of the spirit, which they perfectly knew, but would not set downe at large, lest this should occasion sloathfull negligence in succeeding ages, or pre∣vent our admiration at the exact consonancy be∣tweene Propheticall predictions and evangelicall narrations.

To conclude this present treatise: it is alwayes more safe for the most learned expositor of Scrip∣tures to say, [I doe not conceive how this or that allegation doth conclude, or how this or that prophecy was exactly fulfilled] then perempto∣rily to avouch of any particular alleaged by the Evangelist, that it was no concludent proofe but allusive only, because he, or such as he hath read, cannot conceive how it is fulfilled. It is hard for any one man to see or heare all that hath beene said or written by others upon any parts of Scrip∣ture, but it may be easie for others that come af∣ter, to say somewhat in arguments of this nature, which no one before had said or observed, yea somewhat more then the Prophet himselfe did distinctly foresee, when he spake or wrote these very words which the Evangelists say were ful∣filled.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 15
• * 1.2

  Hierony∣mus Vida in carmine, cui titulus Gelelmi Vi∣de et Leonae Oscasalae pa∣rentum manib.