The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

CHAP. X. Containing a particular description of the time of the Prophets called the greater.

The first section, of the Prophet Esay.

THe Prophet Esay was the sonne of Amos, not of that A∣mos who was the third of the 12. lesser Prophetes; but of another Amos, hauing different characters with the Hebrews. Aug de ciuit libr. 18. cap. 27. Hier. in. 1. cap Esaiae.

Esay prophesied to Ierusalem and Iuda; that is, to the two tribes of Beniamin and Iuda. Hier. in 1. cap Esaiae.

Esay (who was also called Azarias) Osee, Ioel, & Amos, prophesied at the selfe same time, in the daies of Osias,* 1.1 Ioa∣tham, Achas, and Ezechias kings of Iuda. Hier. in princ. E∣saiae.

The wicked king Manasses, caused the prophet Esay to be sawed in peeces with a wodden saw. Wherefore, that which the Epistle to the Ebrewes saith of the tortures of Gods Saintes, that they were hewen in sunder, is very fitly referred to the prophet Esay. Hier. lib. 15. cap. 57. in Esaiam.

The second section, of the prophet Ieremie.

Ieremie prophesied to y^e two tribes of Iuda & Beniamin, he foretold their captiuitie in Babylon, hee began his prophesie in the daies of Iosias,* 1.2 he continued the same in the daies of Ioa∣chim, and vntill the eleuenth yeare of Sedechias in the time of the captiuitie. Orig. hom. 1. in Hier. Aug. de ciu. lib. 18. c. 33.

Betweene the time of Ieremias and Esaias, were one hun∣dred and fiftie yeares. Hier. lib. 9. cap. 30. in Esaiam.

He was the sonne of Helkias the priest. cap. 1. Iere. v. 1. the tradition of the Hebrewes is, that whensoeuer the father or graundfather of any prophet is put in the title, such a one was also a prophet himselfe. Gloss. ordinar.

Sophonias prophesied at the same time with Ieremias. A∣thanas. in synop▪ Aug. de ciu. lib. 18. cap. 33.

Iehoiakim king of Iuda burnt the book, which Baruc wrote

wrote at the mouth of Ieremias; in which booke the prophet shewed, what punishment God had determined to bring vpon Iuda and Israel▪ if they would not returne euery man from his euill way, and bring forth worthy fruites of repentance. But Ieremie at Gods appointment wrote another book, which con∣tained the afflictions of Iuda and Israel, in a farre larger ma∣ner, Ierem. cap. 36. Where we may note by the way, that the wicked do euer kicke against the preachers of Gods word, espe∣cially when their sinnes are reprooued. But at length they tast of the cup of Gods wrath, for their great contempt and disobe∣dience. And our papistes are now become Iehoiakims, as who both burne the writers of all bookes, that reprooue their super∣stitions and idolatry; and also cast the bookes into the fire. Yea, euen the holy bibles,* 1.3 if they be once translated into the vulgar tongue.

Ieremie began to prophesie when he was a childe, in the 13. yeere of Iosias king of Iuda,* 1.4 hee continued his prophesie du∣ring the reigne of Iosias the sonne of Amon. 19. yeares, and af∣ter that vnder Ioachim 11. yeres, and vnder Sedechias 11. yeares, who was the last king of Iuda. The three moneths of Ioachaz and Iechonias, are reckoned in the yeares afore na∣med. So that from the beginning of his prophesie, vntill the captiuitie of Ierusalem, (in which himselfe was taken) he pro∣phesied, 41. yeres, ouer and besides that time, in which he was carried away into Egypt, and prophesied in Taphins. Hier. in cap. 2. Ierem. at which Taphins in Egypt, as some write, hee was stoned to death. But before that time, he was put in a deep dungeon of myre. Iere. 38.

The third section, of the prophet Ezechiel.

Ezechiel followed Ieremie, and began to prophesie in the fift yeare of the transmigration of Iechonias, which was the same yeare of the reigne of Sedechias. Hier. lib. 5. cap. 29. in Ieremiam. in the 30. yere (after some) of his age. Ezechias c. 1. but as S. Hierome writeth, the 30. yeares whereof the Pro∣phet speaketh, are not the yeares of the age of Ezechiel himself, but the yeares from the 18. of king Iosias, at what time the

booke of the law was found, vntill the fift yeare of the captiuity of Iechonias. Hier. in cap. 1. Exech. 2.

Ezechiel was carried away captiue into Babilon, togither with Iechonias, Daniel, and the three children. Hier. in princ. Ezech. Aug. de ciu. lib. 18. cap. 34.

This holy prophet foretold the destruction of Hierusalem, and the captiuitie of the Iewes for their manifold sinnes and wickednesse, earnestly exhorting them to repentance. For which cause the Iewes were so exasperated against him, (as the wic∣ked are this day against the preachers of Gods word, that they trailed him on the ground amongst the stones, till his braines went out. Author. oper. imperf. in Matt. cap. 23. hom, 46. prop. finem.

A golden obseruation.

In the dayes of Iosias king of Iuda, Helkiah the Priest found the booke of the lawe of the Lord, giuen by the hand of Moses. Which when the good king vnderstood, hee gathered togither all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem and of Iuda, and the Priests and the Leuites, and all the people from the greatest to the smallest; and he read in their eares all the words of the booke of the couenant, that was found in the house of the Lord:* 1.5 and the king caused all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to it, and hee compelled all the people of Israel to serue the Lord their God. 2. Par. 34.4. Kin. 22. Thus saith the ho∣ly scripture. By which we see euidently, that the ouersight of all persons in all causes aswell ecclesiastical as ciuill, pertaineth to the king: and that the king hath the charge of religion com∣mitted into his handes, and also that he may compel priests and Leuites to doe their dueties in that behalfe. On the other side we may note the intollerable impietie of our disholy fathers the late bishops of Rome. Who most irreligiously and very impu∣dently excommunicate christian kings and monarches, because they appoint the word of God to be preached in their dominiōs, read the holy bibles in their vulgar tongues, and cause their subiectes to doe the like: a thing neuer heard of, by any wri∣ters of approoued antiquitie.

A doubt.

S. Peter saith, that certaine places of S. Paules epistles

be hard to be vnderstood; and S. Hierome in his Commenta∣ries vpon Ezechiel saith, that amongst the Iewes none could be permitted to reade the beginning of Genesis, the Canticles, the beginning and ending of Ezechiel, vntill he were 36. yeres of age.

The answer.

I answere with S. Austen, that whatsoeuer is necessary for mans saluation, is plainly set downe in holy scripture: and that which is obscure in one place, is made manifest by another. his words I haue alledged, in my book of Motiues, in the tenth chapter, and second conclusion.

The fourth section, of the Prophet Daniel.

* 1.6Daniel was a prophet of the tribe of Iuda, descended of noble parentage, and being a childe was carried from Iurie to Babilon Epiphanius de vit. & interrit. Prophet.

Of Daniel hee was called Balthazar. Which name was giuen him, either (as Iosephus saith) of king Nabuchodonozor; or (as Lud. Viues saith) of the kinges Eunuche, who had charge of the kinges children. This is certaine, that hee was called Balthasar in Babylon. Orig. in Num. cap. 31. hom. 25.

Daniel preached in Babylon, in the very time of the capti∣uitie. Dan. 1. ver 7.

Daniel departed out of this life in Babylon, and was bu∣ried with great honour: his sepulchre is this day to be seene in Babylon, renowmed throughout the world. Epiphanius vbi supra.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A.M. 3307.
• * 1.2

  A. M. 3380.
• * 1.3

  ••he papistes are ••ecome Iehoia∣••ims.
• * 1.4

  A.M. 3318.
• * 1.5

  Kinges are su∣preme gouer∣nors in causes ecclesiasticall.
• * 1.6

  A. M. 3397.