St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of the last Prophets of the Iewes, about the time that Christ was borne. CHAP. 24.

AFter their returne from Babilon, (at which time they had the Prophets Ag∣gee, Zacharie, and Malachi, and Esdras) they had no more Prophets vntill our Sauiours birth, but one other Zacharie, and Elizabeth his wife: and hard be∣fore his birth, old Symeon & Anna, a widow, and Iohn the last of all, who was about Christs yeares, and did not prophecy his comming, but protested his presence (a) being before vnknowne. Therefore saith CHRIST, The prophets and the law prophecied vnto Iohn. The prophecies of these fiue last, wee finde in the Ghospell, where the Virgin, Our Lords Mother prophecied also before Iohn.

But these prophecies the wicked Iewes reiect, yet an innumerable company of them did beleeue, and receiued them. For then was Israel truely diuided, as was prophecied of old by Samuel vnto Saul: and avouched neuer to bee altered. But the reprobate Iewes also haue Malachie, Aggee, Zacharie and Esdras in their Canon, and they are the last bookes thereof: for their bookes are as the others, full of great prophecies: otherwise they were but few that wrote worthy of cannonicall authority. Of these aforesaid I see I must make some abstracts to in∣sert into this worke, as farre as shall concerne Christ and his church: But that I may doe better in the next booke.

L. VIVES.

BEing (a) before vnknowne] Hee knew hee was come, but hee knew not his person yet, vntill the Holy Ghost descended like a doue, and God the Father spake from heauen, then hee •…•…w him, and professed his knowledge.