The Gentiles also had certain women called Sibylla, which were Prophetesses, who being endued with a certain spirit of prophecy, uttered most wonderful particularities of Christ to come: one of them beginning her Greek meter in these very words. Know thy God, which is the Son of God. Another of them maketh a whole discourse in Greek verse called Accresticki, expressly affirming therein, that Christ Jesus (by name) should be the Saviour, & that he was the Son of God, & expressly saying that he ⟨image 25⟩should be incarnate of a virgin, that he should suffer death for our sins, and that he should be crucified, that he should rise again and be exalted into the glorious heavens, and from thence (at the time appointed) and at the day of the resurrection of all flesh come again to the last judgement. Of these Sibyls there were ten in number,1 & talking of his first coming into the world, they also say, that Rutilans cum fidus monstrabit, A blazing Star shall declare him. These Sibyls speak so plainly of Christ Jesus, as the Prophets among the Jews did, yea more plainly, and as plainly as may be, and in a manner as fully as our Gospel speaketh: and therefore if the Gentiles will believe their own Prophets, they must likewise believe the Christian religion (whereof Jesus Christ is the author, of whom they abundantly testify.) Now least it might be thought by some suspicious heads, that Christians have devised and invented these things, as also that it may yet more fully appear, that Christ before his coming was notified over the world, by means of those verses of the Sibyls, 2it must be remembered, that Marcus Varro a learned Roman (who lived almost a hundred years before Christ) maketh mention at large of the Sibyls, (who in number, he saith, were ten) and of their writings, countries, and ages, as also of the writers and authors that before his time had left memory of them: and both he & Fenestella (another heathen) do affirm,3 that the writings of the Sibyls were gathered by the Romans,4 from all parts of the world where they might be heard of, & laid up with great diligence and reverence in the Capitol. Sybilla Erithraea, who made the former acrostic verses, testifieth of her self (as Constantine the Emperor doth record) that she lived ⟨image 25⟩about fire hundred years after the flood of Na•:
The Gentiles also had certaine women called Sibylla, which were Prophetesses, who béeing endued with a certaine spirit of prophecie, vttered most wonderfull particularities of Christ to come: one of them beginning her Gréeke m•eter in these very wordes. Know thy God, which is the Sonne of God. Another of them maketh a whole discourse in Gréek verse called Accresticki, expressely affirming therein, that Christ Iesus (by name) should be the Sauiour, & that he was the Sonne of God, & expressely saying that he ⟨image 25⟩should bée incarnate of a virgin, that he should suffer death for our sinnes, and that hee should bee crucified, that he should rise againe and be exalted into the glorious heauens, and from thence (at the time appoynted) and at the day of the resurrection of all flesh come againe to the last iudgement. Of these Sybils there were ten in number,1 & talking of his first comming into the world, they also say, that Rutilans cum fidus monstrabit, A blazing Starre shal declare him. These Sybils speake so plainly of Christ Iesus, as the Prophets among the Iewes did, yea more plainely, and as plainely as may bée, and in a manner as fully as our Gospell speaketh: and therefore if the Gentiles will beléeue their own Prophets, they must likewise beléeue the Christian religion (wherof Iesus Christ is the author, of whome they aboundantly testifie.) Now least it might bée thought by some suspitious heades, that Christians haue deuised and inuented these thinges, as also that it may yet more fully appeare, that Christ before his comming was notified ouer the world, by meanes of those verses of the Sybils, 2it must be remembred, that Marcus Varro a learned Romane (who liued almost a hundred yéeres before Christ) maketh mention at large of the Sybils, (who in number, he saith, were ten) and of their writings, countries, and ages, as also of the writers and authors that before his time had left memorie of thē: and both he & Fenestella (another heathen) do affirme,3 that the writings of the Sybils were gathered by the Romanes,4 from all partes of the world where they might be heard of, & laid vp with great diligence and reuerence in the Capitol. Sybilla Erithraea, who made the former accrostoick verses, testifieth of her selfe (as Constantine the Emperour doth record) that shee lyued ⟨image 25⟩
- 1Sibyl. Samia apud Betu•.
- 2Varro lib. de reb. divin. ad Caesarem. Font. Max.Varro lib. de reb. diuin. ad Caesarem. Font. Max.
- 3Fenest. cap. de 15. viris
- 4See the oration of Constant, in Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 32. de vita Const.
