Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Furthermore, the Doctrine, and ¹writings of the Prophets have always been of great authority among all wise men throughout the whole world. For it is well perceived by many arguments, that they took not their beginning of the prophets themselves as chief Authors, but were inspired from God out of heaven by the holy spirit of God. For it is God, which dwelling by his spirit in the minds of the Prophets, speaketh to us by their months. And for that cause have they a most large testimony at the hands of Christ, & his elect Apostles. What say ye to this moreover, that God by their ministry hath wrought miracles and wonders to be marvelled at, and those not a few? That at the least by mighty signs we might learn that it is God, by whose inspiration the Prophets do, teach, and write whatsoever they left for us to remember. Furthermore, so many common weals, and congregations gathered together, and governed by the Prophets according to the word of God, do show most evident testimonies of God his trueth in the Prophets. Plato, Zeno, Aristotle, and other Philosophers of the Gentiles, are praised as excellent men. But which of them could ever yet gather a Church to live according to their ordinances? And yet our Prophets have had the most excellent and renowned common weals, or Congregations, yea and that more is, the most flourishing Kingdoms in all the world under their authority. All the wise men in the whole world, I mean •hose which lived in his time, did reverence Solomon, a King and so great a Prophet, and came unto him from the very utmost ends of the world. Daniel also had the preeminence among the wise men at Babylon, being then the most renowned Monarchy in all the world.

Furthermore, the Doctrine, and ¹writings of the Prophetes haue alwayes béen of great authoritie among all wise men throughout the whole world. For it is well perceiued by many argumēts, yt they tooke not their beginning of ye prophets thēselues as chief Authours, but were inspired frō God out of heauē by the holy spirit of God. For it is God, which dwelling by his spirite in the mindes of the Prophets, speaketh to vs by their monthes. And for that cause haue they a most large testimonie at ye hands of Christ, & his elect Apostles. What say ye to this moreouer, that God by their ministerie hathe wrought miracles and wonders to be marueiled at, and those not a fewe? That at the least by mightie signes we might learne that it is God, by whose inspiration the Prophetes doe, teach, and write whatsoeuer they left for vs to remember. Furthermore, so many common weales, and congregations gathered together, and gouerned by the Prophetes according to the worde of God, doe shewe moste euident testimonies of God his trueth in the Prophets. Plato, Zeno, Aristotle, and other Philosophers of the Gentiles, are praised as excellēt men. But whiche of them could euer yet gather a Churche to liue according to their ordinances? And yet our Prophetes haue had the moste excellent and renowmed common weales, or Congregatiōs, yea and that more is, the most flourishing Kingdomes in all ye world vnder their authoritie. All the wysemen in the whole worlde, I meane hose whiche liued in his time, did reuerence Solomon, a King and so great a Prophet, and came vnto him from the very vtmoste endes of the worlde. Daniel also had the preeminence among the wisemen at Babilon, being then the moste renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde.