The Institution of Christian Religion

But in the other prophets the same is yet also much more plainly seen. I will choose out only a few examples, because to gather them all together were to great a labour. When in the time of Isaiah the kingdom of Judah was in peace, yea when they thought that the Chaldees were to them some stay and defence, then did Isaiah prophesy of the destruction of the city and exile of the people. But admit that, yet this was no token plain enough of the instinct of God, to tell long before of such things as at that time seemed false, and afterward proved true:¹ yet those prophecies that he uttereth concerning their deliverance, whence shall we say that they proceeded but from God? He nameth Cyrus by whom the Chaldees should be subdued, and the people restored to liberty. There passed more than a hundred years from the time that Isaiah so prophesied before that Cyrus was borne: for Cyrus was borne in the hundred year or thereabouts after the death of Isaiah. No man could then guess that there should be any such Cyrus, that should have war with the Babylonians, that should bring subject so mighty a monarchy under his dominion, and make an end of the exile of the people of Israel. Doth not this bare telling without any garnishment of words evidently show, that the things that Isaiah speaketh,² are the undoubted oracles of God, and not the conjectures of men? Again, when Jeremiah a little before that the people was carried away, did determine the end of the captivity within threescore and ten years, and promised return and liberty, must it not needs be that his tongue was governed by the spirit of God? What shamelessness shall it be to deny, that the credit of the prophets was stablished by such proves,³ and that the same thing was fulfilled in deed, which they them selves do report to make their sayings to be believed? Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they come forth, I tell you of them. I leave to speak how Jeremiah and Ezekiel being so far asunder, yet prophesying both at one time, they so agreed in all their sayings as if either one of them had indited the words for the other to write. What did Daniel?

But in the other prophetes the same is yet also muche more plainely seene. I will choose out onely a fewe examples, because to gather them all together were to greate a laboure. When in the tyme of Esaie the kyngdom of Iuda was in peace, yea when they thought that the Chaldees were to them some staie and defence, then did Esaie prophecie of the destruction of the citie and exile of the people. But admitte that, yet this was no token playne enough of the instinct of God, to tell longe before of suche thinges as at that tyme semed false, and afterward proued true: