The Christian warfare wherein is first generally showed the malice, power and politic stratagems…The Christian warfare wherein is first generally shewed the malice, power and politike stratagems…

Moreover, this book of the law was safely kept in the Tabernacle, and after in the ⟨p. 340⟩Temple in the Ark which was placed in the holy of holiest, and divers authentical copies written out of it for every one of the twelve tribes, which were every Sabaoth day read and expounded in their Synagogues; yea so familiar were these writings with the Jews, that they were written in their houses, and upon their garments, so as it was not possible for any man to falsify them but it would presently be espied. Yea (will the tempter say) but though they could not be depraved or corrupted, yet they might at first be invented by some more subtle than the rest, and so thrust upon men under the authority of God himself, as being the writings of his Prophets and Apostles. To which I answer, that there is no probability of truth in this objection; for I would fain know in what age this man should write. In the time of Moses? how then could he write the history of the Judges who succeeded him? In the time of the Judges? how then could he write the history of the Kings? What then? could he write these things in the time of the Kings, and so feign a relation of such things as went before? why then it is necessary that he should have lived in the time of the last Kings, or else he could not have penned their history also: but before this time, there were many copies abroad of the Scriptures in divers nations, by reason that the Jews were scattered abroad through their captivity, where they as constantly professed their religion as in their own country. Besides, if these writings had been feigned, in what age could they come to light but men diligently inquiring into them, as being matters importing no less than their eternal salvation or condemnation, would have found them counterfeit? For if they had been penned in the same age wherein the things were done, who would have believed them, if they did not assuredly know that they contained nothing but certain truth? If in an after age, who would have straight subscribed unto them, unless they had by tradition from their ancestors bin assured that such things were done in former times? Furthermore, it is not probable but that the Jews would have made mention of such an author if they had known him;

Moreouer, this book of the law was safely kept in the Tabernacle, and after in the ⟨p. 340⟩Temple in the Arke which was placed in the holy of holiest, and diuers authenticall copies written out of it for euery one of the twelue tribes, which were euery Sabbaoth day read and expounded in their Sinagogues; yea so familiar were these writings with the Iewes, that they were written in their houses, and vpon their garments, so as it was not possible for any man to falsifie them but it would presently bee espied. Yea (will the tempter say) but though they could not be depraued or corrupted, yet they might at first bee inuented by some more subtill than the rest, and so thrust vpon men vnder the authority of God himselfe, as being the writings of his Prophets and Apostles. To which I answere, that there is no probabilitie of truth in this obiection; for I would faine know in what age this man should write. In the time of Moses? how then could he write the historie of the Iudges who succeeded him? In the time of the Iudges? how then could he write the historie of the Kings? What then? could he write these things in the time of the Kings, and so faine a relation of such things as went before? why then it is necessarie that hee should haue liued in the time of the last Kings, or els he could not haue penned their historie also: but before this time, there were many copies abroad of the Scriptures in diuers nations, by reason that the Iewes were scattered abroad through their captiuitie, where they as constantly professed their religion as in their owne countrey. Besides, if these writings had been fained, in what age could they come to light but men diligently inquiring into them, as being matters importing no lesse than their eternall saluation or condemnation, would haue found them counterfeit? For if they had been penned in the same age wherein the things were done, who would haue beleeued them, if they did not assuredly know that they contained nothing but certaine truth? If in an after age, who would haue straight subscribed vnto them, vnlesse they had by tradition from their ancestors bin assured that such things were done in former times? Furthermore, it is not probable but that the Iewes would haue made mentiō of such an author if they had known him;