THE FOURTH
The argument of Prophetical books
in general.
AMongst many great benefits, which God bestowed upon his peculiar people in the old Testament, one principal, and very excellent was, that besides their ordinary Pastors, and governors in spiritual causes, the Priests of Aaron's progeny, and other clergy men of the same tribe of Levi, in Hierarchical subordination of one chief, with other superiors and subjects, disposed in sacred functions; he also gave them other extraordinary Prophets of sundry tribes, as admonitors and guides, to reduce them from errors of sin, into the right way of virtue. Which office the same Prophets performed, as well by threatening the offenders with God's wrath, and punishment, as by exhorting them to repentance, and so to trust in God's assured mercy, that he would give them better times, and relief from their miseries. But most especially these holy Prophets did foresee, and foretell the happy times of Grace in the New Testament: The coming of the Messias, Christ our Redeemer and Saviour: with the mysteries of his Incarnation, Birth, Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, Coming of the Holy Ghost, Foundation, Propagation, perpetual Stability of his Church; and finally the General Judgement, Eternal Glory of the blessed, and Everlasting pain of the damned. For albeit they preached and prophesied many things, properly and immediately pertaining to the particular state, and people of the Jews, and other nations, where they conversed, yet the principal sum of all the prophetical books, is of Christ and his Church. Yea all the old Testament is a general prophecy, and foreshowing of the New. Which (as we noted in the beginning) is contained, and lieth hid in the old. Nevertheless speaking more distinctly of the proper arguments, or contents of the four parts of the old Testament, the former three more peculiarly set forth the Law, the History, and Sapiential precepts: and this last part chiefly contained Prophecies of things to come. Of which the greatest part is now come to pass, or daily fulfilled, and the rest shall likewise be performed in due time. So now in order after the Legal, Historical, and Sapiential books, follow the Prophetical: and are these, according to the names of the Prophets that writ them. Isaie, Jeremie with Baruch, Ezechiel, and Daniel, commonly called the greater Prophets: and the twelve lesser are Osee, Joel, Amos, Abdias, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Abacuc, Sophonias, Aggeus, Zacharie and Malachie. Who were all singularly inspired, and governed in their preachings and writings by the Holy Ghost, that they could not err. Yea they were so illuminated in their understanding, that they clearly saw that which they uttered. And therefore their Prophecies are called Visions, for the assured infallibility of truth, which they avouch. For as nothing is more certain in vulgar knowledge, than that which we see with our corporal eyes, and therefore of all witnesses the eye-witness is esteemed the surest: and as in all natural knowledge, that is most certain, which is seen by discourse of reason: so in supernatural knowledge nothing is more assured than that which is seen by supernatural light. Whereof there be three sorts: the light of Faith, of Prophecy, and of Glory. All three certain, and undoubted; but most clear and manifest is the vision by light of glory: whereby God is seen in himself, and all things in him, that pertain to the state of every glorious Saint. Next thereto is the vision by light of prophecy, wherewith God illuminateth the understanding of the Prophet by a special, extraordinary, and transitory light of grace, that either he clearly seeth the revealed truths, or at least perfectly knoweth that he is moved by the Holy Ghost, though he understand not all that the Holy Ghost intendeth, and so when and where it is God's will, he uttereth the same for instruction of others. The last, which is also certain, but more obscure, is the supernatural knowledge, which all Catholic Christians have by light of faith, assuredly believing all things which God revealeth by his Church.
Concerning therefore this excellent divine gift of Prophecy, granted to few, for the benefit of all God's servants, we are here to inform the vulgar reader, that whereas these Prophecies are for most part hard to be understood, and as S. Peter teacheth, not known by private interpretation, but must be interpreted by the same Spirit, wherewith they were written, [2. Pet. 1.] our purpose is not to explicate them, nor yet to produce large explications of the godly learned Fathers, but rather fewer and briefer notes than heretofore, and for the rest we remit the more learned and studious readers according to their capacities, to search the same in the commentaries of ancient and late Expositors, wishing others to content themselves, with the more easy parts of holy Scriptures, and other godly books, and daily instructions of spiritual teachers. And such as do also read these, may observe with us, these (amongst other) special causes of the hardness of the Prophets. One cause is the frequent interruptions of sentences, with sudden change from one person or matter to an other, without apparent coherence: Which S. Jerom noteth in sundry places. [S. Jerom. in c. 2. & 3. Nahum.] As Isaie. 7. after that the Prophet hath severely reprehended King Achab, for his distrust of God's assistance against his temporal enemies (v. 13.) in the next words he prophesieth, that a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, Christ our Saviour: and the like in other places. An other cause is that the Prophets speak things of some persons, which are to be fulfilled in others, either of their progeny, or prefigured by them. [S. Chry. ho. 8. in Math. 2.] As the prophecy of the Jews and Gentiles, comprised in the history of Esau and Jacob. Likewise that which Jacob Prophesied (Gen. 29.) of Simeon and Levi, not fulfilled in themselves, but in the Scribes, and Priests descending of their stock. [S. Aug. de catec. rudibus c. 3.] Also much of that which David seemeth to speak of Salomon, Psal. 88. can only be understood of Christ. Other examples will occur in the Prophets ensuing. Briefly, for we can not here express all the causes in few words, Prophecies are oftentimes uttered in figurative speeches, and often not in words, but in facts; [Et cont. Mend. c. 10.] other times so mixed with histories, and temporal things with spiritual, again some things pertaining to the old Testament, so joined with mysteries of the new and the like, that most hard it is to discern, nay, not possible without special revelation or instruction of others, to know to what purpose or thing every part pertaineth, or is to be applied: for some things are spoken only of the history, some things of mysteries, many things of both. [Eutym. in Psal. 117.] And the reason why the Holy Ghost doth so utter these Prophecies is noted by S. Jerom (in Nahum. 3.) that the proud and malicious enemies of Religion may not understand them: Lest (sayth he) a holy thing should be given to dogs, pearls cast to swine, most sacred mysteries laid open before profane persons. S. Gregory also allegeth an other reason (ho. 17. in Ezech.) That occasion of humility may be given us by those things, which are hidden in holy Scriptures. And increase also of merit by believing more than we understand, because faith hath not merit, where reason giveth experiment.