to confess, that all had taken place just as Scripture
had foretold.

V. 11. _And have investigated what or at what time the Spirit of
Christ which was in them;_ St. Peter would say, although the prophets
have not particularly known of a set and definite time, yet have they
in general testified to all the circumstances of time and place;--as,
that Christ should suffer, and what death he should die, and that the
Gentiles should believe on him: so that one might certainly know by
these signs when the time had come. The prophet Daniel has approached
still nearer, but yet speaks somewhat darkly thereof, as to when
Christ should suffer and die--when that or this should take place.
So, also, they had a sure prophecy that the kingdom of the Jews
should cease before Christ came. But the day and exact time when this
should come to pass was not fixed. For it was enough when this time
came, that they should thereby know for a surety that Christ was not
far off. The prophet Joel also prophesied of the time when the Holy
Spirit should come, where he says, "I will in the last days pour out
my spirit upon all flesh," &c., which passage St. Peter quotes in
Acts ii., and shows that he speaks of that very time and of the
particular persons.

From all which you perceive how, with great diligence, the Apostles
exhibit throughout the ground and confirmation of their preaching and
doctrine. The Councils and the Popes now reverse this course, and
would deal with us apart from Scripture, commanding us, by obedience
to the church and the terrors of excommunication, that we should
believe on them. The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, and
were certain that they were sent by Christ, and preached the true
Gospel; yet they did not exalt themselves, and did not ask men to
believe them, unless they conclusively proved from Scripture that it
was just as they said, so that the mouth of the unbelieving was
stopped, insomuch that they could object nothing further. And shall
we believe those grossly unlearned heads who do not preach God's word
at all, and can do nothing else but cry out continually, "Surely the
fathers cannot have been in error, and this has been decided now for
a long time, so that it must no more be a question?" But this we can
clearly prove from the Scriptures, that no one can be saved but he
who believes on Christ, so that against this they can say nothing.
But on their side they will never be able to prove to us from
S