the event; such as the predictions of almost all the prophets are; as who saw not God apparently, like unto Moses, but _in dark speeches, and in figures_. (Numb. xii. 8). But of these we cannot judge, otherwise than _by the way of natural reason_; because that judgment depends on the prophet’s interpretation, and on its proportion with the event. [Sidenote: What was held for the written word of God among the Jews.] 12. The Jews did hold the book of the whole law, which was called _Deuteronomy_, for _the written word of God_; and that only (forasmuch as can be collected out of sacred history) until the captivity. For this book was delivered by Moses himself to the priests, to be kept and laid up in the side of the ark of the covenant, and to be copied out by the kings; and the same a long time after, by the authority of king Josiah (2 Kings xxiii. 2), acknowledged again for _the word of God_. But it is not manifest, when the rest of the books of the Old Testament were first received into canon. But what concerns the prophets, Isaiah and the rest, since they foretold no other things than what were to come to pass, either in or after the captivity, their writings could not at that time be held for prophetic; by reason of the law cited above (Deut. xviii. 21, 22), whereby the Israelites were commanded not to account any man for a true prophet, but him whose prophecies were answered by the events. And hence peradventure it is, that the Jews esteemed the writings of those whom they slew when they prophesied, for prophetic afterward; that is to say, for the word of God. [Sidenote: The power of interpreting the word of God, and the supreme civil power, were united in Moses while he lived.]