The places of Isaiah and Jeremiah,1 I have before declared, & therefore in few words I will touch the purpose of the holy Ghost, which was not to instruct that people whom, when, or how many God had elected to lief everlasting in Christ Jesus his Son, or whom for just causes, he had reprobated, but to convict them of their manifest, and most unthankful defection, and to take from them, all excuses, both the prophets do declare, how gently God had entreated them, yea how beneficial he had been to their fathers, whom he called from ignorance, whom he nourished in •is own knowledge, and at length planted, and hedged them about with all munition and necessary defence. So that now the children declining to Idolatry could have no excuse. for their fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David, whom he calleth the faithful seed, gave unto them no such example.2 But how sayeth he, art thou now changed, to be unto me a degenerate vineyard? what maketh this, I pray you, for your purpose, or for to prove, that these, that be elected in Christ Jesus, to lief everlasting, may become reprobates? If I should answer, that the stock which was planted faithful, remained faithful, but that it produced many rotten, ⟨p. 247⟩and unfruitful branches, which therefore, must needs be cut of, none of your sect were able to confute me. for I should have the Apostle for my warrant. But I delight in nothing so much, as in the simple and native meaning of the scriptures, as they be alleged in their own places by the holy Ghost.3 The places of the prophets Isaiah, and Hoseas, have not both one end. for Isaiah in the 14 chapter doth promise in the person of God, that he would show mercy to Jacob, and that he would choose Israel again: yea that he would destroy Babylon, for their sake, and so would choose his people to him self again, whom for a time, he appeared to have rejected, so that other lords then he, did bear rule over them.4 But Hoseas in the contrary sense affirmeth, that because they had abused the long patience of God, and had not righteously considered, how tenderly he had entreated them, that therefore should the sword r•sh• in into the city, that it should destroy, and devour, so that none should be found to relieve them. This I doubt not, is the meaning of both the prophets.
The places of Isaiah and Ieremie,1 I haue before declared, & therefor in few wordes I will touche ye purpose of the holie Gost, which was not to instruct that people whom, when, or how many God had elected to lief euerlasting in Christ Iesus his Sonne, or whom for iust causes, he had reprobated, but to conuict them of their manifest, and most vnthankfull defection, and to take from them, all excuses, both the prophetes do declare, how gently God had entreated them, yea how beneficial he had bene to their fathers, whom he called from ignorance, whom he norished in •is own knowledge, and at length planted, and hedged them about with all munition and necessarie defence. So that now the children declining to Idolatrie could haue no excuse. for their fathers Abraham, Isaak, Iacob, and Dauid, whom he calleth the faithfull sede, gaue vnto them no such example.2 But how saieth he, art thow now changed, to be vnto me a degenerate vineyard? what maketh this, I praye you, for your purpose, or for to proue, that these, that be elected in Christ Iesus, to lief euerlasting, may becom reprobates? If I should answere, that the stocke which was planted faithfull, remained faithfull, but that it produced many rotten, ⟨p. 247⟩and vnfrutefull branches, which therefor, must nedes be cut of, none of your sect were able to confute me. for I should haue the Apostle for my warrant. But I delyte in nothing somuche, as in the simple and natiue meaning of the scriptures, as they be alledged in their own places by the holie Gost.3 The places of the prophetes Isaiah, and Hoseas, haue not both one end. for Isaiah in the 14 chapter doth promes in the person of God, that he wold shew mercie to Iacob, and that he wold choose Israel againe: yea that he wold destroy Babylon, for their saik, and so wold choose his people to him self againe, whom for a tyme, he appered to haue reiected, so that other lordes then he, did beare rule ouer them.4 But Hoseas in the contrarie sense affirmeth, that because they had abused the long pacience of God, and had not righteously considered, howtenderly he had intreated them, that therefor should the sword r•sh• in into the citie, that it should destroy, and deuore, so that none should be found to releue them. This I dout not, is the meaning of both the prophetes.
- 1Isaiah 5
- 2Jerem. 2Ierem. 2
- 3To the 14
- 4Hoseas 11
