A17384:2383
A commentary
A commentary: or, sermons upon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter wherein method, sense, doctrine, and use, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinity largely discussed. By Nicholas Byfield, late preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex.A commentary: or, sermons vpon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter vvherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of diuinity largely discussed. By Nicholas Byfield, late preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex.
London: printed by Humphrey Lownes for George Latham, 1623London: printed by Humfrey Lownes for George Latham, 1623
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
If others say, that Men were hired into the vineyard at the eleventh hour,1 and were allowed and rewarded as well as they that went-in at the third hour; I answer, that The drift of the parable is only to show, that men that had the means later than other men, may yet be saved: it cannot be stretched to so large a sense. Besides, being a parable, it may illustrate, but cannot prove without some other Scripture, to which it serves as an illustration. But my special answer is this, that those men were never hired before the eleventh hour: they went in so soon as any came to hire them. And ⟨p. 550⟩so it is true, that if men have lived till extreme old age,2 and never had the means till then, they may have as much hope as they that had the means in their youth: but that will not warrant the presumption of such, as, being called the third hour, will not go in till the eleventh hour.
If others say, that Men were hired into the vineyard at the eleuenth houre,1 and were allowed and rewarded as well as they that went-in at the third houre; I answer, that The drift of the parable is onely to shew, that men that had the means later than other men, may yet bee saued: it cannot bee stretched to so large a sense. Besides, being a parable, it may illustrate, but cannot prooue without some other Scripture, to which it serues as an illustration. But my speciall answer is this, that those men were neuer hired before the eleuenth houre: they went in so soon as any came to hire them. And ⟨p. 550⟩so it is true, that if men haue liued till extreme old age,2 and neuer had the means till then, they may haue as much hope as they that had the meanes in their youth: but that wil not warrant the presumption of such, as, being called the third houre, will not go in till the eleuenth houre.
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