Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

The fruitfulness of the land, whereof he spake before, ought to be esteemed a good blessing of Good. But behold here the chiefest cause of joy and gladness; to wit, when God vouchsafes unto us the wholesome & sincere milk of the word (for our souls.) For there is no famine of bread that ought so much to affect us with fear and perplexity, as the famine of Gods blessed word.¹ And indeed look how much more precious the soul is then the body, so much the more ought we to fear that famine above all other famine: as also another Prophet tells us: Amos 8.11. Our Prophet then promiseth unto the Jews a benefit,² a•ove all benefits the greatest. What is that? They shall now be fed with the word of God, which had been exceeding scarce amongst them before. The false Prophets I deny not will boast, that they also have the word; yea with greater boldness many times then the faithful Teachers themselves. They forsooth will be taken and held for good guides, even whilst they lead men into error, and at last, plunge them with themselves into everlasting perdition. But the word which shows us the direct way, comes of God alone.³ And yet if he did not therewithal promise to give ears to hear it, the word of it self should little avail us: for so he should indeed speak but to deaf ears, neither should we perceive ought but a confused sound.

THe fruitfulnesse of the land, whereof hee spake before, ought to bee esteemed a good blessing of Good. But behold here the chiefest cause of ioy and gladnesse; to wit, when God vouchsafes vnto vs the wholesome & sincere milke of the word (for our soules.) For there is no famin of bread that ought so much to affect vs with feare and perplexitie, as the famin of Gods blessed word.¹ And indeed looke how much more precious the soule is then the body, so much the more ought we to feare that famin aboue all other famin: as also another Prophet telles vs: Amos 8.11