Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
Ver. 19. Yet he sent prophets to them.] As God loveth to foresignify; such is his pity and patience.
And they testified against them: but they would not give ear.] The Vulgate rendereth it, Quos Protestantes illi audire nolebant: which Poynes a the Papist construeth thus, Whom those Protestants would not hear; and therehence, very doctor like, inferreth that it was foretold in the Old Testament that the Protestants were a malignant church, whereas Protestantes there is to be referred to prophets going before; and so it followeth better that the name of Protestants - though in contempt put upon the reformed churches by the Papists, by reason of their protestation against the Romish religion made at Spires above a hundred years since - yet is ancient and honourable; and that they were idolaters that would not give ear to those Protestants of old - as neither will they to this day - who called heaven and earth to witness against them.
a Preface to his book Of the Sacraments. Sic et Duacerises, Anglice