A fruitfull commentarie vpon the twelue small prophets briefe, plaine, and easie, going ouer the same verse by verse, and shewing every where the method, points of doctrine, and figures of rhetoricke, to the no small profit of all godly and well disposed readers, with very necessarie fore-notes for the vnderstanding of both of these, and also all other the prophets. The text of these prophets together with that of the quotations omitted by the author, faithfully supplied by the translatour, and purged of faults in the Latine coppie almost innumerable, with a table of all the chiefe matters herein handled, and marginall notes very plentifull and profitable; so that it may in manner be counted a new booke in regard of these additions. VVritten in Latin by Lambertus Danæus, and newly turned into English by Iohn Stockwood minister and preacher at Tunbridge.

Vers. 7.

And they saide ••very one to his fellow, Come, and let us east lottes, that we may know, for whose cause this evill is upon vs. So they cast lottes, and the lotte fell upon Ionas.

THE third amplification both of the sluggishnesse of Ionas, and of the shipwrack, and of that same foule and cruell tem∣pest, described before, by the effect, * 1.1 were unto men use both sel∣dome for to runne, and not except the wrath of God doe mani∣festly or plainly shew it selfe as it were from heaven, and extraor∣dinarily, where with notwithstanding Ionas is not yet in such sort mooved, as that he doth confesse his fault. This effect is casting of lottes, and as it were an extraordinary speaking, and asking by God himselfe, with whome among these all, he should be so offended, that the same parrie might be iudged to be the cause of so great trouble unto the rest. Now the prophet doth amplifie

or enlarge these things, both that his owne fault may appeare the greater, and also that the mercy of God towards him may be acknowledged to be the more singular: and finally that tho¦rough the feare of so great a iudgement and danger, the rest may bee ••••e more fearefull and learne to obey God when he calleth For men very seldome grow to cast lots concerning the giving 〈◊〉〈◊〉 themselves unto death, * 1.2 and this, not except either God him selfe by some extraordinary signe or token, as we haue said before, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shew that he is angry with some one among many: or that some thing be extraordinarily to be asked of God, the which men by their owne and worldly wisdom, without the iust offence of some other, are not able to declare.

Hereof are gathered two things, the one, that such was the tempest of the sea at that time, * 1.3 so sudden, strange, and unusual that all men might easily perceive that it was sent from heav•••• by God being angry with some one of them. Therfore that th•• might be knowen, by common consent they runne unto lots, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if it were to enquire at the mouth of God himself. For this is a thi•••• knowen among men not utterly void of goodnes and godlines even by the very light of nature, * 1.4 that in the use of such things, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wit, in the casting of lots, God, and the providence of God do•• shine forth and appeare. For Salomon Prov. 16.33. saith: Th•• lot is cast into the lappe: but the whole disposition therof, is of the L•••••• Yet Ierome affirmeth that this was therefore done of these infe∣dels, because that alwayes among profane and heathen men the use of lottes hath bene common, even in matters of small impor∣tance. * 1.5 The other point is to be noted, to wit, that lots have, an•• may be used both among profane, and also among godly men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 matters extraordinary, and immediatly depending upon the w•••• of God, as Iosh. 7. for the finding out of Achan: 1. Sam. 14. fo•• the trying who had eaten meate, contrary unto the oth taken•• them by Saul: & Act. cap. 1. for the choosing of Matthias in the roome of Iudas. Hereupon lots that are lawfull, are called con∣sultory, and divisorie. But such as are divinatorie, whereby they tell of things by way of soothsaying, and lusorie, or such as a•••• used in play, are to be condemned and disallowed, the which a•••• not onely curious, but also prophane and heathenish. Further, doubt not, but that albeit these, as Ierom saith, ranne easily to c••∣sting of lottes according unto the custome in those times used yet that they tooke this course and counsell with one consent

by the only instinct or secret motion of God: because that God himselfe was minded to lay open before all men the fault of his blockish prophet, and to bring to light the things which he did hide and keepe close. And for this cause did the lot fall upon Io∣nas.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The third am∣plification of the foule of Jo∣nas by an extra∣ordinary effect of casting lors.
• * 1.2

  The casting of lots upon life & death, extraor∣dinarie, and in what coses used.
• * 1.3

  Two things to be noted. 1
• * 1.4

  Gods providēce doth appeare in the lawfull use of lots.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 point in what cases lottes both have, and also may be used.