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. 5.

Then I said, I am cast away out of thy sight: yet will I looke againe towards thine holy Temple.

* 1.1THe second amplification of the danger wherein Ionas was by the adiuncts, that is, by his thoughts and most hard wrast∣lings the which Ionas then felt in his minde. And these did let him, that he could not without great difficultie or hardnes assure him selfe to hope for helpe from God. Nowe this cogitation or thought was in a manner greater and more bitter then the daun∣ger it selfe: because that he did thinke with him selfe that he was banished from the presence of God, as if that now there were no way open for him vnto God, when as he was euidently punished by God him selfe, and the same most apparantly angrie with him for his most grieous offence committed against God him∣selfe. For so doth the flesh iudge of the will of God towards it by the feeling of externall or outward things. * 1.2 This feeling therefore did no doubt enstrange him from God. But yet faith, and the same a true faith, withstoode this most dangerous cogitation or thought. For faith wrastled and stroue against this cogitation, sustaining or vpholding it selfe vpon the couenant of God, the promises vnto the seede of Abraham, and the Sacraments and

signes of those promises, as the Tempie. For Ionas did hope that it would come to passe, that neuerthelesse at the handes of the same God before beeing angrie with him, he should nowe ob∣taine mercie, and be deliuered, nay that he should be brought a∣gaine vnto the holy Temple, in the which God was worship∣ped, and should yet againe be reckoned to be in the Church and in the number of the sonnes of God. Therefore I doe take the Hebre we particle (Ac) by the way of contrarietie vnto tha•• which he said in the former part of this verse, for (but) as name∣ly expressing a sentence contrarie vnto the former. Hereby ap∣peareth that same wrastling of faith with diffidencie, or distrust also the fight of Satan enstranging vs from God by the feeling 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our sinnes, with the spirit of God calling vs backe againe vn•••••• God by the feeling of his vneuitable grace and fauour toward his, wherein faith in God his elect or chosen ouercommeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the ende, as in Ionas it did ouercome. Such a like thing may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 obserued in the Psalmes 73. and 116. ver. 4, 10, 11.

* 1.3Moreouer, whereas by the figure Synecdoche, Ionas make•• mention of the Temple of Ierusalem aboue all other Sacramen•• of that time, vnto the which he hopeth that he shall yet goe a¦gaine, this appertaineth hereunto, that he may shew that he d•• earnestly, set before him selfe the Sacraments and signes of Go•• his couenant with Israel, and called them as it were to helpe him against that importunate or vnreasonable and strong assault•••• distrust, so that by this place, if there were no more, they may b•• vnderstoode to be vngodly and wicked persons, the which d•••• despise and reiect or refuse of contempt the Sacraments appoin••¦ted by God for the confirmation or strengthening of our faith.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The second amplification of Ionas his dan∣ger.
• * 1.2

  True faith in Ionas withstan∣deth his dange∣rous tentation.
• * 1.3

  The Temple taken for all o∣ther sacraments by the figure Sy∣necdoche, which is, when as the whole is put for the part, or con∣trariwise the part for the wholt.