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. 6.

For word came unto the king of Ninive, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sacke∣cloth, and sate in ashes.

EXplanation, or laying out more at large that which briefly was set downe before. For now he doth more fully declare that, * 1.1 which he had briefly before spoken of the repentance of the Ninivites. He therfore pursueth every circumstance, both that the efficacie or force of the word of God outwardly preached even among the heathen themselves, may be understood, & also that we may know that the repentance of these men was true, and not hypocriticall, and that this may be an example for the godly being put in minde of the threatnings of God to follow. And to this purpose doth Christ alledge it Mat. 12. * 1.2 But in this place is described publike, not private, solemne and extraordinarie, and not ordinary repentance, like is as also Ioel cap. 2. VVhich two kindes of repentance are not to be confounded or hudled up to∣gither: neither are we to looke for that in ordinary, or private repentance, the which is proper and peculiar unto extraordinatie and publike repentance: as is for example, the decree of the magi∣strate, the putting on of sackcloth and ashes, &c.

Furthermore we must note, that the signes which are here re∣hearsed, * 1.3 did indeed in these Ninivites spring frō a sincere or purt minde: yet notwithstanding if they be considered in themselves they do rather paint out unto us the true nature and condition of the outward then the inwarde repentance of the godly, as may easily appeare Isai, 58. v. 5, 6, 7. Is it such a fast that I have choses

(saith the Lord) that a man should afflict his soule for a day, & to bow downe his head as a bulrush, and to lye downe in sackcloth & ashes? Wilt thou call this a fasting, or an acceptable day unto the Lord? Is not this the fasting that I have chosen, to loose the bandes of wickednesse, to take off the heavie burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye breake every yoke? Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry, & that thou bring the poore that wander unto thine house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh. For inward repentance, such as is in godly men, is assured of the forgivenesse of sinnes by Christ, of the promises of God, of his fatherly good will towardes them, &c. Now these thinges were nor in the Ninivites.

* 1.4Moreover the first circumstance of this publike repentance of the Ninivites, are the persons repenting: among the which the person of the king is first described as the which namely was the cause and example of the repentance of the rest: Afterwards the rest repented. For they all repented from the greatest unto the least, as was before ver. 5. and not onely one or two. Yea the king of Ninive himselfe, and not onely his subiectes. And this repen∣tance of the king, and that publike (laying aside all cogitation and pride of his kingly maiestie) is in this verse described by moste excellent contraries, He that sate before in his royall throne, lay in ashes: he that before was clothed with soft and gorgeous rai∣ment, tooke upon him most hard and sackcloath, and cloath of haire. Compare this outward shewe of repentance with these places and examples of the scripture, of Achab 1. King. 21.27. Ioel. 2. Isal. 58.5. Iob. 16.15. Mat. 11.8. VVhether Ionas came unto the king, or whether the king heard of his sermons by the report of others, hee was earnestly touched.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Explanation.
• * 1.2

  Publike & not private repen∣tance here de∣scribed.
• * 1.3

  Fasting, sacke cloth, & ashes, and such like externall ge∣sture are rather signes of true outward repen∣tance of the godly, the which consisteth in the hears truly bū∣bled by faith, & shewing forth the fruits of the same, by the workes of mer∣cy, &c.
• * 1.4

  The first circum¦stance of the re∣pentance of the Ninivites, to wit, the persons repenting.