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. 1.

Therefore it displeased Ionas exceedingly, and he was angrie.

THE consequence or what followed this their repentance. For the Prophet goeth on not onely in telling of the historie of things that followed, but also in the description of his owne sinne, when as he had not yet through∣ly repented being learned by the former pu∣nishments, that by his example all men may learne the true way of establishing the glory of God, and not to make estimation and determination of the fruite of the worke whereunto they are called of God, * 1.1 by the iudgement and sense or feeling of mans wisedome, and of the flesh, but by the iudge∣ment, will, and wisedome of God himselfe: that looke what he will haue brought to passe, & after what maner he will haue it brought to passe, the same also may like us, and that wee allowe of the same, albeit that wee did suppose that some

other thing, or after some other maner, would haue ensued of it. In a worde, we are hereby taught not to consult with flesh and blood neither in the worke, nor about the worke of God. For flesh and blood can not inherite the kingdome of God. 1. Cor. 15.50. For Gods thoughts are not like unto our thoughts. Isai. 55.8, 9. Now this that followeth from this first verse unto the 5. ver. is here set downe by a figure called Hysteron proteron.* 1.2 For after his sermons made in Ninive, Ionas departed out of the city, and waiting there 40. dayes, he perceiveth that God had repented and spared the Ninivites. VVherefore this prayer was made after those fortie dayes expired or past. For after those 40. daies it came to passe that Ionas complained grievously with himselfe because that the Ninivites were spared, and was most exceeding angry.

This verse then conteineth two things. First his dissenting or disagreeing from the will of God: secondly his anger upon this disagreeing, nay his burning and great boyling in minde, not a∣gainst God I confesse (for that had bene the part of a man utterly wicked, such a one as Ionas was not) but within himselfe taking it grievously, for that the matter and issue of his preaching, did not so fall out, as he hoped it would do, and as he thought it to be meet for the glory of God, & for the commending of the autho∣ritie of the ministerie propheticall, and his especially among the Gentiles, and men that were scorners of the God of Israel. This man therefore did fret within himselfe, & did chafe in his minde, (but not against God, accusing him of lying or falshood, or blas∣pheming his name) but preferring the iudgement of his owne mind concerning the establishing of the God of Israels power a∣mong the Heathen, & the certentie of his word among men that were infidels, before that counsell of the wisdome of God, and also before so notable a fruite of his ministery or office. VVhereby doubtles doth appeare evidently the power & feare of the migh∣ty God of Israel even among the Heathen themselves, whilst they in such sort give eare unto & receive his prophet, whom they had never seene before, & one that was not famous among them by any miracles there wrought, * 1.3 & do beleeve him to be a most true prophet. There were therfore two causes of this trouble & mala∣pertnesse of Ionas: The one, for that he supposed that that way only the glory of the God of Israel might be established among the Heathen, the which otherwise was like to be contemned or despised, namely if those things the which hee as a prophet and

preacher had in the name of God told unto them for to come to passe might in every respect so fall out as he had foretolde them that they should. And that otherwise God himselfe should be accused of inconstancie, and his prophets of vanitie and open lying. * 1.4 The other cause is, for that he neither thinketh that this is the scope or drift of Gods threatnings, that men should convert or turne, and repent (for God will not the death of a sinner: but that he should repent and live) neither doeth he esteeme so much of this effect of his ministerie, as he doth of the falling out of the matter according unto the bare word of his preaching. VVe must I confesse, be fervent or earnest unto God (as Paul Rom. 12. v. 11. biddeth us be fervent in spirit) in which two causes, Io∣nas was greatly deceived, and most men for the most part now a dayes doe offend (whilest they intermeddle and mingle the•••• owne wisdome with the commaundement of God) being men otherwise grave and godly, and ready to obey God: but they consider not that which is 1. Corinth. cap. 1. vers. 20. Hath not G•••• made the wisdome of this world foolishnesse? And Roman. 8.7. The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Wee may not e∣steeme of Gods doing after our owne mind, but what he willeth the same ought in every respect to like and con∣tent vs.
• * 1.2

  Hysteron pro∣teron, is a fi∣gure, by the which that that was last is v••por∣ted first, & con∣trariwise that which was first, is placed last. 1. Ionas dissen∣teth from the will of God. 2. He is excee∣ding angry.
• * 1.3

  Two causes of Jonas his anger and as it were, saucinesse to chide with God. 1
• * 1.4

  2. Jonas under∣standeth not the end of Gods threatnings.