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.

And I will strengthen the house of Iudah, and I will pre∣serue the house of Ioseph, and I will bring them againe, for I pitie them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will heare them.

* 1.1A Garnishing of the former matter. For he doth againe promise the same thing, repeating his earnest assurance made vnto them before, that the Iewes should be assured (and consequently we our selues) of the helpe of God both in publike, and also in priuat affli∣ctions or troubles. But now he addeth thus much more, that not only the Iewes, but also the house of Ioseph shall feele the said helpe of God. By which name some doe vnderstand the rest of the Tribes, the which were carried away by the Assyrians before the destru∣ction of the kingdom of Iudah. But if this name be taken according vnto the letter, it is to bee referred vnto those fewe, the which retur∣ned both with Zorobabel, and also with Esdras afterward, Esdr. 2. and 8. and moreouer vnto those which dwelled in the other Tribes afterward. But if it bee taken in a mysticall, or spirituall sense and vnderstanding, the Prophet comprehendeth the whole Church, vnto all the which, and not vnto some one part thereof only, God promiseth that he will be fauourable, and present with it. But the chiefe part of this verse doth consist in the shewing foorth of the

cause of these so great promises of God, that men should not attri∣bute them vnto their owne merits or deseruings. And here is a dou∣ble cause alleaged,* 1.2 and both of them excludeth or shutteth out all workes of men, and calleth vs backe vnto the only grace and mer∣cie of God, as the true and alone cause of those promises. So Dauid acknowledgeth, Psal. 44 ver. 3. that the people of Israel did not in∣herit the promised land for any worthines in themselues, but onlie through God his loue and fauour vnto them, saying: They inherited not the land by their owne sword, neither did their own arme saue them: but thy right hand, and thine arme, and the light of thy countenance, because thou diddest fauour them. So Psal. 68. ver. 22. he teacheth vs, that the Lord would haue vs knowe the deliuerance of his Church to be his owne work, when he sayth, The Lord hath sayd, I will bring my people againe from Bashan: I will bring thē againe from the depths of the sea.* 1.3 The first cause of these promises is, The mercie of GOD, whereby he hath compassion on vs, that is, on his Church, freely pardoning her sinnes. The second, because he is their God, that is,* 1.4 hath chosen them of his meere or only grace. This latter is the cause of the former, that is to say, the election of God is the cause of his taking pitie and compassion on vs. The effects hereof, That he heareth vs when we pray vnto him: and doth in such sort renue & restore vs againe, as if hee had neuer abhorred vs, to wit, because through Christ he is fully and perfectly reconciled, or made friends with vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The same pro∣mise againe re∣peated for the further assu∣rance of the Iewes, and Church of God.
• * 1.2

  Two causes of these promises.
• * 1.3

  1. The mercie of God.
• * 1.4

  2. His election.