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. 4.

In that day, sayth the Lord, I will smite euery horse with sto∣nishment, and his rider with madnes, and I will open mine eyes vpō the house of Iudah, and will smite euery horse of the people with blindnes.

* 1.1A Making plaine of the former sentence. For he sheweth by what meanes it shall come to passe, that they that bee gathered toge∣ther against the Iewes, and consequently those that bee the godlie indeed, albeit they be a mightie armie, shall neuertheles by them

bee ouerthrowne, namely, because that God being moued with mercie toward those that are his, shall strike all the strength of their enemies, both with stonishment, and also with blindnes. Where∣fore in this place there are three things to be noted.* 1.2 First of all, that the praise and worke of this victorie of the Iewes, and ouerthrow∣ing and daunting of their enemies is not attributed vnto the godly them selues,* 1.3 but vnto God. For he shall strike, that is, he shall doe it, and scatter so mightie armies: and that, by sending both an asto∣nishment vpon the enemies of his Church, that they shall be able to bring nothing to passe with their strength, bee it neuer so great (for they shall remaine astonied, as it were dead with sleepe, and vnmoueable:) and also by sending blindnes vpō the samd enemies, as he did vpon the Sodomites, seeking the doore of Lot, that they shall not be able to put that in execution, the which they attempt, and goe about neuer so rashly and foolishly. So in the Psal. 76. ver. 5.6. the godly acknowledge God to haue brought a feare and asto∣nishment vpon the strong men of Saneherib, and to haue cast them as it were into a deadly slumber, when they say: The stout hearted are spoyled: they haue slept their sleepe, and all the men of strength haue not found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Iaacob, both the chariot and the horse are asleepe.* 1.4 The second thing is, He shall strike the strength it selfe of their enemies, the which is signified by the name of (the horse, and the rider) in the which the chiefe strength of warres and armies doth consist. The third, the cause why God doth this,* 1.5 namely, of his onely mercie toward his elect or chosen, for he shall open his eyes vpon the house of Iudah, that is, he shall be∣hold their calamities or miseries, and shall take pitie vpon them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The former sentence ex∣plained, or made more plaine.
• * 1.2

  Three things to be noted.
• * 1.3

  1. The praise of the victorie gi∣uen vnto God.
• * 1.4

  2. God shall strike the strength it selfe of their e∣nemies.
• * 1.5

  3. Why God shall doe this?