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. 7.

Arise, O sword, vpon my shepheard, and vpon the man, that is my fellowe, sayth the Lord of hostes: smite the shepheard, and the sheepe shall bee scattered: and I will turne mine hand vpon the little ones.

* 1.1THE second part of this chapter, in the which are declared the meere or only fallings out of things, and yet such as are ordinary in the world. And the same are two, to wit, the murthering of the good Shepheards of the Church, the which is done of the world, & the great affliction or punishment of the world for the same, in the which neuerthelesse God doth alwayes preserue some Church. Concerning the first, Christ teacheth his Disciples, Matth. 10. ver. 17. that for the truths sake they shall deliuer thē vp to the Councels, and shall scourge them in their Synagogues. And Iohn 16. ver. 2. sheweth, that the time shall come, that whosoeuer killeth them, will thinke that he doth God seruice. And touching the second, he likewise affirmeth that in the world that thus dealeth with the seruants of God, nation

shall rise against nation, and realme against realme, and there shall be pestilence, famine, and earthquakes in diuerse places, Matth. 24. ver. 7 It is therefore a wonder that these things fal out in al ages, and that the world repenteth not, and in the times following becommeth not more wise through the examples of the former age. It is a wonder also that these things could come to passe among the Iewes, which did boast that they were the people of God, especi∣ally being in this place by God so fatherly and diligently warned before of the destruction and affliction or punishment of their nation for the same cause. Now touching the first euent or falling out of things concerning the killing of the good Shepheards, the same is here described or set foorthby the figure Prosopopoeia,* 1.2 that this whole speech may haue the more emphasis, vehemencie, or force, and may the more sharplie strike and pearce the mindes of the readers: and also it is set forth as it were vpon the suddaine, and breaking off from the former matter in hand, because that it is a wonder and a strange thing, after so great light of the trueth opened by God, and in so great an earnestnes of the godly and good men to defend and maintaine the same, there should yet bee some, who notwithstanding should persecute the same. The Prosopopoeia is vnto the sworde himselfe, that the persecution may bee noted that it shall bee exceeding great and most cru∣ell, as if all bandes being broken, this persecuting sword should raunge and rage against the godly and good Shepheardes of the church.

* 1.3But this verse containeth two things. First, a description or setting forth of the persecution. Secondly, the preseruation of the Church of God in the same notwithstanding. This most cruell persecution is described by a most cruell instrument,* 1.4 to wit a sword, by the which in this place is comprehended all deadly pu∣nishment, the which forthwith shall bee shewed and laide vpon the good shepheardes. So Christ, as Tacitus speaketh,* 1.5 was puni∣nished with a deadly or hainous punishment. So was Iames by Herod, Act. 12. ver. 2. So finallie were many good men handled before the comming of Christ,* 1.6 as it appeareth Hebr. 11. v. 36.37. and certaine otherverses there following. Againe, this persecution is described by the persons, which shall bee afflicted.* 1.7 For they shall be Shepheardes, and the same not of the common sort, but euery the best, and most faithfull (who in this place are called the

fellowes of God, and said to stand ouer against him, or by his side, as who namely in that their charge depart not from the mouth, eyes, and doctrine of God, nor will neuer so little turne a side, but alwaies haue their eyes bent vpon God. This therefore is a generall thing, as afterward appeared by the falling out and ful∣filling of the matter, and appeareth now a dayes also. For the world hateth the best seruants of God, and especiallie the Iewish Church of God, that is, the visarded Church, and which is but the Church onely in name, and also murthereth thē Ioh. 16. but most principallie this was fulfilled in Christ, being slaine of the Iewes, who Matth. 26. ver. 31. citeth this place of the Prophet, to proue the foretelling of his passion, and the scattering of his Di∣sciples, when as he their master should bee taken. Last of all, this most cruell persecution is described by a most lamentable, but yet ordinarie euent,* 1.8 or falling out of the matter, to wit, that then the poore sheepe of God, and the bodie of the Church shall bee scattered, as appeareth Act. 8. ver. 1. and now also. And thus in this place is the persecution of the church described. But the pre∣seruation of the same is here also promised, the maner whereof is afterward declared ver. 9. but in this place the Lorde promiseth two things by way of answering an obiection,* 1.9 that the mindes of the faithfull should not quaile, because of the mention made of so hard and sore afflictions. For this doth God meete withall in these wordes,* 1.10 but I will bring backe, or turne mine hand vpon the little ones. First, therefore he promiseth that he will not make his hand heauie vpon his church, but that hee will immediatlie drawe it backe for the loue and fauour of those that are his. So Isai. 65. ver. 8. God promiseth that he will not vtterly destroy his people, but spare some of them in these wordes: As the wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, destroy it not, for a blessing is in it: so will I doe for my seruants sake, that I may not destroy them whole. So cap. 47. ver. 6, he is angrie with the Babylonians, because they shewed no mercie vnto his people, but laide their heauie yoke vpō the anci∣ent. Secondly,* 1.11 he sheweth vnto whom he promiseth this, namely not vnto all, but onely vnto those which are the true godly, and humble in heart, whom in this place the Prophet calleth little one, as Christ also dooth Matth. 11. ver. 25. where hee saith, I giue thee thankes, O Father, Lorde of Heauen and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstan∣ding,

and hast opened them vnto babes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The murthe∣ring of the true teachers, and their punish∣ment which so vse them.
• * 1.2

  What the fi∣gure Prosopo∣poeia is, see Os∣as cap. 6. ver. 1.
• * 1.3

  1. The persecuti∣on.
• * 1.4

  2. The preseruing of the church in the same.
• * 1.5

  1. The persecuti∣on described.
• * 1.6

  1. By the instru∣ment.
• * 1.7

  2. By the persons persecuted.
• * 1.8

  3. By the most lamentable scattering of the flocke.
• * 1.9

  God promiseth two things for the preseruatiō of his church.
• * 1.10

  1. His hand shall not be heauie vpon it.
• * 1.11

  2. The godly onely shall be parta∣kers of this pro∣mise.