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. 16.

But it shall come to passe, that euery one that is left of al the nations, which came against erusalem, shall goe vp from yeare to yeare to worship the King the Lord of hostes, and to keepe the feast of Tabernacles.

* 1.1THe last place of this prophesie, to wit, the calling or conuersion of the Gentiles, yea euen of those who before persecuted the Church of God, vnto the true God, the which like as it is described, and that notably, so also it had his accomplishment by the preach∣ing of the Gospell. But this conuersion, and the effects thereof, in deed wonderfull, are here described or set forth, according vnto the maner of the worship of GOD, and ceremonies vsed at that time, partly that the Iewes might vnderstand the more easily, that the godlines of the Gentiles should bee true godlines, the which then consisted in those rites and ordinances: and partly that they should rather consider the inward signification of those ceremonies, then the outward rites and maners of them. And not that the Gentiles, which were conuerted vnto God after the passion or suffering of Christ, should still retaine or keepe the vse of these ceremonies and shadowes, as the Apostles teach, Coloss. 2. Acts. 15. the which in Christ had their fulfilling, and body, and so consequently their end. For as Paul speaketh, 2. Coloss. ver 17. These are but shadowes of things to come, but the bodie is in Christ. And so are we taught, Heb. 10. ver. 1. That the law hauing the shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,* 1.2 can neuer with those sacrifices, which they offer yeare by yeare continually, sanctifie the commers there∣vnto.

Now this verse hath a promise, or a prophesie of the conuersion of the Gentiles,* 1.3 which was to come▪ the which containeth two things. First, who of the Gentiles shall be conuerted. Secondly, af∣ter what maner, that is, how trulie and sincerely or vnfainedly they shall bee conuerted. [unspec 1] So then, after that all things before declared

shal come to passe, the Gentiles which shall be left, shal be conuer∣ted, and not one or two of them, but whosoeuer shall remaine a∣mong them, that is to say, men out of euery nation shall come by heapes and throngs vnto Christ: not that euery seuerall or particu∣lar man notwithstanding out of euery nation shall bee conuerted vnto God, but those onely out of euery nation, which shall be elec∣ted, or chosen by God. To this effect, Luk. Act. 13 ver. 48. speaketh, saying, And when the Gentiles heard it, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained vnto eternall life, beleeued. And not only those Gentiles shall be conuerted vnto the true God, and Christ by the preaching of the Gospell, which did fa∣uour the Iewes before: but those also, which did persecute them before, and had besieged Ierusalem it selfe. [unspec 2] And they shall truelie be conuerted, the which thing is described by the effects, the which were then the true testimonies or witnesses and parts of the out∣ward worship or seruice of God. For they shall worship Iehouah the true God, yea, and that as their King, and the God of hostes, that is, all mightie. Wherefore they shall acknowledge and wor∣ship in Christ, the true God, as peculiarly their God, King, and Fa∣ther. And this shall they doe continually: for euery yeare they shall goe vp (as at that time the law of God appointed to be done, Deut. 16.) to call vpon, or pray vnto God. And lastly, according vnto the commandement of God. For they shall keepe the feasts appoyn∣ted by God (as the feast of Tabernacles) that is to say, they shall worship God according vnto his commandements and will, and not according vnto their owne braine and fancie: and the Gentiles shall come together with the rest of the Iewes, and shall worship God with the same rites, in the same places and assemblies which they doe, that there may bee great consent and agreement of them all in worshipping of God: and there shall be no schismes or diui∣sions and discord in that so great a multitude gathered together of Iewes and Gentiles seruing God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The calling of the Gentiles, here described after the ma∣ner of the wor∣ship of God v∣suall at that time, and the reason why it is thus described.
• * 1.2

  1. Who of the Gentiles shall be conuerted.
• * 1.3

  2 After what maner they shall be conuer∣ted.