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.

Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the North, saith the Lord: for I haue scattered you into the foure windes of the heauen, saith the Lord.

* 1.1AN exhortation with the rendring of a reason vnto the Iewes, and in their person vnto all men, to embrace so great felicitie or happines of the visible church, and to gather themselues vnto it, leauing all other things and countries. And the circumstance of that time and men causeth, that that this exhortation was ne∣cessarie and to be repeated againe.* 1.2 The circumstance of the time, because that then all things by reason of many difficulties or in∣combrances did threaten vnto the Iewes destruction, rather then giue hope of building the citie againe.* 1.3 The circumstance of men, because the Iewes were slack and slow in laying hold and concei∣uing

of the promises of God. And therefore were they thrise cal∣led out by God, to wit first by Zorobabel, Esd. 1. and 2. Secondly, by Esdras, Esdr. 7. Thirdly, by Nehemias, Nehem. 2. And as often as some of these were brought away out of Babylon by some of these Captaines, it is saide, That it was the good hand of God, that is, that it was the great worke of God in perswading and turning or mouing them vnto this iourney, so greatly doubtles were they delited now with those outward seates and dwellings of Babylon, and so fast did they cleaue vnto them. Wherefore God himselfe in displeasure doth here crie out Ho, ho. Hee therefore exhorteth them to deliuer and get themselues out of those miserable and i∣dolatrous countries, in which they were, and that out of hand, and with all speede that may be. And therefore they are commanded to flee and not to goe. So Isai 48. ver. 20. is there the like exhorta∣tion, Goe ye out of Babel: flee ye from the Chaldeans, &c. And Re∣uelat. 18. ver. 4. And I heard another voyce from heauen say, Goe out of her my people, that ye be not partakers in her sinnes, and that ye re∣ceiue not of her plagues.

* 1.4The reason of this exhortation is, because that all those north-countries (in the which they were and seemed to haue obteined some commodities) were so many prisons, or most sorrowfull ba∣nishments, into the which they were thrust by God. Therefore so long as they remained in them, so long should they beare that pu∣nishment and plague of God. Wherefore let them not interpret and take those commodities and pleasures, if they had any there, for a testimonie or witnes of the blessing of God, or prefer them before the toyle and labour of this iourney, and finallie before the holy land. Now the foure windes, spoken of in this place,* 1.5 are to be placed in that same North land, the which stretcheth very far. For in that destruction of Ierusalem exploited by the Chaldeans, no Iewes are red to haue comen ouer into Europa, or into our oc∣cident or westerne parts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An exhortati∣on vnto the Iewes, with a reason of the same.
• * 1.2

  The circum∣stance of time.
• * 1.3

  The circum∣stance of men.
• * 1.4

  The reason of the exhortatiō.
• * 1.5

  The foure windes, where they are to be vnderstood to be placed.