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. 1.

And he shewed me Iehoshua the hie Priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him.

AFter the generall promises, the which doe generally shew that the Church shall be renued and restored, now God declareth and openeth vnto the Iewes other particular promises, the which also doe appertaine vnto the same end that the generall did. For they be not only a confirmation of the former, but also the accom∣plishment, and fulfilling of the same, to wit, that the godly might vnderstand that God would fully restore his Church, and omit or let passe none of those things, the which are necessarie for the whole and full establishing of so great a benefit. First therefore he promiseth the restoring of the Priesthood, or priests office, both in the order, and also in the glorie, and finally in the succession & con∣tinuance of the same, and this he doth in this whole chapter. And after this method and order doth God declare that his promise cō∣cerning the Priesthood, that he sheweth both the cause of the same casting off of the Priests ministerie or office: and also doth repre∣sent or lay open vnto the view, how great this casting off of it is. For by this meanes his grace and power in restoring this Priesthood af∣terward is the more cleerely knowne, and appeareth, least that this so great a worke of God might bee thought to bee but a common benefit, and easie to be brought to passe and done. And all this is shewed by a vision vnto the Prophet, and not opened vnto him on∣ly in words, that this promise may the more certainly bee knowne to be of God, and that by this meanes the auditors or hearers them selues together with the Prophet might bee the more moued, as namely, seeing and noting euidently in the same the testimonies or witnesses of God his maiestie. And first of all the cause is rehearsed, the which was a let before vnto so great a benefit of God, and the which did so greatly depresse or keepe downe that holie office of the priestly order: and that is Satan or the diuell egging God on continually to take vengeance on their sinnes. For it is he that ac∣cuseth vs before God, as it is witnessed Reuelat. 12. ver. 10. in these words: Then I heard a loude voyce, saying, Now is saluation in hea∣uen,

and strength, and the kingdome of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe, which accused thē before our God day and night. And he it is that will sift vs, as Christ telleth Peter, and the rest of the Disciples Luk. 22. ver. 30.31. say∣ing: And the Lord sayd, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired you, to winow you as wheate. But I haue prayed for thee, that thy faith faile not: therefore when thou art conuerced, strengthen thy brethren. And he setteth himselfe both against the whole Church, and euery par∣ticular member of the same: for the defence whereof against Satan, and all other enemies by his meanes procured against it, there is none (sayth the Angel talking with Daniel, cap. 10. ver. 21.) which holdeth with me, but Michael your prince, that is, Christ our Sauiour. How hee setteth himselfe against the particular members of the Church, appeareth most cleerely in the storie of Iob, cap. 1. And Paul witnesseth the same 1. Thess. cap. 2. ver. 18. where he sayth, Therefore wee would haue come vnto you (I Paul, at the least once or twise) but Satan hindered vs. Wherefore by the signification of the word Satan, that is, our aduersarie, his malicious and cruell ende∣uour against the Church is proued. For he is called Satan, because he is an aduersarie, and enemie vnto the Church.

Secondly, the state of the priestly order, in the person of Iosua, who then was the hie priest, and head of that Leuiticall ministerie, is here in part described: & afterward more fully in the third verse. And Iosua is sayd to haue stood in the sight of the Angell, to wit, of that Angel, who is both Iehouah, and vnto whom the rest mini∣stred or serued (and this indeed is Christ, that same great messenger of the counsell of God) that hereby the Prophet might giue vs to vnderstand, that the condition and case of that priestly order, al∣though it were then base, was knowne vnto God, and not without the care of God.

Notes

• Particular promises for the building of the Church.
• The restoring and renuing of the priesthood.
• The cause of the so long stay∣ing of the re∣storing of the priesthood.
• The state of the priesthood described in Iosua.