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. 10.

And I will cut off the chariots from Ephraim, and the horse from Ierusalem: the bowe of the battell shall bee broken, and hee shall speake peace vnto the Heathen, and his dominion shall be from sea vnto sea, and from the riuer to the ende of the land.

* 1.1THis is a making of the former matter more plaine, wherein is shewed, after what maner, and after what sort this Christ, or saluation shall be a King vnto his church, the which hee had saide in the verse before. And it is shewed to betwo fold, both a making

of a generall peace betweene all nations:* 1.2 and also a most large power and dominion or rule of this King. The making of peace is declared by the effects, to wit, for that he shall cut off all armour & instruments of warre, and cause them for to cease, both from E∣phraim and Ierusalem, and sinally in euery place, that is, among the heathen themselues. For there shall be great peace in the whole world, when as this King shall come, which is not precisely to bee vnderstood of that same former comming, whereof he spake in the verse going next immediatly before this, but also of that time wherein Christ was borne in the world, and of all that time, where∣in his Gospell is receiued, and he himselfe reigneth among men. For then are men of wilde beasts made men, true peace is set be∣tweene men, and braules cease, and discords are taken away. So doth Isai cap. 11. ver. 6. describe this time, and this peace, when he sayth: The Woolfe also shall dwell with the lambe, & the Leopard shall lye with the Kid, and the calfe, and the lyon, and the fat beast together, and a little child shall leade them. And thus doth Dauid set forth the power of Christ, and his goodnes towards his Church, Psal. 46. ver. 9. in these words: He maketh warres to cease vnto the ends of the world: he breaketh the speare, and burneth the chariots with fire. And not only weapons shall be taken away, but peace, or the words of peace shall bee betweene both the Iewes, and also other nations. The fruite of the receiuing of the Gospell is peace: of the refusing thereof, discords, and ciuill or homewarres within our owne selues.

* 1.3The rule of Christ (and consequently of the spreading abrode of the Gospell) shall stretch most farre & wide, the which none shall be able to withstand. For it shall be stretched from sea to sea. These things no doubt are to be vnderstood of the calling of the Gentiles vnto the Gospell, and of the spirituall peace of the Church, the which is in the consciences, by the consent of the faith of the Gos∣pell, the which maketh al the godlie in al places to be friends with∣in themselues. So doth Dauid vnder the person of Salomon ex∣presse this peace of the Church, and largenes of the borders of the kingdome of Christ, Psalm. 72. ver. 7.8. saying, In his dayes shall the righteous flourish: and aboundance of peace shall bee so long as the Moone indureth. His dominion also shall be from sea to sea, and from the riuer vnto the ends of the land.

Notes

• * 1.1

  After what maner Christ shall be a King vnto his church.
• * 1.2

  1. He shall make peace among all nations.
• * 1.3

  2. The domion or rule of Christ.