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. 5.

But seeke not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal: and goe not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall goe into captiuitie, and Beth-el 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come to nought.

AN explanation, or making more plaine of the sentence and ••••∣hortation before going, (seeke Iehouah, or the Lord) taken fr•••• the contrarie. To seeke the Lorde is to abstaine from Idols, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which then were in Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Beer-sheba. For 〈◊〉〈◊〉 first part of earnest repentance is to abstaine from euil, * 1.1 and to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 test and abhorre the same, the which is he••e expressed. And so•• we taught Psal. 34. ver 14. Eschew euill, and doe good: seeke pea•• and follow after it. The second parte is, To doe good, and to i•• brace the same, * 1.2 the which is contayned in the verse before go•• (seeke ye me) so that of these twaine now ioyned together we ha•••• a true definition of repentance. True repentance then, is to absu•••• from euill things, * 1.3 and to follow such good things, such as are co••∣manded vs by God: as for example, to absteine from idols, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 serue the true God, and to seeke him. And this course tooke P••••••

with the Thessalonians, as may appeare by their turning from idols, and seruing the true God, for the which they were much commen∣ded of the faithfull of other places, as Paul himselfe reporteth 1. Thess. cap. 1. ver. 9. in these words: For they themselues shew of you (he meaneth the faithfull in Macedonia and Achaia, and of other places) what maner of entring in wee had vnto you, and how you tur∣ned to God from idols, to serue the liuing and true God. And the re∣petition of this word (seeke) in this place, and in the verse before going, is very excellent: Seeke the Lorde, and seeke not Beth-el, &c.

* 1.4 For Gilgal shall goe into captiuity, &c. This is a reason added to amplifie the matter with all, that they might the rather abstaine from the worship of those places, or hauing of them in any reuerent regard, albeit that they were then of the Idolaters deemed to bee most holy. For those places shall not be defended, no not by their owne Idols or gods, as they supposed them. Therefore shall you much lesse be saued by the selfe same gods. For Gilgal according to the signification of the name thereof shal be cut off, and rooted out: Beth-el shal be brought to (Auen) that is, vnto nothing. To what ende then doe you hope, or seeke for helpe from those places?

Notes

• * 1.1

  The first parte of earnest re∣pentance is to abstaine from euil.
• * 1.2

  The second, to doe good.
• * 1.3

  What true re∣pentance is.
• * 1.4

  A reason why they ought to abstain from worshipping in those piaces.