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.

Ver. 8.

Shall not the land tremble for this, and euery one mourne that dwelleth therein? And it shall rise vp wholly as a floud, and it shal•• be cast out, and drowned as by the floud of Egypt.

* 1.1THe exaggeration or making greater of the former sins, where∣by the punishment which shall hereafter bee denounced or threatned, may appeare to be the more iust. But in this verse both the manner of speaking, and also the thing it selfe which is spoken, is to be considered.* 1.2 The manner of speaking is an interrogatice or asking of a question continued for a good space, wherewith the Prophet pricketh the consciences of them, and bringeth forth the land it selfe for a witnesse against their obstinacie and stubbor•••••••• and sheweth the equitie of this punishment.* 1.3 Touching the thing it selfe which is spoken, it briefly tendeth vnto this end, that these fellowes might vnderstand that their works are so abominable and lewd (howsoeuer they doe flatter themselues, and sleepe in the same) that they are worthie of any kind of punishment whatsoe∣uer, not only priuate, but also publike, & not only against the men themselues, but also against the very sole and earth, whereupon

they dwelled, and committed those same sinnes. For by reason of the sinnes of men God destroyeth or punisheth the earth and land it selfe, the which was the seate of those sinnes, as is witnessed Psal. 107. ver. 33.34. He turneth the flouds into a wildernesse,* 1.4 & the springs of waters into drinesse, and a fruitful land into barrennesse, for the wic∣kednesse of them that dwell therein. So Gen. 3. ver. 17. for the sinne of Adam God curseth the earth, saying: Cursed is the earth for thy sake: in sorowe shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life. Wherefore God teacheth that their sinnes doe deserue, that their whole land should be full of tumult and hurliburlie, and that all their affayres should be turmoyled and troubled, and turned vpside downe, that both the inhabitants of the land themselues, and the committers of these sinnes, and also others should mourne. Finally, that their whole land should be drowned with waters, and ouerflowed, like as their wic∣kednesse hath ouerflowed in it. And this ouerflowing he compa∣reth with that of Egypt, not in this respect, that the riuer Nilus by his ouerflowing doth make the land and countrey fruitfull: but in this, that his water being conueyed into the land, doth chase and driue away all the inhabitants from their places and homes, and bringeth in a foule and euill fauoured shape & sight vpon the land, such as appeareth after a great floud and ouerflowing of waters, the land remaining slimie and muddie after the same. So hereafter cap. 9. ver. 5. this same comparison is vsed againe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The amplify∣ing of the for∣mer sinnes.
• * 1.2

  1. The manner of speaking to be considered.
• * 1.3

  2. The thing it selfe the tis spoken.
• * 1.4

  The earth pu∣nished for the sinnes of the dwellers there∣in.