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. 4.

And though they goe into captiuity before their enemies, thence will I commaund the sworde, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes vpon them for euill, and not for good.

* 1.1THis verse containeth 2. parts. The first, wherin is comprehended yet another amplification of the remouing of the former aides. The secōd,* 1.2 in the which is a cōclusion of this remouing of thē. The second amplification of the remouing of the former aydes is con∣tayned in these words, (And though they goe into captiuitie before their enemies, thence wil I commaund the sword, and it shall slay them)

For God sheweth that these men shall not mitigate or lessen their punishment, albeit they willingly yeeld themselues vnto their ene∣mies, that by this meanes they might escape their death and mur∣ther. For whilest they shal yeeld vp themselues, & that willingly & of their owne accord, vnto the wil and pleasure of the conquerour, and shall goe into captiuity, yet shall they by the way bee killed with the sworde, by the said conquerour their enemie. So speaketh Isay of the cruelty of the Medes and Persians towards the Babylo∣nians, though they yeeld themselues and ioyne with them cap. 13. ver. 15. Euery one that is found shall be striken through: and whosoe∣uer ioyneth himselfe, shall fall by the sworde. And ver. 16. Their chil∣dren also shall be broken in pieces before their eyes, their houses shal be spoyled, and their wiues rauished. Likewise doth God threaten his owne people that they shal both goe into captiuity, and euen there also be consumed by the sword of their enemies. Ierem. 9 cap. ver. 16. I will scatter them also among the Heathen, whom neither they, nor their fathers haue knowen, and I will send a sword after them, till I haue consumed them. The very like is cap. 49. ver. 37. and almost in the same wordes. For hee that by God is appoynted vnto the sworde, because of his notorious sinnes must needes perish with the sword, and shall not be able to deliuer himselfe by captiuity or voluntarie and willing yeelding. And thus doth God shew Ierem. cap. 43. ver. 11. that the Egyptians the which should fall into the handes of Nabuchad-nezzar shall die euery one that death where∣unto he is appoynted, saying: And when he shall come (to wit Na∣buchad-nezzar) he shall smite the land of Egypt: such as are appoynted for death, to death: and such as are for captiuity, to captiuity: and such as are for the sword, to the sword. By the which is now gathered, that men which are stubborne, and hardened in their sins shal not anie where be safe and free from the wrath of God, neither in heauen, nor in earth, nor in the sea: Finally, neither in their countrey, nei∣ther among their enemies: neither fighting it out, neither yeelding themselues captiues, shal they escape that iust punishment. They must therefore repent.

* 1.3Now the conclusion of this remouing of their aides, followeth, and is taken from the rendring of a reason of the same, to wit, from the iust anger of God against them. There shall therefore bee no place, in the which they shall not be in miserie, because God (who with his eyes vieweth all things) shall not doe any thing for their good, nor haue any louing care of them: but shall deuise and dis∣pose

and ordaine all things for their destruction. The eye of the Lord shall be vpon them vnto euill, and that wholly and in all ca∣ses: and he shall no where looke vpon them for their good, or lo∣uingly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Two parts of this verse.
• * 1.2

  1. Another am∣plification of the remouing of the former aydes.
• * 1.3

  2. The conclusion of this remo∣uing of their aydes.