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. 12.

Sowe to your selues in righteousnesse: reape after the mea∣sure of mercie: breake vp your fallow ground: for it is time to seeke the Lord, till he come, and rayne righteousnesse vpon you.

A Making of the matter more plaine. For GOD sheweth here what maner of riding vpon the neckes of the Israelites, that of his was. Namely, that he gaue vnto them his law, whereby they were taught to liue godly and holily, to be obedient vnto him, and finally to seeke and worship the true God. And hereupon there was promised a great reward, as appeareth by the second, third, and fifth precept of the Decalogue or ten Commandements.* 1.1 Therefore the giuing of the law, and the preaching of the word of God, was, and is yet at this day that same riding and sitting of God vpon vs: the which he that casteth away and despiseth, casteth away euen God himselfe, as Christ telleth his Apostles Matth. 10. ver. 40. say∣ing: He that receiueth you, receiueth me: and he that receiueth me, receiueth him that sent me.

Moreouer, this verse hath two parts. The one setteth downe that doctrine which the law of God containeth.* 1.2 And this is two-fold. For first the law teacheth precepts of the whole righteousnesse,* 1.3 that is, of liuing godly and iustly, the which workes the same law willeth vs to sowe, that is, in very act and deede to performe. The law then giuen by God teacheth to sow righteousnesse, and that wholie, that is to say, both that righteousnesse,* 1.4 whereby we are commanded to loue God with all our heart: and also that righteousnesse, whereby we are commanded to loue our neighbour as our selues, that it may be a seede in vs, and in our hearts, the which may fructisie or bring forth fruite, and increase in euery good worke, as Paul willeth the Colossians cap. 1. ver. 10. where he sheweth, that he ceaseth not to pray for them, that they might walke worthie of the Lord, and please him in all things: being fruit full in all good workes, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Secondly,* 1.5 the same law promiseth vnto the keepers thereof an haruest of mercie, that is, euery kinde of good things, to wit, both spirituall, & also earthly, as Paul teacheth 1. Tim. 4. ver. 8. in these words: Godlinesse is profitable vnto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come. And therefore the Psalmist Psal. 31. ver 19. crieth out, and sayth: How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee?

and done to them that trust in thee, euen before the sonnes of men? And this is more at large declared Deut. 28. and euery wherein the holie Scripture vnder the name of (peace.) The same lawe willeth vs to breake vp our fallowe ground, that is, to cast off the oldeman, to put on the new, that laying aside our former kind of life, we should consecrate and giue ouer our selues wholly vnto God, and vnto his will. For this was the end of the law and of the Prophets, to teach vs new works, that is, such as are contrarie vnto our corrupt nature, and fight and striue against the same, the which workes we are to doe. This is the fallowed ground of which the Prophet speaketh in this place. See what Paul writeth to this effect 3. Colos. ver. 8, 9, 10. But now put ye away euen all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousnes, cursed speaking, filthie speaking out of your mouth. Lye not one to ano∣ther, seeing that ye haue put off the olde man, with his workes, and haue put on the new, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. And thus much hath the first part of this verse.

* 1.6The second part containeth a reason, why they ought to sowe in such sort, & also to reape in such sort, that is to say, Because the time is come to seeke the Lord: and because that he commeth, and will after this sort teach vs righteousnesse. By which appeareth two things. First, that God doth not at all times in this maner offer him∣selfe vnto men, as a gentle Schoolmaster, and Rider, & our plower, but when as it pleaseth him.* 1.7 Then we must not refuse so singular a benefit when it is proffered. For there repentance will be too late, which despise the law of God, and his Prophets, exhorting them vnto their dutie. And therfore God speaketh vnto the Iewes to this purpose Zach. 1. ver. 4, 5, 6. saying: Be ye not as your fathers, vnto whom the former Prophets haue cried, saying, Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Turne you now (note that he sayth now, signifying that God his mercie is then to be embraced, when as it is offered) from your euill waies, and from your wicked works: but they would not heare nor hearkē vnto me, sayth the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? and do the Pro∣phets liue for euer? But did not my words and my statutes, which I com∣manded by my seruants the Prophets take hold of your fathers? & they returned, and sayd, As the Lord of hostes hath determined to doe vnto vs, according vnto our owne wayes, and according vnto our workes, so hath he dealt with vs. Secondly, this part of the verse teacheth, that God doth no otherwise till vs,* 1.8 no otherwise instruct and learne vs, yea also that God is no otherwise found of vs, thē by that his word, the which was written and deliuered by his seruants, least any man

should seeke or imagine any other way of finding or worshipping God, then that which appeareth out of his written word.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the ri∣ding and sit∣ting of God vpon vs is.
• * 1.2

  Two parts of this verse.
• * 1.3

  1. The doctrine which the law containeth be∣ing two-fold.
• * 1.4

  1. Teaching pre∣cepts of al righ∣teousnesse.
• * 1.5

  2. Promising all kind of good thin••s to the keepers thereof.
• * 1.6

  The second part, cōtaining a reason, why they ought so to sow and reape; teaching two things.
• * 1.7

  1. That the bene∣fites of God are then to be ac∣cepted, when they are offe∣red.
• * 1.8

  2 God teacheth vs by no other way but by his word.