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. 13.

But you haue plowed wickednesse: ye haue reaped iniquitie: you haue eaten the fruite of lyes: because thou diddest trust in thine owne wayes, and in the multitude of thy strong men.

* 1.1AN Antithesis, or setting downe of the contrarie vnto that which went before, in the which the rebellion of the Israelites is com∣pared with the former precepts giuen by God. For so farre off is it, that they obeyed them, that they took altogether a quite & cleane cōtrarie way. For in stead of righteousnes cōmanded vnto thē, they plowed wickednesse, that is, they followed and embraced wicked∣nesse in stead of righteousnesse. The like complaint doth God make against the Iewes and Israelites his vineyard Isai. 5. ver. 7. in these words: Surely the vineyard of the Lord of hostes is the house of Israel, and the men of Iudah are his pleasant plant: and he looked for iudge∣ment, but behold oppression: for righteousnesse, but behold a crying. These Israelites therefore of that their plowing doe reape iniqui∣tie, as a crop springing of that sowing, and that necessarilie. For as Iames sayth cap. 1. ver. 27. Pure religion and vndefiled before God e∣uen the father, is this, to visite the fatherlesse, and widowes in their ad∣uersitie, and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world. And as he fur∣ther writeth cap. 3. ver. 15. The fruite of true wisedome and righte∣ousnesse is sweete, and euery good worke with peace. And as it is ver. 17.18. The wisedome that is from aboue, is first pure, then peace∣able, gentle, easie to be intreated, full of mercie and good fruits, without iudging, and without hypocrisie. And the fruite of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace: but the fruite of vnrighte∣ousnesse is most bitter, and euery wicked work, and finallie the ter∣rour and feare of conscience. For as Isai sayth cap. 48. ver. 22. There is no peace vnto the wicked. Such then are the fruites of lying, that is, of idolatrie, and such are the effects of forged religion and doctrine, to wit, all vnrighteous workes, as superstition, hypocrisie, denying of the true God, rebellion, and these fruites proceede from the vn∣cleane and vnbeleeuing, who, Though they professe that they knowe God, yet (as Paul writeth Tit. 1. ver. 16.) by workes they denye him, and are abominable, and disobedient, and vnto euery good worke repro∣bate. And such are the wil-worships and superstition of hypocrites, and such like, the which, as it is Colos. cap. 2. ver. 23. Haue in deede a

shew of wisedome in voluntary religion and humblenes of mind, and n•••• sp••ring of the bodie, neither haue they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh.* 1.2 Now the true cause and fountaine of this wickednesse and so great vngodlinesse, which the Israelites practised in stead of righte∣ousnesse, is here shewed to bee two-fold. To wit, one, for that they trusted in their owne wayes. And these so doe, the which preferre the deuises of their owne minde, and their good intents (as they call them) before the expresse word of God:* 1.3 and which thinke that they shall be safe and happie besides or against the word of God, to wit, by such meanes as they themselues haue deuised, and which liketh them. The second cause and fountaine is, for that the selfe same Is∣raelites were addicted or stayed vpon the multitude of their great and mighty men,* 1.4 that is, they put their trust in an arme of flesh. The which two sorts of men no doubt doth preferre their owne glorie, and the glorie, power, and wisedome of men, before God himselfe, and so consequently doe forsake God, cleaue vnto a lye, liue onely after their owne fashion and pleasure, not according vnto God his precepts and commandements. And hereof in the ende springeth all lewdnes, all superstition, and all vngodlinesse. And therefore Ie∣remie 17. ver. 15 there is a curse pronounced against those that trust in flesh, where he hath these words: Thus sayth the Lord, oursed be the man that trusteth in man: and maketh fl••sh his arme, and with∣draweth his heart from the Lord. And Ioh. 5.44. Christ asketh the Iewes, saying: How can ye beleeue, which receiue honour one of ano∣ther, and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone? And in the 12. chap. ver. 43. Iohn hauing shewed that many of the rulers be∣leeuing in Christ, & durst not confesse him, for feare they should be cast out of the Sinagogue, addeth this as a cause thereof: For they loued the praise of men, more then the praise of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Israelites practise the cō∣trarie of that they were com∣manded.
• * 1.2

  The cause of the great wic∣kednesse of the Israelites two-fold.
• * 1.3

  1. They trusted in their owne wayes.
• * 1.4

  2. They stayed vpon the mul∣titude of their mightie and strong men.