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. 8.

How shall I giue thee vp, Ephraim? how shall I deliuer thee, Israel? how shall I make thee, as Admah? how shall I set thee, as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me: my repentings are rou∣led together.

* 1.1A Confirmation, which appertaineth vnto those fewe which re∣pented at the threatnings of the Prophets, and were in deede godly: but this promise of God, and so tender affection of minde belongeth not vnto the whole bodie of the people. Therefore al∣beit that same smal remnant deserued to perish also with the whole bodie: yet because they retained the seede of true godlinesse, and had not vtterly cast away the remēbrance of the couenant, as those

other wicked ones had done: so also doth GOD promise that it shall come to passe, that he will not destroy them, and vtterly roote them out, as he will those obstinate and stiffe necked ones, but will of his great mercie preserue them, and for his owne free promises made vnto such godly persons.

* 1.2But in this verse there are two things to be noted. To wit, the pro∣mise of GOD vnto such as truely repent: and the phrase or ma∣ner of deliuerie of this promise in words. As touching the promise,* 1.3 it commeth in summe and effect to this poynt: That those which feare God, albeit they bee often punished,* 1.4 are neuer notwithstan∣ding vtterly destroyed, or doe perish. For GOD will haue his Church, whose members they are, to be perpetual, as it is in the Psal. 89. ver 29. where he promiseth that he will establish his couenant with Dauid, and with the godly of his posteritie, saying: His seede also will I make to indure for euer, [unspec 1] and his throne as the dayes of hea∣uen. And Psal. 72. doe the faithfull in the midst of all their troubles make their earnest praiers vnto God, assuring themselues, that how soeuer for their sinnes they are for a season afflicted, yet shall they neuer finally and vniuersally be consumed. So then the godly are neuer in such maner destroyed by God, as was Sodoma, or as was Seboim, or as Adama, the which cities were vtterly destroyed by God as appeareth Gen. 19. ver. 24, 25. Then the Lord rayned vpon Sodom and vpon Gomorah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heauen, and ouerthrew those cities, and all the plaine, and all the in∣habitants of the cities, and that that grew vpon the earth. And Deut. 29. ver. 23. God threatneth that al that land (he meaneth of the stub∣borne and obstinate sinners) shall burne with brimstone and salt, it shall not bee sowen, nor bring forth, nor any grasse shall growe therein, like as in the ouerthrowing of Sodom and Gomorah, Admah and Ze∣boim, which the Lord ouerthrew in his wrath and in his anger. Which examples GOD would haue to remaine vnto the ages to come of his fearefull anger agaynst obstinatlie wicked sinners Amos 4.2. Peter 2.6. And most plainlie in the Epistle of Iude ver. 7. where, like as in the other places, it is expreslie noted, that these fearefull iudgements are set foorth to the terrifying of all like obstinate sinners. As (sayth Iude) Sodome and Gomorrhe, and the cities a∣bout them, which in like manner as they did, committed, and fol∣lowed straunge flesh, are set foorth for an ensample, and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire.

[unspec 2] Now the whole phrase or kind of speaking is to be expressed by attributing vnto God the affections of men for our better capaci∣tie, and vnderstanding. But this affection is described and set forth vnder the name of an heart turning it selfe into all parts, and of bo∣wels, and mercies boyling and yearning with all pitifull compas∣sions. The which two members (to wit, the heart, and the bowels) are in vs the seates of most vehement or earnest affections, & espe∣cially of loue: and then chiefly do they stirre and moue themselues, and waxe warme when it toucheth those whom we loue, and the minde resteth in doubt, whether we should be angrie with them, or rather forgiue them. But all these things are spoken of God accor∣ding to our capacitie and vnderstanding, into whom neuerthelesse there falleth not so much as the least shadowe of changing, if he be considered in himselfe. For in him as Iames speaketh cap. 1. ver. 17. there is no variablenes, nor shadowing by turning.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A confirmatiō be••onging vnto those fewe that repented at the threatnings of the Prophets.
• * 1.2

  Two things to be noted.
• * 1.3

  1. The promise.
• * 1.4

  2 The phrase or maner of spea∣king in the de∣liuerie of the same.