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. 14.

I will redeeme them from the power of the graue: I will de∣liuer them from death: O death, I will be thy death: O graue, I will be thy destruction: repentance is hid from mine eyes.

* 1.1A Promise of helpe, and deliuerance vnto those, which shall con∣uert or turne their minde vnto God, both that these by this meanes may be stirred vp vnto true repentance of heart: and also, that those faithfull ones, which were left in that people, might hope well in the midst of the afflictions or troubles of the vngodly, and should not faint, and bee discouraged. For God promiseth, that it shall come to passe, that he will saue them continually: and pre∣serue them against all danger and captiuitie, yea and finally against present death it selfe. And this is the first promise of God toward the remnant of the Israelites, and all those that repent, to wit, that when as others perish, they shall be deliuered and saued notwith∣standing. For as Paul writeth to the Romanes cap. 8. ver. 31, 36, 37. If God be on our side, who can be against vs? And albeit, As it is writ∣ten, For thy sake are we killed al the day long: we are coūted as sheep for the slaughter: Neuerthelesse in all these things wee are more then con∣querors through him that loued vs. For as it is 1. Cor. 11. ver. 32. When we are iudged, we are chastened of the Lord, because wee should not bee condemned of the world. For God will redeeme thē from the graue, and deliuer them from death it selfe, albeit that they seemed to bee abiding in the very iawes and mouth of hell. And this mercie of God toward himselfe doth Dauid acknowledge Psal. 30. ver. 3. say∣ing vnto God: O Lord, thou hast brought vp my soule out of the graue: thou hast reuiued me from those that goe downe into the pit. The rea∣son followeth: because God shall be the death of death it selfe: the destruction of the graue it selfe: and that for euer, and alwayes, in the fauour of those that are his. So great doubtles is the power of God ouer all things, that he hath rule euen ouer death it selfe, and the graue, and doth destroy them when he pleaseth, for the good and fauour of those that are his. And this doe wee that are the faithfull daylie feele, the whilest we are deliuered out of the midst of troubles and dangers, in the which we had cast away all hope of deliuerance, as Paul doth witnesse of himselfe 2. Cor. 1. ver. 9, 10. in these words: Yea, we receiued the sentence of death in our selues, be∣cause

wee should not trust in our selues, but in God, which raiseth the dead, who deliuered vs from so great a death, and doth deliuer vs, in whom wee trust, that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs. But this bene∣fite of God shall then in most full measure fall out vnto vs, when as we shall fully inioy that eternal and euerlasting life after the rising againe of our bodies by and through Christ, as Paul expoundeth this place 1. Cor. 15. ver. 54.55.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A promise of helpe and deli∣uerance.