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. 16.

Samaria shall be desolate: for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword:* 1.1 their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ript.

* 1.2ANother poynting out of the time, after which the Ephraimites are to be multiplied. And this noting out of the time is added, not onely that this benefite of GOD may bee perceiued to bee the more miraculous worke of God, when as out of so desolate a both nation and countrie, so many families notwithstanding shall arise: but also, if the Israelites shall be stubborne, that they may repent &

change their life into the better, being admonished or put in mind of so fearefull a iudgement of God to insue vpon them. Of the like miraculous both preseruing and also increasing of his Church doth God speake Isai. 6. ver. 13. thus: But yet in it shall be a tenth, and shall returne, and shall be eaten vp as an elme, and as an oke, which haue a substance in them, when they cast their leaues: so the holie seede shall be the substance thereof. And cap. 60. ver. 22. A little one shall become as a thousand, and a small one as a strong nation: I the Lord will ha∣sten it in due time. But here in setting downe the time of the fulfil∣ling of these things, the Lord hath respect also vnto this, that the Is∣raelites, when these iudgements of God shall begin to be extant, or to come abroade, should not say, as they were wont proudly to boast, we will build vs vp stronger places, then those which our e∣nemies haue destroyed. For so they bragge Isai. 9. ver. 9.10. They brickes are fallen, but we will build it with hewen stones: the wild fig•••• trees are cut downe, but we will change them into cedars.

* 1.3But in this verse there are two things declared. The one is, the destruction of Samaria. The other, the cause of this calamitie or de∣struction. The destruction shall be most lamentable: For Samaria it selfe the chiefe citie of the kingdome shall be desolated,* 1.4 that is to say, [unspec 1] layd waste, and voyd of citizens. The little infants and poore yong children shall be dashed against the stones (this is a kinde of fiercenes and horrible crueltie Psal. 137. ver. 9.) The women great with child shall be ript in two pieces by the enemies. [unspec 2] The rest shall perish with the sword. And the cause of this so great miserie and punishment to fall vpon them is, for that the Israelites haue rebel∣led against God, and haue forsaken him, embracing and following Idols. Let all Idolaters note and consider this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Here begin∣neth the next chapter in most translations.
• * 1.2

  Another noting out of the time of the comming to passe of these things.
• * 1.3

  1. The destructiō of Samaria.
• * 1.4

  2. The cause of the same.