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. 3.

Therfore they shall be as the morning cloude, and as the mor∣ning dewe that passeth away, as the chaffe that is driuen with a whir lewinde out of the floore,* 1.1 and as the smoke that goeth out of the chimney.

* 1.2THe second amplification of the same sinne, the which is taken from the miserable estate, whereinto they were now fallen, the which is described by three similitudes, the first of (a cloude) of the morning,* 1.3 and presently vanishing away, or of the (morning dewe) 02 which is by and by scattered away by the Sunne: the second, of (chaffe) diuersly carried and driuen away by a great winde, or whirlewinde out of the floore:* 1.4 The third, or smoke going out of a chimney, and the which straight perisheth, or passeth away, and is

no more seene. The like similitudes in a maner are 2. Pet. 2. ver. 17. where he sayth that the false Apostles, and such other like lewd per∣sons, are welles without water, and cloudes carried about with a tem∣pest. And Ieremie in the imperfection of his faith, and in his impa∣tiencie, not finding God his assistance at the present, as he would haue had it, compareth God vnto a riuer or water that faileth, that is, that suddenly riseth, and suddenly falleth againe cap. 15. ver. 18. Why (sayth he vnto God) art thou vnto me as a lyar, and as waters that faile?* 1.5 By these types or similitudes is shewed that there was yet some glorie and beautie of this kingdome: but yet fleeting and such as quickly passed away, and should forthwith perish. That which came to passe by reason of their mutuall ciuill warres one a∣gainst another within themselues: and also by ouerthrowes recei∣ued from forrainers and straungers, as from the Syrians, and Assy∣rians. In summe, here is described the destruction of this nation, and the same neere at hand, howsoeuer yet now for a time by some meanes this kingdome did sustaine or vphold it selfe, and flourish.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The second amplification of this sinne by 3. similitudes.
• * 1.2

  1. Of a morning dew, or cloude.
• * 1.3

  2. Of chaffe car∣ried away with the whirlwind.
• * 1.4

  3. Of smoke going out of a chim∣ney.
• * 1.5

  What is signi∣fied by the for∣mer similitudes