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. 4.

Yet am I the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me: for there is no Sauiour beside me.

* 1.1A Confutation of this idolatrie, the which reigned among the Is∣raelites then: and doth now also among men at this day. Wher∣fore men are now called backe from idols vnto the true God, not only by the discommoditie and hurt which idolatrie bringeth: but also by their duetie or office, and by reason it selfe, the which doth plainly ouerthrow idolatrie, if so be that men will heare reason. And this confutation is manifold. First, from the most ancient and pe∣culiar, or especiall couenant of God with this people: and againe from the most holie and ancient promise of this people. For God had peculiarly chosen this people for his owne, and seuered them out from others, and promised that he would be their God, euen from the very deliuering of this people out of the land of Egypt: and on the other side this people had by a mutuall couenant & pro∣mise vndertaken that they would be the people of this God onely. And therefore Exod. 20. ver. 3. God commaundeth them saying:* 1.2 Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me. And againe ver. 23. Ye 02 shall not make therefore with me gods of siluer, nor gods of gold: you shall make you none. And from that time of their deliuerance out of Egypt vnto the time of this Prophet, there passed betweene almost

800. yeares. Wherefore the more old and ancient this couenant of God and the people within themselues was, so much the more re∣uerently and holily ought it of them to bee kept, that this people should not worship any other God. And therefore should cast a∣way all idols. See before cap. 12. ver. 10. And therefore Psal. 81. ver. 8, 9, 10. God giueth them an earnest charge concerning this mat∣ter, and promiseth them plentiful blessings, if forsaking all other gods they will cleaue onely vnto him, saying: Heare, O my people, and I will protest vnto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken vnto me, and wilt haue no strange god in thee, neither worship any strange god (for I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt) open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. For, as I haue sayd, then there had passed a couenant on both sides betweene God and this people, a solemne ceremonie and oth being made betweene them, by how much the sinne of this people not keeping the promise by them so solemnly made, was the greater. And God also in Christ hath made a couenant with vs at this day, and hath chosen vs pecullarly for his people, which Christ (as Paul witnesseth Tit. 2.14.) gaue himselfe for vs, that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie, and purge vs to bee a peculiar people to himselfe, zealous of good workes.

* 1.3The second refutation of their idolatrie is taken from the benne∣fites of God toward this people. For this people neuer had or found any other Sauiour, any other God, and Defender besides this God. Therefore idols ought to bee remoued and put away, from whose hands neither the Israelites, nor any other men are to looke for any benefite, helpe, or saluation, neither can they obtaine it from them. And thus much doth God most cleerely and plainly teach vs Deut. 32. ver. 39. when he sayth: Behold now, for I, I am he, and there is no gods with me: I kill, and giue life: I wound, and I make whole: neither is there any that can deliuer out of mine hand.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A consutation of this their i∣dolatrie, the which confu∣tation is mani∣fold.
• * 1.2

  1. From the co∣uenant of God with them, and their promise againe vnto him.
• * 1.3

  2. From the bene∣fites of God to∣wards this peo∣ple.