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. 7.

And I will be vnto them, as a very lyon: and as a Leo∣pard in the way of Asshur.

* 1.1THe threatning of a punishment, the which shall be layde vpon the Israelites by God, because of that their vnthankfulnes: and consequently vpon all those which slide and departe from the true worship of God vnto idolatrie, I will be vnto them, saith God, as a Lyon, and that an olde Lyon. For so doe I translate those verbes by the future tense. But as concerning Lyons Plinius out of Polybius lib. 8. Natural. Histor. cap. 16. writeth, That they when they bee olde, doe greatly lust after men, because that strength faileth them now to pursue and follow after wilde beasts.* 1.2 Wherefore it is not without emphasis or force, that God bringeth the similitude of a ly∣on, especially of an olde lyon, that is, one that is more cruell vnto men, that he may the more terrifie and feare the Israelites, and all Idolators.

The Lord addeth: I will be vnto them as a Leopard in their waies and iourneyes. For I will lie in wayte for them, and marke whither they goe, and which way, that I may set vpon them, teare them, and slay them vpon the sodaine, and priuily before they be aware, as the Leopard vseth for to doe.* 1.3 And to this purpose doth the pro∣phet Ieremie vse the similitude of a Leopard cap. 5. ver. 6. where he sayth: A Leopard shall watch ouer their cities: euery one that goeth out thence shall be torne in peeces, because their trespasses are many, and their rebellions are increased. And Plinius lib. 10. Natur. Histor. cap. 34. See Aelianus likewise lib. 2. de histor. Animal. where hee sayth, That the Leopard in taking of his pray is farre more subtill and crafty then the Ape. And by this double similitude which God bringeth, we vnderstand that God wil not deale with them by open force onely: but also as by lying in wayt, that is to say, that

he will steale vpon Idolators vpon the sodaine, when they thinke vpon no such matter: that he may punish both them most sharply because of their vnthankfulnes towards him, & also these their such blasphemous superstitions. And therefore Psalm. 2. ver. 12. the Psalmist exhorteth that they yeeld and submit themselues vnto Christ, least that vengeance and destruction come sodainly vpon them, before they thinke on it: Kisse the sonne (sayth he) least he be angry, and yee perish in the waye, when his wrath shall sodaynely burne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The threat∣ning of a pu∣nishment a∣gainst the Is∣raelites.
• * 1.2

  The Nature of an old Lyon.
• * 1.3

  The Leopard▪