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. 2.

Take vnto you words, and turne to the Lord, and say vnto him, take away all iniquitie, and receiue vs graciously: so will we render the calues of our lips.

A Staying in the laying out more plainely of the former matter: for he doth not onely exhorte them vnto repentance,* 1.1 but also describeth what manner of repentance it ought to be, as Ioel cap. 2. Therefore there is here contayned a full declaration of true re∣pentance. Moreouer, the Prophet seemeth to speake of publike repentance, & not of priuate repentance only, albeit that priuat re∣pentance hath, and doth bring forth al these signes & tokens of it also. For in this place the Prophet doth not only require an inward feeling of sorrow, the which sinners doe conceiue because of God whom they haue offēded, but words also, that is, he requireth a ma∣nifest protestation and declaration of this their mind, and inward sorrow. Wherefore he sayth: Take vnto you wordes: speake vnto the Lord himselfe with wordes, that is to say, let this your conuer∣sion or repentance, and turning vnto God, appeare vnto all men, both by inward and also by outward signes, that it bee not fained, nor vnknowen: but that ye may edifie all, and by your example cal backe others vnto the same God. And these wordes which the Prophet biddeth them to take, are a publike prayer vnto God, and such as must be made in wordes, as may easilie bee gathered by

the wordes themselues, the which the Prophet here deliuereth vnto them.

* 1.2This prayer of those that repent contayneth two thinges, first, that God would forgiue all their iniquities. For first there commeth vpon those that truely repent, and ariseth in them a fee∣ling and sorrow of sinne, and therefore their prayer beginneth at the begging of forgiuenes of their sinnes,* 1.3 as appeareth out of the fiftie one Psalm vers. 2, 3. where Dauid his words be these: Wash mee throughly from mine iniquities, and cleanse mee from my sinne. For I knowe mine iniquities, and my sinne is euer before mee. And they desire to haue them forgiuen them, that is, freely to bee re∣mitted or released and taken awaie by GOD, because they know that they can bring no ransome vnto God for their sinnes of them∣selues: but in this, that they can pay for them, and haue to pay for them, that all the same is giuen them of GOD himselfe through Christ, whose onely death and blood, is the ransome, that is, the full price for our sinnes 1. Tim. 2. vers. 6. Who gaue himselfe (spea∣king immediately before of Christ) a ransome for all men. Further∣more they pray, that al their iniquitie may be taken away, and not onely some parte of it, because they knowe that there is no sinne before God which deserueth not euerlasting death. For as Paul writeth Roman. 6. vers. 23. The wages of all sinne is death. And thus much hath the first part of the prayer of the godly penitent or repentant.

* 1.4 Now the latter part desireth benefites of God also, and offereth him praise and thankesgiuing. And here is the true nature of Chri∣stian repentance described, the which expresseth and resembleth both the words, and maners, and also the prayers of her mother, that is to say, our faith in Christ, from the which no doubt it sprin∣geth. For from whence commeth this so great trust, that I say not with Paul 2. Cor. 3. ver. 12. Boldnes of sinners and miserable wret∣chedmen, and accusing themselues of guiltines before God, that all this notwithstanding, they doe both craue and also looke for bene∣fites from the selfe same God? It commeth doubtles from faith in Christ, that is to say, from that assurance of minde, the which the holy ghost giueth vnto them, that their sinnes are freelie forgiuen them through Christ the sonne of God, and that they are all relea∣sed vnto them, and that the same God whom they haue offended, is now through the same Christ become a God and a father fauou∣rable and louing vnto them, and not a Iudge, so that they can say

with Paul Rom. 8. ver. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? So Dauid also repenting beggeth benefites at the hands of God both for himselfe, and also for the Church of God Psal. 51. ver. 12. for himselfe: Restore me to the ioye of thy saluation, and stablish me with thy free spirit. ver. 18. For the church: Be fauou∣rable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure: builde the walles of Ierusa∣lem. Wherefore their opinion is false which doe separate or seuer true repentance of minde from faith: or doe thinke that this vertue doth spring from any other place then the rest doe, that is from any other fountaine then faith. The godly penitent therefore doe say, and that the holy ghost by the Prophet so prompting and teaching them: Lord bestowe good things, or benefites vpon vs, to wit, such as appertaine vnto our saluation, and earthly also, because they know him by Christ to be reconciled or made friends, and appeased with them. For this is a true saying, As often as a sinner shall sigh, I will no more thinke vpon his iniquitie Ezech. 18. And this other Esai. 1. ver. 16.18. Take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes, al∣though your sinnes be as scarlet, they shall be white as snowe. Finally, God doth cast them into the sea, that they may not any where ap∣peare, or come vp into remembrance before him. And these things doe the godly penitent aske of God.

* 1.5These selfe same also doe offer thankesgiuing, and the same not onely conceiued in heart, but also witnessed and openly pronoun∣ced with the mouth and lippes. And this same thankesgiuing they do call Calues, and sacrifices or offerings of their lippes. And so the writer to the Hebrewes willeth the faithfull also for to doe cap. 13. ver. 15. saying: Let vs therefore by him offer alwaies the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruite of the lippes, which confesse his name. The metaphor is taken from other sacrifices, the which were offe∣red vnto God with the hands,* 1.6 and not with the lippes, as were bul∣locks, and lambes, and calues. So Dauid repenting offereth thankes∣giuing vnto God Psalm. 51. ver. 15. Open thou my lippes, O Lord, and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse. The which thing it selfe, to wit, thankesgiuing like as the former part of this sentence also, namely prayer, springeth from faith in Christ, the which the godly albeit they be sinners haue. For faith is the fountaine of thankesgiuing, the which is giuen vs by God, as it is also of our inuocation or pray∣ing, as Paul witnesseth Rom. 10. ver. 14. saying: But how shall they call on him, in whom they haue not beleeued?

Notes

• * 1.1

  A staying in the making more plaine, of the former matter.
• * 1.2

  The prayer of the repentant containeth two things.
• * 1.3

  1 A begging of forgiuenes of their sinnes.
• * 1.4

  2. Desireth bene∣fites also of God, and offe¦reth him praise and thankes∣giuing.
• * 1.5

  The godly pe∣nitent doe offer also vnto God thankesgiuing.
• * 1.6

  What the fi∣gure Metapho∣ra is, see Amòs cap. 4. ver. 12.