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.

Ver. 4.

I will heale their rebellion: I will loue them freelie: for mine anger is turned away from him.

* 1.1THis is an answer, whereby God witnesseth that the repentance and prayers of those that are his, are acceptable vnto him. Ther∣fore being now reconciled or made friends with them, hee answe∣reth their petition and prayer, as he had often promised by his Pro∣phets that he would doe. So he promised in Isai. cap. 58. ver. 9. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer: thou shalt crie, and hee shall say, here I am, &c. So cap 65. ver. 24. Yea before they call, I will an∣swere, and whiles they speake I will heare. So Psal. 89. ver. 26. He shall crie vnto me, Thou art my father, My God, and the rocke of my salua∣tion. And hereby is shewed how great the fruite of true repentance is,* 1.2 as which namely maketh God so familiar and louing vnto vs, but not of any worthines of repentance it owne, nor yet in respect that it is our worke, but for & by Christ, who by his spirit begetteth it in vs.

* 1.3And now here at this and from this place begin the exceeding great promises and graces of God by Christ towards those that are his, wherein consisteth the shutting vp or end of all the old prophe∣sies. Therefore in all the rest of this whole chapter are reckoned vp sundrie kinds of the gifts of God towards the godly. And first of all those which goe first in the order of nature, that the rest may bee giuen and added. And to the end that we may haue God appeased with vs,* 1.4 the forgiuenes of our sinnes is the first in order of all God his benefites. For so long as he remaineth offended with vs, so long can we hope for no good thing from him, albeit by nature he be ne∣uer so bounteous. For Isai. 59. ver. 2. he sayth vnto them: Your ini∣quities haue separated between you and your God, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you, that he will not heare. And Paul Rom. 5. ver. 1. sheweth, that there is no peace between God and our consciences, vntill we haue the forgiuenes of our sinnes sealed vp by faith in our hearts, that in Christ before him we be accepted for righteous. Then being iustified by faith (sayth he) we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Againe, ver. 9, 10. Much more then, being now iustified by his bloud, wee shall be saued from wrath through him. For if when wee were enemies, wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne, much more being reconciled, we shall be saued by his life. And this forgiuenes of sinnes here in this place is described by a Metaphor taken from the curing of wounds. I will cure,* 1.5 or heale their turning away, or rebellion, sayth the Lord, and their offences, be they neuer so grieuous, and hainous, such as is that their turning a∣way, or rebellion, whilest men forsake God, and cleaue vnto Idols. Further, euery sinne is a disease and wound of the minde, and the greater that the sinne is, so much the more greatly is our mind sick also. Therefore when as God of his only free grace forgiueth vs our sinnes, he then doubtlesse healeth our wounds, but our spirituall wounds. And so Dauid speaketh, saying of God Psal. 147. ver. 3. He healeth those that are broken in heart, and bindeth vp their sores. And after that God for his owne sake hath done away our sinnes,* 1.6 he be∣ginneth for to loue vs: to wit, for that he doth in Iesus Christ his on∣ly begotten Sonne acknowledge vs to bee pure and vnblameable. For his righteousnesse doth hide, clothe, and couer vs Ephe. 1. And this loue of God is his second benefite toward vs. For the good will and loue of God followeth the forgiuenes of our sinnes, and this se∣cond benefite commeth in order vnto that former: but not contra∣rie wise, that is, God first, forgiueth our sinnes, and then loueth vs,

and not, first loueth vs, and afterwards forgiueth our sinnes. And God loueth vs of his owne accord, & not for any deseruing of ours, or for any excellencie of our nature, or for any our vertues: but free∣lie, and because he will. Lastly, is added the third benefite, so verely God doth heape benefites vpon benefites towards those that are his,* 1.7 to wit, his anger is turned away from vs, so that now he think∣eth not to punish vs, but mindeth and purposeth to doe vs good. For where the anger of God is, there also is punishment: where God is appeased and fauourable, there floweth and is felt good will, and euery kind of good thing, as appeareth by the verses fol∣lowing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The answer of God vnto the prayer of the penitent.
• * 1.2

  The great fruite of repen∣tance, and whence it hath the same.
• * 1.3

  Sundrie kinds of the gifts of God towards the godly.
• * 1.4

  1. For giuenes of sinnes.
• * 1.5

  What the fi∣gure Metapho∣ra is, see Amos cap. 4 ver. 12.
• * 1.6

  2. The loue of God towards vs.
• * 1.7

  3. His anger is turned away from vs.