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. 5.

I will be as the dewe vnto Israel: he shall grow as the lillie, and fasten his rootes, as the trees of Lebanon.

A Staying still in the same matter. For other benefites of God are reckoned vp towards the godly, the which doe followe after those former. And here first of all in this verse and that which fol∣loweth, is rehearsed the multiplying of their seede,* 1.1 and fructifying or increasing of the nation. This promise was a token vnto the fa∣thers of the spirituall grace of God, and of that same blessed seede, the which was as yet then for to come, to wit, it was, an earnest, or pledge, confirmation, and signe of Christ Deuter. 28. Further, the same is promised vnder diuers similitudes: and that nothing here spoken should seeme to be impossible, because of the miseries and troubles the which should fall out in this people, in the first place that is set downe the which may take all such difficulties or doubts out of the mind of men.* 1.2 To wit, that God himselfe, and the blessing of God shalbe like vnto a dew, wherwith this nation being sprinck∣led shall spring and increase exceedingly, how fewe soeuer shall be left aliue in it. For the earth being moystened with the dew of hea∣uen, and with the showers of God: and also plants and trees being watred with raine, doe bring foorth both their seede, and also their flower. So the writer vnto the Hebrews cap. 6. ver. 7. sayth, that the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it, and bring∣eth forth herbes meete for them by whom it is dressed, receiueth blessing of God. And so the Psalmist Psal. 65. ver. 9. speaketh of the fructify∣ing of the earth by God his watring, & blessing of it in these words: Thou visistest the earth, and waterest it: thou makest it very rich, &c. Wherefore when as God promiseth that he through his fauour wil

performe to this people and seede left, be it neuer so small, the same thing, the which the dewe giueth vnto herbes and trees, no man may doubt, but that out of those remnants an innumerable people may come, and also shall come. I will be a dew vnto Israel, sayth the Lord. Whereof shall come to passe, that Israel shall flourish and spring as a Lillie, and shall spred his rootes as Lebanon, that is to say, as the trees of the mountaine Lebanus, the which are most high and tall.* 1.3 And looke how trees are lifted vp with their tops vnto hea∣uen, so much doe they go downward with their root into the deepe of the earth, that is to say, so much the greater rootes doe they send foorth, whereby they may be vpholden, as Virgil teacheth, and that truely, lib. 4. Aeneid. Therefore it shall come to passe, that the rootes of this nation (albeit neuer so short) when as it shall be conuerted vnto God, shall be most broad and wide, & stretch out themselues euery way, and on euery side.* 1.4 Concerning the Lillie flower how pleasant and sweete he is vnto vs, the common consent of all men doth teach: as also for that of the most naturall Philosophers his flower (which is somewhat broad) is compared with the Rose. And these sundrie kindes of Metaphors doth God vse, both to confirme this spreading abroade and increasing of this nation:* 1.5 and also to shewe, and declare how ioyfull and wished for the same shall be.

Notes

• * 1.1

  4. Multiplying of their seede.
• * 1.2

  1. The similitude of dewe.
• * 1.3

  2. The similitude of the trees of Lebanus.
• * 1.4

  3. The similitude of the Lillie.
• * 1.5

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