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. 8.

Now she did not know that I gaue her corne and wine, and oyle, and multiplied her siluer and gold, which they bestowed vpon Baal.

* 1.1AN explanation or making plaine of their hypocriticall repen∣tance. For the Prophet sheweth what manner of conuersion or turning vnto God, this of the peoples was, that is, how counterfeit and fained: and therefore that it did not turne away from them the iudgements of God threatned before in the third verse. And here the Prophet noteth two things. The first, that in this the whole counterfeit repentance of the people (the which they professed or made shewe of by reason of the very great afflictions which they suffered) God by that people was not truely acknowledged to bee the author both of those good things the which this people did in∣ioy;* 1.2 and also of that plentie or aboundance, the which ouerflowed as it were vnto the selfe same people: but rather that the causes of this double benefit was by them ascribed vnto Idols, and Baalims, or els vnto the Israelites themselues: the which is notorious blas∣phemie against God. Therefore whether we haue any certaine be∣nefites, albeit in neuer so small plentie; or whether the same be ma∣nie and in aboundance, all this is the gift of the true God, the meete bountie & grace of God: neither is the praise of this bounteousnes to be ascribed either vnto idols, or els vnto our selues in any case. The other poynt of this verse is,* 1.3 That these Israelites euen at that time, when as they repented in such manner as they made shewe of, did of those gifts of God, that is, gold and siluer, make Baalims and Idols: and of the oyle, wine, & corne (the which the selfe same Israelites had receiued of the true God) they did ordaine and set vp worship vnto the same Baalims, and not vnto God. Then the which what can be more reproachful against the true God, and also more

blasphemous? Now as for those thinges the which are here sette downe of the repentance of the Israelites, the same did happen e∣specially vnder Oseas the last king of the Israelites, but yet before al∣so at other times and vpon the like occasions: the which no doubt doe proue and shew this conuersion or turning of this people vnto the true God to haue beene altogether counterfeit and fayned.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He plainlie sheweth that their repen∣tance was hy∣pocriticall, and fained.
• * 1.2

  1. The Israelites ascribe the cause of their benefites vnto others thē God.
• * 1.3

  2. They made i∣dols of the gold and siluer, and of the other be∣nefites ordai∣ned worship vnto them.