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.

CAP. 3.

Vers. 1.

Then sayd the Lord vnto me, Goe yet, and loue a woman (be∣loued of her husband, and was an harlot) according to the loue of the Lord toward the children of Israel: yet they looked to other gods, and loued their wine bottles.

* 1.1ANother Sermon, the which briefly repeateth or rehearseth that which hath been set forth in the chapters going before: it ad∣deth or putteth to onelie one thing more, to wit, the time, wherein the gathering together of the Church out of the remnants of the kingdome of Israel, shall be. And it was needfull that these things should be often spoken, both by reason of the most miserable estate of this kingdome, the which happened within a little while after∣ward: and also because that by reason of the longnes of the time, wherein the things which are promised vnto them, shall come to passe, the godly might bee discouraged, and waxe faint hearted. Therefore to the end that they may bee throughly confirmed or strengthened, these things are set forth and rehearsed afresh. So in the Prophet Isai almost from the 40. chapter vnto the 66. the same promises of God are often rehearsed. So likewise in the Reuelation the same threatnings of God after a diuers manner, and vnder di∣uers figures are iterated or repeated again, to the end that men may the better & more certainly beleeue that they shall come to passe.

* 1.2Now this verse hath three certaine poynts to be obserued or no∣ted. The one, The person of him that speaketh: and that is Iehouah. For hereby there commeth assurance and authoritie vnto this pro∣mise, when as he which declareth the same,* 1.3 is that same true God which cannot lye, as Paul sayth Tit. 1. The second, What God wil∣leth to be done, to wit,* 1.4 he commaundeth that the Prophet doe yet once againe represent or shewe himselfe vnto the same people of Israel, as if againe he married a wife, the which being very greatlie loued of that her first husband, neuerthelesse most lewdly played the harlot, or rather the whore most shamefully. So then I doe in this place take the word (Reangh) for an husband, as Paul Philip. 4. ver. 3. doth generally translate this word (Suzugon) a yoke-fellow: and Ieremie the 2. it is also taken for an husband. Furthermore the word (Naph) the which is taken for those onely that are married, doth perswade the same, or leadeth vnto this interpretation. And this vision is like vnto that which was rehearsed before cap. 1. The third poynt sheweth the cause of this vision. And that is,* 1.5 for this that the people, or that kingdome of Israel, greatly beloued of God their husband, had notwithstanding shamefullie played the harlot, and was defiled both with most manifest or open idolatrie, and also with most wicked filthines and wantonnes of life. For these words (they looke vnto other gods) note their bedlam madding after idols: and these (they loue their bottles of wine) betoken their wicked life, drunkennes, bodily whoredome, and other such like vices. So is this kingdome called a kingdome of tossepots and drunkards Isai cap. 28. ver. 1. Woe to the crowne of pride (sayth the Prophet) the drun∣kards of Ephraim, for his glorious beautie shalbe a fading flower, which is vpon the head of the valley of them that bee fat, and are ouercome with wine.

Vers. 2.

So I bought her to me for fifteene pieces of siluer, and for an homer of barley, and an halfe homer of barley.

* 1.6THe second part of this vision, wherein is described or set foorth the execution of the former commaundement. The Prophet therefore obeyed: and speaketh vnto the people by the comman∣dement of God, in such sort as if he had betrothed vnto himselfe such a wife. But he sheweth that this selfe same, whom both her first husband loued, and which the Prophet had appointed for his wife, was at the first of very base regard, and of a seruile condition. For

the Prophet bought her vnto him, and that not for so great a pri•••••• as other bondslaues are wont to be sold for: but farre better cheap▪ For other seruants for the most part according vnto the law of Go•• Exod. 21. ver. 32. were esteemed at 30. sicles of siluer, that is at f••••∣teene Talers: but this his wife that should bee, is bought but for f••••∣teene sicles of siluer, that is, for seuen Talers and an halfe, a sm•••• matter and of very little price being added vnto the sayd summe,* 1.7 such as might be the valew of an homer and an halfe of barley. An•• these things doe the more notablie set forth and shewe how gre•••• the mercie and fauour of God was towards this people chosen 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him to be his inheritance: and how great on the other side was the vnthankfulnes of this people towards God: that we also may ap∣plie the selfe same vnto our selues.

Vers. 3.

And I sayd vnto her, Thou shalt abide with me many dai••••: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt be to no other 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and I will be so vnto thee.

THe third part of this vision or commaundement of God vnto Oseas.* 1.8 And it containeth what he was to doe, before that he ma∣ried to wife this woman, the which had before so shamefully playd the whore. And he must keepe her with him a good space, betro∣thed onely vnto him, and as yet not his married wife: yet so that in the meane while she should not play the harlot, but containe and keepe her selfe chast, and reserued for the mariage to come. There∣fore the promise, force, and remembrance of the condition of ma∣riage to come betweene that woman and the Prophet remained still. So then there ought to be no playing the harlot in the meane season. But the fit time of consummating or finishing vp the mar∣riage, was of that Spouse quietly to be wayted, and tarried for. For in the meane while both of them ought to addresse, reserue, and stay themselues vnto the marriage to come, by vow, mind, and that most assured promise, & not to commit whoredom with any other.

Vers. 4.

For the children of Israel shall remaine many dayes without a King, and without a Prince, and without an offring, and without an image, and without an Ephod, and without Teraphim.

AN explanation or laying open of all this matter more plainlie. For he sheweth more plainlie the signification of that time,

wherein the marriage betweene Oseas and the woman betrothed vnto him, was commaunded so long to be differred or put off.* 1.9 And this is, by such a kind of signe and token, that God sheweth, that it shall come to passe, that the people, and that same kingdome of Is∣rael for a very long season, and for many not onely dayes or yeares: but whole ages shall remaine in such sort ouerthrowne, and lye cast downe, as hath been foretold, and shall not by any meanes at that time bee acknowledged for a people or nation. And yet notwith∣standing that in the meane season this selfe same people is not vt∣terly accursed with God, or cleane out of remembrance. For the hope and most assured promise remaineth of a couenant and spiri∣tuall mariage, that shall yet now hereafter be entred into and made againe with God. Therefore God is alwayes mindfull of that peo∣ple.

* 1.10This explanation containeth three parts. The first rehearseth the time, that is, those many dayes, in the which this Spouse of the Pro∣phet remained only a spouse.* 1.11 And those dayes are that same long a∣ges, in the which that same kingdome and people of Israel remay∣ned, and doth yet now at this day remaine in banishment, and a∣bandoned and cast off by God, vntill, as Paul sayth, the fulnes of the Gentiles bee entred in. So then this people of Israel hath now this long season layen, and yet presently doth lye as it we••e vnknowne, and almost blotted out by destruction. And these dayes are to bee measured or reckoned from the time of the captiuitie of the ten tribes vntill that age, wherein God, casting off the Gentiles, shall bring backe and call againe all Israel vnto him, as I haue sayd, and as it appeareth Rom. 11. ver. 26. alleaged oftentimes before. That which shall at the last come to passe and bee fulfilled in the latter times of the world, as is shewed ver. 5. hereafter. For albeit when as God deliuered the Iewes out of the captiuitie of Babylon, (and not the Israelites properly) certaine of these Israelites mixed and ioyned themselues vnto the Iewes returning, and together with them came againe into the holie land, as appeareth by the booke of Esdras cap. 7. and albeit that by the preaching of the Gospell done by the Apo∣stles and their Successors afterward, many out of euery nation came vnto Christ, as is gathered out of the Acts cap. 2. and by the conuer∣sion of the Gentiles: and so consequently many of these Israelites also were gathered vnto the Church of God: yet al this notwithstā∣ding, the fulfilling of this time, whereof here is spoken, shall be then at the last, when as the whole Israel shall be conuerted vnto Christ,

the Gentiles because of their horrible and notorious blasphemies being refused of GOD. And this is the first part of this explan∣tion.

* 1.12The second part is, what it signifieth, that this selfe same spouse is sayd not to haue played the harlot in the meane season, to wi•• that this nation so long as they liued in that their miserable estate and condition, had no publike or open idolatries: as it had, when i•• was a kingdome deuided from the kingdome of Iudah. Therefo•••• al that whole time of their banishment, vntill that their conuersion, they were, and shalbe without idols, idoll Temples, manifest and o∣pen worshipping of idols, without images: nay also without E∣phod and Teraphim, or any similitudes and pictures, all which li••e they vngodly had, and openly retained, during the time of their florishing and prosperitie. But when as the selfe same nation shall be called vnto Christ, yet shal it not put in vre againe their outward common wealth gouernment and politike lawes of Moses, as Ber∣nard writeth vpon the Canticles Serm. 67. and 68. whatsoeuer o∣thers would go about to proue and conclude out of the 9. of Amos, ver. 11. where GOD sayth, That in that day he will raise vp the ta∣bernacle of Dauid, that is fallen downe, and close vp the breaches thereof, and that he will raise vp his ruines, and build it, as in the dayes of old. Reade the exposition of that place before.

* 1.13The third part of this explanation, what the gesture of sitting, or the commandement of sitting or abiding ver. 3. before, doth signi∣fie: namely, that this kingdome vtterly ouerthrowne, shall lye ••s 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were a dead bodie, and shall so remaine a very long season. For this kingdome shall lye without a king, and without their prince, as it now appeareth. For no man doth now truely know, where are those same ten tribes long agoe caried away by the Assyrians, and which are their seates or abidings at this day. For they haue not i•• the whole vniuersall world any outward forme of their common weale, kingdome, or dominion. Yet notwithstanding God hath a care of them in the meane season: and they remaine as it were seede put into the ground: or as a bodie buried to rise againe (be∣cause of the old and ancient couenant of GOD with them) the which in his due time shall shewe forth it selfe, and declare and confirme the fulfilling of the things here spoken of. But some hold opinion that the Turkes came of those ten tribes, the which doe hate most deadlie all kindes of idolatries.

Vers. 5.

Afterward shall the children of Israel conuert, and seeke the Lord their God, and Dauid their king, & shall feare the Lord, and his goodnes in the latter dayes.

* 1.14A Comfort the which doth altogether agree with the place of Paul Rom. 11. ver. 26. of the generall conuersion of the Iewes. But this verse containeth two things,* 1.15 The comfort and the time of the same. The time is, The ending of dayes, the which I vnderstand not only of the time of Christ his being shewed in the flesh:* 1.16 but al∣so of the very last times and age of the world. For then at the last shall all Israel be conuerted vnto Christ by faith in the Gospell, to wit, when as the fulnes of the Gentiles shall haue entred in. For so doth Paul euidently expound this place.* 1.17 The comfort which here is promised, briefly is, the conuersion of this people so cast off be∣fore, and so past all hope of recouerie, vnto God notwithstanding, and their vniting and knitting into the Church. They shall then be conuerted, to wit, vnto God, and that by faith of the Gospell con∣cerning Christ, whom these shall embrace, albeit the Iewes cruci∣fied him. And further here is declared manifestly, who shalbe con∣uerted, and after what manner. And the children of Israel shall bee conuerted, that is, those selfe same, which being seuered from the kingdome of Iudah, were called Israel. For Paul saith, All Israel, and not the Iewes alone shall embrace Christ through the preaching of the Gospell. And they shall so repent, that first they shall seeke the true God for their God; and not straunge gods any more, vnto whom they looked before: but (Iehouah) that is, the same God that is almightie. Secondly, the same Israelites shall seeke Dauid their king, that is, the true Christ, of whom Dauid was a figure, and the author of the seede. For Christ, as he is man, is of the seede of Dauid. In this place therefore Dauid is taken for that same true Da∣uid, that is Christ, who was the trueth of that Dauid which was the king, and who hath an euerlasting kingdom in the Church of God, the which is the house of Dauid. And therefore Luk. 2. ver. 32.33. the Angell telleth the Virgin Mary, That the Lord God shall giue vn∣to him the throne of Dauid his father, and that he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome shall be none end. But these selfe same Israelites had wickedly pulled and rent themselues from the kingdome of Dauid, that is, from the Church 1. King. 12. yet at that time they shall ioyne themselues vnto the Church, and that

most earnestly. Lastly, they shall with feare and admiration or wondering at so great a benefit of God towards them turne vnto God. For this feare or trembling in this place is nothing else but an admiration, & that very exceeding, at the so great mercy & good∣nes of God towards them. So Ierem. 33. ver. 9. God sheweth that he will in such sorte deale for Ierusalem, and the captiue Israelites, that all that shall heare of it shall feare and tremble for all the good∣nes, and for all the wealth that he will shew vnto that citie. It is not then such a feare and a trembling as shall driue away, and fray men from God: but such as shall allure and draw men vnto God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An other Ser∣mon much like vnto those which went be∣fore. Why the same things are so often rehearsed
• * 1.2

  Three things to be noted in this verse.
• * 1.3

  1. The person speaking.
• * 1.4

  2. What he spea∣keth.
• * 1.5

  3. The cause of this vision.
• * 1.6

  The second part of this vision.
• * 1.7

  The Taler, or Daler is an outlandish coyne of some fiue shillings valew, or there abouts, of the which there are very many seuerall sorts, and of seuerall prices.
• * 1.8

  The third part of this vision.
• * 1.9

  A more plaine laying open of the differring of this mariage
• * 1.10

  Three parts of this explanatiō
• * 1.11

  1. The time of O∣seas his wife remaining only betrothed, and not married.
• * 1.12

  2. What it signi∣fieth, that this spouse is said not to haue played the har∣lot during the time of her e∣spousage.
• * 1.13

  3. What the sit∣ting or remai∣ning of Oseas his spouse vnto him many daies, ver 3. be∣fore, doth signi∣fie.
• * 1.14

  Two parts of this Verse.
• * 1.15

  1. A comfort.
• * 1.16

  2. The time of the same.
• * 1.17

  The comfort.