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.

After two dayes will he reuiue vs, and in the third day he will rayse vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight.* 1.1

AN amplification of this benefite of God taken both from the greatnes, and also from the speedines of the same. From the

greatnes,* 1.2 for that God in such sorte cureth and healeth those that be his, that not onely their woundes growe together, and be made whole and sound againe: but also their former strength, might, courage, lustines and liuelines shall a fresh and fully be restored vnto them againe by God, how greatly and grieuously soeuer they were wounded before. The which thing the Prophet doth signifie by the wordes of (reuiuing and raysing vp) Examples hereof wee doe see in the myracles of Christ done vnto mens bodies, in the which the diseased were in such sort healed, that there remained no print or token of the former infirmitie had it continued or hanted them neuer so long. And therefore Christ sayd: Arise, take vp thy bed, and walke. Iohn 5. And likewise Act 3. vers. 8. it is reported of the lame cripple begging at the gate of the Temple, that he was in such sorte restored by Peter and Iohn, that hee leaped vp, stoode, and walked. And doubtles concerning our spirituall woundes also, that is to say, our sinnes, Christ doth in such sorte take them away, that after the last resurrectiō, neither the punishment, nor the guilt, nor any senfie of them remaineth, or shall remaine in vs. For all these things Christ shall heale and destroy in vs, so that wee may boldely say, as it is in Paul. 1. Cor. cap. 15. vers 55. O death, where is thy sting! O hell,* 1.3 where is thy victory? Nay Christ shall then re∣store vs vnto a farre better condition and estate then was that, which wee should haue had by the first Adam, when hee was pure, without sinne, and in his innocencie, by howe much our hu∣mane nature is more neerely and straightly ioyned with God, that is to say, with the fountaine it selfe of goodnes in Christ (as who namely is true God, and true man, in one and the same person) then in Adam, who only was the Image of God, but not God him∣selfe, as Christ is. And this is the greatnes of GOD his bene∣fite towardes his, the which is prepared for vs by Christ a∣lone.

* 1.4The speedines of the same benefite is described and set forth to be very great. For within the space of two dayes, or at the fur∣thest, of three daies, God bestoweth vpon his Church these so great benefites, that is to say, in a very shorte time. For the mention, or wordes of (two dayes and three dayes) doe signifie a most shorte space.* 1.5 For God alwayes helpeth those that are his, when neede is, and in the very poynt and pinch, or moment and minute of time that he thinketh conuenient. For as Paul teacheth vs 1. Cor. 10. vers. 13. God is faithfull, which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue

that we be able, but will euen giue the issue with the temptation, that we may be able to beare it. Touching this power of God in bring∣ing most hard things to passe, and in helping of those that are his, there is a most notable, & of al other a most excellēt example in the resurrection or rising again of our Lord Iesus Christ: of whom for this cause many doe take and expound this place but too stricktly or narrowly. For it appertaineth generally vnto euery helpe of God, the which he performeth towards his. And the same is al∣waies in respect of God speedie, howsoeuer it may seeme vnto our impatient flesh vnto the contrarie, vnto whom notwithstanding it is ioyfull and welcome whensoeuer it commeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An amplifica∣tion of the for∣mer benefit ta∣ken from the greatnes and speedines of the same.
• * 1.2

  1. Frō the great∣nes.
• * 1.3

  Our estate shal be better in Christ, thē that which we shuld haue had in A∣dam.
• * 1.4

  2. The speedines of the benefit.
• * 1.5

  A most singu∣lar comfort a∣gainst our im∣patiencie.