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. 4.

Then shall they crie vnto the Lord, but he will not heare them: he will euen hide his face from them at that time, because they haue done wickedly in their workes.

* 1.1A Threatning of the punishment, the which shall worthily follow their so great sinnes. And it is in a word, That they also because of these their wickednesses shall be forsaken of God in their most afflicted or troubled estate, albeit they call and crie vnto God neuer so much. For such a crying is like vnto the teares of Esau, as namely, being caused of the only feeling of punishment, not of any faith, or loue vnto God: not springing of any earnest motion of penitencie, or affection of repentance: and therefore it is not heard of God. So speaketh the writer to the Hebrewes of the counterfeit teares of E∣sau proceeding not from true repentance, but from griefe that he was preuented of the blessing cap. 12. ver. 17. For ye know how that afterward also, when he would haue inherited the blessing he was re∣iected: for he found no place to repentance, though he sought the bles∣sing with teares. And so Iames teacheth why we often are not heard in our prayers cap. 4 ver. 3. Ye aske (sayth he) and receiue not, because ye aske amisse, that ye might consume it on your lusts. Moreouer, this is a punishment of all others the most grieuous, namely, to be forsa∣ken of God, and that in the most hard time of our affliction. For so are we shewen to be both cast off of God, and hatefull vnto him be∣cause of our wickednesse: and therefore to perish for euer both in soule and bodie. So Ierem. 11. ver. 11. the like is threatned in these words: Therefore thus sayth the Lord, behold, I will bring a plague vpon them, which they shall not be able to escape: and though they crye vnto me, I will not heare them. And Zach. 7. ver. 13. Therefore it is come to passe, that as he cryed, and they would not heare, so they cryed, and I would not heare, sayth the Lord of hostes. And therefore Dauid Psalm. 55. ver. 1. prayeth vnto God agaynst this, saying: Heare my

prayer, O God, and hide not thy selfe from my supplication.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The threat∣ning of a pu∣nishment for these sinnes.