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.

Reioyce not agaynst me, O mine enemie: though I fall, I shall rise: when I shall sit in darkenes, the Lord shall be a light vnto me.

* 1.1A Confirmation of the former hope, which the godly haue in God, the which is drawen from the nature of GOD, and his most sure and especiall promises, but it is propounded or set forth by the Prophet, by an Apostrophe, or turning of speech vnto the

enemies of the church, that they may the rather knowe this com∣fort of the church to bee most certaine, and that they should not think that the church and the godly either to haue perished, or shal perish, if at any time they be chastised by GOD.* 1.2 And this verse hath three things to be noted. First, the kinde of speaking, which is an Apostrophe or turning of speech, whereby the godly,* 1.3 or the church speaking to their enemies in the singular number, doth in∣sult or triumph ouer them through that their assured trust of minde in God, and hope of their saluation and deliuerance, as Dauid Psal. 3. vers. 7. in the midst of his troubles turneth his speech vnto God, crauing his defence against all his enemies, saying: O Lord, arise: helpe me, my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke bone: Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked. And there∣fore in the assurance of God his assistance against them Psalm. 27. vers. 3. he sayth, Though an host pitched agaynst me, mine heart should not be afrayde: Though warre be raysed against me, I will trust in this. Now the foundation of this so assured and vnconquerable hope of the godly is fayth, as it is 1. Iohn 5. vers. 4. This is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde, euen our fayth, the which is grounded vpon such promises as are contayned Psalm 91.93. and such other like.

Further, this whole place with that which followeth is full of figures of a sentence, as Prosopopoeiaes, Dialogismes,* 1.4 Anthropopa∣theiaes, and such like, the which doe partly garnish the things here set forth, partly more liuely represent them as it were vnto our eies and view, and doe moue men to obey, and rest in the word of God and in his promises.

* 1.5The second thing to be noted in this verse is, whom the godly doe speake vnto, to wit, their enemies, whom the Prophet doth represent vnder the name and person of a knappish and ill ton∣gued woman, that their doggish madnes against the church may be vnderstood and painted forth. The third point is the thing it selfe, or the comfort, the which the godly set forth.* 1.6 They will therefore that their enemies be not glad, nor reioyce in minde as of their fall and ruine. For they answere: nay, the same shall not be, or come to passe. But because exception might by and by be ta∣ken: yes, thou O church of God shalt be afflicted or ••unished by God himselfe (the which thing both the Prophet d••••••••••w should come to passe, and also the godly do well enough 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••nd that because of their sinnes it shall come to passe) the 〈…〉〈…〉 godly

answere vnto this also, namely, that it is true indeede, that they shall be chastised, but yet they shall not therefore be destroyed, or the church of God be cast away. For God doth chastise and cor∣rect those that are his with the rod of a father, and of a man onely, and not with an yron rod, as he vseth to doe the reprobate or off∣casts. So then this third part of this verse doth consist of an Hypo∣phora, or answering of an obiection,* 1.7 wherein the Church dooth grant that she shall indeede be chastised, but she denieth that shee shall be rooted out, the which thing her enemies hoped for, and thereof reioyced. And therefore the Lord by his prophet Zachary cap. 1. vers. 15. sheweth himselfe to bee very angry with them for that they were excessiue in punishing of Ierusalem more then hee would they should haue done. For saith he in that place: I am great∣ly angry against the careles heathen: for I was angry but a little, and they helped forward the affliction. The Church then sometimes fal∣leth by meanes of afflictions, but afterward through the grace and fauour of God she riseth vp agayne Ierem. 7. The church sitteth in darkenes when as she is afflicted, but yet is she not wholly depriued of the light of God, but doth euen then in parte feele the same. In a word, the Church of God cannot perish Psal. 72.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A confirmatiō of the former ho••e. What the fi∣gure Apostro∣the is, see Am••s cap 8. vers. 4.
• * 1.2

  Three partes of this verse.
• * 1.3

  1. The kinde of speaking.
• * 1.4

  Anthropopa∣theia is the at∣tributing vnto God the parts, properties, pas∣sions and affe∣ctions of men.
• * 1.5

  2. Whom the god¦ly speake vnto.
• * 1.6

  3. The comfort here set forth.
• * 1.7

  What the fi∣gure Hypopho∣ra is, see Amos cap. 5. ver. 21.