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. 19.

There is no healing of thy wound: thy plague is grieuous: all that heare the bruite of thee, shall clap their hands ouer thee: for vpon whom hath not thy malice passed continually?

THe figure Epiphonema,* 1.1 or acclamation, whereby the Prophet doth both confirme all the former threatnings against the Assy∣rians, and proueth the Assyrians to be miserable, and describeth the miserable cōdition of the Assyrians, and finally repeateth the cause of their so great miseries.* 1.2 And therefore this verse hath three parts, besides the phrase or kind of speaking it selfe, the which is most ve∣hement and full of force and efficacie, to terrifie or fray the Assy∣rians, and to comfort the faithfull as touching the punishment of the wicked which was to insue.* 1.3 And first of all he teacheth, that these threatnings of God shall be ratified or certaine, whereas it is sayd: There is no healing, or gathering together of thy wound, and breach, that is to say, there is none which can binde vp those thy wounds, and turne the wrath of God away from thee: there is no comforter vnto thee in thy miseries, as before vers. 7. Finally, there is no remedie left for thee, or set forth, wherewithall thou maist pa∣cifie and comfort thy selfe, and ease thy miserie & distressed estate. And euen in this very poynt their case seemeth now to be most mi∣serable.* 1.4 Yet is the same moreouer hereby described to be most pi∣tifull because this plague, the which cannot now bee asswaged or healed, is sayd furthermore to be full of paine, or grieuous. It shall therefore be very hard to be borne, and continually shooting and pricking, as are such wounds and sores as are to be lanced or cut, the

which are full of matter and corruption, and doe euery foote stirre vp paine and griefes. Lastly, [unspec 3] 3. none shall take pitie and compassion on the Assyrians thus afflicted,* 1.5 but rather whosoeuer shall heare of the same and report of them thus wasted, captiues, slaine and mur∣thered, shall clap their hands, and mocke them, and shal say, that these things haue fallen out vnto them worthilie. For this clapping of hands is also a signe of ioy and gladnes, the which all men shall conceiue, which shall heare of her ouerthrow. Doubtles this is the highest degree of miscrie, namely, in the midst of afflictions to haue none that will bee grieued and sorie with thee, to comfort thee, to take part of thy burthen vpon himselfe, but to behold all men tri∣umphing ouer thee, heaping afflictions vnto thee that art afflicted, and reioycing moreouer of thy miserie. So do the godlie complaine Psal 88. ver. 18. Thou hast put away from me my louers and friends, and mine acquaintance hid themselues. So was Christ afflicted or punished for vs and our sinnes, that he could finde none to comfort him, no not then when he did hang vpon the crosse, but had al men his enemies, and mocking, and reuiling him, Matth. 27. ver. 39.40.41.42.43.44. where wee finde that those that passed by, that the Priests, the Scribes, the Elders, the Pharises, the theeues that suffe∣red with him, did mocke, scorne, and reuile him. Woe therefore be vnto our sinnes: for our affliction is made most light and easie, when as we haue those that will sorowe and mourne with vs. And this is the part and dutie of a Christian, in the sorowe and heauines of others, accordingly as Paul willeth Rom. 12. ver. 15. saying, Re∣ioyce with them that reioyce, and weepe with them that weepe. This comfort did I my selfe finde at Orthesium the fiue and twentith day of the moneth of December in the yeare of the last time 1583. at the which very day and time I being a stranger,* 1.6 and in a forreine countrie lost my most well beloued little daughter named Anne. Her being but onely foure yeares olde God called out of this earth into heauen, vnto whom euen then beleeuing in Christ, and reli∣giously according vnto the capacitie of those yeares calling vpon God, he will giue a crowne of immortalitie, as vnto all those also which are adopted or chosen through Christ, as Paul speaketh 2. Tim. 4. ver. 8. For henceforth (saith Paul) is laid vp for me the crown of righteousnes, which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day: and not to me only, but vnto all them also that loue his appea∣ring. But in that my heauines there came vnto me so many godlie men of Orthesium to comfort me, that they did meruailously as∣swage

and lessen the same vnto me.

Now this Orthesium of Bearne (called sometime Bearne,* 1.7 as it is in the Chronicle of Antoninus) is a famous towne or citie, where at the first there was a Schoole erected or founded by Ioane the Queene of Nauarre of blessed memorie.* 1.8 Afterward the same Schoole the selfe same yeare in which I wrote these things, was ad∣uanced vnto the dignitie of an Vniuersitie by Henrie the second the most courteous and godly, and indeed Christian King of Nauarre, the sonne of the sayd Ioane.

Furthermore, the cause of so great a iudgement of God against the Assyrians is repeated, namely, their crueltie, couetousnesse and fiercenes against all men, and people, and countries of the world. Therefore there was no corner of the earth into the which the cru∣elnes of these lyons and theeues had not ranged. Wherefore all men doe worthilie reioyce at the ruine and fall of the Assyrians. For in the end these cruel princes, kings, and peoples must perish and be destroyed, as it is Psal. 9. ver. 17. The wicked shall turne into hell, and all nations that forget God. The which both the Empire of the Turke, and also the faction or crue of Antichrist shall feele and find in the end to be most true. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Epiphonema, what this fi∣gure is, see Io∣nas ca 2. ver. 9.
• * 1.2

  Three parts of this verse.
• * 1.3

  1. That these threatnings of God shall ass••∣redly come to passe.
• * 1.4

  2. Their case shal be most mise∣rable and h••rd to beare.
• * 1.5

  None shall pi∣tie them but rather laugh at their trou∣bles.
• * 1.6

  Comfort that this author a stranger found in a strange countrie.
• * 1.7

  Orthesium
• * 1.8

  A Schoole scū∣ded there by the Queene of Nauarre, and afterward by her sonne Hen∣rie the second made an Vni∣uersitie. The cause of this so heauie iudgement of God against the Assyrians.