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. 26.

So ye shall eate, and be satisfied, and prayse the name of the Lord your God, that hath delt maruailouslie with you: and my people shall neuer be ashamed.

* 1.1THe third amplification, taken from the vse of so great benefits the which God will adioyne and graunt vnto them. For both earthlie giftes are the gift of God, and also the abilitie and pow∣er to vse them: This may appeare by the contrarie, when God giueth giftes, and not power to vse them, of the which Solomon complaineth Eccles. 6. ver. 1.2. There is an euill, which I saw vnder the Sunne, and it is much among men: A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honor, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth: but God giueth him not power to eate thereof: but a straunge man shall eate it vp: this is vanitie, and this is an euill sicknesse. The contrarie blessing God promiseth vnto his Church Isay 62. ver. 8.9. The Lord hath sworne by his right hand, and by his strong arme, surelie I will no more giue thy corne to be meate for thine enimies, and surelie the sonnes of the straungers shall not drinke thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: but they that haue gathered it shall eate it, and prayse the Lord, and the gatherers thereof shall drinke it in the courtes of my Sanctuarie. So then, I say

not onelie all power and abilitie to vse and inioye the blessings of God, is the gift of God: but also such power as is here in this place described. Thus the lewes shall eate the fruites of the earth, and shall be satisfied, or filled with them: and they shall not be hunger staruen as they were before.

Further the scope or end of the vse of these giftes of God is added,* 1.2 that men in so great plentie and store of things (the which is a thing which easelie cōmeth to passe) should not forget God: or that they should not abuse or mispend the giftes of God: or attribute the cause of them vnto any other, to whom they should stand beholding for them, then onelie vnto the grace of God. For commonlie men doe attribute the cause of them either vnto the diligence and painefulnes of the husbandmen, or of them selues, or vnto the disposition of the Starres, and the tempe∣rature of the heauen and of the aire, or vnto the fatnes of the doung laide vpon the ground. For after this manner doe profane men, or wordlinges vse to speake. The scope then or end both of this so great plentie of the giftes of God, and of the vse of them (which is of God graunted vnto vs) is, that we should blesse the name of God therefore: giue him thanks with our whole heart: and confesse and acknowledge him to be in deed our father. So Paul 1. Tim. 4. v. 3. teacheth, that all the creatures of God are good, & ought not to be refused, but are to be receiued with thanks giuing of them whih beleeue and know the trueth. Lastlie the Prophet tea∣cheth that out of the same plentie they are to gather a testimonie or witnes of the grace and fauour of God towards them. For it should be so great, that all men should then easelie perceiue and know that God did in deed miraculously giue and bestow the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The third am∣plification, ta∣ken from the vse, which God giueth of these benefites.
• * 1.2

  The end of the vse of all God his gifts to∣ward vs.