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.

Ver. 12.

Let the heathen be wakened, and come vp to the valley of Iehosaphat: for there will I sit to iudge all the heathen, round about.

* 1.1HYpophora, or the answering of an obiection, whereby GOD meeteth with a great doubt, the which might hereby rise in the mindes of the Godlie: because that at that time when as these things were threatned and vttered by Ioel, the whole world was quiet: nay conspyred vnto the destruction of the Church: to be short there appeared nothing in any Nation, the which might rayse vp, or cause this hope of the sturring of Nations against the enimies of the Church. God therefore answereth, that they shall notwithstanding be raysed vp, and that assuredlie: but then at the length, when as God will in deed exercise these iudgements against them, and when as the measure of their iniquitie, and of their crueltie and malice against the Church shalbe filled vp. Therefore this verse conteineth a confirmation of the former promise, that is, of the deliuerance to come of the godlie from their enimies, and the maner, place, and time of the fulfilling of the same. The manner is, that God will raise vp the Nations out of their seates, albeit they be now quiet: and they shall obey God calling them.* 1.2 For they shal come vp & that armed & gatherd to gether against the enimies of the Church. The place is the valley of Iehoshaphat, whereof hath been spoken before in this Chap∣ter ver. 2. the time is,* 1.3 when as God wil in deed iudge those his em∣mies, and defer,* 1.4 or put off their punishment no longer, as then he

did, namelie in the time of Ioel: but afterward God will sit on his throne as a iudge to condemne them. In this consideration, that the Lord will one daye iudge the cause of his against their e∣nimies, Dauid doth both cōfort himself & also prayeth vnto God often in the P••almes to performe the same, as Psal. 7. ver. 7.8, So shall the congregation of the people compasse thee about: for their sakes therefore returne on hie. And Psalm. 10. ver. 12. Arise O Lord God, lyft vp thine hand: forget not the poore, &c. Let this therefore comfort the true Church of God at this day also, especiallie that in Flaunders, which is most miserablie afflicted.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A confirmati∣on of the for∣mer promise of the deliuerāce of the Church, conteyning the manner, place, and time of the same.
• * 1.2

  1 The manner.
• * 1.3

  2 The place.
• * 1.4

  3 The time.