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. 1.

For behold, in those dayes and in that time, when I shall bring againe the captiuitie of Iudah and Ierusalem.

* 1.1A Confirmatiō of the former promise of the safetie of the Church of God to come, euen in the midst of those troubles, and hurlie burlies of the world, the which were described in the chapter be∣fore. And it is taken from the remouing away of the lets or enemies of the Church, whom God will ouerthrow, be they in number ne∣uer so great, and neuer so much to be feared. Wherefore nothing shall let God, from performing that his promised deliuerance and safetie vnto his Church. So Amos 9.15. So Mich. 7. ver. 8. And such repetitions as these, and such comforts are very necessary and need∣full for the godlie, least they faint by reason of the continuance of the euils and troubles, or bee feared with the multitude of the ene∣mies, & so be brought into despayre. In a word, through this whole chapter is promised the ouerthrow of the enemies of the Church, and of such as doe afflict or trouble it.

* 1.2But this verse containeth the noting out of the time, wherein these things shall be done by God, namely, when as God shall bring againe the captiuitie of Iudah, that is to say, when as he shall gather together his scattered Church. For this promise is generall, and comprehendeth the whole time, in the which there shall be or ••••∣maine any Church in this world. For albeit God sometime haue gathered his Church more noblie and with greater renowme o•••• of her miserable scattering into other countries, as after the capti∣uitie of Babylon, vnder the Machabees: & especially by the preach∣ing of the Gospell after the comming of Christ: yea, and no•• in

these last times doth gather it together, of his great mercy restoring vnto vs and renuing the light of the Gospell: yet is it notwithstan∣ding most true, that God is alwayes present with his Church, and doth keepe it, and breake the power of the enemies thereof, that they destroy it not vtterly. Wherefore how often soeuer God will restore it, then also doe those most assured iudgements of God a∣gainst the enemies of his Church, which are here threatned, ap∣peare, and are executed by him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A confirmatiō of the former promise, taken from the remo∣uing of the lets or enemies of the Church.
• * 1.2

  The time, in the which God shall performe these things.