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truth_n	john_n	spirit_n	worship_v	7,067	5	9.7470	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19799	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.; Commentarii in prophetas minores. English.	Daneau, Lambert, ca. 1530-1595?; Stockwood, John, d. 1610.	1594 (1594)	STC 6227; ESTC S109220	1,044,779	1,114

whom notwithstanding they ought to haue amended and to frame them vnto the rules of equitie or else to correct and punish them And this is that which the prophet sayth That they leaue off or cast aside iustice vppon earth for that they did not better and amend the manners of men Hereof are often complaints in the Prophet Isai as cap 59. ver 4. No man calleth for iustice no man contendeth for trueth they trust in vanitie and speake vaine things they conceiue mischiefe and bring forth iniquitie And ver 13 14 15. We haue departed away from our God haue spoken of cruelty and rebellion conceiuing and vttering out of the heart false matters Therefore iudgement is turned backward and iustice standeth farre off for truth is fallen in the streete and equitie cannot enter Yea trueth faileth and he that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a praye and when the Lord saw it it displeased him that there was no iudgement And so forth as in that same chapter followeth Vers 8. He maketh Pleiades and Orion and he turneth the shadow of death into the morning and he maketh the day darke as night he calleth the waters of the sea and powreth them out vpon the open earth the Lord is his name The second exhortatiō of the Prophet vnto repentance THe second exhortation of the Prophet wherwith he stirreth vp the Israelites to earnest repentance of minde that they should turne vnto the true God and that they should not any longer dwel and lye slugging in their sinnes wherewith they doe offend him This exhortation is taken from the glorious and yet true and very braue description of the power and maiestie of GOD vnto whose sweete imbracings and bosome he doth call them backe For he is that alone true God most mighty and full of maiestie who hath most free rule and power ouer all things so that he can neither be mocked nor despised scotfree nor yet be appeased with the toyes and deuises of men all which things the Israelites supposed might be the which in like maner all hypocrites did thinke but falsly For Paul teacheth Galat. cap. 6. ver 7. That God is not mocked And Iohn sheweth cap. 4. ver 24. That God is a spirit and that they that worship him must worship him in spirite and trueth The infinite power of God described by sūdry his works But here in this verse is described that same infinite or endles power of God by the creation of the world and by the reckoning vp of things ordinary and such as are plainly seene among vs how hard and great soeuer other wise they be as is the creation or making of the starres and those bringing forth diuers effects as of the starres called Pleiades the which are stars of the spring and calme and fayre and of the starre Orion the which is a rainie and stormy starre such as is the mutual or orderly succession and course of the night after the day and the day after the night and lastly the severing of the sea from the earth and yet the springing and powrin● out of waters vpon the face of the earth for the vse of men and beastes Of all which we haue Psalm 19. Genes 8. Psalm 104 Genes 1. Vers 9. He stregthneth the destroyer agaynst the mighty and the destroyer shall come against the fortresse Another description of God by his extraordinary workes ANother description of the same power of God by his extraord●nary and wonderfull workes of which sorte is that he throueth downe most strong and mighty men when as hee pleaseth punish them and also beateth downe most strong holdes and s●●tresses And these are but certaine parcels of those workes th● which God doth in great numbers and infinitlie both ordinary 〈◊〉 also chiefly extraordinary Vers 10. They haue hated him that rebuked in the gate and they abhorred him that speaketh vprightly A reason of the punishment of the Israelites by the description of their corrupt life A Rendring of a reason the which by the description or layi●● out of the most corrupt life of the Israelites sheweth why bo●● the former iudgements of God are threatned against them wordly and also moreouer a new course of life must bee taken by then And in all this description it is to be noted that first the Prophe● speaketh of such vices which were common vnto them all and 〈◊〉 of those which were proper vnto the Magistrates and iudges F●● this so wicked a life as is here described was the life of all the people Secondly it is also to be noted that but part onely of their lewdnes is here rehearsed and not euery their particular vices 〈◊〉 a word by this place and by the seuenth verse it appeareth what maner of life the life of thē is who either worship not the true God or else worship not him truly and what is the publike and priua●● order of their maners and gouerning of the common-wealth that is to say most vngodly and wicked The obstinacie and shamelesnes of the Israelites But this verse describeth both the obstinacy or stubborne cōtinuance of the Israelites in their sinnes and wickednes in that The hated the Elders and other graue men who reproued their manifest vices publikely and in the gate that is in those places in the which men in those times were wont to assemble and come together and also their impudencie or shamelesnes to wit for that they did detest and abhorre them which did speake of thinges and of their doings vprightly and truely and as it was indeede For they could not abide or suffer once so much as to heare the truth it selfe much lesse that they had any purpose for themselues to be bettered and amended Ver. 11. For as much then as your treading is vpon the poore and yee take from him burdens of wheat yee haue built houses of hewen stone but ye shall not dwell in them yee haue planted pleasaunt vineyards but ye shall not drinke wine of them A reckoning vp of other vices of the Israelite A Reckoning vp of other vices the which were manifest in these same Israelites namely of their cruelty and couetousnesse and both these notorious Of their cruelty for that they handled and vsed most hardly and extreamely their owne brethren being also very needie and poore as if there were not one drop of mercy left in them to helpe them 1 Their cruelty Therefore this barbarous and cruell vexation of the poore Israelites and their brethren is in this place sayd to be a treading downe of them doubtles it is a signe of noto●ious cruelty of mind And therefore Dauid Psal 109. ver 16. prayeth that such merciles ones may haue their memoriall or remembrance cut out from among men Because they remembred not to ●hew mercy but persecuted the afflicted and poore man and the sorrowfull hearted to slay him 2 Their couetousnes And Amos reckoneth vp the couetousnes of the Israelites in

vnder the colour of attending vpon him that is vnder a shew of duety and as it were guarding and defending of him So the Israelites falling away from the kingdome of Iudah from the true priesthood the true worship of God the true Temple would seeme notwithstanding most busily to worship God and also most holily when as they set vp and ordayne the worship of the Calues in Dan and Beth●el 1. King 12. ver 26. so to the end of the chapter But al this worship was but deceit the which was done vnto God when as in truth not he but Idols were worshipped by them it was a lie because that then God was worshipped not according to his word but according to the deuises and dreames of men Confer this place with 2. King cap. 17. vers 9. and so following All idolators vnder the shew of duety religion doe mock and deceiue God So then vnder the colour and shew of duety and religion these Israelites and all Idolators do most grieuously and shamefully lye vnto God and craftily compasse him about as if they were his guarde whome notwithstanding so much as in them lieth they doe herein deceiue mocke and robbe of his honour And doubtles this sentence refuteth or ouerthroweth all the reasons and good intents of Idolators be they in shew neuer so glorious The Israelites fall first away Moreouer these tenne tribes then fell away at that time when as Iudah did yet still lawfully holde that gouernement and kingdome graunted vnto them by God and when as the whole nation remayned and continued constantly yea and generally in the worship of God and fayth of their Elders and of the Saints as were Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid c. Wherefore the beginning of this falling away came first from the Israelites and the same prouoking and stirring vp themselues vnto this departure or euill without any example of their brethren to wit the kingdome of Iudah or of their auncestors and elders By howe much the more shamefull their wickednes appeareth for to be Thus Israel at that time fell away when as the raigne of Iudah was lawfull ouer them for by the appoyntment of the mighty God the house of Dauid had rule ouer them all and also when as the worship of God was yet pure and true fayth whole and sound in the other tribes that is in the tribe of Iudah and Beniamin Vers 2. Ephraim is fed with the winde and followeth after the East winde he increaseth daylie lies and destruction and they doe make a couenant with Asshur and oyle is carried into Egypt The second amplification of the falling away of the Israelites THe second amplification of this departure and falling away of the Israelites taken from the most lamentable issue and effect insuing thereupon among themselues first and secondly among the Iewes their neighbours and imitating or following their sins And first of all among the Israelites themselues this was a double effect of their departure from the worship of God and kingdome of Iudah 1. They multiply their lyes namely for that feeding themselues with those their vaine deuises they do multiplie and daylie more and more increase both their lies and also their miserie and destruction and secondly for that hauing now manifestly shaken off the helpe of God vtterly 2 Forsaking God they buy the help of Infidels and that most deerely they doe seeke the leagues of people that are infidels as of the Assyrians and Egyptians vnto whome they bring most large and precious giftes Ezech. 16. Thus the sinne of Idolatry in especial neuer standeth and stayeth in that first degree where it first began● but dayly groweth and increaseth vntill that in the ende it lead 〈◊〉 wholly from God vtterly destroy vs. And this is the cause of the growing of it from worse to worse for that men do feed themselues with the wind that is to say do please like themselues in their forged superstitions and doe thinke the same to be a most safe defence against the threatnings of God the which are extant in his word against idolators Therefore whatsoeuer men forge and deuise in the worshipping of GOD the same doth the Prophet call The winde and the East winde that is to say a most pestilent and most hurtfull and vaine inuention From that fountaine doe dayly spring greater and greater euils and sinnes For deceits and lies doe increase daylie both toward God and also toward men For after that the feare of the true God is taken away from men there is now no conscience as Varro also affirmeth Surely so that hypocrites may beguile men only they haue no regarde at all of God whome they doe not truely know any longer after they haue once cast away his true worship and word But as they multiplie lies so doe they also their owne destruction and miserie for according vnto the greatnes of their sinnes so also doe the iudgements of God therein become the sharper and are multiplied Finally in the end they growe to this passe that these idolators doe trust in men and not any longer in God seeke the helpe of then and not of God and procure the same vnto themselues as things profitable for themselues with great summes of money and paying well for them notwithstanding And so did the Israelites 2. King 15. vers 19. Then Pul the sonne of Asshur came agaynst the land and Menahem gaue Pul a thousand talents of siluer Menahem redeemeth peace at the hand of the king of the Assyrians at a great price to wit 2. hundred thousand poūd at the least that his hand might be with him and establish the kingdome in his hand So doth Achaz king of Iudah and experience it selfe teacheth this to be true in other Princes at this day Vers 3. The Lord hath also a controuersie with Iudah and will visite Iaacob acording to his wayes according to his works will he recompence him Another most lamentable effect of the trasgression of the Israelites lighting vpon their brethren the Iewes imitating their sins ANother effect most lamentable of the same transgression of the Israelites against God falling not vpon themselues but vpon the Iewes a people neere vnto them to wit their brethren who imitated or followed this Idolatry of the Israelites and therefore complaint is made against them 2. King 17. vers 19. where it is sayd Yet Iudah kept not the commandements of the Lord their God but walked according to the fashion of Israel which they vised Reade before from the 13. verse of this selfe same 17. chapter concerning this matter also Wherein may seeme to be the second amplification of the former wickednes of the Israelites So then the Iewes also shall be punished by God And there is nothing more vsuall and more easie vnto men then to follow the vices one of another but God which is iust punisheth these also which are the imitators and followers of other mens

albeit notwithstanding this blessing of God began to haue some effect and accomplishment before as for example when God destroyed the kingdome of the Babylonians Persians the kings Antiochi and Ptolomaei the enemies of his church 3. To whom these threatnings appertaine The third thing is vnto whom these threatnings doe appertaine Answer vnto those selfe same persons who were the enemies of the church and which spoiled and robbed the same Psal 79. and 83. The fourth 4. What maner of promise this is what maner of promise the promise here made vnto the church is Answer a most large promise nay such a one that a greater affection or loue and care of God cannot be shewed For God holdeth his church so deare as his owne eyes Vers 9. For behold I will lift vp mine hand vpon them and they shal be a spoyle to those that serued them and ye shall know that the Lord of hostes hath sent me After what maner so many nations shall be destroyed A Making of the matter more plaine that they should vnderstand by what meanes or after what maner so many nations and so mightie the which persecuted and spoyled the Church of God might bee destroyed namely for that God himselfe will execute and take vengeance vpon them will lift vp his hand vpon them And God whatsoeuer he will doe he can doe And therefore it is not without an Emphasis or vehemencie and force the which is sayd in this place I and mine hand And by this word lift vp God sheweth that they shal flee vnto no quarters and coasts of the world vnto the which he will not turne his hand against them For in all parts of the world the Church of God hath been afflicted by them The punishmēt of the enemies of the Church amplified Finally he amplifieth or encreaseth their punishment by the lamentable falling out of the matter and by the circumstance of the persons For they the very selfe same proude enemies of God shall be a pray vnto their owne seruants that is vnto those nation● ouer whom they reigned tyrannically before and shall be spoyled by them not by any other noble or famous nations vnto whom it should not be so reprochfull and hard to be in subiection and to yeeld vnto But at his hands whom thou hast vsed and vexed like a slaue what gentlenes or curtesie canst thou looke for And least that so great and so wonderfull vengeance and threatning of God might seeme to bee vaine the Prophet or the Angell himselfe appealeth vnto the issue and falling out of the matter that they may vnderstand these things to bee true and that he may confirme or strengthen the godlie and terrifie or make afrayd the vngodlie Vers 10. Reioyce and be glad O daughter Zion for loe I come and will dwell in the midst of thee sayth the Lord. THis is an exhortation and also acōfirmation of the former promises An exhortatiō vnto ioy and gladnes taken from a signe or token namely from the ioy or gladnes and the same great publike and manifest not secret priuat or obscure or vnknowne whereunto the Church is exhorted by God because those promises shall most certainly come to passe He sheweth the maner also of fulfilling of them by amplification and expressing of the cause namely for that God himself shal come vnto the Iewes and dwell in the midst of them And it is no hard thing for God to execute his decrees For he is Iehouah and as he is called in the next verse The Lord of hosts that is most mightie and who hath full and absolute rule ouer all things generallie and particularlie So then here are three things to be noted First Three things to be noted who are exhorted It is the Church of God which is exhorted and she is exhorted with most courteous and gentle words to wit 1. Who are exhorted by the name of the daughter Sion the which is not without Emphasis or force vehemencie for this word hath in it a mouing of affection 2. Whereunto they are exhorted Secondly whereunto they are exhorted namely vnto ioy gladnes of mind both earnest and publike the which the Church ought to testifie or shew by gesture voyce and all other honest meanes For so much signifieth the word Exulta to leape and skip as it were for ioy Neither are the benefites of God especially so great benefits to be lightly tasted of or receiued The third thing is 3. Why they are exhorted vnto so great ioy why they are exhorted vnto so great ioy of minde to wit because the greatest benefit of all benefits the which by God may on earth be bestowed vpon men yea euen vpon those which are his owne shall fall out vnto the Iewes of his meere or onely good will fauour and ●●rcie For the Lord God Iehouah himselfe shall come vnto her ●well in the midst of her The which fell out vnto the Church not only by effectuall operation or working and inuisiblie but was done in Christ visiblie or in such sort as it might be seene and bodilie For Christ who is that true Iehouah in whose name the Angel here speaketh is made vnto vs God to be seene in the flesh which he tooke vpon him hath dwelled in vs as Paul speaketh 1. Tim. 3 ver 16. God is manifested in the flesh and his person and glorie hath been seene as Iohn saith cap. 1. ver 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we saw the glorie thereof as the glorie of the only begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and trueth Vers 11. And many nations shall be ioyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee thou shalt know that the Lord of hostes hath sent me vnto thee The second cōfirmation of the former promises THe second confirmation of the sayd promises of God from a double place First frō the euen it self or fulling out of the matter the which the godly are cōmanded to giue heed vnto Secondly from the repeating of this benefit promised before of the reall and manifest dwelling which should be of the true God that is of Christ being made man in his Church the which because it is the foundation or ground of all other promises of God and a most singular testimonie or witnesse of the good will of God toward his Church is here repeated againe that wee should thinke earnestlie and alwayes vpon the same And of these two reasons doth the Angell and consequently the Prophet vnto whom this Angel was sent conclude that these promises of God are true and that the Church should finde and knowe indeed albeit that all things at that time seemed for to bring despaire and to fight against those benefits of God that he spake and foretold all these things at the commandement of God Further here is in this place described a

bee the head to the Church which is his bodie euen the fulnes of him that filleth all in all things And this bodie cannot GOD forsake Wherefore GOD confirmeth that all the former things shall come to passe or bee because that afterward hee giueth and shall giue vnto his Church the cause of all these good things to wit the very person of Christ whom hee will send Wee are therefore called backe vnto Christ and it behooueth vs to looke vnto him as often as wee doe doubt of the promises of God Two parts of this this verse But this verse hath two poynts The first a preface The second a promise The preface teacheth that here is intreated of a matter of very great weight 1. A preface whereunto consequently we must giue diligent heed And therefore it is sayd Heare thou 2. A promise And not only Iehoshua is commanded to heare but also his fellowes and companions that this promise and comfort may be vnderstood to belong not onely vnto Iehoshua the high priest alone but also vnto the whole order and ministerie of the Church Diuersitie of degrees in the priesthood Wherein also there is a difference made in the order of the Church For some are shewed to be in a greater place and degree and some in a lesse whē as some are sayd to stand before Iehoshua as before their Ruler and Captaine set ouer them by God and Iehoshua is called the great or hie priest that this distinction or difference may be vnderstood to bee true For it was a part of the ceremoniall lawe that the Church of God which did wholly consist of the Iewish people had then also one visible head the which was a type or figure of Christ The which notwithstanding the Church of God cannot now haue because that according vnto the prophesies of the Prophets it is scattered and spread abrode throughout the world Why the Angel speaketh vnto the whole order of priests and comforteth them Now why the Angel speaketh also vnto the whole order of priests and comforteth them the reason is because that the Leuite Priests were despised mocked of the other Iewes nay they were hated of them as namely being such who did too much lay open were too earnest vpon and accused the sinnes of the people before God Whereupon they are sayd to haue been monstrous persons as Dauid also complaineth of himselfe Psal 71. ver 7. I am become as it were a monster vnto ●●ny but thou art my sure trust But the Lord on the contrary part doth comfort them 2. The promise containing two things Now the promise is that Christ or the cause of all the gifts of God toward his Church shall come to be made manifest and to be giuen vnto the Church her selfe Therefore these things are done in the fauour of Christ to wit that his people inheritance and seate decreed and ordained by God might be reserued vnto him And this promise containeth two things First 1 The exhibition or shewing of Christ in the flesh the manifest giuing of the person of Christ which shall be done vnto the Church vnderstood by these words Behold I will bring forth or cause to come the which is opposed or set against those promises the which taught that he was yet to be looked for And therefore Iohn sayth cap. 1. ver 17. The law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ And the word of exhortation Behold sheweth that the thing shall be and that speedilie and certainlie that they might by assured faith looke as it were into the thing present 2 A description of Christ Secondly this same promise containeth a description of Christ that wee should consider how great a benefite of God he is and should not thinke this to be as a simple gift or some common and meane thing And Christ is called the seruant of God to wit in respect that he was made man And yet not a seruant after the maner of the rest of the faithfull the which in many things obey not the Lord their God Malach. 1. but he is so called by a certaine excellencie For he was in euery respect to fulfill all the will of God his father and indeed in that he was man he fulfilled the same Isai 61. Moreouer he is called a branch as hereafter cap. 6. ver 12. Behold the man whose name is the branch and he shall growe vp out of his place and he shall build the temple of the Lord. So Isai 11. ver 1. But there shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Ishai and a graffe shall grow out of his rootes Likewise God sayth in Ieremie cap. 23. ver 5. Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I will raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shal execute iudgement iustice in the earth And he is termed a branch not so much for that his condition and state is base Why Christ is called a branch and here described vnto vs meane and simple in the iudgement of men as for that he should alone be vnderstood of vs to bee the fountaine roote and spring of the whole Church And therefore that he alone is he by whose power and Spirit and word we are plants and trees in the Church of God because he is he of whom alone as of a spirituall branch wee all are borne againe and made heauenly plants For as Iames witnesseth cap. 1. ve 18. Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of trueth that we should be as the first fruites of his creatures And Peter Epist 1. cap. 1. ver 23. teacheth vs likewise that we are borne a new not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer Which thing doubtles agreeth vnto Christ alone into whom wee must be graffed that we may be borne spirituallie and be heauenly branches Iohn 15. Vers 9. For loe the stone that I haue layd before Iehoshua vpon one stone shall be seuen eyes Behold I will cut out the grauing thereof sayth the Lord of hostes and I will take away the iniquitie of this land in one day THis is the rendring of a reason whereby the Angel or the Prophet sheweth why and how when as Christ or this branch is promised vnto vs wee ought to hope for all those gifts from God A reason why and how we are to hope for all the former gifts from God namely because it is he alone whom the father hath layd the foundation ornament or beautifying and appeasing of his Church Therfore he confirmeth the former consequence or reason by the Epithets or proper attributes or titles of Christ and of this branch that we should without doubting looke for all things from God by and for Christ And that Christ is the foundation of the Church the word stone doth declare whereby Christ is here termed not by contempt or

giueth and bestoweth vpon it not onely earthly blessings but much rather spirituall giftes and graces Vert. 19. Egypt shall be waste and Edom shal be a desolate wildernesse for the iniuries of the children of Iudah because they haue shed innocent blood in their land 2. Toward the enemies of the church NOw Ioel declareth those effects which shal be shewed against the disobedient and stubborne enemies of the Church to wit they shall vtterly be rooted out and perish For so much do these wordes signifie shal be waste and a desolate wildernesse And here vnder the name of Egypt and of the Idumeans are described not euery kinde of enemies whatsoeuer but most obstinate and cruell enemies For these two nations were alwayes most deadly enemies vnto the Iewes in a maner irreconcileable or such as could neuer be made friends with them yea and moreouer most cruell towards the same Iewes For as it is Psalm 137. ver 7. the Edomites at the taking of Ierusalem by the Babylonians stirre vp the enemies to vse all kinde of cruelty towardes both the poore Iewes and also against their citie for vengeance whereof they there ma●e this prayer vnto God Remember the children of Edom O L●●● in the day of Ierusalem which sayd rase it rase it to the foundation thereof And as for Egypt that is sayd to haue bin an iron fornace vnto the Iewes Therefore besides their obstinacy and stubbornnes of mind against God their cruelty also is here added For they the self-same do shead and haue shed the bloud of the godly yea and that their giltles bloud that is to say they haue cruelly murthered the godly deseruing no such thinge at their hand yea euen in the very land of the children of Israel that is in their owne natiue foile or country where they were borne That which increaseth the barbarousnes of the enemies of the Church Ver. 20. But Iudah shall dwell for euer and Ierusalem from generation to generation A second amplification of the fauour of God toward his Church A Second amplification of the same comfort or especiall fauour of God toward those that are his to wit taken from the continuance or rather the perpetuity or euerlastingnes of the same For this fauour of God shall not only be most singular and most healthfull vnto them but it shall be also perpetuall or euerlasting because it shall neuer be taken away from them The which thing doubtles is also true of the spirituall ioy of the godly in this world but in deede most true of that euerlasting life in the world to come For the godly shal feele and also do feele both these ioyes to be perpetuall vnto them Therefore like as the fauour of God is perpetuall toward his church so also shall the church it selfe be perpetuall not in this world I graunt but in the world to come or in heauen Indeed the church of God in this world is often inuisible or can not be seene but yet doth it not therefore cease to be a church But in heauen it shall not onely be a church but alwayes visible and alwayes blessed and florishing with God and the man Iesus Christ our Lord being her head Ver. 21. For I will clense their bloud that I haue not clensed and the Lord will dwell in Sion The third amplification by way of comparison and setting downe the cause of so great benefites of God toward his church A Third amplification with the setting downe of the cause of so great benefites of God toward those that are his The amplification is here made by way of comparing of thinges together For that the giftes of God afterward shall be greater more plentifull toward his church then they had bin before or in times of olde What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos cap 5. ver 21. That which is here by the figure Synecdoche expressed vnder one kinde of ceremonies in steed of the rest I will clense saith the Lord their bloud in her the which notwithstandding I did not clense in her Thus then the grace of God afterward shall be more excellent toward his church then it was before as namely the which shal take away al kinde of vncleanes yea euen that which he did not clense before But this is referred vnto the ceremonies of the law the which at that time were in vse among the people of the Iewes by the which euery bloud was not clensed For albeit the bloud of termes of beastes of murthers vnawares were clensed vnder the law by certaine rites and ceremonies yet was not the bloud which was willingly shed in the murther of men clensed by any ceremony Gen. 9. Therefore that which in the church of God vnder the law could not be washed away by the washinges and sacraments then ordained the same afterward shall wholly be washed away and clensed the grace of God beinge enlarged by the comming of Christ as the autor to the Hebr. writeth cap. 7. ver 19. saying The law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope made perfect whereby we drawe neere vnto God And cap. 9. ver 13.14 He sheweth the bloud of Christ to be of much more value aboue the sacrifices of the law to purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God A very profitable note And this here spoken is not referred vnto God as if that then vnder the lawe of a certaine weakenesse or want of power he were not able to purge or clense those thinges the which he saith that he will clense afterward neither yet doth it properly appertaine vnto the forgiuenes of sinnes the which euen at that time by God was performed vnto the godly For as vnto vs so likewise vnto those fathers euen before the comming of Christ God forgaue all their sinnes yet through him notwithstanding as he pardoneth all vnto vs for the self-same Christ 1. Ioh. 1. ver 9. Apocal. 13. ver 8. But this comparison pertaineth only vnto the sacraments of the fathers Whereunto this comparison pertaineth and our Sacraments and vnto the rites or ceremonies vnder which that benefit of God was then shewed vnto them and is nowe represented vnto vs. For vnto vs now through Baptisme and the Lordes supper the benefites of God and the forgiuenes of our sinnes yea euen all of them are more clearely and fully sealed then in the old time vnder the law The cause of these so great benefites of God toward his church Now the cause of this so great and enlarged a benefit of God toward vs is the dwelling and presence of God in his church And this dwelling is properly to be referred vnto Christ and vnto his incarnation or taking of flesh vpon him by the which hee dwelled among vs and liued visibly or to be seene in the middes of his church namely being God then manifest in the flesh as Iohn in his gospell speaketh hereof cap. 1. ver 14. saying The word

was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the Father full of grace trueth Accordingly whereunto writeth Paul 1. Tim. 3. ver 16. And without controuersie great is the mystery of godlynes which is God is manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp in glory Thus therefore I do expound this last verse of our Prophet Ioel of the comming of the Sonne of God and our Lord Iesus Christ into the flesh and of the benefites through him bestowed vpon the Church Praise be vnto God The Commentary of Lambertus Danaeus vpon the Prophet Sophonias CAP. 1. The Argument THis Prophet containeth partlie threatnings and partlie comforts Threatnings of God touching the destruction of the citie of Ierusalem very shortly to insue touching the most grieuous punishments of the nation of the Iewes both for their incredible and notorious impietie or vngodlines towards God and also their iniustice towards mē Yet because the Lord gaue some spare time notwithstanding in the meane space therefore the Prophet exhorteth the Iewes vnto earnest repentance Sophonie exhorteth vnto earnest repentance and that they should mitigate or asswage the wrath of God by changing of their life This selfe same Prophet also doth comfort the Church in that by reuelation made vnto him from God he promiseth that God will not vtterly cast it away and destroy it but will leaue some seede of it because he had decreed also to enlarge it to scatter and spred it abrode vnto the Gentiles And consequently that both in Christ and for Christ his sake it should afterwards be restored and sanctified and that indeed after a more excellent maner then euer it was before In the end he promiseth in the person of God that the enemies of the Church shall be taken away and at the last be vtterly destroyed This booke hath three Sermons the which are comprised in so many that is to say three chapters Three Sermons of this Prophet The Prophet Sophonie liued and prophesied vnder the King Iosias to wit The life and prophesying of the Prophet Sophonie more then thirtie yeares before the destruction of the 〈◊〉 foretold by him when as the state of the kingdome of Iudah ●●med as yet to bee flourishing enough and mightie and so consequently much rather to be a tolerable estate and the quiet and dignitie of the citie Ierusalem to be in safetie and without danger Yet notwithstanding long before him did Isaias also prophesie that it should bee destroyed as appeareth 2. King cap. 20. ver 16.17.18 in these words And Isaiah sayd vnto Hezekiah heare the word of the Lord. Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and whatsouer thy fathers haue layd vp in store vnto this day shall be carried into Babel nothing shall be left sayth the Lord. And of thy sonnes that shall proceed out of thee and which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuches in the palace of the King of Babel Some wil haue this Prophet to haue prophesied with Isaias others that he prophesied three yeres before Ieremie For that Ieremie began to prophesie in the 13. yeare of the reigne of Iosias and Sophonias in the 10. Therefore he is to be conferred with the Prophet Ieremie vnto the 20. chapter Now where he prophesied is not expressed whether in the citie it selfe as Ieremie did or whether abiding in some other place yet notwithstanding in the land of Iudah did he both liue and also prophesie Vers 1. The word of the Lord which came vnto Zephaniah the sonne of Cushi the sonne of Gedaliah the sonne of Amariah the sonne of Hizkiah in the dayes of Iosiah the sonne of Amon King of Iudah The first Sermon Three causes of the destruction of Ierusalem THe first Sermon of the destruction of the citie Ierusalem the wonderfull spoyling and laying waste of the same which was to insue whereof there are here reckoned vp three causes First the outragious and horrible idolatrie of the Iewes Secondly the contempt or despising of the true God and of his threatnings yea and the same very manifest Thirdly all kind of iniustice towards their neighbours the which might bee done either by deceit or els by violence or force Three parts of this verse This verse containeth three things First a commendation of the doctrine following and a declaration of the calling of Sophonias Secondly the stocke kinred and noble and renowmed house and familie of this Prophet both for godlines 1. Commendatiō of doctrine and also for seruice in the Common wealth 2. The stocke of the Prophet the which was now knowne vnto all men by singular duties towards the Common wealth For as God had Amo● Shepheard to his Prophet so also had he this and other Prophets which came of great and noble houses The third thing is the time wherein he prophesied 3. The time of his prophesie namely vnder Iosias King of Iudah whē as the state of the Iewes was not only tolerable as I haue sayd but also as yet flourishing and when as godlines it selfe the worship of God seemed to be restored least that wee our selues being lulled a sleepe with the happines of things present should either forget our sinnes past or els imagin God to be contented with a sleight and outward godlines performed as it were for fashion sake only such as was then vsed among this people as is to be seene 2. King cap. 23. ver 25.26 where albeit Iosias haue his singular cōmendation for his rare godlines and forwardnes in religion yet it is sayd That the Lord notwithstanding turned not from the fiercenes of his great wrath wherewith he was angrie with Iudah because of all the prouocations wherewith Manasseh had prouoked him And Ieremie cap. 17. ver 1. complayning of the disorderednes of the people sayth That the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of yron and with the poynt of a diamond and grauen vpon the table of their heart and vpon the hornes of their altars So the Prophet Hosea reporteth of the people of his time saying cap. 5. ver 4. They will not giue their minde to turne vnto their God for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them and they haue not knowne the Lord. And 2. Chron. cap. 34. ver 24.25 Huldah the Prophetisse returneth answere vnto the messengers of Iosiah in the name of the Lord in these words Thus sayth the Lord Behold I will bring euill vpon this place and vpon the inhabitants thereof euen all the curses that are written in the booke which they haue read before the king of Iudah because they haue forsaken me and burnt incense vnto other gods to anger me with all the workes of their hands therefore shall my wrath fall vpon this place and