1 a He forewarneth them of the dangers that shal come before thei enjoy these comfortes, shewing that for as muche as Jerusalem was accustomed with her garisons to trouble others the Lord wolde now cause other garisons to vexe her, and that her Rulers shulde be smitten on the face moste contempteously.
1 ! The destruction of Jerusalem
2 ! The excellencie of Bethleem
2 b For so the Jewes deuided their countrey, that for euery thousand there was a chief captaine: and because Bethlehem was not able to make a thousand, he calleth it litle, but yet God wil raise vp his captaine and gouernour therein: & thus it is not the least by reason of this benefite, as {mat. 2,6}
3 d He compareth the Jewes to women with childe, who for a time shulde haue a comfortable deliuerance, {Joh. 16,21}
4 e That is, Christes kingdome shal be stable and euerlasting, and his people, aswel the Gentles as the Jewes shal dwel in safetie.
5 f This Messiah shalbe a sufficient sauegarde for vs, and thogh the enemie inuade vs for a time, yet shal God stirre vp many which shal be able to deliuer vs.
6 g These whome God shal raise vp for the deliuerance of his Church shal destroy all the enemies thereof, which are ment here by the Assyrians and Babylonians which were the chief at that time.
6 h By these gouernours wil God deliuer vs when the enemie cometh into our land.
7 i This Remnate or Church which God shal deliuer, shal onely depend on Gods power and defense, as doeth the grasse of the field, and not on the hope of man.