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. 6.

They drinke wine in bowles, and anoynt themselues with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chiefe oyntments: but no man is sorie for the affliction of Ioseph.

* 1.1THis verse hath two parts. The first conteineth the third kind•••• the excessiue cost and riot, the which the Israelites were a•••• goblets to drinke wine in, and in oyntments, that is, in things a••••••¦gether superfluous (as wasting their goods & the benefites of G•••• like mad men.) To be anoynted and to drinke in goblets, that is, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 large cups, is not in it selfe forbidden: but to vse them vnto riot 〈◊〉〈◊〉 drunkennesse, and alwayes to seeke for, and to occupie most co•••••• oyntments & of greatest price: and not to be content with me•••• and common vessels, and meates, and the same wholsome (be•••••••••• they are good cheape:) is monstrous madnes of minde, and pr•••••• gall wastfulnes and spending of money, and finally a most ass••••red signe and token of a minde throughly drowned in vices and ple••∣sures, such as was in Caligula, Nero, Lucullus, and Heliogabalus.

* 1.2The second part of this verse is an exaggeration or making g••••••∣ter of the former crimes by the circumstance of the time and of the persons. Of the time, in this, that they vsed those superfluous and ••¦uer delicate pleasures euen then, when as there was yet now amo•••• them great miserie and affliction of their brethren, and the sa•••• being as it were present before their eyes to be beholden. By the

circumstance of the person their sinne is increased by this word (Io∣seph) for those were both their brethren,* 1.3 and also citizens of the same kingdome: with whose great miseries and breaches not∣withstanding the Ephramites themselues (in whose tribe Sama∣ria was, and where these excessiue riots were especially vsed) with the rest of the people of the kingdome of Israel were neuer awhit grieued, moued nor touched. Wherein no doubt a third most grie∣uous sinne of the Israelites is noted, to wit, their vnmercifulnes and crueltie towards their brethren and citizens. And touching this breach and miserie of Ioseph, it happened and fel out vnto the tribe of Manasses, which was beyond Iorden, vnder King Ioas, as appea∣reth 2. King. cap. 13. ver. 7. where it is written of Hazael king of Sy∣ria, that besides many iniuries which he had done vnto Ioas King of Israel, He had now left him of the people but fiftie horsemen and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, because he had destroyed them, and made them like dust beaten to pouder. From this great plague and o∣uerthrow these of the tribe of Manasses, the brethren of the Ephrae∣mites, and part of the kingdome of Israel, had not yet now recoue∣red themselues.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 The third kind of encessiue riot in the Israe∣lites.
• * 1.2

  2. They vse their excessiue plea∣sures in the midst of the troubles of their brethren.
• * 1.3

  By Ioseph he meaneth the tribe of Ma∣nasses, who was the sonne of Ioseph.