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. 13.

And I will visite vpon her the dayes of Baalim, wherein she burnt incense vnto them: and shee decked her selfe with her earings and her iewels, & she followed her louers, and forgat me sayth the Lord.

* 1.1THe conclusion of the former punishment declaring the cause of the same. God then will in such sort be auenged of the contēpt or despising of his name and worship: and will punish those pro∣phane

and heathenish Idolatries of this people. The dayes of Baalim,* 1.2 are that same whole time wherein the kingdome of Israel serued Idols. And this time was very long, and far aboue more then two hundreth yeares continually did this wickednes reigne in that people. And as this time was long, so also was the Idolatrie of these men very strange and outragious: the which thing the si∣militudes following doe declare and shew, to wit, That this people did decke vp themselues with earings and iewels, when as they worshipped their Baalims, that is to say, willingly spared for no furniture, no cost, no braue apparell and attiring in the doing ser∣uice and worship vnto these Idols: so bedlam madde are men for∣sooth that are Idolaters in the garnishing and honouring of their gods, the which are nothing but the idle inuentions of their owne brains. But we on the contrary part are too couetous and pinching in the doing of cost for the name and honour of the true God. The which course euen at this day to our great griefe of minde, we doe see to be taken of the Popish Idolators. But let them not be decei∣ued. For God doth not alwayes tarrie and wayte for the repen∣tance of euery one so long space of time, as he did for these Israe∣lites. Let them therefore forthwith, and by and by repent. And let vs in like manner depart from our sinnes and wickednes. Final∣ly, sayth the Lord, This nation hath forgotten me. The which was a notorious and wōderful ingratitude or vnthankfulnes, and infideli∣tie to worship Idols, and to forget the true God, by whome they aboue all other people of the world by a peculiar and especial co∣uenant were in Abraham adopted or chosen for his people & pro∣per inheritance. Therefore they were vnexcusable and most wor∣thily punished by God with so grieuous punishments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The conclusion of the former punishment.
• * 1.2

  The Israelites serued Idols a∣boue 200. yeres