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. 18.

Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whore∣dome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye, bring ye.

* 1.1A Confirmation of the former conclusion by their most filthie v∣suall, and commonly reigning works. For the vices of the Israe∣lites which are here reckoned vp, are the fruites and effects of that their falling away from God, by the which all order, gouernment, modestie, iustice, is declared to be taken away among them. And therefore all publike honestie is signified to bee now banished, and absent from them. And here the Prophet reckoneth vp three vices most vsuall among them, nay, which were rife in euery one of the people,* 1.2 to wit, Drunkennes, as before ver. 11. with the which hee matcheth continuall fornication, and such as in a maner was com∣mon and openly vsed,* 1.3 as before ver. 11. The third vice, is Couetous∣nes, and that in their very Iudges, whose words here expressed by the figure Mimesis,* 1.4 or imitation, or vttering them, as the Iudges, in their owne persons, were wont to doe, to wit (Bring ye, bring ye)

doe shew how knowne, shameles, and vnbrideled the begging of these Iudges was, who shamed not openly to craue gifts. Yet doe these corrupt or spill the very best Iudges, and do blinde their eyes, and therefore Deut. 1. ver. 15.16. Moses sayth, that he charged the Iudges to iudge righteously, and that they should haue no respect of persons in iudgement, but should heare the small as well as the great. And Amos cap. 4.1. vpbraydeth thē in like sort, as doth our Prophet in this place, for that they say to their masters, Bring, and let vs drinke. And this shameles begging in Iudges and others of the like affection, Salomon Prouerb. 30. ver. 15 pleasantly expres∣seth, when he sayth: The horseleach hath two daughters, which crye, giue, giue. But where as he calleth them stubborne or vnrulie wine, (for so according to Tremelius, he translateth that which others translate, their wine stinketh) this is the figure Metalepsis,* 1.5 or Trans∣supmtion (but others cal it rather Metonymia, of the which reade O∣seas cap. 4. ver. 1.) where the deedes or effects of men, are attributed vnto the things themselues, with the which men being moued, doe the same. As here for example, when he followeth this translation (their wine is sturdie, stubborne or vnrulie) sturdines, stubbornes, or vnrulines is attributed vnto the wine, the which is in the men that drinke too much of the same, whereby they become bold, stub∣borne, sturdie, and vnrulie, when they are drunken, that is, full of wine. So a worke or writing is called learned, by the which men doe become, or, are made learned. Compare with this place Pro. 20. ver. 1. where in like manner that is sayd of the wine and strong drinke it selfe, the which is in men that take too much, or are ouer∣come with the same: Wine (sayth Salomon in that place) is a moc∣ker (that is, it maketh men that are drunken with it, to be mockers) and strong drinke is raging, (that is, setteth men in a rage or a mad∣nes, when they take too much of it) and whosoeuer is deceiued there∣with is not wise. For drunkennes thrusteth forth the coward, or vn∣armed man into battel, and maketh men dull, not forecasting of pe∣rils or daungers that may insue, and so consequently, bold and de∣sperate. Finally wines, some are called pleasant, otherwise swinish, othersome lyonish, because that they make men to be such, that are drunken with it, to wit, in conditions and maners like vnto swine, or lyons. Further, all these vices are amplified, or rather the most desperate estate of the Israelites past recouerie, by the maner of ex∣cuse, where with these fellowes did couer themselues: to wit, They cast ouer their vices as a cloake the publike licentiousnes or disor∣der

and ignominie, or reproach. So then reproach and shame was their recouering, their buckler, or defence, and helpe when they were reproued. And moreouer this place sheweth, if there bee any bad custome, or if any vices doe publikely reigne and get the vp∣per hand, that the same notwithstanding bring or giue no p••rdo•• or excuse vnto sinnes, or men that doe sinne. For Paul Rom. 1. ver. 21. teacheth, that the generall ignorance of the heathen was not by the vniuersalitie thereof priuiledged against God his iudgemēt, be∣cause that they had so much light left vnto them by the view of the creation, as made them voyd of all excuse, for that knowing God, they did not glorifie him as God, neither were thankfull. For the onely word of God written ought to bee vnto vs for a true rule of our whole life against all licentiousnes or disorderous liuing and li∣bertie in sinning,* 1.6 bee it neuer so publike, common, and vnpuni∣shed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A confirmatiō of the former conclusion.
• * 1.2

  Drunkennes. Whore••ome.
• * 1.3

  Couetousnesse.
• * 1.4

  Mimesis, or I∣mitation is a figure whereby we doe expresse the wordes, or gestures, or ma∣ders of ano∣ther, sometime in the good part and sometime in the euill; as here in the euil part he expres∣seth the w••rdes of the ••rthe∣begging Iud∣ges, Bring ye, bring ye.
• * 1.5

  Metalepsis, or Transsumptiō, is a figure, whē as the effects and actions of men, are attr••∣buted vnto the things them∣se••ues, whereby men are stirred vp to doe the same. The which is made plaine by the example Al∣beit that some doe otherwise describe this fi∣gure, the which notwithstan∣ding in some cases can hard∣ly be discerned from the figure Metonymia.
• * 1.6

  A golden rule for the directiō of al our ac∣tions.