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. 14.

And the Lord hath giuen a commaundement concer∣ning thee, that no more of thy name be sowen: out of the house of thy Gods will I cut off the grauen, and the molten image: I will make it thy graue for thee, for thou art vile.

* 1.1A Confirmation of the former promise of God concerning the deliuerance of Israell out of the hand and power of the Assyrians, vnto whom they were then in miserable bondage. For the Assyrians shalbe vtterly destroyed, & their Empire shalbe rooted out,* 1.2 so that there shall not remaine so much as the name of a nation, or a braunch of it. In the which selfe same is declared the cōdition of the vngodly, when as they are afflicted by God: & it is shewed to be far diuerse from the cōdition of the Godly when as they are afflicted, who are neuer vtterly destroyed by God. So then this verse appertaineth vnto the Niniuites of Assyrians,* 1.3 whom the Prophet speaketh vnto. And God threatneth three things vnto them, the which by this preface of the Prophet are vnderstood, that they shall most certainly come to passe. The Lord hath commaunded against thee, that is to say, he threatneth & hath decreed these things against thee, who is both most true, and also most mightie. And therefore as the Prophet Esaye speaketh Cap 14. ver. 27. Because the Lord of hostes hath determi∣ned it, who shall disanull it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turne it away?* 1.4 But first of all Nahum pronounceth that there shall be a destruction and ouerthrowing of the whole people of Niniueh, so that not so much as the name of these Citizens shall remaine, nor any of their seed be lefte, or to be continued and spred abroade.

* 1.5Then secondlie, he threatneth that all their Gods also shall be destroeyd, the which is a most greeuous punishment in the iudgement of Idolators. The third thing is, He foretelleth that it shall come to passe, that before these things fall out vnto them, they shall become vile among other Nations,* 1.6 among whom both the Niniuites and also the Assyrians were famous and renowned before. So doth GOD by his Prophet Esaie cap 10 ver. 12 &c. threaten to bring downe the pride of the king of Assyria, and to turne their glorie into shame, saying: But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vpon mount Sion and Ierusalem, I will visit the fruite of the proud heart of the King of Asshur, and his glorious and proud lookes, &c. Therefore shall the Lord God of hostes send a∣mong

his fat men leannes, and vnder his glorie he shall kindle a bur∣ning like the burning of fire. The like is in Ieremie cap. 49 ver. 34 &c. Concerning the Medes and Persians vnto whom the Lord threatneth like shame and cōfusion. But as touching the Assyrians, the dignitie & honor of that kingdome especially began to waxe vile after that ouerthrowe, which Senacharib king of the Assy∣rians receiued in Iudea, when as he besieged Ierusalem, whereof God prophesieth by Esaie cap. 14. ver. 25. in these words: I will breake to peeces Asshur in my land, and vpon my mountaines will I tread him vnder foote, so that his yoake shall departe from them, and his burden shall be taken from of their shoulder. And cap. 37. ver. 37 is expressed his departure with shame from Ierusalem, af∣ter that the Angel of the Lord had slaine so many thousands in his Campe, in one night: So Saneherib King of Asshur departed, and went away and dwelt at Niniueh. For the strength of the Assy∣rians began to be deminished, their power to be despised, yea their Royall authoritie to be contemned, and ciuell warres arose among the Kings sonnes, the which afterwardes were the vt∣ter ouerthrow of that nation, & laied them open as a praye vnto the Kings of Babilon,* 1.7 as Xenophon also teacheth in his bookes of the education or bringing vp of Cyrus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A confirmation of the former promise.
• * 1.2

  The afflictions of the vngodly.
• * 1.3

  Three things threatned vn∣to the Assyri∣ans.
• * 1.4

  1. The whole peo∣ple of Niniueh shall vtterly be destroyed.
• * 1.5

  2 All their Gods shall be de∣stroyed.
• * 1.6

  3. They shal wax vile am••ng o∣ther nations, where they s••metime were famous.
• * 1.7

  Xenophon.