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. 4.

Because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlot that is beautifull, and is a mistris of witchcraft, and selleth the people through her whoredom, and the nations through her witch∣crafts.

* 1.1A Rendring of a reason. For he yeeldeth a reason of so great pu∣nishment which should come vpon them, to wit, for that the Niniuites infinite wayes committed fornication, and vsed witch∣crafts, and furthermore infected other nations of the world with these most filthie vices, and made them afterwards subiect vnto them, and made merchandise of them at their pleasure. But here seeme two other causes to bee brought then were before, namely idolatrie and witchcraft, of both which vices the Assyrians were Schoolemasters vnto other nations of the world. For I take fornica∣tions in this place for idolatrie. Epiphanius writeth,* 1.2 that idolatrie began in the world in the dayes of Thare the father of Abraham, &

first among the Assyrians, and from thence came vnto other na∣tions. Whereupon in this place Niniueh is called the mistris of these vices, especially of Sorceries, that is, of witchcraft. For albeit Plin. libr. 3. Nat. Histor. in the preface doe write, that so detestable an in∣uention began first in Persia, and nameth Zoroastres the author thereof: yet he in the same place doth confesse that the Medes and the Assyrians were the more ancient writers of the same art, whose workes are lost: but Zoroastres his remained. This selfe same thing doth Cicero confirme lib. 1. de Diuinat. which fetcheth it, and the authoritie of it from the Assyrians, as the first inuentors of it. Lastly it is apparant by Isai cap. 2. ver. 6. and cap. 47. ver. 13. that the East people, among whom doubtles are the Assyrians, were the finders out of al forbidden Diuination, that is, Astrologicall, Magicall, and all such other Diuinations. And these are two notorious crimes, with the which the true knowledge and worship of God was vtter∣ly abolished and done away, namely, idolatrie and witchcraft: the which vices the Assyrians spred abrode into other nations, & there∣fore are become guilty of the corrupting of the whole world. More∣ouer, they bought and solde, and made merchandise of all nations and families, bewitching them with these corruptions, and bring∣ing them in subiection vnto them. For this buying and selling, or making merchandise of them, is not only to bee referred vnto the deceits, wherewith the Monarches, or Emperours for their profite and gaine did deceiue, sell vnto others, and beguile the inferiour na∣tions: but also vnto the gaine which the Kings of Assyria got by such idolatrie & witchcraft, the which they taught vnto other peo∣ples. For so, and vnder this pretence and colour they stretched out their Empire, and defended the same, as if they taught the true re∣ligion vnto other nations. For thus are men easilie deceiued, as it is 2. Pet. 2. ver. 3. who there reporteth of false prophets and teachers, that they shall through couetousnes with fained words make merchan∣dise of men. So did the Romane Empire encrease, the which was an example and prouocation vnto other people of all superstitions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A rendring of a reason of their so great punishment.
• * 1.2

  Epiphanius.