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.

CAP. 12. How the writings of the godly Prophets have beene gathered together.

AND this also is a worthy question, How the writings of the godly Prophets, which are now extant, haue bene gathered togither.* 1.1 For con∣cerning the Prophets of the heathen I haue nothing to say, this only excepted, that it ap∣peareth out of the 6. book of Virgil his Aenei∣dos, to witte, that the Sibyllae did afterwardes write in leaves, & on the barkes of trees by peece meale, the ver∣ses, which they uttered with their mouth, & that their answers lay thus cast abroad and scattered about their cave (in which being shut up they prophesied) untill such time as they were gathered togither either by themselues, or by some other body, & so were patched & packed up togither. But the maner of the godly pro∣phets was otherwise, the vvvhich did not make sleight accoūt of their prophesies, as namely being such the which they knew to

be the very worde of God, neither would they have them to lye scattered and carelesly, when as they knew that they did apper∣taine not onely unto the edifying of the Church that then was, but also of the Church that was to come. Therefore I thinke it necessarie to be shewed how they were gathered, and how they at that time became knowen unto men, and so consequently were delivered over unto us as it were from hand to hand.* 1.2 Some he have written being moved with that of Isai. 8.1. and Habac. 2.2. that this was the maner of the Prophets, after that they were commaunded by God to shewe and declare anything unto the people, that they did in few wordes comprehend the summe or effect of the things by them declared, and fasten it on the dores of the Temple. The which writings when as by the space of certaine daies they have stoode sufficiently open, were taken downe of the ministers of the Temple of Salomon, and laide up in the Treasurie, that there might be extant or remaining a perpetuall monument or remembrance thereof. And thereof they will have that it came to passe that the sermons of the pro∣phets be not alwaies set down in such order as the circumstance of the time, and of the things also by them foretold doth require The which last point of the order of their sermons, is I confesse most true. But whereas out of that which we read Esai 8. ver. l how God willeth the Prophet to take unto him a great rowle, an•• to write in it with a mans pen, &c. And Habakuk. 2. God com∣mandeth Habakuk to write the vision, and to make it plaine, upo•• tables, that hee may runne that readeth it: they would confir•••• the former opinion of the maner of the gathering together of the sermons of the prophets, those two places doe onely shewe that the godly prophets were commanded by God to put the•••• oracles or prophesies in writing, for that they did make for th•• comforting of Gods elect, and confirmation of the authoritied the heavenly truth, but doe not teach that the same prophets 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fasten their writings on the dores of the Temple: and much lesse proove, that the said propheticall writings were afterwardes ga∣thered together and preserved or kept by the Priestes or Mini∣sters of the Temple.* 1.3 For if this were the maner of publishing and lawfull setting abroad of the prophesies, what should ha•••• become of those prophesies and prophets, who executed the•••• office in the kingdome of Israel, as for example Amos did, whe•••• there was neither any Temple of God, neither yet any godly

priests. Shall we say that at such times they sent their prophesies unto Ierusalem, and caused them there to be set up upon the dores of the Temple? And that so in the end they were gathered together and kept by the ministers of the Temple? No doubtlesse. For how can this be prooved to have bene done so by any place of the holy Scripture? Neither may any man thus thinke, that the prophets fastened their writings on the dores of idolatrous Tem∣ples (such as were in the cities of Bethel and Dan) when as they prophesied in the kingdome of Israel. For they themselves did not so much as once come unto those temples, much lesse would they seeme to give countenance unto them with so honoura∣ble testimony of their writings, the which places they them∣selves out of the word of God did pronounce to be most wicked and detestable, and that mostiustly. Finally what should at those times have befallen the godly prophets, when as both the priests themselves of the Temple of Salomon, and all the ministers thereof besides did iudge the doctrine of the prophets and their prophesies, as blasphemous, and noysome and hurtfull unto the people it selfe, the countrey and city of Ierusalem, nay did thinke them to be utterly abolished or done away, as it fell out under V∣zias and Achaz the kings, and also under Sedechias. Isa. 7. Iere. 36. would any man I pray you suppose that the such like priests and ministers of the Temple being so deadly enemies unto the prophets of their times, gathered togither notwithstanding and laide up in the Treasurie the writings of the Prophets, and were desirous to have them preserved, and not rather to be utterly done away and burned, as appeareth out of the selfe same 36. chapter of Ieremie?

* 1.4 Therefore without preiudice or forestalling the iudgement of any man this is my opinion, and thus doe I teach, both that these twelve small prophets (whome for the smallnesse of the bookes by them see foorth they call the small prophets) and al∣so those, whome they tearme the great Prophets, because of the greater workes which they wrote, did in such sort deale concer∣ning the setting abroad of the word of God, the which they had received of God to declare and preach, as did before them both Moses, and Ioshuah, and Samuel, and Nathan, and Gad, and Semeias, who them selues also were Prophets of God, and before those whose propheticall writings, as they call them, wee have at this day, I thinke I say, that first of all they

did often openly, and in the hearing of all the people, according∣ly as they were mooued by the spirit of God, and accordingly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they were commanded by God to execute their office in Iud•••• or in the kingdome of Israel, or elsewhere, they did, I say, openly diligently, and carefully declare and deliver that same word 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, the which by revelation they had received from God. A•• so by this meanes that very excellently and easily their doctri•••• became knowne unto the whole people by that often repetiti•• and making sermons many times of one matter unto the peopl•• unto whome they were sent by God, so that it was manifest a••••certen unto every one, what those prophets had said, or shoul•• say.* 1.5 Now after that their prophesies and doctrine, according a•• was by them delivered, was knowen unto the people, the pr••••phets themselues did briefly comprehend in writing those the prophesies (the which they were expressely by God comma••••ded to set foorth) to the end, that being by them thus writte•• they might publish and communicate or impart them unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 godly, to testifie the providence of God for mankinde unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Church, or for the perpetuall comfort of the godly, and for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 terrour or fearing of the wicked. Hereof commeth that say•••• of Ambrose, It belongeth vnto the people to discerne the spirits the Prophets. For that if they had not first openly declared th•• doctrine, neither were they wont to be called prophets, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their writings to be read.* 1.6 So Moses himselfe is commanded God to write those things, which hee had foretold concerni•••• the destruction of the Amalechites should come to passe, Ex•• 17.14. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a remembra•• in the booke, and rehearse it to Ioshua: for I will utterly put out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. So he the same M••••ses after the rehearsing of the doctrine of the Lawe the seco•••• time in the plaine of Moab, doth write it out, and delivereth t•••• same booke unto the Levites to be read continually, to be w••••ten out, and to be kept. Deut. 31. v. 24. unto v. 30. And 2. Chr. 3 14. &c. mention is made of the finding of this booke of the L•••• written in the Temple.* 1.7 But Moses doth not fasten or set up t•••• booke upon the dores of the Tabernacle. So the bookes of S••••muel were written by Samuel. So by Nathan, Semeias, Gadt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prophets, their prophesies being often, or once uttered by mou•••• accordingly as God commanded, were afterwards by them p•••• in writing. 2. Chron. 9.29. & cap. 12. ver. 15. So the things whi••••

should come to passe unto Ioram, Elias wrote out in an epistle,* 1.8 the which afterwardes was sent unto Ioram by the prophets, the disciples of Elias, by whom it was kept, and was not gathered to∣gether or kept by the priests or ministers of the Temple of Salo∣mon. Hereof read 2. Chr. 21. from the 12. unto the 16. ver. So I∣saias first taking faithfull witnesses doeth openly pronounce or speake those things,* 1.9 the which by revelation from God he was commaunded to foretell to come to passe: and afterwards he wri∣teth them out himselfe, sealeth them, and delivereth them to be kept unto his disciples, that is, unto the godly. Isai. 8.1, 2. & 16. But to make an end at the last of this matter, it doeth no where better appeare that this was used to be done, then out of the book of the prophet Ieremie. For as it appeareth by the 26. chap. v. 7, 8, & 16.* 1.10 Ieremie doeth openly often times utter the doctrine told him from God, to wit, in the audience of all the people. And the priests of that time doe utterly condemne his words and prophe∣sies, and do think them to be abolished or done away, much lesse that they would lay them up in the treasury of the Temple. Nay morvover, Iehudi the purple or gallant Courtier of the king Sede∣chias doth burne those oracles or sayings of God, after that they were written by Ieremie him selfe. Iere. 36.23. but by the com∣mandement of God and Ieremie telling him what to write the second time, the selfe same things are written againe by Baruch his minister, as in the same chapter appeareth. The like may any man easily gather out of the same Ieremy cap. 29. Out of Ezec. cap. 12. & 14. Finally, thus the Apostles, as Paul, Peter, and the Evangelists, Matthew, Iohn, Marke, and Luke, have left unto us their writing, the which are another part of the word of God. For this their doctrine the which they afterward put in writing, they did first along time and often utter by mouth, and then wrote it, and imparted it unto nations unto the everlasting glory of God, and edifying of his Church. And this in my iudgement was the use, maner, and way of gathering together of the books and writings of the prophets.

[Obiection.] But if for this cause they are now thought to be of lesse cer∣tentie, and undoubted credite, then if they should be saide to have beene publikely kept by the priests in the Treasury of the Temple and so by this means to have come unto us: [Answere.] I deny this, For those writings of the Prophets have beene by all the godly faithfully and uncorruptly kept, & delivered unto posteritie. Nei∣ther

is it recorded of any other book that he was kept in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Temple of God, besides the booke it selfe of the law, the whi•••• Moses wrote with his owne and proper hand 2. Chr. 34.14. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hilkiah the Priest found (to wit, in the Temple) the booke of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 law of the Lord given by the hand of Moses. To be short, the w••••tings of the prophets, if they had bene kept in the hands of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 priestes and onely in the Temple, of the which they were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chiefe rulers (they being too too often the open enemies of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heavenly truth) they might of these priests more easily h•••• beene corrupted, then if we should earnestly hold and say th•• they were kept in the closets and hands of the godly. Where it commeth to passe, that nothing hereby either can, or ought seeme to be taken from the certenty of the writings of the p••••phets (the which God by his holy spirit speaketh into our he•••• 1. Ioh. 2.27. But the anointing which he received of him, dwellet•• you: and yee need not that any man teach you, but as the same ann••••ting teacheth you of all things, and it is true, and is not lying, and it taught you, ye shall abide in him) if they haue in such sort bene g••••thered together, as we have shewed, even out of the word of G•••• it selfe.

[Obiection.] There remaineth yet one thing, the which may be obiected laide against us, namely, how then falleth out this disorder chapters & time (which is seene in the writings of the Prophet if the prophets themselves gather togither their owne writing [Answer.] But the answer is easie and at hand, to wit, * 1.11 that every severall p••••phesie was not alwaies in such sort written by the prophets, a•• was first foretold and foreshewed by them, but they were co••••manded by God to commit every one to writing. Therfore ma•• times that prophesie which was later in time was set forth a•• written former notwithstanding, God so commanding: aga•••• that which was first uttered by mouth, was yet later written a•• recorded. For neither by the Prophets, nor yet by the Apos•••• themselves is there alwaies observed or kept an exact or iust 〈◊〉〈◊〉 koning of time, the spirit of God in such sort enditing unto th•• those writings, to the end that godly men might with more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and diligence be occupied in reading of them wholly: & mig•••• rather mark the matter it selfe, which is comprised in these w••••tings (because it appertaineth unto faith in God) then the hist•••• of the things written by the Prophets, wherin the onely pleas•••• of the readers is many times sought for, & looked after.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The prophets of the heathen.
• * 1.2

  The iudgement of some, of the gathering of the writings of the Prophets.
• * 1.3

  The confutatiō of the former opinion.
• * 1.4

  Danaeus his iudgement of the gathering together of the writings of the prophets.
• * 1.5

  The prophets themselves did put the summe and effect of their prophesies in writing.
• * 1.6

  Moses.
• * 1.7

  Samuel.
• * 1.8

  Elias.
• * 1.9

  Esaias.
• * 1.10

  Ieremie. Read the whole 26. and 36. chapters.
• * 1.11

  The prophesies were put in writing, not as the prophet would, but as God cōmanded.