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. 7. Of godly Prophesie, which is a foretelling of things to come, and how it differeth from the prophesies of the Gentiles, or Heathen.

* 1.1THere is yet another signification of the word prophesie, vsed by the holy Ghost, betokening the foretelling of things to come, the which by God are revealed vnto men extraordinari∣ly, and are commanded to be published or o∣penly vttered to his glorie and the edifying of his Church. And of these kinde of Prophets there were both in the old & new testament, yet more in the old testament, because that Christ the sonne of the liuing God (who is the ende and accomplishment of all prophe∣sie) was not yet come. But we must here consider how these Pro∣phets doe differ from the prophane prophets, least that prophane

persons should draw those things which hereafter shall be spoken of the true Prophets of God, vnto their diuiners sooth sayers, prophets, and such as by birds flying, feeding, singing, & such like doe fore∣tell thinges to come, and least that these and the true Prophets should be thought to be all one. Nowe that I gather not infinite things together, wherein the Prophets of God foretelling things to come, doe disagree and differ from the prophets and oracles of the Heathen, who also fore shew things to come, I onely set down three things, by the which this difference betweene them both may plainely be noted.* 1.2 For they differ one from another in the matter, cause, and manner of reuelation, the which was made vn∣to them both, that is, vnto the Prophets of God, and those other wicked prophets. And in the matter they differ, for that the Pro∣phets of God did foretell of Christ to come especially, and that as the Mediatour of the world,* 1.3 as Augustine teacheth, lib. 12. contra Faulst. Manich. cap. 2. and against the aduersaries of the Law. c. 3. of whome these prophane prophets many times, nay for the most part speake not one whit: yea when as they haue foretolde some thing of him, they haue not vnderstoode the thing, which them∣selues did speake, much lesse that others did conceiue and vnder∣stande them. Therefore their whole prophesies tended to this ende, namely how they might satisfie or content the desires and questions of curious persons, seeking to knowe thinges to come. But the true Prophets of God did onely imploy themselues vnto God, and vnto the edifying of the Church: and not vnto the cu∣riositie and vanitie of men, as did the oracles and prophets of the Gentiles, as Lactantius teacheth lib. 1. Divinat. institut. cap. 4. whereupon lib. 7. cap. 13. he saith,* 1.4 The manner and diuination of the true Prophets consisteth onely in this, that they teach man to be created vnto the seruice and worship of God, and to receiue immortalitie from him. As for that which is obiected of the Sibyllae, the which are said to haue prophesied some thing of Christ,* 1.5 and whose Acro∣stichis is extant, the capitall letters whereof doe describe this name IESVS CHRISTVS Dei Filius, Servator▪ Crux: Also of other oracles, the which the same Lactantius in sundrie places doth recite, especially lib. 4. divin. institut. where he hath many things concerning Christ: I answer, that both the Sibyllae themselues, and those other prophane prophets did either not at all vnderstand the things which they did vtter, or did not speake them to this ende, to establish true godlines, and the true worship

of God, the which thing notwithstanding the true Prophets of God had an especiall care of, and aymed thereunto:* 1.6 but God would haue these things to be extant euen among these prophane and heathen men, to this ende they might be made vnexcusable, who beeing put in minde of Christ by their owne oracles, they yet despised and refused, when as afterwardes he was preached vnto them by the Apostles and their successors. Furthermore, those things the which Satan and the deuill reuealed and opened vnto these prophets concerning Christ, the same he gathered out of the writings of the true Prophets themselues, the which were extant, or abroade; but yet he did newe furbish them to serue his owne turne the better. Therefore the difference betweene the Prophets of God, and these prophets of the heathen is very la••ge: namely that these of the heathen either spake nothing of Christ, or else prophesied of him without fruite and vnderstanding.* 1.7 A∣gaine, that these prophane prophets were mooued by the inspira∣tion of Satan, but the Prophets of God did speake by the moti∣on of God, and of the holy Ghost. Therefore al the things which the Prophets of God foretold, did in such sort come to passe as they did foreshew that they should: but the Heathen prophets li∣ed in many things, as being wholly led by the lying spirit.

The third difference standeth in the manner, whereby they both receiued reuelation. And concerning the Prophets of God,* 1.8 they were led by the meeke and milde inspiration of God, and were not like vnto the prophets of the Heathen, taken with a madde phrensie, when as they prophesied and did speake. And al∣beit that Iohn say Reuel. 1. ver. 10. that he was in the spirite, or ra∣uished when he prophesied: and Ezechiel confesse many times,* 1.9 as especially chap. 3. ver. 14. that the spirit of God rushed and fell vp∣on him: and Daniel chap. 8. ver. 27. and chap. 10. ver. 8. that after the visions and prophesie, he was taken with sicknes, and that his strength fayled him: yet had the holy rauishments and distraught∣ments of the holy Prophets of God nothing common and agree∣able with the madnes of the heathen prophets, wherewith they were taken, when as they gaue foorth their prophesies. It could not be, but that the Prophets of God beeing mortall men, must needes be very greatly mooued with the presence of the maiestie of God, as often as he offered himselfe vnto them in more great and royall manner, then that he could be contained within the straightnes of man his bodie. Wherefore they were for the time

as it were swallowed vp, and then it must be of necessitie that their minde after a sort was withdrawne from their body, as Paul writeth of him selfe 2. Cor. 12. ver. 3. where speaking of his being taken vp into the third heauen,* 1.10 he saith: I know such a man (whe∣ther out of the bodie, or in the bodie, I can not tell: God knoweth. Yet euen in those cases, and at that time were they not madde, as were the Heathen prophets, neither did they some at the mouth, neither were they ougly in visage, neither ignorant, or not know∣ing what they saide or did: but both wise and well aduised, and with great reuerence of God, with great faith and full assurance of God speaking in them, did they heare and receiue the thinges which God did reueale and open vnto them; they did vnderstand the thinges receiued and reuealed vnto them, yeilded thereunto, and afterwards deliuered them, and for the same did all of them more and more glorifie God. Visions (as writeth Lactantius lib. 7 chap. 23.) were by the spirit of God offered vnto their eyes, and they sawe them in their sight, to be as it were done and ended. Whereof commeth to passe that they were much mooued with these visions offered vnto them. And how could it be otherwise? when as they were but meere and weake men. Yet for all this neither was their minde put out of his seate, that they vnderstood nothing: neither were they as blockes and stocks, or onely pas∣siue or suffering instruments and organes of God, the which did but onely vtter the thinges to come, and vnderstoode not what they ment: that which fell out vnto the prophane prophets. The Prophets then of God did vnderstand and beleeue the thinges which they vttered. For otherwise they could not be called the true Prophets of God.* 1.11 For Augustine lib. 12. de Gen. ad literam, cap. 9. saith very well, They which in the spirite by some bodily things had signes shewed vnto them, vnlesse there had bin added thereunto the office of the minde, that they might also vnder∣stand them, were not yet prophets. But the Heathen Prophets, when as they vttered their prophesies, were without doubt be∣sides themselues,* 1.12 out of their witts, and taken with madnes, and vnderstood not what they said or did, but were onely the meete instruments of Satan speaking by their mouth,* 1.13 of which like kind of persons possessed with deuils we haue seene many also at this day. Therefore Chrysostome writeth, that the Prophetesse of A∣pollo at D••lphos, when shee was to prophesie, did sit vpon her but tocks, with her naked legges astride vpon a stoole, the which

was set ouer an hole and gaping gulfe of the earth or temple of Delphos, and that at those times the deuill was wont to enter in at her secret parts, who did rauish, vexe, pr••sse, & in a word frame her, that shee onely lent her mouth and teeth, and he himselfe the vncleane spirite did speake in her. From whence come these tearmes peculiar and proper vnto these kinde of prophets, as Iuli∣us Pollux speaketh; to be rauished, to be madde, to be franticke, and the thing it selfe, or the spirite whereby they were led, was called the inspiration of the deuill, a madde spirite. And to be short, both Virgil and Lucan doe notably describe and set forth the manner howe these prophets were wont to be handled and vsed by the same their deuill. Virgil for his part lib. 6. AEneid. in these verses:* 1.14

But good Aeneas to Apollos Church, and temple towres, Went to seeke the secret caue Of Siblyes dreadfull bowres. A vaut of widenes vast where mightie Spirite and mightie minde Apollo her inspires that all Things knowes in secret kinde. And things that fatall bin he doth Full broad to her vnfold. And a little after,—As thus shee babling prates All suddenly with faces more Then one before the gates And colours more then one, disfigured Wilde shee stoode in traunce Her haire vpstarting stands, her trembling Breast doth panting praunse. Her heart outraging swells, When of the god shee felt the blast Approching neere. And afterward But wrastling wilde as yet, against The god in th'entrie large Dame Siblye mumbling made, and strugling Strong withstoode the charge. If haply so shee might the gods Enforcing, shake from brest. But he preuailing still, with more

And more her spirit opprest Her heart, her raging mouth he Taming staide, and fixed fast.

And thus farre Virgil concerning this matter, out of the true hi∣storie of oracles. Lucan in like manner lib. 1. Pharsalidos, writeth hereof thus:

For as the Thracian Edonis In Bedlam sort with Bacchus fraught Doth gadding runne on Pindus hill Besides her selfe through him distraught:* 1.15 So doth Oricia Romane Dame Th'amased citie ouer-range, Dis••losing Phoebus haunting her, With such like words in manner straunge: Apollo whither am I drawne? &c. This sayd shee lay as in a trance, Through madnes which vpon her fell.

Thus then the profane Poets them selues doe liken their Pro∣phets vnto very madde men, and drunken persons: yea their Si∣byllas,* 1.16 whome notwithstanding they doe reuerence with more deuotion and holines, then their other prophesiars. Yet doth Pla∣to in Phaedro, and M. Cicero lib. 1. diuinat. write that these Sibyl∣laes themselues were taken with this deuilish madnes, when as they gaue forth these prophesies: albeit Tulli afterwardes disa∣greeing from himselfe,* 1.17 and beeing deceiued, writeth thus in the same booke. For (saith he) the power or vertue of the earth did natu∣rally stirre vp Sibylla the prophetesse of Apollo at Delphos, as if the Sibyllae by a certaine naturall motion did foretell things to come, and were not stirred vp with that same madnes, and inspiration of the deuill, as I saide before. The which opinion it seemeth the same Tulli had of others also, namly that there were certaine pro∣phets by nature, or by naturall causes, yet that all of them were madde when they prophesied. Thus then he saith, And those whose mindes forsaking their bodies, doe flie out and goe foorth, beeing inflamed and stirred vp with a certaine heate, doe see for certentie, those things which prophesying they doe foretell: and such mindes are inflamed with many things, which abide not in their bodies, like vnto those which are stirred vp with a certaine sound of words, & Phrygian songs: many the woods and graues, many the riuers or seas doe mooue, whose madding wind doth long before see, the things which are to come.

But why this madnes and stirring vp by the deuill should be put into these prophets,* 1.18 the reason is giuen of Plato in love in these words, as Serranus my very good and learned friende hath translated them: VVherefore God, when he taketh from them their mindes, he vseth these ministers, tellers of oracles, and divining pro∣phets, that we which heare them, should vnderstand that it is not they which doe vtter these things of so great importance: not they, I say, which are taken with madnes: but that it is God which speaketh them, and speaketh vnto vs by the ministerie or seruice of those men. Thus much Plato. Of the which appeareth how absurd or foolish his madnes of these prophesiars, and rauished men did seeme vnto the Heathen them selues. And the Poet Claudianus faighning himfelse a prophet, saith:* 1.19

All humane sense bath madnes now Quite from my breast "retired, "or, exiled And wholly is mine heart and minde With Phoebus rage inspired. And here let these things now haue an ende.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prophesie, as it is taken for the foretelling of things to come.
• * 1.2

  A three folde difference be∣tween the Pro∣ph••ts of God, & the prophets of the heathen.
• * 1.3

  1 Difference in th•• matter.
• * 1.4

  Lactantius.
• * 1.5

  Obiection. Acro••••ichis is a kinde of verses so made, that the first letters of euery verse running tho∣rou••h them all, doth make some name or sen∣tence. Answer.
• * 1.6

  Why God suf∣fered the Hea∣then prophets to fore tell some things of Christ.
• * 1.7

  2 Difference in the mouing cause.
• * 1.8

  3 Difference in the manner of reuelation.
• * 1.9

  The rauishmēts of God his pro∣phets was not like the madnes of the heathen prophets.
• * 1.10

  Gestures of the Heathen pro∣phets.
• * 1.11

  Augustine.
• * 1.12

  The heathen prophets out of their wits when they prophe••••ed.
• * 1.13

  The strange & beastly ••itting of th•• prophe∣tesse of Apol∣lo, when shee prophesied.
• * 1.14

  Englished by Phaer.
• * 1.15

  One of Bacchus Bedl••m women priestesses.
• * 1.16

  The Heathen liken their pro¦phets vnto mad men and drun∣kards.
• * 1.17

  Tulli dissenting from himselfe.
• * 1.18

  Why the Hea∣then prophets are taken with madnes, ••s Pla∣to thinketh.
• * 1.19

  Claudinus.