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. 9. Of the true notes and markes of the godly and true Prophets.

FVrther there are certaine notes and markes the which the worde of God it selfe hath set downe as most true and sure, to discerne and knowe the true Prophets from the false by. Deuter. cap. 13. vers. 1, 2, 3, &c also the 18. ver. 21, 22. And if thou think in thine heart, How shall we know the vvorde, which the Lorde hath not spoken? ƲƲhen a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lorde, if the thing follow not nor come to passe, that is the thing, vvhich the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou, shalt not there∣fore be afraid of him. For when as God substituted or under-ordained his Prophets to teach the Church, as it were in his stead, and in as much as Satan doeth imitate or follow their wordes and deedes, to disceive withall, if hee could, even the godly themselves: it was altogether necessarie, that there shoulde be extant certain tokens, and the same not at all doubtfull, as being shewed by God himselfe by the which the true prophets might be severed and marked out from the false. For at all times both in the olde Testament, and in the new, the devill hath gone about to overthrow the found doctrine, by the

false prophets, as his Postes and Messengers. Therefore like as under the law there were false prophets among the Iewes, and old people of God: so have there also bene under the gospell, as Peter teacheth, epist. 2. chap. 2. vers. 1. But there vvere false pro∣phets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you: vvhich privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord, which hath ••ought them, and bring upon themselves swift damnation. VVe must therefore see what these notes and markes are. VVhere this is to be noted,* 1.1 that in this place he onely is cal∣led a false prophet, who in respect of the doctrine which he tea∣cheth, and the things which he foretelleth, ought to be tearmed, and is found to be a deceiver and a lyar. For those which are called false Prophets, because they haue no lawfull calling▪ albeit they teach▪ true doctrine, and foretell things to come, and that truely, of which sorte some doe arise out of the middest of the Church, these doe not appertaine unto this question, whereas we speake of the true markes of prophets: but unto that, where∣in it is demanded, what is the lawfull calling of prophets, or what is the godly and lawfull use of holy prophesie.

* 1.2 False prophets then are so called generally for three causes, namely, in regard of their calling, in regard of their use, and in regard of their doctrine. And in respect of their calling they are to be taken for false prophets, who albeit they foretell true things, yet are they not sent of God, but of Satan, to deceive: they are not alowed of God▪ but are the instruments of the devill, such as are those distraughted and madde prophets, of whome we haue spoken before: and such also as some are in the Church of God oftentimes by the iust iudgement of God, who do lead away men into idolatrie.

In regard of their use, those are called false prophets, which have indeed a lawful calling to prophesie,* 1.3 and the same by God plain∣ly confirmed by certaine waies and which do foretel true things, but yet not for such end & purpose, as they ought, not with such an intent as God appointed, namely for that they foretell those things to come for vain-glory, or for gaine sake; and not for the cause of setting forth Gods glory only, nor yet to doe good ser∣vice in his Church by seeking the profite of the same. These pro∣phets therfore although they do speak true things, yet do they not speak thē truly, that is, with a sincere mind, & such a mind as they ought. For they seeke thēselves, & theirs, & not God, or the things

that are Gods. Such a one was Balaim the Prophet in the time of Moses,* 1.4 one that spake the truth indeed, and was brought forth by God unto that people, and was not madde: but covetous, an hir••ling, seeking for gaine by ••i•• office, as afterwardes in the Church did Simon M••gus.* 1.5 Of Balaam read Num. 22. in the whole course of that chapter. And in Peter 2. epist. 2. chapt. 15. vers. there is mention made of hi•• and such as he was, of whom he saith, that they did forsake the right way, and went astray, fol∣lowing the way of Baliam, which loued the traces of unrighteousness, &c. Of Simon Magus you have Act 8. v. 20. where Peter spea∣keth unto him offering to buy the gift of the holy ghost for mo∣ney, say••ng, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money. Such were they of whome Paul complaineth. Philipp. 1. v. 16. Some (saith he) preach Christ e••en through envy and strife, and of contention, and not purely, supposing to adde more affliction to my bondes. Therefore (they preached not Christ purely, that is, with a pure minde, al∣beit they preached true Christ. So they which abuse true pro∣phesie, nay the gospell it selfe unto their gaine and vaine glory, in respect of this use are false prophets.

Thirdly in respect of doctrine they are called false prophets,* 1.6 the which doe want either the one onely, or else both the true markes, the which both the true prophets hane, of whome I speake 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this chapter.* 1.7 For there are▪ as I haue said, two notes whereby the true prophets are distinguished and marked out from the false. The one, if they be found co have made a lye, in in the matters by them foretold, or to have spoken false. When a prophet shall speake in the name of the Lord,* 1.8 if the thing follow not, nor co••e to passe, that is the thing, which the Lord hath not spoken, but the same prophet hath spoken it through pride, saith the Lorde. De••t. 18.22. Therefore such a one is to be termed a false prophet. So Ieremie the true prophet of God appealeth unto the event or falling out of the matter foretold by H••nanias the false prophet. Ierem. 28. ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. Even the prophet Ieremy said, So be it. The Lord so doe, the Lord confirme thy wordes, which thou hast prophesi∣ed to restore the vessels of the Lords house, and all that is carried cap∣tive from Babel unto thi•• place. But heare thou now this word that I will speake in thine ••ares, and in the eares of all the people. The prophets that have bene before thee, and before me in times past, pro∣phesied gainst many cuntries and against great kingdomes, of warre,

and of plagues, and of pestilence. And the prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to passe, then shall the prophet be knowen that the Lord hath sent him.

* 1.9 The second marke of a true prophet must altogether and at all times goe with the former: but in the false prophets it is suffici∣ent, if ••ither one, or both of them be wanting. This second marke therefore is, if he that foretelleth things to come, a although they be true, goe about, assay, and briefly be desirous to drawe and perswade vs from the true God, and his doctrine revealed unto idols, or any false doctrine. When there shall arise (saith the Lord Deut. 13. ver. 1. &c.) a prophet in the middest of thee, or one that shall dreame a dreame, and shall give thee a signe, or a wonder, the which he shall speake unto thee, saying, Let vs goe after false goddes, whom thou hast not knowen, and let vs worship them: thou shalt not obey the wordes of that prophet. So Elias 1. King. 18. doth reprove and convince or overthrow Achab the king his false prophets. VVhereof commeth to passe, that because God would alwaies have his prophets found to be true, and in every part of their pre∣dictions or fore-tellings, he did so reveale things to come unto them, and they so foretel them, that they did evidently set down all circumstances of the matter. Therfore they did not only de∣cla••e something to come (the which often times the mad pro∣phets, and sometimes Astrologers doe) or to fall out unto such a people: but they did also (as I haue said before) expresse the ma∣ner, way, and all the circumstances of the thing to come, and therefore have they them in their writings set downe. For they doe declare and lay downe both the time and the place, and the manner, and the instruments, and the persons,* 1.10 whereby those things shall come to passe, which they foretell, and that not without cause. First, least they might seeme to speake darkely: so that if they have erred in any circumstance, [unspec 1] they might be cal∣led false prophets. Moreover, that by so many circumstances re∣hearsed, [unspec 2] and all which afterwardes come to passe, they may ap∣peare to be the more true, and indeed the prophets of God. But these madde fellowes tellers of Oracles, soothsayers, Astrologers, and the rest of that rabble of divinours, (as they tearme them∣selves) doe either generally and indefinitely onely take upon them to foretell some thing to ••ome, but doe not evidently and plainly expresse the thing it selfe: as for example, There shall be warre, but they adde not, civill and f••rreine: or if they doe set

downe something to come, yet doe they not expresse all the cir∣cumstances of the thing. For by these they should quickly be found out to be false prophets, or lyars. Now these circumstan∣ces are the cause, the end, the place, the time, the manner, the instruments, the matter: like as of these matters, which of them both are foretold to come to passe, may easily be discerned and knowen which of them are true or false prophets. For the true, set downe the circumstances of the thing to come, but the false overp••sse them.* 1.11 And whereas the true prophets doe at no time, nor by no meanes carrie vs from the true God, and from his ser∣vice, and doctrine unto idolatry, or unto the elements of this world, we gather that all Cabalists, and other such like prophets are false prophets. For were it granted that all these did alwaies foretell true things (the which they at no hand will yeeld vnto which have heard from them of things to come) yet in the end they draw vs hereunto, that in stead of God, we should wor∣ship the elements of the world. For they doe tye the power of God unto certaine words and syllables, as doe the Cabalists, and some Magians or Sorcerers: or else they doe not purely expound the worde of God it selfe, but doe carry and apply it from the knowledge of godlines unto the vanity and curiositie of men, the which no doubt the Broccardicall prophets use to doe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Who in this place is prop••rly to be termed a false prophet.
• * 1.2

  False prophets in three respects 1 Jn regard of their calling.
• * 1.3

  2 In regard of their use.
• * 1.4

  Balaam.
• * 1.5

  Simon Magus
• * 1.6

  3 ••nregard of their doctrine.
• * 1.7

  Two markes by th•• which true prophets are knowen from the false.
• * 1.8

  1 Lying o•• false spe••••ing.
• * 1.9

  2 Persuading to idolatrie, or false doctrine.
• * 1.10

  Causes why the true prophets set downe every circumstance.
• * 1.11

  The prophets of God b••gan from the begin∣ning of the world.