twelue are alreadie placed in the coppies of our Bibles Isidâ—rus Let vs therefore now goe forward with the question that we haue in hand generally shâ—w so farre as we may out of the worde of God what Prophets haue bin from the beginning of this world vntil the comming of Christ our Lorde And this shall easily be done if wee deuide the whole time which hath now passed from the creation of the worlde vnto Iesus Christ the King and onely sonne of God taking flesh vpon him for vs unto certaine courses or ages of times And these we will The time from the creation of the world vntil Christ deuided into seuen ages for the better laying open of this matter make and set downe to be onely seauen in euery one or which we will shewe what Prophets haue liued Where first of all I doe willingly confesse that the succession of the Prophets vas not alwaies so continued that it neuer was interrupted or broken off For whereas this office was extraordinarie in the Church of God no maruell if it often ended or for a time ceased for to be in as much as the ordinarie callings them selues of which sort was sacrificing vnder the Lawe did not withstanding sometime cease and were broken off as in the whole time of their exile and captiuitie in Babylon and oftentimes else So therfore it came to passe the sinnes of men deseruing the same that the Church of God was often destitute or voyd of true Prophets as is gathered out of 1. Sam. 3.1 And the word of the Lord was precious in those daies for there was no manifest vision And Psal 74 9. We see not our signes there is not one Prophet more nor any with vs that knoweth how long Therfore there were then no Prophets but their succession was for the time no doubt of the continuation of them broken off That which no godly man which readeth the holy Scriptures with diligent heedfulnes in my iudgement will denie But let vs returne vnto those seuen ages of the worlde which haue passed since the beginning thereof vnto Christ borne of the blessed virgin Marie The first of them containeth al that whole time which was from the making of the world vntil the floud which fell out in the sixe 100. yeere of the Patriarch Noah And this age comprehendeth 1656. yeeres This first age had these Prophets The 1. age of the world from the creation unto the floode 1656 yeres had these prophets Adam Abel Enoch Noah Adam Abel Enoch Noah Of Adam we haue spoken before Of Abel it seemeth that it may easily be gathered both out of Mat. 23.34 35. Heb. 11.4 namely that he was a Prophet as also was Enoch other Prophets whoÌ„ the Iewes wickedly flew Of Enoch there is extant or remaining a most certen Testominie in the word of God to wit in the epist of Iude v. 14. whose prophesy also is there rehearsed in these words And Enoch also the seuenth from Adâ—mprophesied of such saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Of Noah it is a matter past al doubt that he was a Prophet of God did foretel of that ouerthrow of the whole world the dwellers therein the which was to come was through waters made by God almost 120 yeares before it came and that by especiall reuelation from God Gen. 6.13 And God said vnto Noah God â—â—uealed vnto Noah the destruction of the world by water An end of al flesh is come before me for the earth is filled with crueltie through them and behold I will destroy them with the earth Read more hereof cap. 7. and 2. Pet. 2.5 Neither hath he spared the old world But saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floude vpon the world of the vngodly If there were any more Prophets besides these they are not rehearsed in the holy Scriptures The sonnes of God seuered from the souâ—â—s of men The sonnes of God indeed are seuered from the sonnes of men in all that first age and the one are called wicked despisers of God and the other to wit the sonnes of God are said to haue bin godly and fearing God Gen. 4. ver 26. And to the same Sheth also there was borne a sonne and he called his name Enosh Then men began to call vpon the name of the Lord. And Gen. 6. ver 2. The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were fayre c. But yet are they not called Prophets To be short If any of theÌ„ were such their names are not expressed vnlesse any man peradueÌ„ture wil say that Lamech the father of Noah others borne of Seth the Patriarchs such as are named in the holy Scriptures were prophets of God And these prophets of God had that first age of the world The second age is from the time of the floud vntil the first calling of Abraham out of Vr a citie of the Chaldeans The 2. age containing 422 yerees had fewe or no prophets which calling was made by God For Abraham first departing with his father Thara out of this citie Vr went vnto Carras following God calling him This age had 422 yeeres Gen 12. and Prophets either none or very fewe at least which are knowne vnto vs by the word of God vnlesse any man peraduenture will reckon Sem the sonne of Noah and Melchisedech among the Prophets of that age For concerning Abraham himselfe before this age it is manifest that he was anidolater and therefore no Prophet of God at that time Ios 24.2 such a one not withstanding as afterwarde he was Gen. 20.7 For the first that the was an idolatour â—oâ—ua saith Your fathers dwelt beyond the floud in old time euen Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor and serued other gods For the second that he was afterwards a Prophet of God saith of him to Abimelech in the place before cited Nowe deliuer the man his wife againe for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee But whether and of those which Gen chapter 10. and chapter 11. are reckoned vp for the heads of families and nations of the posteritie of Noah as Sem the sonne of Noah and others were prophets it cannot by any meanes by the word of God be determined For in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes cap. 11. all this whole seconde age as it which lacked his Prophets of God nay that which more is godly men is cleane ouerpassed and the holy Ghost by and by with a great leape and gulfe oftime and succession skippeth from Noah vnto the calling of Abraham Then were the Prophets of the world very few besides Sem and Abraham The 3. age from Abraham to the giuing of the law 430 yeeres had these prophets Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moses Aaron The third age of the worlde is from the first calling of Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldeans vnto the setting forth giuing of the law of God vnto the people of Israel by Moses in the desert of Sinai This age comprehendeth 430. yeares as the holy Scripture it selfe doth declare Exod. 12. ver 41. Galat. 3. ver 17. This third age had these sixe Prophets well
knowne Abraham Isaac Iacob who also is called Israel Ioseph Moses and Aaron as appeareth in Genesis the epistle vnto the Hebrews 11. cap. and infinite other places For whither in the meane season whilst the children of Israel liued vnder the Pharaos in Egypt after the death of Ioseph and before the birth or the wing of Moses there were any other Prophets of God of the Israelites abâ—ding in Egypt the holy Scripture doth no where plainly make any mention And therefore neither wil I affirme the â—ame Further whereas some will haue certaine propheticall writings of Abâ—â—ham the Patriarch to be extant they are childâ—shly â—â—ceiued foolishly setting one of the Rabbines called Abraham in steade of Abraham the Patriarch The 4. age from the Lawe to the buâ—lding of the temple by Salomon 480 yeres had many prophets as The fourth age of the worlde is to be reckoned of vs from the giuing of the Law in Mount Sinai vntill the building of the Temple of God at Ierusalem by Salomon the which falleth into the fourth yeare of Salomon his reigne This age conteineth 480. yeares as appeareth 1. Thing 6. cap ver 1. And in the 480. yeare after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt and in the 4. yeare of the reigne of Salomon ouer Israel in the moneth Zif which is the second moneth he built the house of the Lord. This age had store of many godly Prophets Josua Oâ—bora the Prophet 1. Sam. 2. ver 29. Samuel Daviâ— Nathan Gad. as these by the word of God well knowne vnto vs Iosua which succeeded Moses Deborah and a long time after that â—ame man of God seâ—t vnto Eli 1. Sam. 2. ver 27. Samuel David Nathan Gad. But whether those also were Prophets which wrote the books of the warres Num. 21. ver 14. and the booke of Iasher Ios cap. 10. ver 13. Also the bookes of Chronicles of the kingdome of Iuda and Israel whereof mention is often made in the bookes of the Kings is not set downe in the holy Scripture But that Dauid and Nathan and Gad were Prophets of God appeareth 2. Sam. 12. 1. Chron. 29. ver 29. and cap. 21. Besides these if there were any other Prophets in that age their names are not rehearsed For that which is written of Othoniel the Iudge in the third of the Iudges vers 10. and of other Iudges also that the Spirite of God fell vpon them when as they were called of God extraordinarily vnto that office this in my iudgement is not to be vnderstoode of the Spirits of prophesie as if then they became Prophets that is foretellers of things to come such as was Isaias Ieremias and others but it is to be vnderstoode of the spirite of fortitude or strength whereby they might be able boldly and without feare to resist and withstand the enemies of the Church were they neuer so much to be feared Neither are there any prophesies extant of those Iudges who after Iosua gouerned Israel as politique Magistrates in many ages neither are there any of them reckoned at any time among the Prophets but among the Magistrates of Israel Therefore that which is Hebr. cap. 11. ver 32. And what shall I more say For the time would be too short for me to test of Gedeon of Barac of Sampson of Iephthe and Dauid and Samuel and the Prophets doth not prooue those Iudges to be numbred among the Prophets but onely among godly men which by faith serued God For Paul Act. 13. ver 20. calleth them onely Kritas that is Iudges whereas he calleth Samuel who was himselfe a iudge in Israel a prophet also And albeit God Deu. 18.15 promised the Israelites that is his Church that it should come to passe that out of it he would raise vp Prophets euen after that Moses was deade yet was not this rancke and course of Prophets succeeding one an other continuall but oftentimes broken off as I haue said And in deede all the whole time in a manner of the Iudges it seemeth that there were none Few prophets in the time of the Judges or else very few Prophets of God in the Church Therefore 1. Sam. 3. ver 1. vision and prophesie is said to haue bin very rare and fayling in Israel that is in the Church and people of God But after Samuel it began to be both more common and also more knowne Therefore in his time there were many Prophets as appeareth 1. Sam. cap. 9. and 10. whose names notwithstanding the holy Scripture doth not set downe The 5. age froÌ„ the temple vnto the carrying away of the ten tribes by Salmanazar 294 yeares among many other had these prophets Proofe for this former spputation of time The fifth age of the world is from the Temple of God builded at Ierusalem by Salomon King of Iudah vnto the leading and carrying away of the tenne tribes of the kingdome of Israel by Salmanazar King of the Assyrians into Assyria and Mesopotamia that which fell into the eight yeare or there about oâ— die reigne of Ezechias king of Iudah like as the besieging oâ— Samaria by the same Salmanazar happened about the sixth yeare of the reigne of the said Ezechias 2. King cap. 17. ver 6. In thâ— ninth yeare of Hoshea the king of Asshur tooke Samaria and carruâ— Israel away into Asshur And cap. 18. ver 9 10. And in thâ— fourth yeare of king Hezekiah which was the seuenth yeare of Hâ—â—shea sonne of Elah king of Israel Shalmanesar king of Asshur camâ— vp against Samaria and besieged it And after three yeares they toâ—â— it euen in the sixth yeare of Hezekiah that is the ninth yeare of Hesheaking of Israel was Samaria taken This age hath two hundred ninetie foure yeares to wit thirtie sixe of those fourtie yeares in which king Salomon reigned after he had built the Temple of God and two hundred fiftie eight yeares after the setting vp oâ— the kingdome in Israel by Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat that is among the tenne tribes the which fell a way from the kingdome of Iudah by and by after the death or Salomon For so manâ— yeares namely two hundred fiftie eight continued the same kingdome of Israel rent from the kingdome of Iudah Nowe thâ— age had Prophets almost innumerable For there was neuer any age vnder the whole olde Testament more full of them 〈◊〉 more garnished with the gifts of God and prophesies that aâ— well the Iewes as the Israelites might be made inexcusable 〈◊〉 without excuse for the despising of God and his worde Wherefore both of them for this cause afterwarde were very sharpelâ— and iustly punished by God as appeareth 2. King chap.
already knowen written or as yet hidden unknown So the Levites that were Singers are called Prophets as appeareth in the beginning of the 1. Chron. 25. in these words The finging Levites called prophets So David and the captains of the armie separated for the ministery the sonnes of Asaph Heman Ieduthun who should prophesie with harpes viols cymbals c. Yea moreover the false prophets who although they lie False prophets termed prophets yet professe that they will declare the will of God are also tearmed Prophetes Wherefore it commeth to passe that Paul Titus 1.12 Epimenides speaking of Epimenides of Creta a prophane man calleth him a prophet because he did lively set forth the disposition maners of the men of Creta and was a most ancient poet as Cicero teacheth in his first booke of Divination And thus because the signification of a prophet and prophesying is most large the wordes of Paul be these One of themselves even one of their owne prophets said The Cretians are alwayes lyars evill beastes slow-bellies The Sibyllae To be short both Lactantius and sundry others doe call the Sibyllae of the Heathen Prophetisses A prophet called a Seer The same Hebrewes also doe call a prophet Chozch a Seer because by the reuelation of God they doe foresee things to come as in Samuel 1.9 vers 19. Hee that is now called a Prophet was in the old time called a Seer An Angel or Messenger And vers 19. And Samuel answered Saul and saide I am the Seer They call him also Maleah that is to say an Angell or Messenger because he bringeth unto us the commandements of God Haggai 1.13 Then spake Haggai the Lords Messenger in the Lords message unto the people c. The difference between an Angel and a prophet according unto some Although notwithstanding some thinke that this is the difference betweene a Prophet and an Angell that an Angell or Messenger bringeth unto us not onely the charge and commandement of another but also often times the very words and speech of the commaunder but the Prophets The confutatioÌ„ of the former difference as these men will have it delivered in their owne wordes the commandement which they received from God As if the selfe same spirite of God did not tell unto the Prophets the very wordes which they should use when as hee gave unto them the matter the which they should declare as Peter teacheth in his second Epistle chapt 1. vers 20 21. So that ye first knowe this that no Prophesie in the scripture is of any private motion For the Prophesie came not in the olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy ghost And after this maner doe the Hebrewes call the prophets Nowe the Greekes also doe terme them by sundry names For these words Prophêtes Hupophêtes Mantis Mesîtes do often signify all one thing as Iul. Poll. l. 1. Onomast doth teach Although notwithstanding he seemeth to be Prophêtes who doeth foresee a thing to come A difference between these words Prophêtes and Hupophêtes but Hupophetes is he who doth so far forth declare a thing tolde him by God as it is tolde unto him at severall seasons Therefore he taketh the speech of another the which he reporteth againe at the selfe same instant in which it is tolde him Whereupon Homer Iliad 16. calleth them Hupophetai who onely doe openly recite the oracle or answer which they have received from an other Mesites is a Messenger betweene partie and partie Mesites such a one as Moses was as hee witnesseth of himselfe Deut. 5. vers 3. when he saith At that time I stoode beweene the Lord and you to declare unto you the word of the Lord for ye were afraid at the sight of the fire and went not up into the mount c. And in the Galatians chap. 3. ver 19 20. The law was ordeined by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one c. Hee is also called an Angel Likewise the selfe same to wit Prophetes are called Manteis that is to say Vates and Chresmodoi Other Greeke names whereby prophets are called Chresmologoi Chresmodotai that is Pronouncers and tellers of oracles as Iulius Pollux writeth But the Prophets of God are no where in the holy scripture called manteis Chresmologoi of which names I will speake hereafter Moreover the Latine writers also doe call Prophets by sundry names The Latines call prophets by sundry names also Isidorus lib. 7. Etymolog chap. of Prophets writeth thus Whome the Gentiles call Vates or Sooth sayers these our men call Prophets because a farre off they doe tell and foreshew the trueth of things to come Therefore these wordes Prophetae and Vates are with the Latines all one Festus Pomp. Festus Pompeius a most diligent author and observer of the Latine tongue writeth thus Iulius in Adrasto calleth prophets praelates of Churches and Interpreters of oracles The wordes of Iulius Caesar in Adrasto as Iosephus Scaliger the light of our age hath restored them are these Whom the Prophets which devoutly purifie the holy sacrifices doe commaund to cover their heads with greene laurell Now this C. Iulius Caesar was before the time of Cicero whereby appeareth that the worde Prophets was in use among the olde Latines and profane writers Prophets called Vates The same are called Vates whereof commeth the verbe vaticinari Varros derivation of Vates and â—aticinari to Prophesie although notwithstanding M. Varro doe derive the signification of the worde Vates from one thing and Vaticinor from an other Vates saieth hee libr. 6. de Lingua Latina they called the old poets à versibus viandis of binding of verses For in them they did binde wordes unto certaine lawes and rules whereupon the verses and oration of Poets is saide to be bounde But the verbe vaticinari as hee writeth in the fifth of the same worke is so tearmed because they which prophesie doe it with a distraughted minde This is the opinion of Varro For as Tullie teacheth lib. 1. De Divinatione the Prophets which were knowen unto profane men did give foorth their oracles beeing stirred up with madnesse or as it were distraughtnesse But I woulde say that these tearmes vates and vaticinari are derived of all one word and that a greeke word namely Mantis Danaeus his derivation of the former wordes For it was an easie matter of the Greeke worde mantis to make vatis and of the worde vatis to make the verbe vaticinor to prophesie Furthermore they are called of the same profane authours the Interpreters and Messengers of the goddes and every where of M. Cicero Diviners of whome afterwardes they make many sortes as Diviners by the entralles of beastes Bird-prophets Dreamers oracle-tellers But the Prophets of God are never called Diviners
Notwithstanding the Lord testified unto Israel and to Iudah by all the prophets and all the Seers saying c. But how many sorts there are of true and godly prophesie according unto the manner of revelation the which was made by God shall be shewed afterwards in his due place A third difference of prophesie Finally the third difference of divination or prophesie generally taken is set from the event or falling out of things foretold For some of them doe alwaies so come to passe in every respect so as they have bin foretold the which is to be termed a tru prophesie As for other prophesies they are either not at all fulfilled or least wise not in such sort nor after such maner as they haue bin foretolde the which is called a false prophesie Therefore of prophets some are called true some false some casie plaine others darke and doubtfull and deceivers which do utter nothing plainly and understandably such a one as was Apollo that is to say Apollo the devil of Delphos the devill Satan the matter of profane prophets the which for the darknesse of his answers was of the heathen themselves accounted darke and doubtfull some of whose answers full of deceit are these among the rest King Craesus entring to the citie Halys This might as well be mens of his owne riches as of theirs of Halys shall overthrow great abundance of riches as Cicero doth translate it Againe I say thee Pyrrhus the Romanes may overcome which might be understood that the Romanes were as likely to give Pyrrhus the overrhrow as Pyrrhus them Some also are called deceiving prophets or lying prophets of whom hereafter for that albeit they do many times tell the truth yet they do often tell lies are not sent of God Therefore are they deceivers such as under the gospell are the prophets of Antichrist of whom Paul 2. Proofes of scripture that Antichrist and his prophets shal be false prophets and deceivers Thess 2.9 saith that his comming is by the working of Satan with all power signes lying wonders in all deceiveablenes of unrighteousnes among them that perish c. And in the Revel chap. 20. v. 10. it is said that the beast and the false prophets shall be tormented day night for evermore in a lake of fire brimstone And Peter in his 2. epist cap. 2. v. 1. affirmeth that there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be saith he false teachers among you which privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring upon themselves swift damnation In the old testament those which withstood the true prophets are called false and lying prophets of the which there are these notable examples 1. King cap. 22. of the false prophets that deceived king Achab and Amos 7. of Amasias the priest of Bethel Likewise Ierem. 28. of Hananiah the false prophet that withstoode Ieremie And thus much of prophesie generally CHAP. 4. Of the signification of this word prophesie as it is vsed in the holy Scriptures OF all those things which have beene said before may easily nowe bee gathered what is that signification of the wordes prophesie and Prophet whereof there is vse in the holy scriptures And that is thus namely that in the word of God he is properly called a Prophet A description of a prophet out of the word of God which is sent of God both to declare his law and especially also to rehearse and confirme vnto the Church the promises of Christ or of the Messias the alone and onely Mediatour of the worlde which was to come He therefore for this cause doth foretell vnto the Church things to come and revealed or opened vnto him of God both as well to terrifie or feare the same from sinne and also to comfort it beeing afflicted or troubled and to stay it vp with the hope of peace and reconciliation or favour with God made and procured by the same Messias Iesus Christ This definition may seeme peradventure somewhat long yet is it not withstanding most true For it comprehended the whole nature of a true prophet and of true prophesie And first of all in this same definition Two endes of true prophesie 1. The prophets were to declare and expounde the law of God delivered by Moses is declared the end of true prophesie the which doubtles is two-fold For the Prophets doe both bring the exposition of the law of God delivered by Moses whereupon is this saying of the Prophet Esa chap. 8.20 To the law and to the testimonie And Malach. 4.4 Remember the lawe of Moses my servant which I commanded vnto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and iudgements 2. To expounde the promises of the Messias and also they did call to remembrance of the Church of God and did expound and confirme those promises of God concerning Christ the which was then to be sent in the world Whereupon Christ by Paul Rom. 10.4 is said to be the end of the law and so consequently of the prophets who as we have saide Christ the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets were alwaies the interpreters and expounders of the lawe And therefore is Christ him selfe called the foundation or marke that the prophets ayme at as also doe the Apostles as Paul witnesseth vnto the Eph. 2.20 where he saith Ye are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ him selfe being the chiefe corner stone And 1. Cor. 3.11 For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laide which is Jesus Christ Likewise Augustine lib. 12. contra Faustum Manich cap. 1. and the Prophets by Ambrose lib. 2. de poenitent cap. 7. are saide to be the mouth of Christ After what māner the prophets expound the law of God and promises of Christ Secondly in that our definition is shewed the manner of expounding the law of God and promises of Christ by the prophets namely in that they foretel vnto the said Church things to come For they doe very plainly declare what iudgements of God shall come both vpon the Church it selfe and also vpon other nations and people of the world because of their contempt or despising of the doctrine conteined in the same lawe of God according vnto the revelation made vnto them by God Hereof commeth it to passe that the bookes of the Prophets are full of threatnings The prophets full of threatnings and of the feareful wrath of God prepared and readie against the world as appeareth in Esa chap. 13. ver 17 18. and in other places In Ierem. chap. 25. vers 44 47. and in other places Amos 1. Zach. 6.7 and in other places and so in the rest of the prophets also And Paul Rom 1. 8. saith that the wrath of God was made manifest from heaven against all vngodlines That which at all times by the Prophets of God
especially hath beene done Further what thinges the promised Messias should both suffer for vs in this world and with howe great glorie he should afterwardes be crowned and howe great benefits he should bestow vpon vs the selfe same Prophets of God have clearely foretold because that they did plainly confirme the promises of the Messias which was to come And hereunto doth Peter in his first epistle chap. 1.10 11 12. evidently beare record writing after this manner Of the which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched which prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you searching when or what time the spirite which testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ and the gâ—â—rie that should followe Vnto whome it was revealed that not vnto themselves but vnto vs they should minister the things that are nowe shewed vnto you by them which have preached vnto yon the Gospell by the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven The bookes of the prophets ful of excellent coÌ„forts the which things the Angels desire to behold Reade more of the sufferings and glorie of Christ and of the benefites which hereby doe come vnto vs Esa 53. Psal 22. Hereof it commeth to passe that the same books of the Prophets are stored and full of most excellent comforts The bookes of the prophets full of excellent comforts because they did shew that God was appeased with his Church by and for the Messias even then the redeemer mediatour of the same nay moreover according unto the revelation made unto them from God they did foretell the benefites both earthly and spirituall the which should befall unto the Church to come through the same good will and peace of God towards his in Christ That which by the reading of the prophets themselves may easily appeare to every one Here of is that saying of Paul Rom. 15.4 The things that are written the same doe appertaine to our comfort that is unto the Church that should be after them Now of these things is concluded that the selfe same parties the which did both expound the law of God and shew the Messias that was to come for the confirmation of both this their doctrine did foretell things to come by there velation of God of the which foretelling as the more wonderful part of their office they are called prophets that is foretellers of things to come The office of the Levites and Priests ordinarie not only interpreters expositours masters or teachers of the law For that expounding of the law the which might and ought to be made without the foretelling of things to come by the comparing or laying of things together which are like or dislike by the proper signification of the words or motion of God belonged no doubt to the Levites Priestes the which every Sabbath did teach the same law of God in the Synagogues of the Iewes as it is in Malach. 2.7 where he saith that the priests lippes should preserve knowledge and that they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes And of their ordinarie expounding of the law every sabbath there is testimony Act. 15.21 where Iames witnesseth that Moses of old time hath in every citie them that preach him seeing he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath day But this was an ordinary calling in the Church under the old testament like as now under the Gospell the office of the pastors in teaching the same Church is perpetuall and ordinary But the office of the prophets was extraordinarie The office of the Prophets extraordinarie For no man without the extraordinary revelation of God either then or at any time was able to foreknow and foreshew the things to come which they foretold Therefore the Levites in the Synagogues did not foretell any such certen things peculiarly to come to passe afterwardes Wherfore the prophets were extraordinarily called of God as contrary unto the usuall manner of the Levites Scribes and Priests beyond their capacity or understanding they did teach the people of God And God did set them out with such notes and spirituall ornaments that any man were he never so contentious or given to striving might easily be sure of their calling albeit extraordinarie although many times they did neither raise up the dead nor heale diseases nor shew any other miracles when as they used that their ministerie and came into the open face of the Church For God did sufficientlie commend them both by the truth maiesty of his doctrine and also by the extraordinarie knowledge of his divine or heavenly will Notes wherewith God commended his prophets by the which they were clearly known even of the most way ward peevish to excell above the capacity or understanding of the rest of the godly the which taught others also These delivering the wil of God heavenly doctrine sound pure peaking nothing to please men were the servants of God and not of men For albeit they gave reverence unto Magistrates and higher powers did not despise them as the whole popish Clergie at this day doth as Peter 2. Epist cap. 2. v. 10. complaineth of some that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse and despise the government which are presumptuous and stand in their owne conceit feare not to speake evill of them that are indigintie yet did they not flatter them or winke at the vices of Magistrates and spare them Nay they did sharply and with great boldnesse that is to say liberty of minde reproove all Magistrates as you may read Isa 1. Amos 7. and in Ieremie every where Wherof grew this saying That the prophets of God were to be beleeved the which also is now true as Augustine teacheth libr. 12. contra Faustum Manich. libr. 4. Trinitat cap. 17. And in the Sentences gathered out of August Sentent 214. For as Ambrose upon the epistle of Paul to Titus teacheth and that verie well they could not be deceived as being such as did speake as they were led of the spirit of God Now the Prophets which do foretell things to come not being called of God or promise any thing unto the Church Prophets not called of God by what names they are termed or doe teach in the same without any lawfull calling also those which deliver false things that is maintaine and defend false doctrine these are called lying prophets or false prophets and wicked prophets How the Scripture speaketh of prophets not sent of God Hosea 9.7 The Prophet is a foole the spiritual man is madde for the multitude of thine iniquities Ier. 23.25 I haue heard what the prophets said that prophesie lyes in my name saying I haue dreamed I haue dreamed Ezech. 13.3 Thus saith the Lord God VVoâ— vnto the foolish Prophets that follow their owne spirit and haue seene nothing Such are those which overthrow corrupt the
doctrine of Christ either in part or in whole as the heretikes of whome Peterepist 2. chap. 2.1 speaketh saying But there were false prophets also among the people euen in there shal be false teachers among you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themselves swift damnation Their doctrine by Paul is called a doctrine of devils 1. Tim. 4. Nowe the spirite speaketh evidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall give heede vnto spirites of error and doctrines of devils Iames chap. 3.15 calleth it earthly wisedome saying This wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthie sensuall and develish CHAP. 5. Of the dubble signification of the word prophesie as it is vsed in the holy Scriptures 1. Prophesie taken for expounding of the scriptures ACcording vnto the former definition of prophesie wherof there is vse in the church there hath begun to be a double signification of this worde to wit the one which betokeneth the onely expounding of the word of God comprehended in writing without any fore-shewing or fore-telling of things to come 2. For foretelling of things to come the other which is referred vnto the fore-telling of things to come Therefore both they which onely doe expound and teach the written worde oâ— God truely and syncerely or soundly and doe knowe nothing by extraordinarie revelation nor declare any thing to come are named Prophets notwithstanding and those likewise are called Prophets the which according vnto the peculiar and extraordinariâ— reuelation which they haue from God doe foretell things decreed by God The office of the old Prophets two-fold because this was the double office of the olde Prophets as we haue shewed namely to expound diligently and truly the law of God written and deliuered by Moses and to foretell things to come by the inspiration of the holy Ghost Both these significations of the word Prophesie and the same differing the one from the other is found as well in the old Testament The word Prophet in the olde testament taken for an expounder of the worde of God as in the newe And in the old Testament 1. Sam. ver 20. we reade thus And Saul sent messengers to take Dauid and when they sawe a companie of Prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as appointed ouer them the spirit of God fell vpon the messengers of Saul and they also prophesied And 2. King chap. 4. ver 38. Afterward Elisha returned to Gilgal and a famine was in the lande and the children of the Prophets dwelt with him Also Isai chap. 8. ver 18. Beholde I and the children whome the Lord hath giuen me an as signes and as wonders in Israel by the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in mount Sion In these and the like places the word Prophet in my iudgement for him which expoundeth the law or God written with a more majestie and exactnes then others can and not for him also the which doth foretell certaine things to come For I can not thinke that all those Why some in the scripture are called the sonnes and disciples of the Prophets which in the olde Testament are called the sonnes and disciples of the Prophets had also an extraordinarie reuelation from God of thinges to come but I iudge them so to be called because they applied themselues onely vnto the true vnderstanding and sound deliuering of the word of God written and diligently framed themselues thereunto Therefore they kept the puritie of the word of God and the doctrine from God deliuered by Moses and the other Prophets vncorrupt and sound And among them there were some which were as it were them masters of the others because that in the iudgement of all they did excell the rest and did appeare to be more furnished with the gifts of God that they might be masters vnto the rest as I said before Nowe these receiued from God the reuelation of things to come the which accordingly as they were commaÌ„ded by the spirit of God they did either onely deliuer ouer as it were by hand vnto those their disciples to be preserued and kept or else they did openly declare and vtter them vnto all the people Elizeus So Elizeus among the Prophets of his time was a master of the rest and one who himselfe did know thinâ—â—s to come but the rest which were called the sonnes or children of the Prophets vnder him as their master did wholly attend both vpon the exercise of true godlines and also vnto the learning and retaining of sound doctrine And this appeareth both out of 2. King chap. 4. and the 6. and also chap. 9. of the same booke ver 1. Where Elisha the Prophet called one of the children of the Prophets and saide vnto him Gird thy loynes and take this boxe of oyle in thine hand and get thee to Ramoâ—h Gilead For the same Prophet him selfe which annointed Iehu king did not knowe that it should come to passe before it was told him by Elizeus The word Prophet in the old testament takeÌ„ for him that foretelleth things to come This word Prophet in the old Testament is taken for him also the which foretelleth things to come by the spirit of God teaching him extraordinarily and that so often that I neede not stay any longer in citing testimonies for proofe of this matter and signification of the worde For so is the same worde taken where Isaias Ieremias Ezechiel Moses and these twelue small Prophets are called Prophets And this is the proofe of the double signification of this word Prophet out of the old testament The same is in like manner confirmed out of the new testament For Paul in the whole 14 chap. of the 1. Cor. and also Rom. 12. ver 6. Whether we haue prophesie The word Prophet in the new â—eâ—â—ament for an expounder of the scripture let vs prophesie doth take the word Prophet and prophesying for the onely expounding of the holy Scripture but in the same 1. epistle to the Cor. cap. 12 ver 10. he vseth the word prophesie for the foretelling of thinges to come as it is also done of Luke Act. 11. ver 27 28. For one that foretelleth things to come In those daies also came Prophets from Ierusalem vnto Antiochia And there stoode vp one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirit that there should be great famine thorough out all the worlde which also came to passe vnder Claudius Caesar And againe Act. 21. ver 10.11 And as we tarred there many daies there came a certaine Prophet from Iudea named Agabus And when he was come vnto vs he tooke Pauls girdle and bound his owne hands and feete and saide Thus saith the holy Ghost so shall the Iewes at Ierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle and shall deliuer him into the handes of the Gentiles But why stande I any longer vpon a thing that euery diuine knoweth
day may foresee certaine things to come and that thinges to come may be gathered and foretolde out of the worde of God by a certaine wise coniecture and reasoning but generally not particularly but by indefinite consideration of time not by any set and appointed day but beeing such as not onely one or two godly persons may foresee but all that are godly and wise but to be briefe beeing such thinges the which may and also ought to be gathered as effects from their causes by comparing of the promises and threatnings of God with the godly or vngodly life of the men of whome that Scripture speaketh and not such as he who so sheweth or foretelleth the iudgements and promises of God hath by the peculiar gift of God or by any extraordinarie spirite of prophesie For example sake thus it is written in Isai cap. 60. vers 12. â—he nation and kingdome that serueth not God shall perish nay shall vtterly be rooted out Out of this place what godly man may not gather that the kingdome of the Turkes howe mightie and invincible or vnconquerable it may seeme nowe for to be shall yet in the ende be destroied and ouerthrowne There is this threatning of God against idolatours Isai chap 1. vers 19. For they shall be con founded for the trees and groues which they haue desired That the Popedome therefore for the like idolatrie shall in the ende be confounded and chastened by God what godly man by wise coniecture may not conclude The things are infinite or without number that after this manner may be concluded Against Broccard and his companions such as are the paltrie and balsphemous prophesies of one Paul Grebner of the which some of them published in english were so greedily bought vp this last harâ—est â—590 and things to come foretold vnto the worlde both for the despising of the true heauenly doctrine and also of an holy life But these thinges are foretold in generalitie and are gathered of the life of men the which is a witnesse of their faith or of their infidelitie But these Broccardical-mates and Diviners doe foretell what shall fall out particularly vnto this or that kingdome and of this or that deliberation at such or such a time that is to say they professe or take vpon them that they can tell as if it were iust so written of these thinges expressely in the worde of God In the which the Scripture of God is plainely abused of these paltrie fellowes and they doe falsifie and corrupt it For that thing the which the Holy Ghost hath peculiarly and especially foretold of some one certaine nation the which God hath decreed that it shall come to passe at a certaine and set time the selfe same I say neither ought nor may particularly be applied vnto another nation and vnto another time For these thinges are bounded and limited by the worde of God and not onely spoken generally Neither doe these companions in those their predictions or foretellings out of the worde of God take the worde of God written as for their argument or doe bring their prophesies as conclusions by wise coniecture by them selues gathered but in such sort as if the selfe same thing which they foretell were expressely written in the worde of God and that in a manner in so many wordes as these superstitious persons doe set downe This therefore these fellowes would haue to be obserued or marked that the very names of cities peoples A â—ropeâ— surâ—â—se aâ—d new deuise of these new prophets and thinges are not extant or to be found in the holy and sacred Scriptures in so many syllables as they are at this day called but they wil haue the things forsooth which they foretell to haue beene onely darkned and hidden vnder a diuerse name So Tyrus a towne of Syria in Ezechiel is with Broccard Antwerpe that is a citie of Brabant so Babylon in Isai is Parise in France with the saide Broccarde and thus forsooth may these men play the fooles And nowe seeing I am fallen into this vaine it shall not peraduenture be besides the purpose in this place to set downe what I thinke of the writings of this Broccard of the which I my selfe haue had conference with him selfe the author of them For from the Synod of Middleburge which is the chiefe citie of the Iland of Valacria in Zeland I Broccard conferred with all about his writings and the worshipfull and learned Martinus Lydius a most faithfull minister of the worde of GOD in Austerodam in Hollande in the yeere of our Lorde 1582 were appointed to conferre with this Broccarde about his writings propheticall The which when he was nor able to maintaine and defende at the last he excused him selfe nay he complained that they were not his owne but were put forth and printed by the meanes and at the charges of certaine others vnto whom he had communicated or imparted them and thus this good fellow did at that time condemne and renounce the vnhappie birth of his wit and that rightly and freely Absurdities of â—â—e propheticall writings of Broccard 〈◊〉 Absurditie As for the thinges the which in these propheticall writings of Broccard as he tearmeth them I doe dislike they are these for the most part albeit out of a great many but a fewe First that according vnto the opinion and interpretation of this man hee will haue and presupposeth that the olde prophesies in the Scripture are not yet fulfilled For all things which by the old Prophets haue beene foretold concerning the ouerthrowe of Ierusalem Egypt Sidon Tyrus and other nations and cities that they should come to passe after a certaine manner and a certaine and set time this Broccarde doth referre and take as thinges yet to come and such as haue beene no more foretold of those câ—ties and countries then of France Antwerpe the Prince of Aurange Condie and men and thinges of our time Which if it be true what fulfilling and accomplishment of the olde prophesies may there I pray you be thought to haue beene Doutlesse none at all The old prophesies not yet fulfilled in the iudgement of Broccard by the opinion and interpretation of Broccard for as much as those Cities or Countries of the which notwithstanding expresse mention hath beene made by the Prophets are not meant but those which are and doe remaine in this our age and that as he saith neither that manner nor that time albeit neuer so much limited by them is the manner or the time past or which hath beene alreadie but is either present or yet nowe for to come Wherefore those prophesies can not be saide to be yet fulfilled The which if it be supposed to be true what will profane persons mockers think of those things which the selfe same same Prophets of God haue foretold should come to passe concerning Christ Shall not they also be iudged as yet to be vnfulfilled Shall not the whole written worde of God
the prophets of God â—eased in the Church In the second place it is demanded VVhen the prophets ceased in the Church of God Vnto the which question that I may the more plainly make answer I say that of the prophets of God some were under the old testament and some under the new VVherefore if the question be of the Prophets of the old Testament I answer with the wordes of Christ himselfe Mat. 11. verse 13. That the law and the prophets continued untill Iohn the Baptist and from that time ceased and had their end For after that Christ the promised Messias came into the world and was made manifest or shewed as he was by the finger by Iohn the Baptist often pointed vnto when as Iohn beholding Christ walking said unto his disciples and unto the people This is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1. ver 29. the olde Testament then ceased and therfore the prophesies and the prophets also ceased which did foretell of Christ or the Messias that was to come in the flesh because that nowe hee was alreadie come For Moses and the Prophets which were under the law The prophets of the old Testament â—eased at the comming of Christ or vnder the olde Testament did onely foretell of Christ to come in the flesh When as hee therefore was come and tooke vpon him our flesh this kinde of Prophets ceased and new came in their stead Therefore Iohn the Baptist him-selfe which sawe with his eyes Christ incarnate or in the flesh is said to have beene more then a Prophet Matth. 11. cap. ver 9. And some doe gather out of the writings of the Rabbines and Thalmudists that Simeon of whome Luke maketh mention cap. 2. ver 25. was the last of these godly prophets of the old Testament For the Thalmudists will have and doe teach that in this Simeon the spirite of Prophesie ceased among the Iewes And they make Rabbi Ionathan who wrote the Chaldee translation and interpretation of the holy Bible to be of the same time with him Finally they wrote that this Simeon was the disciple of Hillel Howsoever it be the godly prophets of the old Testament were onely untill Iohn the Baptist For from him began the kingdome of God and the gospell that is the new Testament as Marke the Evangelist speaketh cap. 1. Therefore what prophets soever were among the Iewes after Christ his suffeâ—ing and rising againe from the dead Notes of false prophets after Christs time and his receiving into heaven or after the overthrowing of the temple of Ierusalem which either saide that they were the Messias or did foretell that the Messias was then first to come in the flesh were false prophâ—â—s 1. Ioh. cap. 2. ver 22. VVho is a lyar but he that denieth that Iesus is Christ The same is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne And againe Ioh. 4. ver 3. And every spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist c. Of which sorte among others was that notable robbet and varlet Barchobab Barchobab of whome there is in Euseb l. 4. Hist Eccl. c. 6. and Nicephl 3. cap. 24. Now when these former Prophets that is the Prophets of the old Testament ceased then began the Prophets of the newe Testament When the prophâ—ts of the new Testament began Christ a prophet of the new Testamâ—nt of which sort there were many especially Christ himselfe the Prophet of Prophets but so far forth as he was man and made manifest or shewed in the flesh Afterward the Apostles if not all yet many of them for the office of the Apostles and Prophets was distinct or diuerse the one from the other 1. Cor. 12. ver 19. Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all teacher such a one was Paul as appeareth Rom 11. ver 25. in these words For I would not brethren Paula prophet that ye should be ignorant of this secret least ye should be arrogant in your selues that partly obstinacie is come to Israel vntill the fulnes of the Gentiles be come in which sheweth that he prophesieth of the conuersion of the Iewes And 1. Tim. 4. ch ver 1. Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of deuils where be prophesieth of a falling from the truth in the latter times And Peter also was a Prophet as may easily be gathered out of his 2. Peter a prophet epist cap. 2. ver 1 2. c. where hee prophesieth of false teachers and cap. 3. ver 3. where he foretelleth of mockers and scorners Likewise Iohn the Evangelist was a Prophet as his first epist cap. 4. and his Reuelation doth proue Iohn the evangelist a prophet But after the Apostles there were others also which were Prophets of God yet but for a time onely and vntill Christ by the preaching of the Gospell wras plainely and throughly made manifest For the holy Scripture maketh mention of Agabus the Prophet Act. 11. ver 28. Agabus who liued in the dayes of the Apostles and of the daughters of Philip the Evangelist which were prophetisses Act. 21. ver 9. The daughters of Philip the evangelist And furthermore Iustinus against Tryphon the Iewe doth testifie that the gift of prophesie was in the Church vntill his times The which thing also Eusebius lib. 4. Histor Eccles cap. 18. rehearseth out of him But these Prophets which liued vnder the Gospel were both in dignitie and degree and in time also inferiour vnto the Apostles but aboue and higher then the Doctours and Pastours Therefore the Prophets of the Gospell are rehearsed in the second place that is after the Apostles Eph. cap. 4. ver 11. He therefore gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and teachers And 1. Corinth cap. 12. ver 29. Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all teachers Nowe there is a question when these Prophets of the newe Testament ceased or had their ending When the prophets of the nâ—w Testament ceased Certes albeit I confesse that God for the confirmation of his Gospell would haue the gift of Miracles and Tongues and of Prophesie to flourish long in his Church yet were those giftes first by little and little diminished as it is most certaine and afterwards vtterly taken away to wit after that the doctrine of the Gospell was sufficiently and throughly confirmed and approoued Whereof it came to passe that both the gift of Miracles and of Tongues and also of Prophesie at the length ceased in the Church But the gift of prophesie which foretold thinges to come did then especially take his ende When the gift of prophesie ceased after that Saint Iohn his Apocalypse was written of him by reuelation from God For it containeth
had receiued from the opinion of the seaventie Interpreters that they were so to be placed as Ierome sheweth in his preface vpon Ioel. But Augustine who was after Epiphanius lib. 2. de doctr Christ cap. 8. Augustine doth reckon them otherwise namely thus Oleas Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Abakuk Sophonias Aggeus Zacharias Malachias and this out of the chiefe of the Hebrewes or Rabbines as the selfe same Ierome writeth who him selfe notwithstanding setteth not downe his owne opinion Jsiodorus Isidorus Episcop Hispalens lib. 7. Etymologic cap. de Prophetis doth number them thus Oseas Ioel Amos Nahum Abakuc Micheas Sophonias Abdias Ionas Zacharias Aggeus Malachias disagreeing from them both to wit the Hebrewes and the Seventie Out of all which appeareth howe diuerse the opinion of the Ecclesiasticall or Church-writers hath beene of the order and placing of the XII Prophets which are called the small Prophets And I doubt not but that more also may be gathered of the studious and diligent if a man would seeke after the opinion of euery one but I for shortnesse sake will be content with these by the which is vnderstoode howe that a man is not carefull of this matter in vain and that hee may without enuie set downe and shewe his opinion or iudgement also of these thinges Wherefore out of this by path to returne into the way at the length I say that by the consideration of the times it seemeth vnto me thus that Amos is to be set in the second place that is after Ionas because in time he followed next vnto Ionas Wherein this rule generally is to be followed of vs A rule for the finding of the antiquitie of one Prophet before another That those Prophets which doe witnesse that they prophesied vnder the former or elder Kings the same may also be deemed to haue beene former or more olde and auncient then those which prophesied vnder the latter Kings albeit that the same doe often concurie and meete with those other younger ones and liuce at the same time because that those former Prophets continued long in their office of prophesying So Oseas and Isaias doe liue and prophesie at the same time of the which notwithstanding without all doubt Oseas liued first or beganne to prophesie and therefore it is to be iudged to be first For Oseas maketh mention also of Ieroboam king of Israell who was the sonne of Ioas and witnesseth that he prophesied vnder him Nowe this Ieroboam was more auncient then those kings vnder whome Isaias witnesseth that hee was and also prophesied Wherefore in as much as Amos was and also prophesied vnder that same Ieroboam King of Israel and sonne of Ioas two yeare before the earthquake which fell into the second yeare of Vzias King of Iudah it appeareth that Amos was in age before him and therefore more ancient then Oseas Amos more ancient then Oseas and Isaias who notwithstanding prophesied under the same king Now Oseas prophesied long after that same famous earthquake and when as Vzias had bene and was now a good while confirmed in his kingdome in the beginning of which Vzias his raigne Amos notwithstanding began to foretel things to come by Gods commaundement VVherefore this must be the order of the xii Prophets Ionas Amos after Amos I place Oseas for Oseas began to prophesie about the last dayes of Ieroboam sonne of Ioas king of Israel Oseas as appeareth by his owne testimonie cap. 1. v. 1. The word of the Lorde that came vnto Oseas the sonne of Beeri in the dayes of Vzias Iotham Achas and Hezekiah kinges of Iuda and in the dayes of Ieroboam sonne of Ioas hing of Jsrael And Oseas prophesied in the kingdome of Israel at the which selfe same time albeit he began after him and were younger then he prophesied also in the kingdome of Iuda that same Isaias which was of the kings stocke After Oseas followeth in order Micheas another of the twelve who prophesied under Ioatham Achaz and Ezechias kings of Iuda Micheas before the carrying a way of the ten tribes by the Assyrians Mich. 1. cap. v. 1. Then worde of the Lorde which came unto Micah the Morashite in the dyes of Iothan Achaz and Hezekiah kings of Iudah c. And Ieremy also maketh mention of his prophesying under Hezekiah cap. 26. v. 18. in these wordes Micah the Morashite prophesied in the dayes of Hezekiah king of Iudah c. And these so many Prophets had this fift age that is to say these which follow and which are Nathan Ahias the Silonite Semeias Iadi Addo Obed Azarias Anani Iehu Elias Micheas the first Elizaerus Ionas Amos Oseas Isaias Micheas the second or the Morashite besides those that are not named by their proper names in the holy scripture The sixt age now followeth and the same continueth from the carrying away of the ten Tribes which were the kingdome of Israel made by Salmanazar king of the Assyrians The sixt age frō the carying away of the ten Tribes untill the full captivitie of Babylon 133. yeres had these prophets untill the times of the full captivitie of Babylon the which happened unto the kingdom of Iuda to wit after the overthrow of the kingdome of Israel namely when as the Iewes with their king Zedekias were wholly carried unto Babylon and Media by Nabuchadnezzar Emperour of the Babylonians and not onely begunne to be carried away For they beganne to be carried away vnder Ioacim king of the Iewes 18 yeres before their full and through captivity This sixt age containeth 133 yeeres For so much space of time passed betweene the ten tribes of the kingdome of Israel carried away by the Assyrians and that full captivitie of the Iewes made by the king of Babylon as it appeareth by the continuall succession of the kings of Iudah 2. King 17.18 cap. and so foorth For the first captivitie or carrying away of the Iewes by the Babylonians beganne in the reigne of Ioacim sonne of Iosias having reigned now 4 yeres as I haue saide already and appeareth Matth. 1. cap. ver 11. and in the first yeere of the Empire of Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 1. vers 1. And the last or full captivitie fell out vnder Sedechias the king having reigned no we eleven yeres In this age the Prophets so succeeded one another that there seemeth to have beene no interruption or breaking off For the prophets of God which lived in this ninth time succeeded next vnto Micheas the Morashite And the first of them in my iudgement and so farre as I can gather all things beeing considered was Nahum For he seemeth vnto me to haue beene Nahum and to have prophesied next after Micheas and after the carrying away of the ten Tribes of Israel by the Assyrians to wit vnder die king Ezechias when as yet now the Empire of the Assyrians florished in all respects and no man so much as once durst by dreame to thinke of the fall
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 appertaine 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 The iudgement of some of the gathering of the writings of the Prophets 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 prophets 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 anâ— to write in it with a mans pen c. And Habakuk 2. God commandeth Habakuk to write the vision and to make it plaine upoâ— tables that hee may runne that readeth it they would confirâ—â— 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 theâ—â— oracles or prophesies in writing for that they did make for thâ— 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 gathered together and preserved or kept by the Priestes or Ministers of the Temple The confutatioÌ„ of the former opinion For if this were the maner of publishing and lawfull setting abroad of the prophesies what should haâ—â— become of those prophesies and prophets who executed theâ—â— office in the kingdome of Israel as for example Amos did wheâ—â— 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 Temples 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 honourable testimony of their writings the which places they themselves 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 Vzias 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 Danaeus his iudgement of the gathering together of the writings of the prophets 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 also those whome they tearme the great Prophets because of the greater workes which they wrote did in such sort deale concerning 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 accordingly as they were mooued by the spirit of God and accordingly 〈◊〉 they were commanded by God to execute their office in Iudâ—â— 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 Aâ— so by this meanes that very excellently and easily their doctriâ—â— became knowne unto the whole people by that often repetitiâ— and making sermons many times of one matter unto the peoplâ— unto whome they were sent by God so that it was manifest aâ—â—certen unto every one what those prophets had said or shoulâ— say The prophets themselves did put the summe and effect of their prophesies in writing Now after that their prophesies and doctrine according aâ— was by them delivered was knowen unto the people the prâ—â—phets themselues did briefly comprehend in writing those the prophesies the which they were expressely by God commaâ—â—ded to set foorth to the end that being by them thus writteâ— 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 sayâ—â— of Ambrose It belongeth vnto the people to discerne the spirits the Prophets For that if they had not first openly declared thâ— doctrine neither were they wont to be called prophets 〈◊〉 their writings to be read Moses So Moses himselfe is commanded God to write those things which hee had foretold concerniâ—â— the destruction of the Amalechites should
exposition of all the propheticall bookes of the old Testament The historie the method especially to be noted in the prophets these two things especially are diligently to be observed and noted namely their history and their method or order in writing The history touching the things persons and times where with the severall bookes of the prophets deale and of the which they speake VVherein notwithstanding wee are litle or nothing holpen by the prophane Historicians if you except those things the which are set downe in the 11. chp. of Dan. for the easie understanding whereof that maketh very much the which Tit. Livius Appianus Plutarchus and some other writers of credit of the Greeke and Latine history have left unto us But as concerning the things which appertaine into the former age they receive either none at all or else very small light from the prophane Historiographers I meane Herodotus Diodorus Siculus Xenophon and such other like For with them all that age was either confused or disorderly mingled or bewrapped with tables or altogither unknown wherefore the whole historie of those former times is of us to be sought for out of the word of God written only yet hath there none hitherto in my iudgement bene found who hath wholly gathered it as it ought by the diligent and carefull comparing and laying togither of the holy scripture with it selfe albeit many have written many Histories Chronicles fardels of times c. The new writers do here more further us unto the knowledge of these matters as Iosephus Scalig. the very light of his age in his books de Emend Temporum Matthaeus Beroaldus a man whilest he lived Ios Scaliger Beroaldus my very friend Franciscus Iunius in a maner my citizen and most deare unto me Iunius a man of singular learning in his late scholies and notes most learned in my iudgement upon the Bible and finally Arias Montanus in Biblico suo apparatu for I would not have any mans praise taken from him yet for all this there is wanting unto us at this day such a writing the which out of the word of God might conteine the whole Arias Montanus that is a iust and full historie of the former times of the universall worlde the which 〈◊〉 being holpen with the writings of other men am about if God graunt me life and leisure for I wrote this at Orthesium in the yeare of the Lord 1584 being now fiftie yeere olde and that the peace of the Church will suffer it In the meane season le◠euery man note and gather for him selfe as much as hee can out of the whole holy Scripture whatsoever appertained unto the historie of the prophets The methode also or order of the prophets is diligently to be noted of vs The method or maner of writing of the prophets to the ende that the exposition or knowledge of them may be cleare and easie unto us For albeit 〈◊〉 Lactantius writeth libr. 5. Institut Christian cap. 1. the prophets of God as unto the people did speake in the commo◠and plaine language yet as Augustine writeth Libr. 4. de Doct. Christian cap. 7. the same were eloquent men and they ofter used figures in writing under which they covered many things the which by how much the more they seeme to be covered i◠borrowed speeches by so much are they the more sweete when as they are opened especially if they be referred unto the newe Testament Rules to be observed in the Prophets Let us therefore brieflie shewe what profitable rules especially are in their writings As for the te … they that are diligent may gather out of Augustine lib. 4. de Doctr. Christ cap. 7. The first and the chiefest rule shall be That those things the which the Prophets doe foretell to come to passe hereafter they do so tell them They foretell things to come as if they were present or alreadie past as if they were now present or else already past to the end the certenty of the thing to come and by them foretold may be understood to be the greater Therefore the verbe◠which they use in the preterperfectense or time past are to be taken for the future tense that is in the signification of the future or time to come and that in all prophesies and alwaies like as wen they tell of a thing done that those things which the prophets doe say to have bene or to haue come to passe by verbe of the preter tense or time past we doe expound that the same things shall come to passe and by a verb of the future tense or time to come albeit by them they be as I said conceived and uttered by a verbe of the preter tense or time past Examples whereof sith every one may meete withall there is no neede to make any stay in the alledging of them And especially this rule is to be followed when as they prophesie of Messias the king to come in the flesh For they deliver those things as alreadie done the which notwithstanding were as yet to come For they had their accomplishment in Christ whereupon it is said that the old Testament beareth witnesse unto the new 2. Rule Things spoken figuratively not to be taken simply The second rule is That we expound not nor take not those things which by them haue bene said or done tropically and figuratively as if they had bene only said or done naturally or simply albeit I deny not that they were done according to the letter or literally for that the writings of the Prophets are full of tropes and figurative kindes of speaking it is more knowen then that any man can doubt thereof the which hath read but one onely leafe in them So Mich. 1. So Isa 1. Many of the doings of the prophets mysticall and signes of things to come So every where that there are to be founde many actions and deedes of theirs the which are also mysticall and signes of things to come and not onely to be read according to the letter and as things by them barely done Augustine hath long since very notably taught writing against Faustus Otherwise they might be thought to be madde and franticke persons who notwithstanding were mooved by the holy Ghost unto the doing of them in such order and therein did altogether obey God and were most wise So Isaias goeth bare footed Isai cap. 20. vers 2. Isaias bare footed So Ieremie weareth a vvoodden chaine about his necke Ieremy weareth a woodden chaine Ierem. cap. 28. vers 10. So Ezechiel carrying his stuffe vpon his shoulder in a darke night making an hole in the vvall goeth into another mans house Ezech. cap. 12. vers 7. Ezechiel carieth his stuffe by night into another mâs house All these were the doinges of men well in their wits nay of godly men being so commanded by God but to be expounded mystically and not onely according unto the bare deed
wrath of God against the people of Israel for the sinne of idolatrie he pronounced or declared health vnto the house of Iudah For the which it is shewed that Ezechias king of Iudah taking away the idols the which the former kings had halowed did purge and clense the Temple of the Lord. IOel the Lord God or Beginning vnto God or He was Gods Joel For this doth his name sound in an vncertaine signification AMos a people pulled away For his prophesie was vnto the people of Israel because it was now rent from the Lord Amos. and â—rued the golden calues or was pulled away from the kingdome of the stocke of Dauid NAhum a bud or a Comforter Nahum For he doth rebuke the citie for bloud and after the ouerthrow thereof he comforeth Sion saying Behold vpon the mountaines the feete of him that ringeth glad tidings and declareth peace ABacuk Embracing Abacuk because that either for this that he was beloued of the Lord he is called embracing or for that he â—ommeth into battell with God he hath the name embracing at is wrastling For none so boldly durst chalenge God vnto the disputing of his righteousnes namely why in the affaires of men of men 〈◊〉 of this world there was in things so great iniquitie MIcheas Micheas who is he This one that is left For he threatnâ— Samaria for the cause of Idols after that manner of 〈◊〉 which another saith Who is this that wrappeth vp sentences SOphonias is expounded Sophonias the glasse or secret of the Lord. Bâ— agreeth vnto the Prophets For they know the mysteries oâ—â— crets of the Lord. Whereupon it is said vnto Ezechiel I haue mâ— thee a Watchman or in Espiall ouer the house of Israel And in other place The Lord will not doe any thing vnlesse he reueale â—pen it vnto his seruants the Prophets ABdias Abdias The seruant of the Lord. For as Moses was the â—uant of the Lord and the Apostle the truant of Christâ—oâ—â— Prophet being sent an Embassadour vnto the Gentiles doth and preach such things as are beseeming the ministerie sent of a Prophet and thereupon he is called the seruant or the Lo IOnas expounded a Doue Ionas or sorrowing A doue for his â—owing when he was in the bellie of the Whale Sorrow either for the sorrow which he had for the saluation of the Nâ—vites or for the Iuie tree suddenly withering with whose shaâ— he was couered against the heate of the sunne He also as Iewes doe hold is Amathi the sonne of the widowe of Saraâ—whome Helias raised from death his mother saying vnto him terward Now I know that thou art a man of God and the woâ—â— of the Lord in thy mouth is true and for this cause the childe called Amathi For Amathi out of Hebrew into english signifâ—â— truth and of this that Helias spake the truth he which was raâ— was called the sonne of truth ZAcharias Zacharias The remembrance of the Lord. For the seuenâ— yeare of the destruction of the Temple beeing ended â—â—charias preaching the Lord remembred his people and by commandement of Darius the people of God returned the tie and the Temple is reedified or builded againe AGgeus in english Aggeus signifieth ioyfull and glad For he propfieth that the Temple destroyed must be built vp againe and after the sorow of their captiuitie preacheth the ioy of their return MAlachias is interpreted the Angel that is Malachias the Messenger of the Lord. For whatsoeuer he spake it was beleeued as if had beene commaunded from the Lord and therefore the Seuentie haue thus translated his name saying The taking vp of the word of the Lord vpon Israel by the hand of his Angel Now not onely a good man but also a wicked man may haue Prophesie For we finde that Saul the king did prophesie For he persecuted the holy one Dauid and beeing filled with the holy Ghost began to prophesie The ende of the Fore-notes THE WORLD FROM THE CREATION vntill the comming of Christ diuided into seuen ages and what Prophets of name flourished in euery one of them as more at large in the fore-notes appeareth The first age of the worlâ— from the creation vâ—to the flood containing 1656. yeares had these Prophets Adam Abel Enoch Noach The second age from the floud vntil the first calling of Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldees con aining 422. yeares had either none at all or els very fewe prophets knowne vnto vs out of the word of God except these may be couÌ„ted in that nuÌ„ber Sem Melchisedech The third age from the first calâ—ing of Abraham vnit the giuing of the Lawe by Motes in the desert of Sinai containing 430 yeares had these Prophets Abraham Isaach Iaacob Ioseph Aaron Miriam the prophetisse The fourth age from the giuing of the Law vntill the building of the Temple by Salomon containing 480. yeares bad thâ—se Prophets Ioshua Debora the Prophetisse Samuel Dauid Nathan Gad The sift age from the TeÌ„ple vnto the captiuitie of the ten tribes containing 294. yeares had Prophets almost innumerable but of name these Ahias Iadi Semeias Addo Azarias Hanani Iehu Elias Micheas 1. Elizeus Ionas Amos Oseas Esaias Micheas 2. The 6 age froÌ„ the captiuitie of the teÌ„ tribes till the times of the full captiuitie of Babylon is 133. yeares in this age flourished these Prophets whose names are recorded in the Scriptures Nahum Ieremie Ioel Olda the prophetisse Sophonias Abdias Habacuk Ezechiel The seuenth and last age from the captiuitie of Babylon vntill the birth of Christ containing 508. yeares had these Prophets whose names are written in the Bible Daniel Aggeus Zacharias Zacharias father of Iohn Baptist Simeon Malachias Anna the prophetisse A COMMENTArie of Lambertus Danaeus vpon the Prophet Ioel. CHAP. I. THE drift and ende of this Prophet Two ends of this Prophet is two fold the one proper and peculiar vnto this Prophet in a manner 1 Proper and peculiar namely to teach with howe great aptnesse to learne and with how readie obedience we ought to obey God when he calleth and how that vnto this matter we are not to take to counsell neither flesh nor bloud as Paul speaketh Galat. 1. ver 15 16. saying of himselfe But when it pleased God which had separated me from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne in me that I should preach him among the Gentiles immediatly I communed not with flesh and bloud neither ought we to be troubled about the euent or issue of this our trauaile and ministerie or seruice to be done Act. 26. ver 19. Wherefore king Aâ—rippa I was not disohedient vnto the heauenly vision 1. Pet. cap. 5. â—er 2. Feede ye the flocke of God so much as in you lieth saith the Spirit of God Of the which places the first in like cases requireth our obedience and the latter our vtmost endeuour and diligence For there is a
afterwards he commeth vnto those which were peculiarly addressed vnto the Israelites vnto whom by name he was from God appoynted a Prophet Furthermore hee rehearseth those also which were ordayned against the Iewes themselues that is against the kingdome of Iudah because they also did vaunt themselues vpon the praise and title of the people and inheritance of God and that vpon better reason then the kingdome of Israel And thus much concerning the threatnings As for the promises Amos hath the same which other Prophets haue to wit first generall vnto all mankinde then particular vnto the true Church of God for and through the Messias promised vnto the Fathers that is our Lord Iesus Christ the which this our Prophet for the comfort of the godly doth excellently set downe But concerning the time wherein Amos prophesied The time wherein Amos prophesied thus I thinke sauing the iudgement of others the which I would not by this mine opinion haue to be forestalled Amos seemeth vnto me to haue been the second of all those Prophets whose prophesies wee haue in the volume as well of the great as also the small Prophets the which are extant or to be found in the Canonical bookes of the holy Scriptures And I thinke that he liued almost after fortie yeares at the least from the death of the Prophet Elizeus was by God raysed vp in the kingdome of Israel for that the same part of the people especially wanted earnest admonitions when as it had cast away the Word of God and the true Sacrifices and in the roome thereof set vp their owne The reason why the Prophet Amos is thought to haue prophesied about this time The reason of mine opinion is this because that Elizeus dyed at least about the first beginning of the reigne of Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz king of Israel for 2. King cap. 13. ver 14. mention is made that Ioas came to visite Elizeus lying in his death-bed in these words When Elisha fell sicke of his sicknes whereof he dyed Ioash the King of Israel came downe vnto him and wept on his face and sayd O my father O my father c. And that this was in the beginning of his reigne the diligent considering of that which followeth in that chapter and in the beginning of the next will easilie declare And from that time vntill the 27. yeare of King Ieroboam who was the sonne of this Ioas and in the first yeare in the which Vzzias began to reigne in Iudah which was the time of the beginning of this prophesie there doe come 41. yeares betweene So Amos then liued and prophesied in that age as he himselfe teacheth Ionai seemeth to haue been before Amos. But the Prophet Ionas seemeth in time to haue bin before him which Ionas his booke of prophesie is in the Canon or among the Canonicall bookes of the Bible for as much as either in the reigne of Ioas the father of this Ieroboam about the 27. yeare of whose reigne Amos might haue begun to prophesie or at least wise about the beginning of the reigne of this Ieroboam Ionas executed his office as appeareth 2. King cap. 14. ver 23. and so to the end of the chapter and as I haue shewed before in my notes before these Prophets So that the beginning of the Prophet Ionas may seem to haue bin some certain yeres after the death of Elizeus the succession of the Prophets for a time being discontinued as easily may be gathered if 2. King cap. 13. ver 14 be compared with cap. 14. ver 25. Wherefore among the Prophets Ionas the first in time of all the Prophets canonicall whose writings are in the Canonicall Scripture Ionas is the first in respect of time For that which is obiected of Micheas whose booke of prophesies is extant is against this nothing at all because that Micheas is not the same Micheas the which prophesied in the dayes of King Achab and was before Ionas And this our Amos is second Amos the second Oseas the third Oseas third who fell into the times of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel and Vzzias the sonne of Amasias king of Iudah but because he is sayd to haue prophesied vnto the times of King Ezechias it is likely that he began not at the selfe same beginning and instant of time in the which those two Kings each in his kingdome began to reigne but a little after For by the space of 14. yeares they reigned together Ieroboam in Israel and Vzzias in Iudah Therefore if we do graunt that Oseas began to prophesie an yeare or two after that same earthquake two yeare before the which Amos prophesied Oseas must then begin to execute his office in the 31. or 32. yeare of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel and in the 4. or 5. yeare of Vzzias king of Iudah For I hold that the same earthquake happened in the second yeare of the reigne of Vzzias and in the thirtith yeare of the reigne of this Ieroboam And Oseas prophesied vnto the beginning of Ezechias king of Iudah beginning at the 32. yeare of the reigne of Ieroboam sonne of Ioas which fell into the fifth yeare of Vzzias the king of Iudah that is by the space of full 70 yeares well neere Oseas prophesied almost full 70 yeares and Amos but 14. But Amos seemeth to haue finished his office within the space of that time wherein this Ieroboam of Israel and Vzzias of Iudah liued in one age together in their Kingdomes and Empires to wit by the space onely of 14. yeares For Amos maketh mention of no other King either of Israel or of Iudah but of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas and of Vzzias And thus much of Ionas Amos and Oseas Esaias the 4. Prophet in order and time The fourth in order and time seemeth to haue been Isaias and to haue begun his office after Oseas but to haue continued it longer namely vntill the times of King Manasses by whom about the beginning of his reigne Isaias was put to death For when as Isaias maketh no mention of this Ieroboam who was the sonne of Ioas but of Vzzias Ioatham c. only he seemeth indeed to haue begun to prophesie vnder Vzzias king of Iudah but that same Ieroboam being now dead vnder whom both Amos and Oseas had now executed their office of Prophets Therefore in as much as Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel dyed in the 14. yeare of Vzzias the king Isaias cannot seeme to haue prophesied before this time but afterwards about the 16. yeare of the reigne of Vzzias From which time vnto Manasses and the beginning of his reigne there come betweene aboue 80. yeares all which time Isaias must haue executed the office of a Prophet for he himselfe cap. 7. maketh mention of three score yeares Vers 1. The words of Amos who was among the heardmen at Tecoa which he saw vpon Israel in
Amasias Therefore when God commandeth any thing to be done in any certaine place or time or manner iâ— must in euery point be so done as he hath appointed and wee may not vpon any occasion goe one haires bredth from that commandement of God There are examples in Saul whilest he spareth the King Agag and the fat cattell 1. Sam. 15. In the Prophet eating meate with the Prophet of Israel in the citie of Beth-el against the commandement of God 1. King 13. Because we must neither puâ— ought to A description of the extraordinarie calling of Amos. or take ought from the word of God Further this verse setteth downe the calling of Amos and the same extraordinarie vnto this office and charge of prophesying against the kingdome of Israel that it may bee knowne that this which he doth he doth of dutie So then here is a description of a calling altogether extraordinary the which neither is nor was any way made by the meanes of men but immediatly from God not by man nor of men but by God himselfe as Paul saith of his calling Galat. cap. 1. ver 1. and 15. Therefore saith Amos I became not such a one that is a Prophet either by any succession of families as the Leuites come to their office nor by the ordinance or reâ—â—â—ing of any man which was my master and teacher For there were among the Israelites certaine colledges or schooles of the Prophets as we reade 2. King cap. 4. ver 38. where it may appeare that Elizaeus was as it were the master and head of them After 〈◊〉 saith the text Elisha returned to Gilgal and a famine was in the land and the children of the Prophets dwelt with him c. For proâ— of this also maketh the first verse of the sixt chapter of this foresaid booke By children hee meaneth his disciples and schollers albeit this place by some be taken otherwise Hereunto also appertaineth that of the Prophet Isai cap. 8 ver 18. where he saith Behold I and the children whome the Lorâ— hath giuen me are as signes and as wonders by the Lord of hostes 〈◊〉 dwelleth in mount Sion But saith Amos I was not after this soâ—â— trained vp and instructed For I was altogether a countrey man anâ— a heardman liuing in the fieldes and after the rude and countrey manner being little conuersant and knowne among men Vers 15. And the Lorde tooke mee as I followed the flocke and the Lord said vnto me Goe prophesie vnto my people Israel Another point of an extraordinarie calling ANother part of an extraordinarie vocation or calling to wit than this calling was made by God himselfe For Amos doth not onely here shut out the ordinarie meane which is to be called by men but also setteth downe the extraordinary which is to bee ordained immediatly from God Hoe therefore confirmeth himselfe to bee a simple countrey man by profession and kinde of life and which was taken from the keeping of the flock vnto the office of a Prophet like as it is also said of Dauid the King Psal 78. ver 70.71 He chose Dauid also his seruant and tooke him from the sheepe-folds Euen from behinde the Ewes with young brought he him to feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel Lastly Amos addeth expreslie the commandement it selfe of God concerning his prophesying and the persons vnto whom he was sent by God Vers 16. Now therefore heare thou the word of the Lord. Thou saist prophesie not against Israel and speake nothing against the house of Ishak The second answer of Amos vnto Amasias ANother or the second answer of Amos vnto Amasias wherein he threatneth vnto him most grieuous punishment for that his rashnes in staying and letting so far as in him was the course and will of the word of God that hereby all malapart and saucie persons against God or his Prophets may vnderstand that whilest so much as in them lieth they doe stop and hinder the truth of God it is so farre off that hereby they shal bring any thing to passe or doe any good that they shall win and bring vpon themselues most miserable desâ—rection And therfore doth Gamaliel Act. 5. ver 38.39 saiâ—e wise counsell to his colleagues and fellowes to leaue of their â—â—â—erprise against the Apostles saying Refraine your selues from these men and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke bee of men it will come to nought but if it bee of God yee cannot destroy it least ye he found euen fighters against God And so cap. 12. you shall reade how Herod wearied himselfe in vaine by seeking for the gratifying or pleasing of the Iewes to make Peter a spectacle of his bloodie crueltie God wonderfullie mocking disappoynting his â—â—â—â—ie all deuises Examples of those which by thus striuing haue wrought their owne bane the holy Scripture afoordeth in great plentie as 1. King 18. ver 4. Of the drying vp the arme of Ieroboam the first Ieroboam stretching out the same to stay the Prophet whom God had sent to preach against his altar In Sedechias or Zidkiiah Zidkiiah who opposeth or setteth himselfe against Michaiah whose punishment Michaiah sheweth him shall be to runne from chamber to chamber in the end to saue his life from the enemies the which shall seeke to spill the same 1. King 22. ver 25. Likewise Ierem. 20. In Pashur Pashur that smote the Prophet Ieremie vnto whome he threatneth captiuitie In Zedekiah that seeking to saue his life by another course then that which was taught him by the Prophet Ieremie cap. 38. ver 17.18 is taken by Nebuchadnezzar and vsed most cruellie cap. 39. ver 7. The word of God against the wordes of Amasias Moreouer this verse opposeth or setteth The word of the Lorde Iehouah against the words of Amasias He forbad Amos to prophesie but God commandeth him to prophesie He promised securitie or safetie vnto Amos if hee would holde his peace or run away God pronounceth most grieuous punishments both priuat and also publike vnto this Amasias that could not patiently abide and suffer Amos prophesying Vers 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord Thy wife shal be an harlot is the citie and thy sonnes and thy daughters shall fall by the 〈◊〉 and thy land shall be diuided by line and thou shalt dye in apâ—â—â—ted land and Israel shall surely goe into captiuitie forth of his land 1. The priuat punishment of Amasias conteining foure things A Double kinde of punishment is here shewed vnto Amasias 〈◊〉 I haue sâ—id a priuat and a publike The priuat the which â—â—â—â—cheth Amasias himselfe especially and it is a most assured testimonie or witnes of God being angrie with him because of his so great boldnes in hindring and staying of the word of God And this priuat punishment of Amasias containeth these foure things 1. The whoredom of his wife Fâ—â—st the whoredome of his wife after that Beth-el it selfe
times Gen. 29. Now how miserable the condition both of a fugitiue and also of one that is a shepheard seruant is experience it selfe doth sufficiently teach and hereby also it may be gathered for that banishment and bondage are among men accounted as death Vers 14 And by a Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he reserued The secōd part of the reprehēsiō shewing the benefites of God toward this people comming of so base a father THe other parte of the reprehension to wit wherein are described the benefites of God against a people borne of so base and poore a father at the first Therefore the name of Israel in this place is taken for the whole nation which came of that Israel which was a seruant and a fugitiue This nation therfore so base did the almighty God notwithstāding choose vnto himself for his inheritāce took it for his own cherished it most tēderly broght it out of Egypt that is out of a most filthy prison wherin it was shut vp finally preserued it in that long iourney against all enemies and vntill he had brought them into that same promised land Hee then reserued them and brought them out of Egypt and that by his Prophets Moses and afterwards Ioshua Of this deliuerance speaketh Dauid Psal 77. vers 15.20 where hee saith Thou hast redeemed thy people with thine arme euen the sonnes of Iacob and Ioseph Thou didst leade thy people like sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron And Psal 105. vers 26. Then sent he Moses his seruant and Aaron whome hee had chosen c. And Hebr. 4. vers 8. For if Iesus meaning Ioshua had giuen them rest then would he not after this day haue spoken of another And these are singular and especiall benefites of GOD chiefly for that God employd and appoynted his Prophets that is his most choyce and dearest seruants vnto the seruice and defence of this people And our vnthankfulnes which haue the pure gospel is no lesse for as much as God also stirreth vp his excellent seruants to teach vs hath stirred them vp now these many years continually together For as Paul writeth to the Ephesians cap. 4. vers 11 12. Christ gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ c. Vers 15. But Ephraim prouoked him with hie places therefore shal his blood be powred vpon him and his reproach shall his Lord reward him AN Antithesis or shewing of the contrary practise in the Israelites being not answerable vnto the former benefites of God whereby the wickednes of all the Israelites which despised the like bounteousnes of God is amplified Two partes of this verse For this iniquitie appeareth to be so much the more manifest and greater by howe much on the contrary the rebellion of these men 1. Describeth the wickednes of the Israelites What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos 5. vers 21. and the goodnes of GOD towards them notwithstanding are more neerely compared and matched together And this verse hath two parts The first setteth forth the wickednes of all the Israelites who are here by the figure Synecdoche comprehended vnder the name of Ephraimites These notwithstanding saith he prouoked God and that most bitterly After ward he sheweth this to haue been done two wayes both by cruelty or blood and also by their reproch and filthy Idolatry the which they so outragiously followed that they preferred and iudged the aydes of idolatrous nations to be more safe and sure then the ayde and promises of God The which thing in the end turned vnto their destruction and so consequently vnto their reproch and shame 2. King 17. And last of all it was the most true cause of their ruine and decay And thus much doth the first part of this verse containe 2. Sheweth the iudgements of God against them for their cruelty and idolatrie The second part sheweth the iudgements of God to insue vpon them for the same to wit God will rewarde them their cruelty and blood the which they haue shed Before vers 8. the Prophet made mention of the oppression which was committed by them so then they were cruel against their neighbours and brethren Secondly God their Lord will reward vnto them their reproch that like as with their distrust and idolatrie they haue reproached and shamed God and their Lord so they being by God layd open to the pray and made voide of helpe and ayde shall become reproachfull and a laughing stocke vnto other nations Finally they shall become a tale and an hissing to the common people as the holy scripture speaketh So Ieremie 18. vers 15.16 it is saide that for the Idolatry of the people and the seducing and leading them out of the way by false Prophets Their Land shall be desolate and a perpetuall derision so that euery one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and wagge his head For so is God wont to repay like for like vnto his enemies despisers that he may punish them with equal or like punishment such as was their sinne Psal 78. vers 66. For as the Philistines thought to haue shamed the Israelites and their God also so were they plagued with shamefull diseases in their hinder partes CAP. 13. Vers 1. When Ephraim spake there was trembling he exalted himselfe in Israel but he hath sinned in Baal and is dead An other Sermon differing from the former in some particular contents but agreeing in the scope and sum of doctrine THis chapter containeth another sermon of Oseas diuers from the former in regard of some particular contents yet most like vnto that former in respect of the drift and summe of the doctrine For this whole chapter tendeth to this end to shew that God will bee fauourable to the remnants of this people of Israel the which shall conuert or turne vnto God and shal in the end gather them together of his great mercie and call them back againe vnto him ver 14.15 albeit that the most shamefull and filthie sinnes of this people doe not at all deserue this or perswade hereunto In the meane season God by all meanes and by reasons taken from all places calleth back all the Israelites that is to say the ten tribes the which had treacherouslie withdrawne themselues from his true worship that if by any meanes it might be God might saue them all and not a part onely and remnant of them And by these admonitions or warnings so often repeated the Israelites are made the lesse excusable and their disobedience is shewed to be the greater and the more stubborne Wherfore in this chapter God exhorteth and calleth the whole nation vnto repentance and in this verse he dooth it by the rehearsing of both their estates to wit that in the which
ye might consume it on your lusts Moreouer this is a punishment of all others the most grieuous namely to be forsaken of God and that in the most hard time of our affliction For so are we shewen to be both cast off of God and hatefull vnto him because of our wickednesse and therefore to perish for euer both in soule and bodie So Ierem. 11. ver 11. the like is threatned in these words Therefore thus sayth the Lord behold I will bring a plague vpon them which they shall not be able to escape and though they crye vnto me I will not heare them And Zach. 7. ver 13. Therefore it is come to passe that as he cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare sayth the Lord of hostes And therefore Dauid Psalm 55. ver 1. prayeth vnto God agaynst this saying Heare my prayer O God and hide not thy selfe from my supplication Vers 5. Thus sayth the Lord concerning the Prophets that deceiue my people and bite them with their teeth and crie peace but if a man put not into their mouthes they prepare warre against him THe second sort of those which excel or are in authoritie among the people to wit those which either are in deede Prophets or els at least wise in name as these whom in this place he reprehendeth would seeme to be Moreouer Three parts of this verse this verse hath three things to be noted First who speaketh God Iehouah that these threatnings might haue their authoritie and credit against the neuer so colourable 1 Who speaketh and stubborne thwarting and exception of these men 2. To whom he speaketh vnto whom they are denounced or threatned Secondly to whom he speaketh namely vnto the false Prophets whom he described before cap. 2. ver 11. and in this place calleth lyars and authors of the error of the people Thirdly why God reproueth them to wit 3. Why God reproueth them because they altogether abused his word and so holie a vocation or calling as they falsely and rashly tooke vpon themselues namely the calling of a Prophet There is then a double cause of the reprehension one for that they deceiue and cause men to erre an other for that these men whom they so deceiue are the people of God whom God commaunded and will haue to bee instructed truely out of his word and not lyingly out of the dreames of men Further the course that these false Prophets take in their dealing preaching is here also by an Hypotyposis What the figure Hypotyposis is see Amos cap. 8. ver 12. or liuely description painted forth as if it were in a maner to bee seene with the eye wherein their meere couetousnes and mockerie of the word of God is most impudent and shameles Which two vices Peter also hath noted in false Prophets 2. Epist cap. 2. ver 3 13 14. of whom he sayth And through couetousnes shall they with feined words make merchandise of you and shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnes as they count it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season they haue hearts exercised with couetousnes And as for the couetousnes which here he reprehendeth in these false Prophets it appeareth herein for that they threaten boldly terrible cursings and destructions to come vnto men that offer and giue them nothing So then they prophesie for rewards as hereafter ver 11. and Ierem. 5. And concerning their manifest mockerie of the word of God and of so holie a calling the same is in this that when as they are well fed of any man they promise vnto him as it were out of the mouth of God peace all most happie things The maners gurmandise and begging and couetousnesse of Monks and Friars especiallie the begging ones as they are called could not possiblie be described and set out more truely and better according vnto that old saying O Monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi Vos estis Deus est testis certissima pestis In rude like meeter thus O monkish asses your bellies which passes are iollie wine glasses Ye are God sayth so without any no a most certaine wo. Vers 6. Therefore night shall be vnto you for a vision and darknes shall be vnto you for a diuination and the sunne shall goe downe ouer the Prophets and the day shall be darke ouer them A threatning of punishment vnto these false prophets A Threatning of punishment the which altogether agreeth with the wickednes described before that is to say the abuse of the office of a Prophet And this is that it shall doubtles come to passe that they shall manifestly be found to be voyd and without the gift of prophesie and trifelers and lying mates who haue seene and heard nothing from God and therefore neither can nor could prophesie Further this punishment is described with many Metaphors and similitudes of things the which are taken from things bodily What the figure Metaphora is see Amos cap. 4. ver 12. and which may be seene vnto things without bodie and inuisible or which cannot be seene because that prophesie is euery where in the holie Scripture called a vision So then this darknes dimnes night the which shall come vpon these Prophets doe signifie and betoken both a wanting of God his inspiration and also the passing ignorāce of these men which call themselues Prophets in matters appertaining vnto God the which ignorance is called both night and also thicke darknes For God did not furnish them with his Spirit nor will furnish them to prophesie and this shall all men indifferently know Wherefore they shall detest and abhorre them as lyars and deceiuers and finde them to be most ignorant Vers 7. Then shall the Seers be ashamed and the South sayers confounded yea they shall all couer their lips for they haue no answer from God An amplification of the former punishmēt AN amplification of the punishment threatned before the which is taken from things adioyned with it or wayting vpon it to wit their shame and reproch For it shall come to passe that their subtletie and deceiuing shall be so manifestly found out that they themselues also shall wonderfully be ashamed of it Therefore they shall couer their beards that they may not be thought to bee Prophets any longer for sorowe and heauinesse Leuit. 13. to wit the which they shall conceiue and feele in their minde for that they are knowne and found out to be such Vers 8. Yet notwithstanding I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of iudgement and of strength to declare vnto Iaacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne The figure Hypophora what it is see Amos cap. 5. ver 21. THis is the figure Hypophora For he answereth an obiection the which might bee made out of the former verse namely if our Prophets shall haue no answer nor vision from God and shall bee ashamed shalt not thou also be so
a figure of the Church of the Gospel which should bee afterward So Esai 29 Ierusalem of the forme of the citie is called Ariel that is a Lyon Also the Church is called here The mount of the daughter Sion because that the same hill of the which hee now speaketh 2 The mount or strong hold of the daughter Sion was the highest place of the whole citie knowen vnto euery man and compassed and closed about with a wall for the defence and strengthening of the citie 2. Chron. 27. vers 3. and 33. vers 4. Nehem. 3.26 Last of all the Church is here called the daughter of Ierusalem and not the daughter of euery citie whatsoeuer Thus therfore is the glory of the Church described 3. The daughter of Ierusalem that only the godly and faythful alone may vnderstand that this kingdom appertayneth vnto Christ and by Christ vnto them And thus much concerning the thing it selfe Concerning the phrase or manner of speaking it appeareth thus first that it is a Prosopopoeia or fayning â—f a person What the figure Prosopopoeia is see Oseas cap. 6. v. 1. wherein the Church of God is spoken vnto by name that as I haue sayd that company vnto whom these things are promised might certainly be noted out from others and that the Church her selfe might be stirred vp with the consideration of so great a benefite Secondly it appeareth also that in this place there is an antithesis or matching together of contraries betweene these wordes The first kingdome and The towre of the flocke The mount The daughter of Ierusalem For these three latter The towre The mount The daughter seeme to haue nothing answerable vnto that royall magnificeÌ„ce or sumptuousnes nor to promise any thing the which may giue any hope of obtayning so great and notable a kingdome Yet notwithstanding the Church shall raigne howsoeuer her matters may seeme past all hope by meanes of affliction or trouble Therefore these words are of set purpose vsed by the Prophet to meete with or answere the diuers cogitations or thoughts of men yea euen of the godly who onely should see and did behold the ruines and weakenes of the destroyed citie and did not thinke vpon the omnipotencie or almighty power of GOD that maketh the promise nor vpon his loue toward his church Vers 9. Now why doest thou crie out with lamentation is there no King in thee is thy counseller perished for sorrowe hath taken thee as a woman in trauaile The answering of an obiection THe answering of an obiection wherewith hee asswageth the sorrow and lamentation of the godly such as both then they felt by the conceiuing of the iudgements of God threatned against them and also afterwards had experience of being in the miserie it selfe Psal 74. Psal 102. And first of all by the figure Hypotyposis he paynteth forth the thing it selfe that is to say What the figure Hypotyposis is see Amos cap. 8. ver 12. their most iust sorrow the most weighty causes of the same sorrow TheÌ„ in the verse following he setteth down a coÌ„fort As for the sorrow or lamentatio of the Church it was an howling not only a crie a most sorrowfull crying out for the burden of the most grieuous miserie and not onely a lamenting And because these thinges are set forth by the Prophet as if he himselfe were present in the matter therefore hee addeth Now albeit they themselues did not yet indeed feele the same sorrow Finally this sorrow was as the sorrow of a woman in trauell that is exceeding great And this similitude is in other places else where vsed in the holy Scriptures to like purpose for hereunto is the state of the poore citie of Ierusalem most hardly besieged by Senneherib resembled Isai 37. vers 3. when as the messengers of Hezechiah say vnto the Prophet This is a day of tribulation and of rebuke and blasphemie for the children are come vnto the birth and there is no strength to bring forth And cap. 26. vers 17. Like as a woman with childe that draweth neere to the trauel is in sorrow and cryeth in her paines so haue we beene in thy sight O Lord. Agayne Iohn 16. vers 21. A woman when shee trauelleth hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soone as shee is deliuered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the worlde And these things the prophet speaketh in a fellow feeling of their troubles and not by way of insultation or triumph and reioycing agaynst them or mocking them in these miseries The causes of the great sorrowe of the church As for the causes of so great sorrow and so great outcrying they are many as in this verse for that then that is when as the church is in such sorte afflicted by God and the Iewes afflicted also there was no King of theirs nor any Counseller or Prince the which had any care of them And so God by Ezechiel threatneth to take away their kings cap. 21. vers 26. saying Thus saith the Lord God I will take away the diademe and take off the crowne this shall be no more the same I will exalt the humble and abase him that is high For the safetie and presence of the King is a great hope time there were no kings left and remayning vnto the Iewes Isai 5. For the Iewes liued vnder the dominion or rule of others that is of the Babylonians by whome they were taken captiues albeit that the Lord for their defence and comfort aduanced Daniel vnto the gouernement of the kingdome of Babylon but yet he himselfe was a subiect vnto the Kings of Babylon and as a subiect obeyd them Vers 10. Sorrowe and mourne O daughter Sion as a woman in trauaile for now shalt thou goe foorth of the citie and dwell in the fielde and shalt goe into Babel but there shalt thou be deliuered there the Lord shall redeeme thee from the hande of thine enemies A granting ioyned with a coÌ„fort A Granting whereunto is ioyned a comfort And the granting is that the church may indeed lamentably mourn sorrow as he that most may mourn and is in most heauy sorrowes such as is a woman in trauaile For the Prophet confesseth that they haue most iust causes of so great sorrow the which in this place he reckoneth vp others then in the verse before to wit for that the Church shall then be caried away from her countrie when she shal be carried away must liue also in the fields vnder the open aire not in towns finally that she must be carried into countries most far off namely euen as far as into BabyloÌ„ Psa 137. Al which things are most lameÌ„table especially if we consider that the promised land was not onely the natiue soyle and countrey vnto the Iewes but also a signe and figure of the heauenly and eternall life It is a godly point to be