childlesse the counsell of God in the kingdomes fall the blessed title of Nathans house the high Sainctes and kings for euer the thrones one for God and an other for the sonne of Dauid the setting vp of kingdomes to deale with Dauids throne to take notice of their Religion the time of a kingdome eternall prefixed in a most plaine speech long before and made famous by 120. nations paying Iuda a subsidie to returne and our Lordes mediation from the Gospell this being done Daniels matters wilbe all knowen vnto vs. The tongues which he vseth may somewhat trouble vs why he should write the greater part of his booke in Chaldie and the same matter againe in Ebrew and why his Ebrew hath affected peculiaritie of phrases yet reasons sensible may soone be rendred The Chaldie tongue was both knoweÌ„ to his natioÌ„ should soone be their vsuall wheÌ„ they had lost their owne in Babylon Besides the North East South Dialectes Syriaque Arabique Aethiopian were neare the Chaldie so that with a little paynes they might learne it Now it was fit for Dauids throne ruling all the world to be penned into the largest language of the world and then most florishing So he sheweth that God setteth vp kingdomes and putteth down kingdomes and how a kingdome froÌ„ heaueÌ„ staÌ„deth for euer This he teacheth in Chaldie as also the state of the world to come neuer shewed so clearely before He declareth how the faithles tyrants perish for euer and Iuda raigneth by Christ as by him also all nations do VVheÌ„ his visions name the oppressours and his nation the oppressed then he writeth in Ebrew and prophetique phrases knowen onely to his learned brethren The summe of him is this and his phrase is thus I thinke my commentations vpon him somewhat profitable to the good of our state Them I commend to your L L. to be regarded according to the sage honour of her M. gouernement Your Lordships to commaund HVGH BROVGHTON To the Christian Reader of Daniels plainnesse WHen this Prophet is cleared from the opinion of hardnesse which men do conceiue of him then with hope of perfecting labour desire to reade him wil increase And the holy man must be cleared For otherwise men would think Daniel a tormeÌ„ter of soules rather thâ—n a teacher if he wrote vnto all nations in their greatest perplexities matters vnfit for their capacitie Besides the duty of clearing him facilitie will be at hand For the matters which onely make him hard are soone taught Stale errours still hinder the negligent in the truth who runne vpon custome and will take no paines to examine the right But thus it doth stand When the promise of Nathan is considered touching the throne of Dauid to stand for euer and the case of Salomonâ— house weighed how in Iechâ—nias it fayled vtterly then the house of Nathan the next brother cometh in first Zorchabel then two families of him Abiud for the Kings right Rhesa father vnto our Lord then the hardest part is gone All must graunt that this hath bene long hid For scant any of the world marke our Lords right line from the text Yet a few words might open it fully Onely many vnpatient of the truth cause griefe and thereupon some more difficulty otherwise all here requisite might be soone knowne For the matter is the easiest standing vpon a plaine storie and the principles are so few that a child might write them They are often handled that such as care for theÌ„ may be instructed many wayes The next matter of darkenesse ariseth touching the nations oppressors and oppressed The doubt sprang for that Daniel in his Chaldy visions nameth neither The solution is easie In his Ebrew visions he nameth both the one and the other and they can containe no other matters then the Chaldy Therefore the nations in all are doubtlesse And seeing Cha. 8. in a vision vpon Babels fall Elam first next Iauan haue all the dealings vnto the ende of wrath the last dealer must be Iauan Also the afflicted in the last dealings are termed Daniels people and the holy people and they are afflicted for the holy couenant Where any may see of what times he was to speake For who knoweth not that the last afflictions that the holy Iewes had with loosing their lands reuenues was vnder Antiochus Epiphanes Now the nations being knowne the places wil be known And for vndoubted certenty the land Tzeby on the holy mountaine is named The soyle of the afflicted The middle sea and dead sea haue it betwixt them and Tzeby is in Ezekiel the attrihute of Iudaea And the places of the visions are the fittest for these poincts At Eular and Tigris the plaine sights were shewed Which should import dealings from Kings of those quarters All this while nothing bringeth in the Romanes They are reserued to greater harmes And such as bring them into Daniel where they are not blamed disturbe learning as much as they disturbe the world But Daniel is not to blame He giueth no cause why men should so deceiue themselues And thus these parcels the most in difficulty are made easie Another is no lesse vniustly blamed the time which he hath most cleare telleth plainly Yea onely he telleth when the first captiuitie began how he was of it The end is most famous in him And the phrases for our Lords death time would make a learned Varro amazed The seueÌ„ty Hebdomades We haue here greater matters theÌ„ how he at 84. had written seuenty Habdomades of books And neuer any could be plainer then he in that If we will not beleeue him but heathen forged studies we should try particulars So true heathen would beare record vnto Daniel Now heathen 2000. yeares haue filled all Libraries full of lyes with forged Olympiades forged Chaldeans forged Atchontes of Athens and forged Consuls that the vnstayed and vnlearned now adayes can triumph to see what store of leasings can be brought against Daniel But the same wil not see how all the millioÌ„s of Iudah of Christians vpon the other captiuitie writings checke the errour So againe Daniel is cleared One poinct remaineth his tongues where any may see that in the Chaldy he studied for plainnesse writing in the most generall tongue yet neare Arabique and so as most generall yet For his Hebrew the learned may not complaine for to them it is easie And all should be senslesse if in plaine matters and matters of daunger he might not haue leaue to hide his minde from the wicked Further difficulties we haue not in him after the consideration of Dauids throne and two families Salomons falling Nathans standing for euer of the nations oppressed long kept close for safetie in his later speeches named for certaintie of the oppressors likewise and of their countreys and last of his times and tongues The difficulties of which being softened none can tell what to imagine hard And to mollifie the readers labour I will contriue into matter following
hand vnto heauen and sware by him that liueth for euer that it shalbe for a time times an halfe at the finishing of brusing the hand that is vpō the holy people all these things shalbe finished Daniels demaundes concerning the time when the Iewes should begin to recouer their state from the Greekes with speeches of Christ touching the darknesse of all the oration and counsel for the afflictions of the godly And I heard but vnderstood not then said I ô my Lord when shalbe the end of these things And he said go thy way Daniel For the words are closed vp and sealed till the end of the time Many shalbe purified whited and tryed But the the wicked will do wickedly and none of the wicked will vnderstand but the wise will vnderstand And from the time of taking away the continuall sacrifice and of setting vp the lothsome of desolation dayes shalbe a thousand two hundreth and ninetie Happie is he that is patient and commeth vnto dayes a thousand three hundreth thirty and fiue And thou go to the end and rest and stand in thy lot vnto the end of the dayes The Conclusion Thus Daniel had a sufficient Cathechisme for all the world bringing the heauens downe vnto the earth that the earth might be exalted vnto heauen Daniel would teach heathen to season their humane stories with diuinitie Strabo knew that Nebuchadnezar was an Hercules reached vnto Spaine and brought a Colonie vnto Pontus But Daniel was to tell him who gaue the Lion such wings Diodorus thought the Chaldeās great Philosophers but Daniel telleth what deceiuers they were recordeth their own kings censure and how yong Ebrewes were found ten times better then they how corruptiō leasing was their practise how whē the king had forgotten his dreame they promise an exposition when he forgot it not but told them they could say nothing how a matter written from heauen on the wall chap. 5. passed their skill Hence Diodorus might haue bene wised Likewise Abydenus who recordeth Nauocodrosors traūce might by Daniel haue seene it clearer And so Herodotus might haue gottē more hearers in Olympia if to Cyrus surprising of Babel he could haue ioyned Daniels 5. chap. The same text would haue made Xenophōs Muses more Attique shewing how in bāquetting the Chaldeā king was kild Athenaeus with his Berosus and Ctesias for the same feast might see God serue with sauce So for Cyrus death Herodotus might haue learned the cause with learning Daniels fasting And the writers of Susan the Citie of Darius Hystaspis made the glory of Persia might see in Daniels visions chap. 8. Susans honours confirme his booke Aeschylus Herodotus might haue penned the one his Tragoedy the other his story more plentifully then they did of Gods stroke in Xerxes fall if they had looked into Daniel much they marked but might more Diodorus again with Arrianus for Alexander might haue seene all told in Daniel And Diodorus might haue marked frō what curse Alexanders Captaines made such a slaughter among thē selues Here he might haue seene why he should say that Ptolemy Lagides came vp by helpe frō heauē why Seleucus became soone greatest and haue brought true Prophecies for that Pausanias might behold to what vse he noted the affinitie and league betwixt Lagidas and Seleucidas and how Philadelphus name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made famous the mariage beginning betwixt the two legges Appian and Iustin might haue made not Polybius Trogus but Daniel their author Polybius in the pleading for Syria might haue beheld Iudah cast as a bone betwixt two dogs Here Liuy had for him by whō it fell out that Antiochus came into the West with a camp of nations scant heard of in Italy Medes Cadusians such many names strange in West eares by whō Antiochus wanted counsell that he was soone brought to losse of almost all his death in Strabo Iustin should haue bin referred to Gods counsell in Daniel Iason of Syren that noted Church robbing in Seleucus should haue noted the text in Daniel And in Antiochus Epiphanes his comming vp into Syria his 3. voyages into Aegypt his crossing of Ebrewes lawes his death his vile nature Polybius Liuie Athenaeus Florus Appian all might know these dealings foretold Also Tully that termed Iudahs Religion a Barbarous superstition and the people a nation borne to bondage might guesse by Daniel that the iudge on the fierie throne the stander vp for Daniels people would haue his tongue pricked for those speeches And the same orator might haue guessed by skill in Daniel why the Romanes feared to helpe Aegypt the clay legs by their faigned Sybilles was heard by some Iewes counsell who would tell that when the legges were broken from God all assisters of them should be as resisters of God So Brennus of our nation with his great campe was plagued as a resister while the legges were iron and Antiochus that droue his company out of Asia was syrnamed Soteria Sauiour And therein Pausanias might haue seene the counsell of God Again where Vergil bringeth in Augustus triumph ouer Cleopatra and Antonie euen vltima Bactra frō East hence Extremos hominum Morino◠he might haue seene how God called nations from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe to behold the breaking of Daniels image to thinke of a child comming from heauen as Vergil peruersly heard By Daniel not Venus Neptune Minerua nor Actius Apollo should haue bene the giuer of victorie but the God of heauen Daniel must needes be holden a stately authour that hath all these so much belonging to him and the goodliest part of all Vergils wit that in Augustus triumph licking the dust of the toes of Daniels image Yea former Romane affaires of Pompey and Iulius Caesar the one kild in Aegypt for helping the king the Piper out of the dust the other for Cleopatra those duly looked vnto would iustifie the firie throne of Daniel Yea all the stories of the Romanes comming vp being here yet not as enemies to Gods holy couenant but men rewarded for plaguing the legges all commenteth vpon Daniel Besides Augustus iest in Macrobius how it was better to be Herodes hog then his sonne that iustifieth the storie of persecution at our Lordes comming from the cloudes to make a tabernacle among vs. Ouer and besides all this the speech of wicked Tacitus against Christ crucified vnder Pontius Pilate and of Christian Religion these haue a good vse for Daniel and all the declaration of the Iewes calamities in the last destructiō of Ierusalem or euer since written by prophane heathen all serue Daniel alike And the matters are so plaine that if men would but grope they might haue found Christ in Daniel where the pompous of this world be fanned as chaf the wicked as beastes burne in fire vnquenched and the humble may finde iustice Eternal to shine like the sunne in the kingdome of the Father Psal 119.96 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
considered the Iewes state might know his counsell Now touching Iudah vnder the Seleucide and Lagidae and the describing of the legges of iron there he hideth his minde most vvittily Daniel might vvell thinke that some heathen vvould learne Ebrew and Ebrewes reuolt vnto heathen and tell his secrets vnto the kings spoken off To preuent that he so filleth his speech vvith phrases of difficultie that none but the humble vvill seeke to vnderstand him So the pronounes for Seleucus Nicator and his vvhole description vvill vvearie any slouthfull vers 5. and so phrases of Berenices case specially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the verbe Likewise in Pt. Euergetes vers 9. the transposing of termes deceaued the sleepy And ofter the terme Many signifying the Iewes nations many vvould entangle many an enemy Now in Antiochus Epiphanes matters he vseth many closures The holy couenant for the Religiō of Moses the Sanctuary of Mauz for of God and Mauzim all strength that is almighty in vers 38. and 39. the fortes of Mauzim for the temple of Ierusalem and sundry particles of difficultie but vnto a practised Ebrew in vers 38. and 39. Also Chaldie termes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aphadno his court and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treasures vvith strange Eb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for agreement and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in his steed these vvould vvearie the prophane and all that count not the kingdome of heauen vvorthy searching for as an hid treasure Also Michael the great Prince named great by an Angel in the company of two other Angels this vvould disturbe the vnstayed vvho knew not vnto vvhat former person as Palmony and Messias this vvas to be referred The notation vvould teach such as knew the holy Trinitie vvho the person vvas no lesse then vve are vvarranted from Apo. 12. and from S. Iude. In the Apocalypse vvhere Michael and his Angels fight Christ and his seruantes come in the exposition In S. Iude the burier of Moseh is Michael vvho in Deut. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eternal Also the authour of this speech the Lord rebuke thee Satan is in Zacharie the Eternal and the Angel of the Eternal By this vve may vvell know vvho Michael must be And all of stayed iudgement will soone acknowledge that it cannot stand vvith the playnnesse vvhich is in Christ that the Angel should call Daniel vnto any speculation of Archangel but of the sonne of God nor to teach him to vvade in things vvhich he could not see to hold any created Angel our great Prince Angels are in Esay of one degree called by the Argument in handling Seraphim Burners of the Citie and Temple in Ezekiel Cerubim by Mosehs terme in whom one sise and measure sheweth how all are equally ministring spirites to be sent on seruice for such as are to inherite Saluation As Palmony in the eight Chapter is expounded the most holy Christ in the ninth and none vvas there aboue Gabriel but he so none here may be And vvhen our Lord Iohn 5. disputeth of the resurrection as a vvorke for the sonne of God therein calling vs hither he expoundeth closly vvho Michael must be These points keepe Daniel mysticall vnto all that be not of the Church As all his book must needs be hid from them that vveigh not vvhat point of Religion touching Dauids throne vvas now to be opened But they vvho know that all Iudah seeing Salomons house at end vvould require from God a further explication of Dauids sonne and throne Eternal spoken by Nathan 2. Sam. 7. and consider that Daniel is a Commentarie vpon that point that the crowne shalbe ouerturned ouerturned ouerturned as in Ezekiel vntil he commeth to vvhom it belongeth they vvho know that vvill soone know vvhat Daniel must meane euen that all his booke is but an explication of that doubt how Salomons house being extinct our Lords godly house continueth the right and how all nations stand vp against it first vnder Chams brode of Babel next vnder Sems Elam all this in the East and long vnder Iaphets Westward that Greeke might be made common for Noahs Prophecie and allusion vnto Iaphets name of perswading in his language to dwel in Sems tentes This being considered the vvhole frame of the holy storie vvill tell how much of the building might belong to Daniel or any Prophet for to make vp And this vvas not he to tell in his booke but to giue closly an answere vnto the close demaund of all his owne nation Little vvould the heathen haue beleeued him that the house of Zorobabel were the high Sainctes that Zorobabel should be as a signet in due time that mountaines should be playne afore Zorobabel and that Zorobabel had a name teaching by and for vvhom the Golden Babylonian head should be fanned These points would heathen no more regard then Herod regarded Ioseph the carpenter and the Machabees Iacob Matthan Eleazar So vve see that Salathiel and Pedaiah in Babylon vvere of no account and Zorobabel in Iudah of small authoritie and Abiud Eliakim Azor Sadok Eliud not so much as named in any place beside the holy register The notation of their names compared vvith Psalme 89. vvould teach vvhat their hope was and that Psalme bringeth Aethan as chiding with God for straunge dealing in the promise of the kingdome so that a certaine Spanish Iew cited by Aben Ezra being at his wittes end would not reade the Psalme If Iuda to this day could not conceaue a right the nature of their kingdome much lesse vvould the heathen haue rested in plainnesse ioyfull onely for the vvorld to come when they beleeued not that the vvorld was made nor that the highest ruled the kingdomes of men Christ him selfe speaketh in vers 10. The wicked will not vnderstand but the wise will vnderstand To them it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and to them which are without all things are in Parables For that cause both a charge is giuen here to shut vp the wordes and to seale the booke and in phrases Daniel doth the same and in all his Methode And as in due time many ranne to search whereby knowledge likewise encreased So we should search now that our knowledge might encrease An Angel demaundes how long the wonders of Antiochus dealings shall preuaile and hath an answere from chap. 7.25 that it shall continue three yeares and an halfe And thereupon the Greekes hand set vpon the holy people shalbe brused Then I Daniel looked and behold two others stood one on this side the brinke of the riuer and one on the other side the brinke of the riuer And he said vnto the mā clothed in linnen which was vpō the waters of the riuer at what time shalbe the end of these wonders And I heard the man clothed in linen which was vpon the waters of the riuer when he held vp his right hand and his left
which woulde cause them to be more hated of the heathen * In comparisoÌ„ of Iuda and in dealing against them vnto Antiochus Epiphanes or somwhat further § In mariages which are handled in cha 11.6 17. †When the kingdomes of the Selucides and the Ptolomies are fallen ‡ Iohn the Baptist looked to this and our Lord also saying the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is come and so did S. Paul 1. Tim. 1.17 ¶ witty Daniel telleth first how the last shalbe destroyed not how Nebuchadnezars house first should fall So he dealeth in Chap. 7. verse 11. 12. * This was about two yeres afore the captiuity of Iechonias an encoragement for the faythful to go willingly to Babylon their owne nobles being so aduaunced there * Y.W. 3408 * Chaldy officers must be tearmed of vs after ours next theirs in vse notation Seeing onely the captiued with Daniel are accused we may know that this was afore Iechonias captiuitie some yeere or two about Nebucadnezars seauenth yeere * The vnperfect speach argueth his heate * The doubtful wordes in the Heathens spech haue been wel taken of the ancient as they best myght meane * Yet wicked Ioakim would not ceasse to deale amysse in Iudah vntyl he was buried as an Asse and had his carcase made as dung being cast away vnburied Ier. 22. 36. * The common distinction of the chapter here agreed not with the argument wherfore I left it The chastisement of the Idolatrous king ‡ Y.W. 3443. * He had not conquered Egypt vntil after 27. of Iechonias or his owne 34 Ezek 30. Wherefore this vision should be about his 36. Y. And this proclamation about an yeere or two before his death at 45. Y. reigne 8. yeeres after the vision § Y.W. 3435. ‡ This place argueth that he forsooke not wholy his Idolatry * As Salomons Temple that seuen yeeres workâ— of many thousandes was by him destroyed That is He hath numbred he hath weighed and they deuide * We may see many reasons why the Chaldeans coulde not reade this Scripture They knew not God to be one and to rule mens affayres Besides they knew not their owne impietie but sayd in their hart There is no God Wherefore they knew not who should be weighed specially in the Ballance And touching the Medes and Persians now their besiegers they litle thought that they could surprise the strong Babel and bragged how they were victualled for 20 yeeres siege as Xenophon recordeth Thus the matter was hard for them The wisedome of Daniel is rare in his commentaries in telling first the storie of the true God in whom we liue mooue and haue our beeing after of Nebuchadnezars greatnesse and iust fall of worse dealing in Belshazar and therevpon how God numbred the yeeres of his kingdome and how the twise telling imported a numbring with a witnesse and full ending of it and whom specially God weighed and how he maketh the partition by Madaj and Paras who are the Parsin partners he departeth somewhat from the wordes to cleare the matter the better And we are to marke the liuely prouidence touching the families of Scripture Babel the oldest wicked monument which was buylt to the great ruine of all the godly Families by Nimrod the Nephew of cursed Cham to the great griefe of Sem and Iapheth wherevpon Adams one tongue was made 70. which Babel ended the Iewes language the first tongue that it was common in no Kingdome after that This kingdome is ouerthrowen by Madaj of Iapheth and Elam of Sem that all should here remember Noahs time and his speach touching Iapheth and Sem. The kinges of which two Patriarkes are presently called to the fayth ioyned in Conquest and Empire and proclayming of Gods trueth ouer all the worlde and both are taught in the heauenly Oration of Gabriel the cleare summe of both Testamentes from Dan. 9 24. And touching the syllables of Paras Peres as Gods eye regarded the allusion So Madai a Meater or Measurer is more euident and to be as well noted but lesse needed wanting being the playner that we might looke euen vnto Iapheths tongue how God ruled it in the geuing of a name to his thirde sonne Madaj * In MENE MENE †Xenophon had heard how Cyrus entred Babel on a nyght when the Chaldeans kept a great Feast and brake into the Palace when the Courtiers were banqueting kild the King § Darius being â—2 at the fall of Babel which reigned 70. yeeres falleth to be borne at the eight yeere of Nebuchadnezar when he caried the king Iechoniah captiue and all the Nobles and ten thousande valiant men and all Ierusalem and all sauing the base of the land and had caried away all the treasure of the house of the Lord and brake all the vessels of the Temple which king Salomon made Then Madai who with Elam must reuenge the cause of Iudah had a Prince borne Doubtlesse the wyse Iewes woulde tell the Medes of their expectation and the King would better affect Iudah I can not see to what better purpose Daniel should tel the kinges age then how God prouided a remedâ—â— when he strake * Darius Madaj a searcher out and a requiter Ezra the learned Scribe cha 10 16. vseth the worde Darios beside all ordinarie forme of grammer for to search iust in the letters of Darius in searching out impietie alluding vnto the kings name office Psal 10 15. * Y.W. 1471. A wonderfull yere for Babels fal Lionshumblenes the Angels oratioÌ„ two Emperours christian Proclamations a generall subsidy ouer 120 nations for Iudahs returne a Chaldy one but in ver 3 it is playne that principall is meant b When the originall is also our language as 15 tymes y-then or by theÌ„ in this chap. in Daniels tonge it is an ouersight not to marke it § The Chaldy terme of Daniel is also Ebrew from psal 2. in Wherefore did the heatheÌ„ RAGE or keepe a stir And doubtles Daniels spirite thought of Dauid his fathers terme * Chap. 5 13. § Chap. 2 12. a That the wyl of none should seeke further meanes to destroy Daniel b So Bath the Arabique here in Mat. 21 17. is taken Tenath fasting Dacheuâ—n musicque Cauâ—n windowes Bal an hart be Arabique in Daniels termes as Aben Ezra noteth c With a voyce not distressed as that of the king was Chap. 4 1. Chap. 4 6. Chap. 2 44. * Daniel transposeth y e dome-letter Aleph in y e kinges name geuing him closely a notation fit for the vision Bel-she-Azar is Bel is he that storeth ryches But this name is Bel on fire by the enemy God as I touched it afore The Massorites note the diuersitie of the writing vpoÌ„ Dan. 5 and translaters shold not omit that * For Babel destroyed Iudahs kingdome Paras meant once to haue destroyed the whole natioÌ„ in one day Alexander required Iudah to take the date from his conquestes to name the Priestes sonnes Alexanders all
superioritie from Senear and Nemrod thence they and two more come against Abraham and fall And as Aegypt in Pharaoh after Babel troubled the Church so in these dealings they do that by admonition of place all might be better wayed Full many be the like reuolutions for places and times in the Ebrew stories which obseruation will helpe much The Angels demaund is like Iohn Baptistes of Christ for his Disciples surenesse not for his owne doubt The matter was shewed to Daniel Chapter 7. There commeth vp in the fourth beast one little horne which brake three hornes had eyes like a humane man but a mouth speaking great matters vntill thrones of iudgement were set vp and for the great words which the horne spake the beast was kâ—ld and the body cast into the fier There that horne made warre with the iholy vntill the auncient of dayes came and Iudgement was giuen to the Sainctes of the holy Trinitie and the Sainctes held their kingdome There the Angel expoundeth it of one king that should abase three which Antioch did first to Seleucus next to Demetrius thirdly to Ptol. Philometor The same should speake wordes against the highest and consume the Sainctes of the high Trinitie and thinke to alter times and law and touching that point they should be giuen into his hand for a time and two times and halfe a time Now the terme time put for a yeare was seene chap 4. in Neb. the Angel could not be ignorant of that But whereas all Antiochus dealings against Moses were 2300. dayes afore the 25 of Casleu to distinguish the whole rage from the remouing of the sacrifice that was to be noted And those dealings are termed wonders Seing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continuall sacrifice was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Christes death was the counsell of Christ in giuing that into a Tyrants controlment and the Sabbath which had bene since Adams time and his holy seruants to be tormented this was indeede a great wonder The reason was rendred chap. 11.35 and here vers 10. Christ telleth it in the same termes that the Angel vsed onely he altereth their order as I will shew when I come vnto the verse The answere foloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech of difficultie to the vnebrewed but plaine by the matter * The attire here the whole persons description chap. 10.5.10.5 sheweth a sacrificer holy and higher then the heauens Moreouer the gesture of standing vpon the waters importeth that of the Psalme how as God calmeth the waters so he calmeth the waues of nations And this vision answereth vnto Iobs speach that God walketh vpon the high waues of the seas The metaphors and visions of the Scripture haue a cleare resemblance of that which is taught for mens affaires Besides the gesture and oth calleth into minde Deut. 32. a comfort euen for these times I kill and make aliue I strike and I make whole and none can take away from my hand When I lift mine hand vnto heauen and say as I liue for euer if I whet the blade of my sword and my hand lay hold on iudgement I will requite vengeance vnto my aduersaries pay my foes I wil make drunke my arrowes with bloud and my sword shall eate flesh from bloud of slaine and captiue from the head of vengeance vpon the enemy Reioyce ô heathen with his people For he will reuenge the bloud of his seruants and pay vengeance vnto his aduersaries and be reconciled vnto his people The wordes of Moses begin their execution in this place and hold on vnto the full calling of the heathen So the gesture of lifting vp the hand and swearing calleth all this vnto Daniels minde The summe of the matter here conteineth two things the rage of Gods enemies and the punishment The rage is for three yeares and an halfe So the terme Time by synecdoche in Dan. 4. as I told was taken and Greekes commonly at this day call an yeare a Time and three yeares three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times This time was noted by Iosephus in Bell. Iud. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Antiochus syrnamed Epiphanes surprised Ierusalem by force and held it three yeares and six monethes is cast out of the countrey by the sonnes of Chashmonai that is the Machabees He presently hindred the continual offring when his Idolatrous garrisons being abominations through Idolatry and desolaters by trade held the holy temple Iosephus also here handleth the brusing of the hand set vpon the holy people vnder the casting of Antiochus out of all the countrey The Rabbines commonly note the same euen in the Babylonian Talmud Rambam writeth a common place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 10. vpon the recouerie of the temple There also the driuing out of Antiochus is handled The Iewes testimonie should be strong against them selues good for our surenesse for fame of matter here told Thus RaÌ„bam writeth in his first Tome in Megilah Chanucha Perek 3. Tremellius nameth his worke Talmud In the time of the secoÌ„d temple Iauan gaue decrees ouer Israel and abrogated their Policie and suffred them not to studie the law and commaundementes and layd hold vpon their substance and their daughters and they went into the temple and made breaches and polluted the cleane And Israel was in great distresse through them which oppressed greatly vntill the God of our fathers pitied them and saued them out of the others hand and deliuered them and the Chashmonaim The Machabees the high Priests kild them and saued Israel from their hand set vp a king of the Prists more then 200. yeares afore the secoÌ„d desolation And when Israel preuailed against their enemies and destroyed them it was the 25. of Chasleu and they entred into the temple c. and for this cause the wise men of that generation ordeined that eight dayes beginning from the 25. of Chasleu should be celebrated with gladnesse and songes and they kindled candels in the euening at their houses doores euery night of the eight And these dayes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dedication and they admit no mourning nor fasting as the dayes of Purim Thus the goodnesse of God forced them to keepe a famous memorie of their deliuerance from their persecution Vpon which storie they should looke into the Prophecie which none can denie to be for a vehement persecution and common reason would tell them that the first which fell out in the vehemency here told must needes be meant by this The consideration of this storie with the Prophecie would haue taught them of the person the teller of the time the high sacrificer who would himselfe suffer in like sort three yeares an halfe all gaine saying of sinners teaching that which these visions declared They held their owne kingdome about 150. yeares in reasonable quietnesse but they to whom Christ gaue victories disdisdained the office of white linen and continuall sacrifice and