in a new law and abolish the old But the Messiah was not to come in those 7. weekes but after 62. weekes more 6. So then in that the 7. weekes are diuided from the rest it doth not so much shew what notable accidents should fall out therein as it doth prescribe the very number of yeares after the which from the going out of the word the Temple and citie should againe be repaired and reedified which accordingly came so to passe as shall be shewed afterward 57. Quest. Whether these 7. weekes must be counted before the 62. weekes or after It beeing then agreed vpon that there was some speciall cause in seuering these 7. weekes from the rest yet there is some question whâ—n these 7. weekes should beginne before or after the 62. weekes 1. Tertullian putteth them after for the 62. weekes he extendeth from Darius to the birth of Christ and then 7. weekes and an halfe that is 53. yeares he counteth from thence to the destruction of Ierusalem But from Christs birth who suffered in the 34. yeare of his age to the destruction of the citie some 40. yeares after was aboue seuen weekes they make 10. weekes 70. yeares at the least 2. Some Hebrewes whose opinion Hierome rehearseth in his commentarie vpon this place doe ende the 62. yeares at the taking of the citie by Titus and from thence to the finall destruction by Adrian the Emperour they count 8. weekes more which maketh 56. yeares But beside that there are found from Darius to Adrian the Emperour aboue 600. yeares whereas 72. weekes make but 490. yeares the 7. weekes must be counted to the Messiah as is euident v. 25. not after 3. Theodoret bringeth the 69. weekes to Hyrcanus death and from thence to the baptisme of Christ he counteth 7. weekes that is 49. yeares But he is much deceiued in his account for from Hyrcanus death to the baptisme of our Sauiour are about 60. yeares for after Hyrcanus in the 32. yeare of Herod or thereabout was Christ borne who was baptized in the 30. yeare of his age 4. Now that these 7. weekes are to be counted before the 62. weekes not to be cast after them 1. the order of the words declare there shall be seuen weekes to the Messiah and 62. weekes 2. and beside it is said that not after 69. weekes but after 62. weekes Messiah shall be slaine so that vnlesse the 62. weekes be put to the 7. weekes the yeares will not bring vs to the Messiah 3. the accidents that fell out after that time the building of the citie and the wall which were done after the tearme of these 7. weekes which things accordingly came to passe will bring backe these 7. weekes into the first place 4. And beside the Angel directly beginneth the 7. weekes from the going forth of the word v. 25. 58. Quest. When this tearme of 7. weekes that is 49. yeares beganne and when it ended 1. R. Salomon whome Lyranus seemeth herein to incline vnto beginneth these seuen weekes from the destruction of the first Temple by Nabuchadnezzer and endeth them at Cyrus which time by his account maketh 52. yeares But in this number of 52. yeares there are 3. yeares aboue 7. prophetical weekes that is 49. yeares which the Rabbin is constrained to make his account euen to put off to the beginning of the 62. weekes but then is not the Angels diuision iust and true that cutteth off onely 7. weekes from the rest and beside these 7. weekes must beginne from the going forth of the word for the people to returne they take not then beginning so long before 2. M. Calvin beginneth these yeares in the first of Cyrus and endeth them in the sixt yeare of Darius the sonne of Hystaspis the 3. king of Persia but this can not be for they that giue the most yeares vnto Cyrus and Cambyses allow but vnto the one 30. to the other 7. excepting onely Luther who following Euseb. l. de demonstr Euang. giueth to each of them 20. yeares then adde the 6. yeares of Darius they will make but 43. how then can the seuen weekes here be fulfilled Beside that Darius in whose sixt the Temple was reedified called Darius of Persia was not Darius Hystaspis the 3. king of Persia but before this Darius three other kings are named Cyrus Assuerus Artashasht Ezr. 4. 6 7. 3. Oecolampadius proceedeth an other way for thus he casteth vp the reckoning he alloweth vnto Cyrus 9. yeares and to Cambyses 8. or to Cyrus 14. and to Cambyses 3. and then he putteth hereunto 20. of Darius when Nehemiah was sent to Ierusalem in whose 32. yeare the building of the citie was finished But in this account diuers errours are committed 1. in giuing 17. yeares to Cyrus and Cambyses therein he differeth from other Chronologers the Hebrewes giue vnto them both 9. yeares ioyntly the most 37. yeares Bullinger to Cyrus 16. to Cambyses 8. If it shall be free for men to allot vnto the raigne of kings more or fewer yeares at their pleasure wheresoeuer they beginne their account they may make it agree 2. Darius in whose time the Temple was built was not Darius the sonne of Hystaspis who immediatly succeeded Cambyses for before this Darius are named three other kings as is shewed before out of Ezr. 4. 6 7. but Darius Hystaspis was the third king of Persia. 4. Bullinger will haue these 7. weekes beginne in the 7. yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus when Ezra was sent with a new commission to Ierusalem Ezr. 7. from thence counting 49. yeares we shall come to the 11. yeare of Darius Nothus counting as he doth to Longimanus raigne 44. yeares and in this time was the citie repaired by Nehemiah but with much trouble But this account also faileth 1. The Temple was after many yeares intermission built and finished before Ezra was sent in the 6. yeare of Darius Ezr. 6. 15. which intermission is signified in the diuiding of these 7. weekes from the rest as shall afterward appeare qu. 59. 2. He beginneth the 7. weekes where they should ende namely at the finishing of the Temple as shall be shewed afterward 5. They likewise which beginne these 7. weekes at the 20. yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus as Pererius with diuers others can shew no reason why these 7. weekes should be cut off from the rest sauing that because in this time Nehemiah was sent and in the ende of this tearme in the raigne of Artaxerxes Mnemon he thinketh the historie of Esther and Mordecai fell out But Pererius is much deceiued 1. he beginneth the 7. weekes after the time wherein they should ende namely at the finishing of the Temple as followeth to be shewed 2. And it is before prooued that Mordecai liued not vnder Artaxerxes Mnemon but vnder Darius Hystaspis who is called Assuerus as is shewed before qu. 44. 3. But though they seeme to alleadge some reason for the beginning of these 7. weekes in the 20. of Artaxerxes there
but the destruction by Adrianus was well nigh an 100. yeares after Christ spake those words 60. yeares after the first ruine of the citie by Titus it was therefore without the compasse of that generation Quest. 75. How long after the Messiah was slaine this destruction happened by Titus 1. Barbinel that ignorant and rayling Rabbine as M. Calvin reporteth his opinion saith there passed 200. yeares betweene the death of Christ and the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes But herein he sheweth his blind folly for vnto the second destruction by Adrian there were not from Christs death aboue an 104. yeares which happened in the 18. yeare of the raigne of the Emperour Adrian the first destruction was according to the saying of our Sauiour within the memorie of that generation then liuing 2. Lyranus and Paulus Burgens thinke that the citie was taken by the Romanes about 42. yeares after the death of Christ but it cannot be so much as shall afterward be shewed by the computation of the yeares of the Emperours Pintus also concurreth with Lyranus counting 38. yeares and an halfe from the ende of the halfe of the 70. weeke that is 3. yeares and an halfe which he reckoneth after Christs passion to the destruction of Ierusalem 3. But Iunius commeth more yeares too short then these doe ouershoote he maketh it but 36. yeares from the passion of Christ to the destruction of the citie annotat in 9. Dan. 4. Iosephus Scaliger holding that Christ suffered in the 35. yeare of his age whereas he commonly is held to haue suffered in the 33. yeare bringeth Christs passion nearer by two yeares to the destruction of the citie then the ordinarie account is and so he must make the time 38. yeares or thereabout from the death of Christ to the ruine of the citie 5. M. Lydyat bringeth Christs passion within 34. yeares of the finall ouerthrow and destruction of the citie by the Romanes for he setteth Christs passion in the yeare of the world 4040. or in the 22. yeare of Tiberius and the destruction of the citie in the 4074. yeare the reason of which alteration is for that he maketh the passion of Christ to haue beene 4. yeares later then vsuall namely in the 22. yeare of Tiberius whereas our blessed Sauiour is commonly held to haue suffered in the 18. yeare of Tiberius see this opinion examined before qu. 69. 6. But the iust time was 40. yeares as may be shewed by a threefold computation 1. by the distance of the Olympiads 2. by the yeares of the Emperours 3. by the yeares of the kings of Iudea the Herodians 1. Christ is held to haue suffered in the 4. yeare of the 202. Olympiad and the destruction of the citie fell into the 4. yeare of the 212. Olympiad which distance maketh iust 40. yeares Perer. Bulling 2. The yeares of the Emperours are thus counted Tiberius raigned in all 23. Christ then suffering in his 18. yeare there remained 5. yeares more then Caligula raigned 4. Claudius 14. Nero 14. Galba Otho Vitellius 1. Vespasian 2. these summes make 40. years Bulling But the precise and exact reckoning is this as Eusebius in his Chronicle setteth them downe All these yeares with the moneths and daies beeing summed together 18. years beeing diducted of Tiberius raigne will make 40. yeares and summe odde daies  yeares moneths daies Tiberius raigned 22 11 14 Caligula 3 10 18 Claudius 13 8 20 Nero 14   Galba  7 2 Otho  3 2 Vitellius  8 5 Vespasian 2   3. The third reckoning is by the yeares of the Herodians whose whole time from the beginning of the raigne of Herod the great to the ende of their gouernment at the destruction of Ierusalem was 103. yeares which is summed thus Herod the great raigned 37. yeares Archelaus 9. Herod the Tetrarch 24. Herod Agrippa 7. Agrippa the sonne of Agrippa 26. Oecolampad Now of this account 63. yeares must be cut off for the raigne of Herod in whose 30. complete and 31. begunne Christ was borne as is shewed before qu. 67. and for the yeares of our blessed Sauiours life who died in his 33. yeare and the remainder is 40. 7. Iulius Africanus exceedeth the rest in counting 43. yeares from the death of Christ which he placeth in the 15. yeare of Tiberius to the ruine of the citie but herein was his error he held that Christ died in his 30. or 31. yeare 76. Quest. Why mention is made of the destruction of Ierusalem here seeing it is without the compasse of the 70. weekes 1. One reason hereof is because Daniel was desirous to vnderstand what should befall his citie in time to come the Angel doth satisfie his full desire and as he had told him of the reedifying of the Temple and citie so he also foretelleth of the finall ende and dissolution of both 2. An other cause is that after the Angel had shewed him that the Messiah should be slaine then further that it might appeare what an hainous sinne this was the destruction of the citie is sore shewed to follow as a iust punishment for so great a wickednes Perer. so also Lyranus quia hoc factum fuit in poenam mortis Christi because this was done for a punishment because of the death of Christ it is immediatly mentioned though it fell not out within the 70. weekes Here then are two reasons shewed of the destruction of the citie the slaying of the Messiah and the vtter reiecting of him Polan 3. A third reason why mention is here made of this desolation is to make the Iewes inexcusable that seeing they haue found all this to be true by their wofull experience here foreshewed by the Angel that their citie is destroied vnto this day because of their treacherie against the Messiah their obstinate blindnes therein might appeare that yet continue enemies vnto the blessed Messiah and his holy Gospel Perer. 77. Quest. Of the meaning of those words v. 26. the ende thereof shall be with a flood and vnto the ende of the battell it shall be destroied c. 1. By this similitude of inundation three things are signified that it shall be casus repentinus ineluctabilis vniuersalis a sudden casualtie ineuitable and generall Iun. in comment like as a flood sweepeth all away before it and spareth nothing so none should be spared in this destruction 2. Thereby also is signified the perfect desolâ—tion that should be brought vpon the citie like as the ouerflowing of waters pulleth vp trees by the rootes and ouerthroweth the very foundations of houses so in this desolation the citie should be made euen with the ground and one stone should not be left vpon an other as our Sauiour foretold them Luk. 19. 44. Bullinger 3. Further like as in inundations and ouerflowings the waters still encrease and swell more and more so hereby is signified that calamitates magis magis increscebant their calamities should more and more encrease for
Grecians in commentar 5. But the most speciall reason is the Angel onely nameth those kings by whom the Iewes were held in captiuitie and such as hindered the worke of the Temple and as Oecolampad out of Eudoxius their gouernements are spoken of in which there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hinderance of the worke and staying of the building of the Temple which the Prophet tooke greatest care and thought for to the same purpose M. Calvin by standing vnderstandeth those kings which stood against the people of God 6. Adde hereunto that the Prophet maketh a cursary mention of them to insinuate in what short time these foure kings should runne out the race of their kingdome for first Cyrus in whose third the Temple was hindered raigned not long after some thinke that Cyrus going against a people of the Indians called Derbices which vsed to deuoure their parents when they were old thinking it a more honourable ende for them then to be eaten of wormes fell from his horse and then was wounded in the thigh by a dart cast at him by an Indian and so died Polan ex Cresia but the more receiued opinion is out of Herodotus that he was slaine of Queene Tomyris and his head beeing cut off was cast into a bowle of blood yet Xeâ—ophon writeth that Cyrus beeing aged died in his bed giuing fatherly and graue exhortations to his sonnes After him Cambyses hauing raigned not much aboue 6. yeares was wounded by his owne sword and so died Darius Hystaspis beeing 20. yeares old when Cyrus went against Queene Tomyris and liuing but 43. yeares in all enioyed not his kingdome 36. yeares as most thinke nor yet halfe so much Xerxes time could not be long H. Br. giueth but 31. yeares to the Persian Monarchie vnto the second of Darius Longimanus and maketh the 49. yeares for the reedifying of the Temple to coucurre with the 20. of Darius Longimanus whom he supposeth raigning at home while his father Xerxes was occupied in the Greeke warres beeing but then a young man to haue giuen libertie in his 2. yeare for the reedifying of the Temple but if 30. yeares be onely allowed for the raigne of Cyrus Cambyses Darius and Xerxes Darius Longimanus cannot be thought to be then of yeares to haue sonnes as he had Ezra 6. 10. But allowe 49. yeares vnto the 2. of Darius as is further prooued c. 9. quest 58. this was but a short time for the raigne of fowre such potent kings 7. This also beeing ioyned to the former may make the former reasons more full why the Angel endeth it at Xerxes and so passeth vnto Alexanders time because then the quarrell begunne betweene the Persians and the Grecians which was neuer laid downe till the Grecians had ouerthrowne the Persian Monarchie And so Alexander in an epistle to Darius Codomannus as Arrianus writeth lib. 2. pretendeth this as the cause of his warre against the Persians Maitores vestri Mecedoniam ingressi c. Your Auncestors invaded Macedonia and all Grecia beside and offred them many wrongs whereas they had receiued none wherefore I beeing created Emperour of the Grecians beeing willing to reuenge their wrongs am come ouer into Asia beeing prouoked by you Quest. 9. A briefe description of the rising and fall of Alexanders kingdome v. 3. 4. The Angel briefely toucheth both the rising vp and the fall of Alexanders kingdome 1. the rising of his kingdome is described by two adiuncts 1. he shall be mightie for with 30. thousand footemen and 5. thousand horsemen he tooke vpon him to conquer the whole world 2. and it is said he shall stand vp whereby is noted the suddennesse of his rising and the singular dexteritie that was in him to atchieue that which he intended and purposed the effects are likewise two 1. he shall rule with great dominion his Empire was large for beside other countreys which he subdued he possessed all the great Monarchie of Persia 2. he shall doc according to his pleasure he shall be prosperous in all his enterprises and preuaile in his warres according to his owne desires 2. The fall and ruine of his kingdome is likewise described first in generall then in particular 1. In generall both by the circumstance of time when he shall stand vp that is after he hath stood a short time for not aboue seuen yeares had Alexander raigned when his kingdome together with his life was dissolued Iun. commentar and euen when his kingdome was come to the height and he expected embassadours at Babylon from al the world he died at Babylon As also the manner is shewed by a Metaphor it shall be broken like as when a brittle thing is broken into many peices and shiuers 2. In particular two things are expressed the subiect of this kingdome and the qualitie and condition of it 1. the subiect is declared affirmatiuely it shall be diuided into the 4. winds that is to fowre kings and chiefe gouernours negatiuely not to any of his posteritie which is amplified by a Metaphoricall speach it shall be pulled vp as a thing by the rootes in respect of his owne succession and others shall be planted in their stead in the place of his successors for so is the meaning of those words to others beside those that is it shall be giuen vnto those fowre successor of Alexander beside his owne heires 2. For the qualitie of these kingdomes they shall not be like in power vnto Alexanders as it is said not according to his dominion Quest. 10. Of Alexanders birth and education acts and life ende and death abriged 1. For the first Philip king of Macedonia was father to Alexander and his mothers name was Olympias he was borne about the 2. yeare of the 106. Olympiad the same day wherein he was borne the great Temple of Diana at Ephesus was set on fire which the Magicians interpreted to signifie that one was then borne who should set all Asia on fire at 15. yeares of age he was committed to Aristotle to be instructed and in his youth was of such magnanimitie that when his father had conquered any citie he would say that his father would leaue nothing for him to winne 2. At 20. yeares of age he sit vpon the conquest of all the world in his acts and life three things are memorable his vertues his monuments and exploits his notable vices 1. his vertues may be thus diuided into his morall and militarie vertues As his morall were these his continencie before he tasted of the pleasures of Asia he preserued the chastitie of Darius beautifull wife and daughters and would not so much as see them his clemencie and humanitie was great euen towad his enemies but his liberalitie exceeded all the rest he gaue 23. thousand talents among his souldiers see more of his vertues c. 2. quest 48. His militarie vertues were excellent 1. his courage that with 30. thousand footemen and 5. thousand horsemen durst aduenture to bid battell to the whole
King 24. 25. Ierem. 52. And of Nebuchadnezzars expedition against Cyrus Ezekiel maketh mention c. 26. to c. 30. In the 25. yeare of Nebuchadnezzars raigne he subdued Egypt and remooued all the Iewes that were thither fledde to Babylon Pererius addeth further that in the 25. yeare of his raigne he had that vision of the image c. 2. but that was rather in the 5. yeare of his raigne as is before shewed quest 6. generall After this he set vp the great golden image c. 3. and was translated from the companie of men and liued among bruite beasts for the space of seuen yeares cap. 4. then he was restored to his kingdome which he enioyed peaceably to the ende of his dayes Pere Quest. 7. Of the time of Nebuchadnezzars raigne 1. Iosephus thinketh that Nebuchadnezzar raigned 43. yeares so also Eusebius and Pererius consenteth wherein he doth not much varie from the yeares of his raigne which may be collected out of Scripture 2. Some thinke that all his raigne made vp 45. yeares Bulling rather 44. betweene both for in the 8. yeare of his raigne he tooke Iechonias prisoner in the 37. yeare of whose captiuitie Euilmerodach the sonne of Nebuchadnezzar began to raigne who lift vp the head of Iehoiachin out of prison these two numbers put together 8. and 37. make 45. and one yeare must be deducted because Nebuchadnezzar is supposed to haue died in the 36 yeare of Iechoniahs captiuitie the last yeare of his raigne and so the whole summe of yeares remaineth 44. Quest. 8. Of the citie of Babylon 1. The occasion of the first founding of this citie and of the name therof is declared Gen. 11. so called first Babel of the confusion of tongues and afterwards Babylon the countrie about Babylonia 2. Nimrod who was the first king or tyrant rather after the flood in which sense he is called a mightie hunter is held to haue beene the first founder of Babylon which was afterward enlarged by Semiramis whom Iulius Solinus and Diodorus Siculus whom Hierome followeth thinke to haue beene the first builder of Babylon but she onely enlarged it and raised vp the walls 3. In this citie and the countrie thereabout the Iewes were held in captiuitie 70. yeares which tearme beeing the stinted time of mans life Psal. 90. 10. sheweth that man during the time of his life and aboade in this world is but a captiue and stranger as Iaakob called his life a pilgrimage Gen. 47. 9. Pintus 2. Polanus thinketh there were 3. cities of this name Babylon one in Assyria whereof mention is made 2. king 17. 24. an other in Chaldea which is here called the land of Sennaar and the third in Egypt which is now called Alcayr the seate of the Sultanes of Egypt But I thinke the receiued opinion is more probable that there were onely two Babylons one in Chaldea the other in Egypt or in the confines of Arabia whereof Raphael Volateran treateth lib. 12. now called Cayro Pintus that Babel mentioned 2. King 17. 24. from whence the king of Ashur brought some to inhabite Samaria is Babylon in Chaldea which was then subiect to the king of Ashur 3. Stephanus also is deceiued who thinketh this Babylon to be the same citie which was called Seleucia built by Seleucus Nicanor which was indeede built not farre off from Babylon some 300. stadia or furlongs by which occasion Babylon became desolate and not so much frequented but they were not all one citie Polanus Quest. 9. ver 1. Of the citie Ierusalem 1. Ierusalem it was the cheife citie of Palestina first founded by Melchisedech as Iosephus thinketh who Gen. 14. is called the king of Shalem 2. It had diuers names it was first called Shalem Gen. 14. Psal. 75. 3. then Iebus of Iebusi the sonne of Canaan Iosh. 18. 28. afterward it was named Ierusalem which signifieth the vision of peace and last of all Aelia of Aelius Adrianus the Emperour who built mount Caluarie and diuers other parts of the city Volat. l. 11. 3. It was diuided into two parts the vpper citie where was mount Zion the city of Dauid and the Temple the neather or base citie which was vnder the hill Pol. 4. The citie Ierusalem is sometime taken in Scripture for the Church of God as Hebr. 12. 22. Ye are come to Mount Sinai to the citie of the liuing God to celestiall Ierusalem Pintus Quest. 10. v. 2. What this phrase meaneth To be giuen into ones hand v. 2. And the Lord gaue Iehoiakim c. into his hand c. The hand is diuersly taken in Scripture 1. As first to put the soule or life in the hand signifieth to put the life in danger Iudg. 12. 3. Iepthah saith I put my life in my hands 2. The hand signifieth a league or couenant as the giuing of the hand implieth the plighting of the troth as Esech 17. 18. He hath despised the oath and broken the couenant yet lo he had giuen his hand 3. It signifieth ministerie and seruice as Exod. 38. 21. These are the parts of the Tabernacle c. for the office of the Levites by the hand of Ithamar 4. The hand signifieth helpe and assistance as 1. Sam. 22. 17. Saul commandeth the Priests to be slaine because their hand was with David that is they were aiding and helping vnto him 5. To lift vp the hand against a place is to assault it and threaten against it as Isa. 10. 32. He shall lift vp his hand toward the mount of the daughter of Sion 6. To lift vp the hands is to pray 1. Tim. 2. 9. I will that the men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands 7. To wash the hands is to purge the heart and works from impuritie and vncleannes as Psal. 26. 6. I will wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and compasse thine altar 8. To put the hand to the mouth signifieth to eate 1. Sam. 14. 27. as Ionathan is said to haue put his hands to his mouth when he did eate of the honie 9. To lay the hand also vpon the mouth is a figne of silence Iob. 29. 9. The Princes staied talke and laid their hand on their mouth 10. By the hands also are vnderstood the works labours of mens vocations as Eph. 4. 28. Let him that stole steale no more but rather labour and worke with his hands 11. To doe a thing with an high hand is to do it presumptuously Numb 15. 30. 12. To touch with the hand is to humble or afflict Psal. 32. 4. Thy hand is heauie vpon me day and night 13. But to giue into the hands of any is to bring vnder their power and subiection as Iudg. 7. 1. The Lord gaue them into the hands of Midian seuen yeares and so it is taken here Pintus Quest. 11. How Iehoiakim was giuen into Nebuchadnezzars hand whether he caried him to Babylon 1. Some thinke that Iehoiakim was bound in chaines and carried to Babylon as the Latine
much lesse interpret this diuine writing so man is of himselfe vnapt and vnable to apprehend any spirituall thing the vision of the Prophets vnto carnall men is like vnto the words of a booke sealed vp Isa. 29. 10. the reason whereof the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him c. 4. Doctr. That God often vseth weake instruments as namely women to effect his purpose v. 10. Now the Queene c. came into the banket house The Lord vseth oftentimes women in his seruice which are the weaker vessels and instruments both to shewe his libertie that he is not tied vnto any meanes but may vse any indifferently and to declare his power in setting vp weake meanes and to bring downe the pride of the wise when they are confounded by the simple and vnwise As here the Lord gaue more wisedome and vnderstanding to this honourable and auntient Queene then was in the king and all his thousand nobles now assembled together So the Lord raised vp Deborah to haue more courage and wisedome in her then Baruch had And thus in our age and memorie as Polanus noteth Deus adhibuit Reginam Angliae ad confundendum Hispaniarum potentâ—ssimum regem God hath vsed the Queene of England to confound the mightie king of Spame 5. Doct. Of the obliuion and forgetfulnesse in Princes of those which deserue well of them v. 13. Art thou that Daniel Daniel was worthie for his great wisedome and necessarie employment in the Babylonian state to haue beene remembred of the king as he had beene honoured of his predecessors But such is the mutabilitie of Princes fauours As in Egypt there rose vp a Pharaoh that knewe not Ioseph neither remembred the great benefits which he had done for that nation So Saul had soone forgotten Dauid that had played before him and by whom he had found great ease for not long after he asked Abner whose sonne he was Therefore as it is in the Psalme it is better to trust in the Lord then to haue any confidence in Princes 6. Doct. Of the necessarie and profitable knowledge of histories v. 18. The most high God gaue vnto Nebuchadnezzar thy father c. Here Daniel propoundeth vnto Balthazar his father Nebuchadnezzar and setteth before him the historie of his life by the which he might haue learned great wisedom The knowledge of former times is most profitable therein we behold the equitie of Gods iudgements his iustice veritie wisedome power likewise we see in a glasse the vncertaine and changeable state of the world And for our owne direction we finde what to followe and what to decline as Diodorus Siculus speaking of the profit that commeth by histories saith pulchrum est ex aliorum erratis in melius instituere vitam c. it is a good thing by other mens errors to reforme the life The counsell of the ancient because of their long experience is commended and followed But the knowledge of histories goeth farre beyond quanto plura exempla complectitur diuturnitas temporis quam hominis aetas in as much as the continuance of time comprehendeth more examples then the age of man 7. Doct. Of the vse that is to be made of examples Examples are either old such as fell out in former times or they are newe such as happen in our owne age and memorie and both are either domesticall or forren examples But the domesticall examples are more forceable and effectuall to mooue as here the example of Nebuchadnezzar is set before Balthazar Thus it is much auaileable to call to minde the examples of our fathers and ancestors before vs to followe their vertue and decline and shunne their vices And most of all we should obserue what hath befallen our selues in the former part of our life as Dauid did comfort himselfe when he went against Goliah in the experience of Gods mercie and power in deliuering him from the lyon and the beare 1. Sam. 17. 8. Doct. That flatterers are about Princes v. 23. Thou and thy Princes c. It may seeme strange that among a thousand princes and noble men that were here assembled together there was not one faithfull counsellor But here we see fulfilled that saying in the Prou. 29. 12. of a prince that hearkeneth vnto lies all his seruants are wicked It seemeth that Balthazar was giuen to heare tales and lies by which meanes it is like that Daniel was out of fauour in Court and therefore it falleth out iust vpon him that he hath none about him to speake the truth flatterers then are dangerous about princes as Haman was vnto king Assuerus And like as oyle doth soake into earthen vessels beeing soft and smooth so flatterers by their pleasant and smooth words doe insinuate themselues 9. Doct. God hath all things in number and account v. 26. God hath numbred thy kingdome The yeares and dayes of the world the tearme and continuance of kingdomes the time of mans life are all determined with God As Iob saith are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thouâ— hast appointed his bonds which he cannot passe c. 14. 5. So the times and seasons the Lord hath put in his owne power Act. 1. 7. neither the age of the world not the tearme of kingdomes not the space of mans life can be measured or calculated by the skill of man but the Lord onely knoweth them who hath numbred and appointed them Polan 10. Doct. Of the fall and ruine of great and famous cities v. 18. Thy kingdome is diuided Pererius out of Pausanias here alleadgeth how many cities which had beene renowned and famous in the world were either vtterly decayed or much impayred as the great citie Niniue and the citie Mycene which ruled ouer all Greece were in his time become desolate so likewise Thebes in Boeotia an other Thebes in Egypt Delos in Greece and the citie Tyrinth together with Babylon which had nothing then left but walls Pausan. lib. 8. which ought to teach men not to put confidence in these earthly things as Nebuchadnezzar did in his sumptuous and costly buildings which after his time came to vtter ruine and desolation so that it is now scarse knowne where Babylon stood 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. That idolaters and worshippers of images make them their gods v. 4. They praised the gods of gold and siluer c. The Babylonians and other Gentiles were not so grosse to thinke that the diuine essence consisted of siluer or gold or that the verie images were their gods for they did hold that their gods were in heauen as the men of Lystra said Act. 14. 11. gods like vnto men are come downe vnto vs yet the spirit of God giueth this iudgement of them that they make such images their gods because they haue deuised such of themselues God requireth no such thing to be represented by Therefore