super notat oppressionem this word vpon noteth their oppression who finally were destroyed by the Romanes some giue this sense within this time all these things shal come to passe which belong vnto the eternal saluatioÌ„ of the people Osi. But both rather are signified both the mercie which should be offred vnto this people in taking away their sinnes by the comming of the Messiah and the iudgement which should befal them for their contempt reiecting of the Messiah for both these are afterward touched the benefits which the Messiah should bring vnto them vers 24. and the calamiti ewhich should be sent vpon them vers 26. And both these Iunius in his commentarie ioyneth together Quest. 20. The meaning of these words v. 24. to finish or rather restraine wickednesse 1. R. Salamon who endeth these 70. weekes at the second destruction of the citie and Temple by Titus thus interpreteth that then the Iewes should endure a longer captiuitie then before and thereby should learne to leaue off their sinnes and by their long punishment merit forgiuenesse of their sinne Contra. 1. Lyranus thus refelleth the Rabbine that the Iewes are so farre off from leauing their sinnes by this long captiuitie that they are rather worse for their periuries vsurie profane oathes are notoriously knowne And seeing God punished their idolatrie but with captiuitie of 70. years and now they haue endured captiuitie more then twice 7. hundred yeares it must needs be a greater sinne for the which they sustaine so long a time of punishment which can be none other then their killing the Lord of life the Blessed Messiah 2. Paulus Burgen addeth further that this finishing of iniquitie must be within the 70. weeks but that ceasing from sinne which the Rabbine imagineth must follow after these 70. weeks expired 3. adde hereunto that no man by the workes of the law is iustified or can doe any thing acceptable vnto God how then can the Iewes without the Messiah obtaine remission of sinnes And againe men by their punishment though it be neuer so long and great cannot satisfie for their sinnes for then they which are tormented in hell might at length satisfie for their iniquitie Polan 2. Some following the Latine text to consummate or finish sinne doe thus interpret it to make perfect sinne as the Iewes were come to the height of sinne when they crucified Christ in this sense our Sauiour saith Matth. 23. Fulfillye the measure of your fathers thus expound Chrysostome orat 2. cont Iudaeos Theodoret vpon this place and Eusebius lib. 8. de praeparat Euang. but the next words following to seale vp 〈◊〉 and reconcile iniquitie doe shewe that this phrase signifieth rather the consumption then consummation of sinne 3. Some reading to finish sinne vnderstand it of the consumption of sinne and taking of it away by the death of Christ as a candle is said to be ended when it is consumed Hugo so is the word finishing taken Isa. 40. 2. Speake comfortably to Ierusalem c. that her warfare is finished and her iniquitie is pardoned Perer. so also Calv. Genevens Vatabl. Pintus this sense is not to be misliked sauing that the word is not well interpreted which signifieth not to finish but rather to restraine or shut vp 4. The word cala with aleph which is here vsed signifieth to shut vp but calâ—h with he is to finish and consummate the meaning then is to restraine sinne which Iunius and Polanus following him doe interpret of the preseruing of the elect from that generall defection and falling away of the Iewes which began in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes 5. But seeing the words following to seale vp sinnes c. are generall not of any speciall iniquitie or of some speciall nation but of the sinnes of all these words are better vnderstood also generally that by the comming of Christ and preaching of the Gospel there should be a generall restraint of sinne as many which made no conscience before of adulterie idolatrie couetousnes and such like should be reclaimed by the Gospel Bullinger as the Apostle saith hauing made mention of idolaters fornicatours adulterers and such like who shall not inherit the kingdome of God addeth but such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified c. 1. Cor. 6. 10. 22. Quest. Of the sealing of sinnes 1. The Latine translatour readeth to finish sinne whereupon Pererius taketh occasion to shew how diuers waies sinne was finished by the death of Christ in that he paied the ransome for our sinne abolished idolatrie conquered Sathan So M. Lively preferreth this reading and expoundeth it by that place Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world 2. But seeing the word is chatam which signifieth to seale vp and so the Septuagint read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sealing therefore this reading is to be preferred to seale vp sinnes that is to binde vp as it were and to seale and cloase them as neuer any more to be opened read or declared against vs for as writings are vnfolded and opened to be rehearsed and read so they are sealed vp to be concealed and buried in obliuion which S. Paul calleth the putting out of the hand-writing c. which was against vs Coloss. â— 14. Polan Quest. 22. What it is to reconcile iniquitie 1. The vulgar Latine readeth to take away sinne so also Lyranus Hugo Pintus with others and hereupon Pererius sheweth how three wayes a thing may be taken away by washing and wiping by scraping as a blot in writing and by dissipating or dissoluing as when a cloud or mist is dispersed and so in all these phrases sinne is said to be taken away as Dauid saith Psal. 51. wash away my sinne and S. Paul that Christ hath rased out the hand-writing of our sinne Colos. 2. And Isay 44. 22. the Lord saith I haue put away thy transgression as a cloud This sense is true but it is not well grounded for the word caphar signifieth to expiate reconcile not to take away 2. Some by this expiation and reconciliation vnderstand the taking away of the guilt of sinne whereby we are made guiltie of eternall damnation Polan but that seemeth to be signified before in the sealing of sinnes that they should not be had in remembrance to ouâ— condemnation 3. Hereby then rather is signified that Christ hath made reconciliation for sinne that is he satisfied in his death vpon the crosse pro culpa poena c. for the fault and punishment Bulling 4. Thus by these three words here vsed peshagh chataoth ghaven which are translated wickednesse sinnes iniquitie all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer are implied sinne onely against the holy Ghost excepted Bulling which may thus be distinguished wickednesse against God sinne in our selues and iniquitie against our neighbour Hugo And here this benefit of taking away sinne is set forth in three degrees in restraining the act in sealing them vp in respect of
doe signifie a certaine and definite time and they are onely taken for weekes of yeares so must the 70. and last weeke be vnderstood also and considering that this last weeke is deuided into two halfe weekes the latter expressed the other vnderstood therein must be contained a definite and certaine number for the parts beeing finite and certaine so must the whole be likewise 5. Osiander taketh this last weeke to beginne after Christs resurrection in which space of seuen yeares many by the preaching of the Gospel were receiued and admitted to the newe couenant But seeing the Angel saith that 70. weekes are determined and cut out to finish wickednesse and to seale vp sinnes which things are performed in the death of Christ there also must the weekes ende 6. Many beginne this last weeke at the baptisme of Christ and ende it 3. yeares and an halfe after as Melancthon Iunius edition 1. Pintus with others But seeing it is said he shall confirme the couenant for one weeke he that is the Messiah the couenant must be confirmed before the Messiah be slaine for otherwise how should it appeare that this couenant was confirmed by the Messiah if it be not done in his time that is in the dayes of his flesh he then must confirme it either before or at his death priusquam tollitur è medio before he be taken out of the way Vatab. for otherwise it should not be conspicuous and apparant to be the Messiahs worke 7. Some doe referre this last weeke vnto the last seuen yeares which went immediately before the destruction of the citie Iun. Polan M. Liuely But it is sufficiently shewed before that these 70. weekes must expire in the death of the Messiah and are not to be extended so farre see quest 49. 8. The best interpretation then is this that this last weeke must beginne 7. yeares before the death of Christ the first halfe yeare went before his baptisme as a preparation thereunto then in the latter halfe weeke these things were performed as the next words shewe H. Br. Concent the whole week is named because these things were done in the last week but not in all the weeke onely in the latter halfe thereof beginning at Christs baptisme So Hugo expoundeth it quia non in principio hebdomadis hae mirabilia coeperunt ideo determinat quando haec inchoata sunt c. because these things were not done in the beginning of the weeke therefore he determineth when they should beginne namely in the latter halfe weeke which beganne in the 15. yeare of Tiberius when Christ was baptised Quest. 82. What is vnderstood by the couenant 1. R. Selomâ— by the couenant vnderstandeth the truce for 7. yeares which the Romanes made with the Iewes at the time of the besieging of the citie But Lyranus doth refell this conceit by these two reasons 1. because Iosephus maketh no mention of any such league or truce neither in his bookes of the antiquities of the Iewes nor of the Iewâ—â— warres 2. And if there had beene any such truce it should haue beene made with all the Iewes not with some onely as it is here said he shall confirme this couenant with many 2. Some referring this last weeke vnto the destruction of Ierusalem by this couenant doe vnderstand that speciall fauour which the Lord shewed and the fatherly care which he had of his Church in Ierusalem who were admonished by a reuelation to depart the citie before the siege beganne so Iun. Polan But here rather we are to vnderstand the euerlasting couenant of grace which Christ hath confirmed with his blood then any such temporall fauour 3. M. Calvin seemeth specially to vnderstand this couenant of the vocation and calling of the Gentiles which was fulfilled after his resurrection but this couenant as hath beene said alreadie was confirmed by Christ at and before his death not after Then indeede was this couenant by the preaching of the Apostles published and divulged but there is difference between the ratification of a couenant and the publication thereof as there is between the confirmation of a will and the execution 4. Therefore by the couenant here is vnderstood the couenant of grace made in Christ for remission of sinnes vnto all that beleeue Osiander the new Euangelicall lawe preached by Christ and confirmed in his death Vatablus Pintus such as the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of c. 31. 33. this shall be the couenant which I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my lawe in their inward parts c. I will forgiue their sinnes and remember their iniquities no more c. Quest. 83. How this couenant was ratified and confirmed Some doe expound these words multis with many of the diuerse wayes and meanes whereby this couenant was ratified Perer. but the word larabbini to many is beter vnderstood of the persons with whom or for whom this couenant shall be ratified as the prâ—position lamed sheweth yet true it is that this couenant was ratified and confirmed many wayes 1. First it was ratified by many glorious testimonies of our Blessed Sauiour 1. of the Angels Luk. 2. 2. of the wisemen that came from the East and worshipped Matth. 2. 3. of the holy men and women then liuing at the time of Christs birth as of Zacharie Elizabeth Simâ—on Anna Luk. 1. 2. 4. of Iohn Baptist who gaue witnesse to Christ. 5. of God the father from heauen Math. 3. 6. of Moses and Elias which appeared in the mount where Christ was transfigured Matth. 17. 7. of the Pharisies themselues as Nicodemus said we knowe thou art a teacher come from God Iohn 3. 8. yea of the deuils themselues who beeing cast out of men cried out and confessed that he was Christ the Sonne of God 2. The second kind of confirmation was by the prophecies of the old Testament concerning the Messiah which were all fulfilled in Christ as the historie of 〈◊〉 Gospell sheweth 3. The third ratification was by Christs wonderfull and most glorious miracles 4. by his holy life and conuersation 5. by the predictions of our Lord himselfe which are noted to be seuen 1. of the ruine and destruction of the citie Luk. 19. 43. 2. of the miracles which should be wrought by his disciples Mark 14. 17. 3. of the great persecutions which his disciples should suffer for his name Iohn 16. 2. 4. of the preaching of the Gospell thorough the world Act. 1. 8. 5. of the propagating of his Church ouer the world Ioh. 10. 16. 6. of the continuance of the same Church as hauing a most sure foundation beeing builded vpon the rocke Matth. 16. 18. 7. of his owne death his resurrection Mat. 16. 21. and the sending of the Holy Ghost Act. 1. Perer. 6. But Lyranus also mentioneth sixe wayes whereby Christ confirmed this couenant praedicando miracula faciendo c. by preaching doing of miracles in dying rising againe ascending and sending the Holy Ghost
offended three waies 1. in the action it selfe in forcing his religion by torment of death 2. in the manner he did it in his rage 3. in respect of the persons persecuted they were innocent they suffered for keeping of the law of God But that generally religion is not to be forced by torment it may be thus perswaded 1. It is against the nature of faith to be forced vnto by violence doceri non cogi vult fides religion must be taught not enforced Polan 2. Idolaters heretikes and persecutors of the true faith by vnspeakable torments and cruell death did vrge their heresies idolatrie and superstitions to be kept As this was the engine wherewith the heathen Emperours assaulted the Christians persecuting them by fire and sword As Cornelius Tacitus writeth of Nero that he caused the Christians to be burned specially in the night in vsum nocturni luminis in stead of night lampes So the truth is not to be defended and maintained by the same weapons wherewith false religion fighteth for the fruits of the spirit are loue peace gentlenes Gal. 5. 22. 3. But it therefore followeth not because religion is not to be forced by punishment of death that therefore euery one is to be left vnto himselfe there are other forcible meanes by penall lawes to containe men in an vniforme profession of the true faith then by death Iosias put downe the Chemarims idolatrous Priests but he put them not to death 2. King 23. 5. 4. Yet such as are manifest blasphemers and heretikes are to be cut off by the sword as Servetus was at Geneva so that in the inflicting of the punishment of death for false religion a double difference is to be made 1. between those which do maintaine manifest heresie and blasphemie and such as hold other vnsound opinions and in the first sort betweene such as are obstinate and peruerse and those which are seduced of ignorance and simplicitie 23. Quest. Of the extraordinarie beating of the fornace v. 19. He charged that they should heate the fornace seuen times more 1. In the Apocryphall narration here inserted in the Greeke translation it is added further that the king commanded the fornace to be made hoat with pitch and towe and a kind of liquid brimstone called naptha and small twigges and spriggs of vines or such like called malleoli which some take for the small brush wood apt to be set on fire as Theodoret some for such stuffe besmeared with pitch as Pererius sheweth out of Nonius Marcellus 2. And concerning naptha whereof there are fountaines in Babylon which is an hoate countrey full of brimstone and in diuers places flaming out with fire and as Plutarke writeth the earth is so hoat that they are constrained to lie in water this naptha is of such force that whatsoeuer is besmeared therewith taketh fire in such sort as that it can not be quenched but with vineger and allume and such like as Sirabo writeth lib. 16. how Alexander to take triall of the nature thereof caused a boy beeing in the water to be annointed with naptha and so a candle put to him who so burned that if they had not with much water mire and such like quenched it he had beene consumed before them Plutarke also in the life of Alexander reporteth how the Barbarians to shew the operation of this naptha did cast certaine droppes vpon the way which in the night tooke the flame one from an other that all the way seemed to be of a light fire 3. But because in the originall historie there is no mention made of these things that the fire should be tempered with nor yet that the fornace should flame 49. cubits v. 46. in the Apocryphall addition we neede not busie our selues with searching out the nature of these things it sufficeth to know as it is in the text that the fornace was made hoat 7. times more then vsually it was 24. Quest. Of the exquisite crueltie and torments which these three were put vnto 1. Whereas in the punishing of offenders Tyrants haue satisfied themselues with simple death in the persecuting of the seruants of God they vsed exquisite torments as here the fornace is made seuen times more hoat if any malefactour had bin condemned to this punishment the ordinarie heat would haue sufficed Bulling 2. Then he commandeth the strongest men to binde them that they might vse no resistance and might be more strongly bound and God so disposed that the king should vse the ministerie of his most valiant men that both the miracle might be the greater in that the flame consumed these men exercitus cladem persentisceret he should be punished in the losse of his martiall men Lyran. and here appeareth the madnesse of persecutors who refuse not to be hangmen and tormentors themselues of Gods seruants which they would be ashamed to doe in the execution of ordinarie malefactors Osiander 3. They are bound in their apparell vt nihil ex illis reseruandum c. that nothing might remaine or be reserued of them and because they were in such hast 4. They are cast into the middes of the fornace that the fire might haue the greater power ouer them Bullinger 25. Quest. Of the apparell which they were cast into the fire with 1. The first garment is called sarbal which the Septuag interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sarabaris by the change of one letter Hierome readeth cum braccis with their breeches or hose for so he saith that saraballa in the Chalde language signifie the thighes so also Hesychius interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the couerings of the thighes and in the Sclavonian tongue the wide slippers are called sarabarh Polan so also Pagnin But it seemeth rather to signifie the close coat which couered not onely the nether but the vpper parts as Tertullian in lib. de pallio writeth thus of Alexander triumphalem cataphractam amolitus in captiva sarabara incessit that laying aside his triumphant complete harnesse he went vp downe in a captiue garment called sarabara c. it seemeth then it was such a garment which couered those parts which vsed to be harnessed the breast and vpper parts as well as the neather Ab. Ezra and R. Levi take it for the vpper garment but that is rather the last here named it is more fitly taken for the coate Genevens or the short cloake and inward garment as Iunius and Vatablus expresse it by the word chlamys which signifieth a short cloake 2. The next garment is taken by some for their breeches femâ—ralia Mont. tibialia the hose Vatab. Genevens subligacula their slops but the word petaschon their bonets commeth neere the word petasus which signifieth an hat or bonet and so the Septuagint and Hierome expresse it by the word tiara a bonet Polan Lyran. and Hugo Card. thinke that tiara signifieth both pileum and palliolum an hat or Persian cloake but it rather here signifieth the couering of the
counteth an 180. yeares from the beginning of the kingdome of the Greekes vnto Antiochus whereas it is euident 1. Mac. 1. 21. that Antiochus came against Ierusalem in the 143. yeare Oecol and beside whereas it is said in the text vnto the euening and morning it is euident that neither moneths or yeares are here to be vnderstood but so many naturall dayes Cal. Theodoret by the euening vnderstandeth the beginning of their calamitie by the morning the ende thereof but the phrase of Scripture sheweth that thereby the naturall day is comprehended which consisteth of the day and night As Gen. 1. throughout the chapter the euening morning were the first day and the second day so the rest 3. It remaineth then that by these 2300. dayes so many daies precisely must be vnderstood which make 6. yeares 3. moneths 20. dayes counting 365. dayes to a yeare Bulling 4. Some doe here reade onely a 1300. dayes Osian So also reade Montanus and Pagnin but the Hebrewe word alephaijm beeing put in the duall number signifieth two thousand Vatab. Iun. Polan Oecolamp Quest. 25. When this tearme of 2300. beganne and ended 1. Melancthon beginneth this tearme in the yeare of the kingdome of the Greekes an 145. and endeth it in the yeare 151. when Nicanor and his armie were destroyed and the whole land recouered but seeing euident mention is made that Antiochus began to afflict Ierusalem in the 143. yeare 1. Mac. 1. 21. this teame must not take beginning after that and seeing also that all this desolation is prophesied to happen vnder Antiochus Epiphanes who was this little horne this tearme must not be extended after the death of Antiochus who died in the 149. yeare 1. Mac. 6. 16. 2. Some do begin this tearme in the 143. yeare when Antiochus went proudly into the Sanctuarie and tooke away the golden altar 1. Mac. 1. 23. And so this tearme of 6. yeares shall determine in the 148. yeare when Iudas Macchabeus recouered the citie purged the Temple then the 3. moneths and odde dayes are counted ouer and about to finish the purging sanctifying of the Temple Bull Pererius extendeth them to the death of Antiochus which was in the 149. yeare But this account cannot stand for from the beginning of the 143. yeare to the purging of the Sanctuarie by Iudas which was in the ninth moneth Chisleu the 25. day in the 148. yeare is not 6. yeares there wanteth 3. moneths and 5. dayes 3. Calvin will haue the sixe yeares to ende in the moneth Chisleu in which moneth the temple was polluted but 3. moneths after the moneth Chisle◠the sixe yeares beeing expired it was cleansed in the moneth Adar and he noteth for this 1. Macchab. 4. 36. But there is no such thing obserued cōcerning any particular time the contrarie is euident in the 52. v. following that in the moneth Chisleu not Adar the temple was cleansed in the 148. yeare as three yeares before it had beene defiled in the same moneth in the 15. of Chisleu 4. Iunius whom Polanus followeth beginneth this time in the 142. yeare the sixt moneth and 6. day and so the full summe of 6. yeares 3. moneths and 20. dayes will come out in the 148. yeare in the ninth moneth the 25. day He beginneth the reckoning of this desolation of Ierusalem when Menclaus with other wicked men first obtained licence of the king to followe the ordinances of the heathen 1. Mac. 1. 14. and 2. Mac. 4. 25. And this seemeth to be the best account for though it cannot be precisely gathered out of the storie of the Macchabees when this tearme of a 2300. yeares beganne it must haue a perfect ende at the cleansing of the Sanctuarie which was in the 148. yeare on the 25. day of the ninth moneth Chisleu Pererius answereth that it is not necessarie to vnderstand that this cleansing of the Sanctuarie should be in the verie ende sed prope finem but toward the ende But the contrarie is euident out of the text that after the 2300. dayes then shall the Sanctuarie be cleansed But they which beginne the sixe yeares in the 143. yeare cannot ende this tearme at such time as the Sanctuarie was cleansed but extend it further 5. Some as Pererius noteth to make this tearme ende iust at the cleansing of the Sanctuarie doe read a 2200. dayes but this is an euident controlling of the text which speaketh of a 2300. dayes 6. Pappus indifferently summeth these dayes either from the first spoyling of the citie in the 143. yeare and so they shall ende in Antiochus death or from the setting vp of the abhomination of desolation in the 145. yeare in the moneth Chisleu 1. Macchab. 1. 57. and then they shall ende in the ouerthrowe and subuersion of Nicanor and his host which was two yeares after Antiochus death But this beeing a prophetical prediction must haue a certaine and definite accomplishment it cannot indifferently be taken two wayes I preferre therefore the fourth interpretation as the best 7. Now whereas c. 7. 25. there are assigned a time two times and a part that is 3. yeares and 10. dayes for the desolation of the Sanctuarie but here the summe of 2300. dayes maketh sixe yeares 3. moneths 20. dayes This must be vnderstood of all the time from the first defection or falling away of the people by the procurement of wicked Menelaus which was in the 42. yeare as is before shewed and then followeth Antiochus first comming to Ierusalem when he layd wast the citie and spoyled the people in the 143. yeare but the 3. yeares must beginne from the second comming of Antiochus in the 145. yeare when he set vp the abomination of desolation And therefore here menion is not made onely of the iniquitie of desolation and treading downe of the Sanctuarie but of the armie also that is the Lords people and the citie Polan 8. Herein also appeareth Gods mercie who now afflicteth his people in measure he fulfilleth not all out seuen yeares in the desolation of the citie and temple whereas before he punished them with a captiuitie of seuentie yeares Oecolampad Quest. 26. When the kingdome of the Greekes so often mentioned in the booke of the Macchabees tooke beginning 1. Lyranus is of opinion that the raigne of the Greekes should begin from the death of Alexander comment in 1. lib. Macchab. c. 1. But this cannot be for after Alexanders death for the space of 13. or 14. yeares there was no certaine succession of the kingdom Alexanders captaines one warring against another till those fowre kingdomes of Macedonia Asia Egypt Syria were setled 2. Ioannes Annius is yet more bold and controlleth those numbers set downe in the storie of the Macchabees that whereas Antiochus is said to beginne his raigne in the 137. yeare of the kingdome of the Greeks he saith it was the 153. yeare from the death of Alexander from whence the kingdome of the Greekes must be counted in
time according to Origens supputation will exceede the time of the Messiah almost 900. yeares 3. It is euident that these 70. weekes must beginne at such time as the word went forth to build againe Ierusalem and the Temple they must not then take beginning so long before 4. Neither are they to be extended vnto the destriction of Ierusalem as shall be shewed when we come to examine the seuerall opinions for the ende of these 70. weekes 41. Quest. That the 70. weekes must not beginne before the peoples returne out of captiuitie 1. Hippolytus as Hierome setteth downe his opinion in his Commentarie vpon this place beginneth the 70. weekes fiftie yeares before the dissoluing of the captiuitie and endeth them in Christs natiuitie but this opinion can not stand for 1. the Angel sheweth that these weekes must then beginne when the people returned out of captiuitie 2. from thence vnto the Messiah are 490. yeares but if we should beginne fiftie yeares before the number will arise to 540. yeares By the same reason may be confuted the opinion of Lyranus Burgens Galatinus who beginne the 70. weekes at the 4. of Zedekiah because then they say the promise was made from the Lord by Ieremie for the returne of the people as is shewed before quest 34. for 1. by this reckoning there will be 70. yeares within fowre all the time of the captiuitie added to Daniels propheticall weekes 2. if they will fetch the beginning from that word and promise why may they not as well beginne an eleuen yeares before when Ieremie in the 4. yeare of Iehoiakim shewed them of the captiuitie of 70. yeares Ierem. 25. 1. 11 or yet they may beginne further off from that promise made concerning Cyrus Isa. 45. that he should cause Ierusalem to be builded againe from which time to the ende of Daniels weekes are aboue 700. yeares Likewise R. Salamons opinion is confuted by the same reasons who beginneth the 70. weekes from the first destruction of the Temple in the 19. yeare of Nebuchadnezzer and endeth them at the destruction of the citie for 1. so there will be found aboue 50. yeares more then the 70. weekes from the destruction of the Temple vnto the going forth of the commandement to build againe Ierusalem 2. seeing the Angel pitcheth the beginning at the going forth of the word to bring againe the people and to build againe Ierusalem it is absurd to set the beginning when the people were carried into captiuitie and the citie and Temple destroied 42. Quest. That the 70. weekes doe not beginne in the raignes of the other kings of Persia after Cyrus 1. From the second or 20. yeare of Darius Hystaspis the 70. weekes cannot beginne 1. for we doe not read of any decree made by that Darius for the reedifying of the Temple and citie it is Darius Longimanus in whose 2. yeare the worke of the house of God went forward who is mentioned Ezr. 4. 24. As it may be thus gathered there are named in that chapter v. 6 7. two kings of the Persians after Cyrus Assuerus and Artashasht then after them followed Darius But Darius the sonne of Hystaspis was the third king of Persia. 2. In Darius decree mentioned Ezr. 6. there is no speach of building the citie but of the Temple onely here the Angel speaketh of the going forth of the word to build Ierusalem Perer 2. Neither can the computation beginne from Xerxes the 4. king of Persia by whom Iosephus thinketh first Ezra to haue beene sent and afterward Nehemiah who is called Artaxerxes Ezra 7. and Nehem. 2. for Xerxes is held by the most to haue raigned but 20. yeares onely Clemens affoardeth him 26. yeares but mention is made of the 32. yeare of this Artaxerxes Nehem. 5. 14. 3. Neither can their computation stand which beginne at the 7. yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus when Ezra was sent with the kings letters to Ierusalem for Sulpitius well obserueth Ezram nihil super reficienda vrbe fecisse comperio c. I doe not finde that Ezra did any thing in repayring of the citie his greatest care seemeth to haue bin to reforme the corrupt manners of the people c. And whereas the king doth furnish him with siluer and gold that was rather employed for the sacrifices and seruice of the Temple then for the building thereof Bullinger setteth downe diuerse reasons to confirme his opinion as 1. he prooueth that Ezra was sent to Ierusalem by Artaxerxes 2. that Nehemiah liuing vnto Alexanders time as appeareth by the names of Iaddua and Samballat who liued in Alexanders raigne was sent by this Artaxerxes not by Darius Hystaspis for then he should exceede an 194. yeares 3. the commission giuen vnto Ezra c. 7. 23. thou Ezra c. set iudges and arbiters which may iudge the people c. agreeth with the Angels speach here the going out of the word c. 4. the time agreeth from the 7. of Artaxeres to the death of Christ are found iust 490. yeares Contra. 1. The first is graunted beeing euident out of the Scripture but that is nothing to the purpose 2. It is also confessed that this was Artaxerxes Longimanus not Darius Hystaspis that reason then is impertinent 3. Ezra his commission sheweth that he was to reforme the manners of the people and to set them in order not to build the citie or Temple and therefore it was not the going forth of the word here spoken of which was to build Ierusalem 4. It can not be shewed that this agreeth with the iust computation of the 490. yeares for therein lieth the question 4. Pererius with others as namely M. Lydyat lib. de emendat temp ann mund 3553. would haue the 70. weekes beginne from the 20. yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus by whome Nehemiah was sent to repaire the citie Nehem. 2. 8. which agreeth to the going forth of the word here spoken of to build Ierusalem And for the which enterprise Nehemiah is commended Ecclus. 49. Contra. 1. Nehemiah did not first build the citie and lay the foundations of the walls which was done long before in the raigne of an other Artaxerxes Ezr. 4. 12. which is held to be Cambyses he onely viewed and repaired the breaches of the citie Nehem. 2. 15. there is mention made both of gates and walls before his comming 2. The Temple was builded and finished before the 20. yeare of Longimaniu namely in the sixt yeare of his raigâ—â— but it is not like that the building of the Temple beeing the most speciall thing which the people of God longed after should be excluded out of the compasse of the 70. weekes 5. Their opinion also may be refelled who count the beginning of these 70. weekes from the 2. yeare of Darius Nothus when by the commandement of the king the building of the house went forward and was finished in the sixt yeare Ezr. 6. 15. from thence to the destruction of Ierusalem are found iust 490. yeares the particulars
whereof Polanus thus gathereth from the 2. of Darius Nothus to the death of Alexander are yeares 99. from thence to the destruction of Ierusalem 391. which make 490. yeares Contra. 1. In the place giuen in instance Ezr. 6. 14. it is said they builded and finished the house by the appointment of God and by the commandement of Cyrus and Darius and Artashasht king of Persia seeing then that all these gaue commandement for the building of the Temple from which of them rather must the account beginne then from the first for they onely finished the worke of the Temple now it could not be begunne and made an ende of in foure yeares 2. Neither is his computation of yeares certaine and agreed vpon for some beginne to account from the 3. yeare of Darius Nothus M. Lively p. 216. Iunius reckoneth but 98. yeares from the 2. of Nothus to the death of Alexander further in this reckoning counting 70. yeares from the birth of Christ to the destruction of the citie 33. and an halfe to his passion and 36. with an halfe afterward he leaueth in the summe of 391. from Alexanders death 321. yeares for the kingdome of the Greekes and Macchabees vnto the 30. yeare of Herod but others allow not so much Melancthon not much aboue 300. yeares counting them thus from Alexanders death to the beginning of the Macchabees 146. yeares from thence to Herod 127. yeares then in the 30. yeare of Herod was Christ borne Oecolampadius thus maketh vp the reckoning an 160. yeares from Alexanders death to the Macchabees thence to Herod an 127. and 30. yeares of Herod to Christ the whole summe is 317. Others recken 300. yeares from the beginning of Alexanders raigne vnto the raigne of the Roman Empire after Cleopatra her 22. yeares and from thence to the death of Christ 60. yeares so Africanus as Lyranus citeth him and H. Br. in his proleg in Dan. Therefore the computation of Polanus is not so certaine to be builded vpon 6. Concerning the last opinion of Apollinaris who beginneth to count the 70. weekes at the birth of Christ it neede no long refutation for then there went forth no word for the building of the citie and there must be 7. weekes and 62. weekes before the Messiah so that he beginneth Daniels weekes where they almost ende 43. Quest. That Daniels 70. weekes must take beginning from the proclamation made by Cyrus for the returne of the people There remaine then onely to be examined the opinions of the third sort of those which beginne the account of the 70. weekes from Darius and Cyrus who raigned together Tertullian beginneth them from Darius and endeth them in the ouerthrow of Ierusalem Origen taketh the same beginning but goeth no further then the natiuitie of Christs so also Melancthon in his first account The Hebrewes making the same beginning doe extend the time to the last subuersion of Ierusalem by Adrian the Emperour Clemens Alexandr beginneth from Cyrus and endeth in the subuersion of Ierusalem lib. 1. stromat Origen doth ende them too soone and the rest extend them too farre but touching the ende of these weekes more shall be said in the next question but that all these doe take the beginning right of these weekes from the edict of Cyrus who raigned together with Darius the Mede it may thus euidently be prooued 1. First when the seuentie yeares of captiuitie were expired the 70. weekes of libertie immediatly beganne as M. Calvin sheweth vpon the 24. verse Certum est quinquaginta annos quinquaginta hebdomadas simul coniungi the 70. yeares and 70. weekes are ioyned together And this proposition is confirmed Ier. 29. 10. Thus saith the Lord After seuentie yeares be accomplished at Babel I will visit you and performe my good promise toward you and cause you to returne to this place But the 70. yeares were expired in the first yeare of Cyrus 2. Chron. 36. 22. therefore then the 70. weekes beganne 2. The 70. weekes beganne from the going forth of the word to cause the people to returne v. 25. but in the first yeare of Cyrus the Edict came forth for the returne of the people Ezr. 1. 1. then was the generall deliuerance of the people from captiuitie Ergo. 3. Paulus Burgensis vrgeth this reason that if the beginning of these weekes were suspended an hundred yeares to the raigne of Artaxerxes Longimanus or after then it would follow that Daniel was ignorant when these weekes should beginne and so consequently did not know the time of the comming of the Messiah but it is not like that so great a Prophet hauing reuealed vnto him the time of the comming of the Messiah should be ignorant of it Pererius to this maketh a double answer 1. that though Daniel haue a vision in generall of the Messiahs comming yet he might be ignorant of the very time as it was reuealed to Daniel that one should rise vp to afflict the people of God most grieuously 2300. daies chap. 8. yet he knew not the particular time 2. It is like that it was reuealed to Daniel when these 70. weekes should beginne though it is not expressed in Scripture Contra. 1. There is not the like reason to know the particular time of Christs comming and of Antichrist there was more necessitie for the comfort of Gods people of the one then of the other neither was the time foretold of Antiochus comming as here of Christs but onely how long his tyrannie should continue when he was come 2. Such vnwritten directions not expressed in Scripture it is dangerous to imagine it is true that Daniel knew the beginning of these weekes and had thereto direction and that here expressed in Scripture other direction he had none and not hauing other direction then here he should haue continued ignorant of his owne prophesie if he had not seene the accomplishment of it himselfe 4. An other argument may be taken from the continuance of the Persian Monarchie the most agree that the kingdome of the Macedonians continued 300. yeares from the beginning of Alexanders raigne and that thence to the passion of Christ the Romanes gouerned 60. yeares so African Lyr. Iunius counteth but 362. yeares in all there remaineth then to make vp the summe of 490. an 130. yeares for the Persian Monarchie and not aboue the reason is this because Nehemiah saw both the beginning and the ende of the Persian Monarchie that he saw the ende Iosephus Scalliger thus prooueth 1. because Nehemiah in his storie maketh mention of the last Darius whome Alexander ouercame c. 12. 22. And that it was the last Darius is euident because Iaddua the high Priest is there mentioned who met Alexander 2. Nehemiah was hindred in repairing the walls of the citie by one Samballat c. 4. this Samballat afterward ayded Alexander at the siege of Gaza with a band of souldiers and died before Alexander had taken Gaza so that Nehemiah and Samballat were both of the same