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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75736	The work of the age: or, the sealed prophecies of Daniel opened and applied. VVherein is plainly proved that all the governments in the world, except the government of Christ, are but images, or parts of Nebuchadnezzars image, and shall be suddenly broken in pieces by the little stone cut out of the mountain without hand: together with the means how Christ will effect all this. Shewing also that image-government, and image-worship have always been companions. Explaining likewise Daniels mystical numbers, and discovering some misprisions about the little horn, both in the translation and application of the same. Amending sundry places in our common translation, and clearing some chronological points from the common errours. / By William Aspinwall.	Aspinwall, William, fl. 1648-1662.	1655 (1655)	Wing A4010; Thomason E832_1; ESTC R207510	48,246	60

hee stumbles not because hee seeth the light of this world But if a man walk in the night hee stumbleth because there is no light in him And such was the distribution from the beginning Gen. 1. 5. And God called the light Day and the darknesse hee called Night and the Evening was and the morning was the first Day These two parts which wee commonly call artificiall added together do constitute a whole day of twenty four hours which wee call a Naturall day In summe therefore the Angels answer amounts to thus much to satisfy the Saint who made inquiry how long God would give the Host and the Sanctuary to be troden under foot Namely for the space of 2300 artificiall daies Which is all one as if hee had said 1150 naturall daies or three years and two months For though in this verse there be an Ellipsis or defect of the Conjunction Vau or the Demonstrative Article He yet in the 26 verse you have a supplement of both Where it is said and the Vision of THAT Evening and of THAT morning is truth It is not therefore rightly translated 2300 daies as in our new translation which hath given occasion to some to mistake the Angells answer and to think hee here speaks of propheticall daies But search wee the Scriptures throughout and wee shall never find the Holy Ghost expressing propheticall daies in that phrase of speech putting an Evening for a year and a Morning for a year Nor were it proper so to speak because there is no revolution of the Sun in twelve hours space Alwaies when Scripture speaks of propheticall daies in the Old Testament he useth the word Jo● or day As Ezech. 4 5 6. Three hundred and ninty daies a day for a year And forty daies putting a day for a year So Dan. 11. 12. Wherefore I conclude that since no instance can be given from Scripture where Evening and Morning are put for a year but for parts of a Naturall day wee are to understand the Angell to speak of 2300 artificiall daies distinctly and orderly succeeding one another Secondly For the time of the end it is expressed in these words then shall the Sanctuary be justified or cleansed As if hee should have said this justifying of the Sanctuary doth terminate the number of daies foretold And having the determinate period given it is as easie a matter after the accomplishment to account backward to the beginning as it would be to account forward from the beginning to the end I am not ignorant that some godly men do apprehend these 2300 daies to be spoken of propheticall daies or years and they make their account to beginne either with the Persian Monarchy or with the Babylonish Captivity But I cannot consent with them unlesse I could consent unto such a sence of the original words as I can no where find in Scripture Otherwise I should rejoyce to concurr with such worthies whose praise is in the Gospell and men whom I do so highly honour in mine heart as fellow witnesses But let mee be excused if I cleave more close to the Scriptures than to them Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed magis amica veritas I shall leave every one liberty to abound in his own sence till more convincing light shall appear which may give just occasion to entertain second thoughts And for help in this case I shall leave these Queries upon that interpretation Quere 1 First If wee beginne the account with the Capivity then let it be inquired how it can stand with the nature of a Vision to runne backward from the time of the Vision to seek an Epocha or beginning of such an Account For as much as Visions are representations of things present or to come to the eye either of the body or of the mind but not of things past Quere 2 Secondly If wee beginne the account with Cyrus let it be inquired how it can be said of the reign of Cyrus that the Host of Heaven the Saints and the Sanctuary were given unto treading Could the Sanctuary the Temple be given to a treading in the first of Cyrus before it was built And did not Cyrus in his first year command that the Temple should be built and how can that agree with the Text which saith it was given for a treading Again how can it be said of the Host the people of God that they were given for a treading Did not Cyrus in his first year proclaim liberty to them And how can that be called a treading under foot Object If any say there happened an obstruction of the Temple-work soon after they beganne and Gods people were troden upon with the false accusations of Tobiah and Sanballat c. Answ Yet let it be considered how suitable or unsuitable this will be to the number 2300 and to the end of the same whether you understand them to be Naturall or propheticall daies For if you take them to be 2300 naturall daies wee know the Temple was hindred much longer time in the re-edifying thereof And if you take it for 2300 years wee know it was not neer so long time from the hindrance of the Temple untill the finishing of it in the daies of Artaxerxes or the cleansing of it in the daies of Antiochus Epiphanes So that I see not how that interpretation can any way suit with the words of the Text. And if it be said the Temple is to be taken in a spirituall sence and the cleansing of the Temple also which cannot be expected to be accomplished till the end of the Fourth Monarchy how can that stand with the Angells words which saith the Temple shall be justified in the daies of one of Alexanders successors long before the fourth Monarchy had a Beeing Vers 17. Towards the time of the end this Vision will be The Angel that he might beget in Daniel also in us a right understanding of this Vision tells us that the season in which these troubles should happen shal be towards the time of the end What is the meaning of that Read the 23 vers there it is said that in the after part of their Kingdom who succeeded Alexander this Horn shal arise that shal tread the Sanctuary and the Host under foot 2300 Evenings and Mornings Which after part is in this present verse called towards the time of the end and vers 19 it is called the appointed time of the end Vers 22. But not in his power That is not with the power and might of Alexander As if hee should say these four Kingdoms which stand up after Alexander shall not be comparable to him for power This is spoken of all the four Kingdoms that succeeded Alexander But the same words are spoken of that Horn which was a King of fierce countenance a younger Brother He shall strengthen himself and shal be a puissant Prince but not with his power vers 24. The meaning is this Horn shal be a potent Prince but not comparable to

the stone cut out of the Mountain and breaking in peeces these former Governments Touching which stone let these things bee inquired Quest 1. What is meant by this Stone Quest 2. What is meant by that phrase cut out but not with hands Quest 3. How doth it smite the Image upon his feet of Iron and Clay and how doth it break them to peices and when Quest 4. What will be the effect of this Stones smiting of the Image Answ 1 To the first I answer That by Stone is meant a Kingdom as may appear by comparing verse thirty four with verse forty four where it is so called The word there used for s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kingdom is the same that is used to express the Civil Power and Government of the other Monarchies vers 39 40 41. which argues that the Kingdom here spoken of is not as some apprehend it to be a Spiritual and internal Kingdom whereby Christ reigns in the hearts and Consciences of his people but it is an external Kingdom whereby hee rules and guides the World with Righteousness and Judgement Psal 98. 9. He comes to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Of this Kingdom it is spoken That the t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Government shall be upon his shoulder The word there used is always put for Temporal Government as we call it not for Spiritual for a Dominion over the bodies and estates and outward actions of men not for a Dominion over their Consciences and Spirits Of this Kingdom and Government it is said to begin in the days of the ten Kings or Toes of the Fourth Monarchy vers 44. And in the days of them of these Kings shall the God of Heaven cause to arise a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed c. The words are very observable hee had spoken of the toes of the feet and their unequal mixture in the next preceding verses and now in this verse he saith u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the days of them that is in the days of these Toes as the Pronoun relative doth necessarily infer And then by way of Exegesis addeth a description of the dignity of those Toes they were Kings Now in the days of these Kings he saith The God of Heaven x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal cause to arise a Kingdom which doth inferre that the Kingdom here spoken of is such as had not a being or to use the Prophets words was not caused to arise until the days of these Ten Toes or Kings Whereas the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ and his Regiment in the Souls and Consciences of his people was begun many years before the time of these ten Kings yea long before any of all the great Monarchies even from the beginning of the world The Kingdom therefore here spoken of cannot bee meant of an inward and Spiritual Kingdom but of an external Kingdom over mens bodies and outward actions This Kingdom is here described First By its Divine original It is cut out but not with hands vers 34. 45. Jesus Christ the y Gen. 49. 24. Stone of Israel received this power from the Father actually in the days of these ten Kings towards the end of the Fourth Monarchy Dan. 7. 14. And to him was given absolute Soveraignty and Glory and Dominion and all People Nations and Languages shall serve him c. Secondly This Kingdom is described by the perfect constitution of it it is such a Kingdom that shall never z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee destroyed or as the word signifies shall never be corrupted the Constitution being Divine and the Administrators thereof Saints it can neither be corrupted nor destroyed as it is said Dan. 7. 14. where the same word is used Thirdly The perpetu●ty of it is set forth in these words Shall a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never be destroyed and therefore it is called an everlasting Kingdom Dan. 7. 14. These are the Three principall Characters of the Kingdom of Christ or the Fifth Monarchy as it is called Answ 2 To the Second I answer That the cutting out of this Stone but not with hands doth deny that it is from any Human policy or contrivement and therefore the Dominion and Soveraignty thereof is from above My Kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. And therefore his Servants would not then fight for it till the time was come which the Father had appointed And then he goeth forth to Warre and his Servants with him vers 12. 7. 17. 14. Answ 3 To the Third Question I answer He smites the Image or Image-Government by the Ministry of his Word Rev. 19. 15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations This is the first Act as I may say of this Stone Which argues that when the season comes for Christ to challenge his Kingdom his Servants first prepare his way by publishing to all the world his Royal Power and Soveraignty and declaring the incroachments of worldly Powers upon his Royalty whereby the free passage of Judgement and Justice hath been obstructed and the inhabitants of the Nations deluded with an Image-Government And having thus sent his Heraulds before to advertise the People and Nations hee then comes to break and crush them with his Iron Scepter and rules them with a rod of Iron Rev. 19. 15. Psal 2. 9. And who is it that doth not see or at least may that Christ hath already begun to break the Nations and Governments in the World and in these our Nations also in the late Warres and revolutions of State And is not this some beginning of his Kingdom As for the time when this shall be done it is said in the days of them of these Kings that is Christ will first send abroad his Heraulds and such as will not stoop to him he will break in peeces whilst yet these Kings and Kingdoms or various kinds of governments have a Being And hath not Christ made good all this before our eyes The Servants of Christ as Heraulds have gone before to publish the Royalty of this only and blessed Potentate witness Mr. Archer M. Tho. Goodwin and many others and some to this day suffer for their boldness in that behalf And that Christ hath ruled with his Iron Rod is manifest to our own experience We all know what strange Revolutions and overturnings of this Government after that hath been already made Answ 4 To the Fourth I answer That the effects of this Stones smiting the Image-Government of the Fourth Monarchy upon its feet are clearly expressed to be two First by the Ministry of his Servants he so smites them with the word of his mouth that they become as the chaff of the Summer Threshing-floors The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth such an action as reduceth this Image of Gold Silver Brass Iron and Clay into most fine and subtil dust

Alexander For so I understand the phrase to import in both the verses Vers 24. And shall corrupt or destroy the mighty even the people of Saints That is by corrupting them he shall destroy them For the word doth signify both to corrupt and destroy And how doth hee corrupt them Answ By peace and tranquillity vers 25. granting them a quiet possession of their outward estates so be it they will forsake the Lord and his pure worship to follow after Idolls This is the constant Spirit of Image-government to set up Image-worship of one kind or other such as suits their own fancies and their Government best Vers 26. Shut up the Vision because it is for many daies Not propheticall daies or years as hath been shewed but Naturall or Artificiall daies This phrase many daies hath given occasion to some to apprehend that the 2300 evenings and mornings must needs be understood of a longer tract of time than so many artificiall daies and nights or three years and two months But let this phrase of speech be weighed in these Scriptures following It is written Lev. 15. 25. If a woman have an issue of blood y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many daies c. And 2 Sam. 14 2. Be thou as a woman that had mourned for the dead many daies And Deut. 20. 19. when thou shalt besiedg a City many daies And 1 King 2. 38 39. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many daies And it came to passe at the end of three years c. So that it is apparent from these instances of Scripture and many more which might be given that in Scripture-language three years are accounted many daies and sometimes also they are used to expresse a shorter season Wherefore this phrase cannot argue the number 2300 to be the greatest Epocha in Scripture as some have apprehended Nor is it indeed the greatest number of daies in Scripture For 2300 evenings and mornings make but 1150 daies which falleth far short of 1260 daies in the Revelation and 1290 daies Dan. 12. 11. and of 1335 daies Dan. 12. 12. But let this suffice to remove away the occasion of stumbling from such as have not searched diligently the use of that phrase Many daies Vers 27. And I Daniel fainted and was sick some daies The sad calamities that were to befall Gods people did so deeply seize upon the Prophets spirit that hee fainted and was sick How long he doth not expresse but some daies Afterward Daniel being Ruler of the Province of Babylon and continuing in that place to this time as hath been shewed hee rose up and did the Kings businesse as ruler of the whole Province of Babylon Let this suffice to have spoken by way of interpretation of the words and now come with mee to consider the speciall characters of this Horn so much insisted upon in this Chapter And the Characters whereby hee is distinguished you shall find to be in number thirteen First It proceeded out of THAT successor of Alexander which was the brasen thigh of Nebuchadnezzars Image and raged most against the Church of Christ and was of longest continuance to wit Seleucus 2 Hee is not the first born of any of that race but a younger Brother vers 9. 3 Hee is a cruel Prince as it is written vers 23. hee is a King of hard countenance 4 He is a Prince of deep understanding vers 23. understanding dark sentences 5 Hee is a subtile politick Prince vers 24. through his policy hee shall cause craft to prosper in his hand c. 6 Hee corrupteth the consciences and conversations of many through Peace and tranquillity vers 25. 7 Hee makes great preparations against Egypt in the South and Persia in the East and against Judea the glory of all lands vers 9. 8 Hee is a Prince of a proud Spirit according as it is written vers 11. hee magnified himself 9 Hee opposeth the people of God in a speciall manner vers 10 11. hee magnified himself against the Host of heaven and against the Prince of the Host 10 Hee profaned the Temple and Ordinances thereof vers 11. By him the dayly sacrifice was taken away from the people of God and hee cast away the place of the Sanctuary 11 All these things were transacted in the after-part of the Kingdome of Alexanders successors vers 23. And in the after-part of their Kingdom shall arise a King of fierce countenance c. 12 The manner of his death was by some divine stroak from Heaven and not by warre or treachery vers 25. he shall be broken without hand 13 The durance of this Horns prevalency against the people of God is expressed by the certain number of artificiall Nights and Daies and the determinate cloze of that number vers 14 unto two thousand and three hundred Evenings and mornings then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed Now haveing opened the most obscure places in the Text and collected the Characters of this Horn let every judicious Reader see and consider whether they do best suite unto Antiochus Epiphanes or to the Roman-Civil or Antichristian state And let us not hastily condemn the Macchabees and Saints of that age who living whilst things were transacted applyed this prophecy unto Antiochus Epiphanes nor Josephus and after him Tremellius and Junius and others who have done the like For who can deny that this Antiochus Epiphanes descended of Seleucus whose posterity continued longest and was most outragious against the people of God of all other the successors of Alexander And is it not manifest in stories that hee was younger Brother of Seleucus Philopater son of Antiochus the great Is it not notoriously know that he was a most cruel Prince of deep understanding and policy Did he not corrupt and destroy many through Peace and tranquillity Did not hee make great preparations against Egypt in the South Persia in the East also against Judea Was not hee excessively pround Insomuch that hee thought the very waves should obey his command Did hee not invade Iudea and prosper through his policy And did hee not pollute the Temple and Temple-worship And was not all this done in the latter part of the Kingdome of the Selencidae And was not hee cut off by Gods own hand without any hand of man As for the durance of this Kings rage and prevalency wee may gather it very neer out of the story of the Macchabees though they principally note out the flux of time from setting up the abomination of desolation untill the purifying and cleansing of the Temple which was exactly three years and ten daies or 1103 daies not giving us the exact day when Antiochus entred the Citty yet it may be probably collected that it could not be lesse than 1150 daies which makes 2300 Evenings and Mornings as Daniel did foretell And who would not conceive that this Prince unto whom all these Characters do so exactly agree is the Horn intended by Daniel Let the indifferent Reader judge Now

for as much as some good men do take it to be meant of the Roman Civil State or Antichristian State or both let mee propound these Queries to be considered of 1 How can the Roman Civil State or the Antichristian State 1 Quere be called in Scripture Language a younger Brother according as it is said of this Horn 2 How can the Roman Civil State much lesse the Antichristian 2 Quere State which did not arise till many years after that be said to trample upon the Saints and upon the Temple and Ordinances in the first of Cyrus ere either the Roman Civil State or the Roman Antichristian State had a Being Which yet must be granted if the 2300 daies be counted for years and that they do begin with Cyrus 3 Who can averre that either the Roman Civil or Antichristian 3 Quere State shall be broken without hand whereas the contrary seems rather to be true Thus have I briefly opened this Chapter and proposed the divers interpretations and applications of the same and so I shall shut up this subject with this request unto every one that searcheth after the truth to follow the example of those noble Bereans Act. 17. 11. when they read various interpretations of mysticall Prophecies search the Scriptures whether those things be so as they are represented that so your faith may not be founded upon humane credit but upon the eternall truth of God Even so be it Dan. Chap. 9. 23 At the beginning of thy supplications the WORD went forth and I come to declare it for thou art z Or a man of desires desires therefore understand that word and consider that Vision 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon a Heb. the City of thy holinesse thy holy City to restrain transgression and to seal up sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to seal the Vision and the Prophet and to anoint the b Or most holy holy of holies 25 Know thou therefore and weigh thou that from the going forth of the WORD to bring back and to build Jerusalem unto c Or the anointed Prince Messias the Prince are seven weeks and sixty and two weeks the street and the ditch d Heb. Shall return and be built shall be built again and that in the streit of those times 26 And after those sixty and two weeks the Messias shall be cut off but not for himself and in that City and in that Sanctuary God will permit to be destroyed the people of the Prince that is to come and their end shall be with a flood and at the end of the warre a finall judgement of desolations 27 And hee shall confirm the covenant with many for one week and in half of that week hee shall cause to cease the Sacrifice and oblation making it also desolate by the e Heb The Wing of abominations Meaning the Roman Army Army of abominations even untill the consumption even the determined consumption be powred forth by the destroyer THis sealed Prophecy having been long since accomplished and by most men understood to lead us unto the death of our Saviour Jesus Christ I shall not enter upon any large explication of the words but briefly as may be indeavour to clear up from the words of this Text and other parallell Scriptures what time wee ought to account for the beginning and ending of Daniels Seventy weeks For wonderfull is the policy of Sathan to raise up mists that hee may darken our discerning of a truth which in it self is most clear In so much as wee are now lesse able to read the Book distinctly since the accomplishment thereof than good old Simeon was a little before The principall reason of which dimness I cannot attribute to any thing so much as our leaning upon humane writers which hath a secret nature of poison in it to narrow our sight So that wee are not able to discern things which are easily discernable in themselves Wherefore it will be wholsome to vomit up this poison laying humane stories a side and looking wistly at the word of God alone To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no morning light in them Let every Christian therefore in these Knowing times put the question to his own heart and accordingly eccho forth an answer thereunto Whether the word of God alone be not f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-sufficient as I may say That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished for every good work And if so then what need of humane writers to perfect the Scriptures Chronology First Therefore to speak something of the beginning of Daniels The beginning of Daniels seventy weeks seventy weeks It is most evident from the Text as Mr. Tillinghast well observes in his Knowledge of the Times pag. 162. that these seventy weeks of Daniel must take their beginning from some WORD Only the Question will still be what WORD it is by whom that WORD was spoken from which wee ought to begin our account of Daniels weeks I shall first shew what WORD it is Our Translators render it Commandement but the Originall calls it a WORD I know wee commonly put a difference between the word of a subject and of a Prince Wee call the one a word and the other wee call a Command Edict Ordinance or Proclamation I would not strive about words I put not much in letters and syllables Yet let mee say thus much that Scripture language is ever best and fittest for Syons Children And good it were for Princes that they should know that God makes no more account of their Commands Edicts Ordinances and Proclamations than of so many words But to speak a little more fully and directly to the matter of this WORD what it is Or about what it is The Angel gives a clear answer to that that it is a WORD which concerns the return of Gods people to Jerusalem to built Jerusalem For so runne the Angells words to cause to return and to build Jerusalem This is the WORD And this Ezra calls a VOICE which Cyrus caused to passe through all his Dominions and put it also in writing that whosoever there was of the people of God he should go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and there build the house of Jehovah the God of Israel and his God be with him Ezr. 1. 1 3. And Cyrus gives the ground or reason of his action The Lord God of heaven hath given mee all the Kingdoms of the earth and hee hath charged mee to build him an house at Jerusalem which is in Judah Quest And how did Cyrus know this Answ I conceive it to be most likely that Daniel who was Ruler of the Province of Babel the third person in the Kingdom and continuing in Babel to that time as hath been shewed before might have easie

Darius it will make up the just number of 49 years as the Angell here speaketh From which time count 62 years untill Christ was 25 years of age according to the Law Num. 4. 3. From which time Christ beganne to confirm the Covenant from one week as the Angel speaketh and to prepare for the full execution of his office in his 30 year current then in half of that week to wit the latter half he made the sacrifice and oblation to cease offring up himself once for all in the very close of the same And thus you have the totall summe and the integrall parts to agree and constitute the just number of 490 years from the WORD that went forth from Cyru unto the death of Christ Now the close or end of Daniels account is twice expressed The end of Daniels weeks First When the Angell tells Daniel in one grosse summe that seventy weeks are determined vers 24. to end at the death of Christ as all these expressions do fully import to restrain transgression to seal up sins to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse For without blood there is no remission of sins Heb. 9. 22. We were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. Therefore it is most clear that the seventy weeks did determine at the death and resurrection of Christ For if Christ be not raised our faith is in vain wee are yet in our sins 1 Cor. 15. 17. Secondly The end of these seventy weeks is expressed when the Angel makes a distribution of them into parts allotting the last week unto Christs confirming the Covenant saying and in half of that week he shall be cut off c. That is he shall be wholly set apart to the mediators office during that half and in the close thereof shall offer up himself by death This half I take to be the latter half And so the account of the particulars doth agree with the totall summe of seventy weeks Some would have it understood of the former half of the week but that will not agree with the summe totall nor can it stand with truth for in 69 week an half is not 70 weeks And it had been as easie in that language to have said 69 weeks and an half as to say in half of that week Wherefore I conclude that those 70 weeks of Daniel were terminated in the death of Christ and neither before nor after Thus much I thought necessary to speak of this ninth chapter in respect of the various interpretations which men do give of the Chronologicall part thereof Which opens a door to some to question the Doctrinall part not only of this but of other Scriptures also For if Scriptures be uncertain or untrue in any respect it will infirm the credit of their Testimony in every respect I might have added much more but that I affect brevity only one word let me adde which I have pretermitted to advertise those that are not acquainted with the original that in all the Commission granted to Nehemiah where some with overmuch confidence do fix the beginning of Daniels weeks there is not one word of i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Command k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edict Decree or l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proclamation once mentioned And therefore cannot with any colourable ground bee accounted to bee the going forth of that WORD m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the Angel speaks to Daniel Wherefore as the Angel commands Daniel let us weigh all interpretations in the ballance of the Sanctuary DAN Chap. 11. Vers 1. Now I in the first year of Darius the Mede stood in my station to confirm and strengthen him 2 And now I will declare to thee the truth Behold there shall yet stand up three Kings in Persia and the Fourth shall be farre richer than all and by his strength with his riches he shall stir up all even the Kingdom of Graecia 3 And a mighty King shall stand up and he shall rule with great Dominion and shall do according to his pleasure 4 And as he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken and shall be n Hebr. Halfed or divided in halfs divided towards the four Winds of Heaven but not to his posterity nor according to his Dominion wherewith he ruled for his Kingdom shall be plucked up even for others besides those MY intention is not at this time to insist largely upon this chapter but only to shew from Scripture how many Persian Kings there were from Cyrus unto Alexander the first Graecian Monarch That men may better judge of the falshood and uncertainty of Graecian Stories that have forged thirteen Monarchs or Kings of Persia to have reigned after Cyrus But let the Sons of Sion that love the truth hearken to what God hath spoken by the Angel in the words of Truth Vers 1. Now I These words hold forth to us a description of the Angel that spake to Daniel In the former Chapter wee read that Daniel had a Vision in the third year of Cyrus King of Persia And an Angel appeared to him to shew him what should befall in after times Now I to wit the same Angel But what I or what Angel is it Even the Angel that stood to confirm and strengthen him To strengthen whom Not Darius the Mede for he was at this time dead but Cyrus the Prince of Persia of whom you read in the twentieth verse of the former Chapter And when was this Angel first designed to this service to attend at the Court of Persia In the first year of Darius the Mede And now you may read the Angels name for that Angels name was Gabriel who first appeared to Daniel in the first year o● Darius Dan. 9. 21. So that it seems this Angel Gabriel was designed to attend the Persian Princes Court and to order the affairs thereof even from the first taking of Babylon during the continuance of that Monarchy as the words Dan. 10. 20. seem to import where it is said And when I am gone forth that is when I depart from the Court of Persia and am discharged from attendance there then behold the Prince of Graecia coming Vers 2. I will shew thee the truth Why did the Angel ever shew him any thing that was not truth what then doth he mean to use this expression Doubtlesse the Angel did fore-see that there would be many false and forged relations and stories of these Persian Monarchs which would trouble the Chronologie of the Scriptures Now that he might fortifie the Sons of Sion against such kinde of Forgeries he gives unto Daniel a perfect and true relation of the Persian Monarchs that he might leave it upon Record to all posterity saying and now I will shew thee the truth where he makes a great distinction Now what is this Truth which the Angel declares to Daniel Behold saith he there shall yet stand up

of the Sun for one day But what through his unskilfulness to manage the reigns and the unruliness of the Horses he overthrew his Chariot and set the world on fire The Moral of which is good This Nero was a cruel Tyrant and did much mischief to the Church and in the days of Vespasian both the City and Temple were destroyed And thus farre the Prophet proceeds in this eleventh Chapter as I conceive and no further For though some good men apply this Prophecy unto the Roman Civil or Antichristian state extending the same unto the end of the fourth Monarchy yet I cannot see how that can stand with the words of the text which say that the King of the North and the King of the South shall have a League c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Kings Daughter of the South shall go to the King of the North to make agreement Is it credible that the Pope or Emperour should make a League with the Turk much more unlikely it is that they should make inter-marriages either with the Turks Daughter or the Jews Daughter whether soever you shall imagine to be meant by the King of the South As for the Pope if he should be thought to be the King of the North it is not lawful for him to marry Neither can it probably be imagined either of the Roman Emperor or of the Turk Wherefore I cannot consent to such an interpretation but rather adhere to the former unto which it doth far better suit Obj. But it may be said that the Angel tells Daniel Dan. 12. 7. that all these things shall be finished after a time times and half a time and how then can we understand it of Jerusalems destruction which did precede that time times and half a time Ans I confess the Objection seemed to me of weight untill I weighed the words of the text and the form of speech But thus I now apprehend the matter One of the Angels asked the man clnathed with linnen which was upon the waters of the River Hiddekel how long it was to the end of those Wonders In which question I conceive is comprehended all Daniels Wonders as well in the seventh Chapter as in the other Chapters following To which the man cloathed with linnen by a solemn Oath gives answer That the Churches calamity should continue for a time times and half a time And there hee makes a distinction But when HE saith the man shall have accomplished to break the d Hebr. To break the hand power of the holy people By He I understand Vespasian and Titus By power of the holy people I understand the ruine of that State and people of the Jews which are in Scripture phrase called the Holy people or the people of holiness or consecration Now when the adversary hath thus broken their hand and power then shall all those things be finished All what things namely all those things whereof hee had spoken in the fore-going Chapter This ambiguity in the answer considered and that no Epocha was prefixed for the beginning of that time times and half a time nor any determinate period set for the ending of the same as it had been done in the former Visions chap. 8. 9. 11. this puts Daniel upon a second Querie Not when shall be the end but what doth that after-part of his Visions mean whereunto the man in linnen gives answer That it was a secret to be sealed till the e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 season of the end And none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Namely when the season of the end shall come that Christ begins to draw out his last lines as I may say but not till then But then in the next words he gives Daniel an Epocha from whence he may begin the accounts following though he had sealed that time times and half a time till afterwards The Epocha given is the takeing away of the daily sacrifice and setting up of the abomination which makes desolate Now that you may better understand what this means consider that you have these words three times used in Daniel First these words are mentioned Dan. 8. 13. where the wickedness of Antiochus Epiphanes is described in subverting Gods pure Worship and setting up the Image of Jupiter Olympius in the Temple 2. These words are again used Dan. 9. 27. 11. 31. where he speaks of the destruction of the City and Temple by the abominable Roman Army and the total removal of Temple-worship For so our Saviour interprets that place of Daniel Mat. 24. 15. Mark 13. 14. Luk. 21. 20. and Daniel secretly gives a hint of it Dan. 12. 7. But 3 These words are used Dan. 12. 11. which I conceive to be spoken of another time many years after the City and Temple and Temple-worship were destroyed And the man cloathed in linnen purposely useth the same expressions as before to shew us that there should be somewhat of the like nature as formerly but much more Spiritual that should be the Epocha of the Churches Spiritual captivity And what may that be Ans For my own part I conceive it to bee that abominable desolating Idol the Masse for the living and for the dead joyned with intercession of Saints by which the vertue and efficacy of Christs death is made voyd which is the taking away of the daily sacrifice And this began about the year 383. whereunto adde Daniels first number 1290. and it will lead you down unto the end of all worldly Image Government and the Churches troubles together Anno 1673. But if unto that Epocha you adde Daniels second mysticall number 1335. it will carry you as I apprehend unto the time of the New Jerusalems coming down from Heaven or the perfect constitution and settlement of Christs Government all the world over In respect whereof there is a speciall and peculiar blessing promised to such as live unto that time Thus have I briefly given you the application of this eleventh Chapter and an explication of Daniels mystical numbers having not leasure to inlarge upon the same Since I finished this little labour I met with an old Jesuitical Tenet concerning the durance of Antichrists reign for the space of three years and an half newly brought forth and sent into the world under the Tutelage of him whose Government he makes to be the Beasts seventh Head Concerning which he Prophesieth that it shall be as large as any if not as all the other Six Governments but much larger f This Prophecie deserves thanks none of Ahabs Prophets could have spoken better than the Roman This little stripling as he calls himself is bold to throw one of his Stones at the head of Daniel or of John or both Concerning whom he saith That though Daniel seems to say that the Ten Horns or Kings shall arise out of the Sixth Head or Fourth Beast in chap. 7. ver 23 24. yet compared with other Scriptures it will plainly appear that they will rise out of the seventh head c. To prove which he quoteth Rev. 17. 10. where John doth not say that the Ten Horns sprang out of the Seventh Head nor doth Daniel say they did arise out of the Sixth Head What then shall we say Was Daniel or John mistaken or both Or rather doth not this stripling mistake both Daniel and John It is an usual saying We may guess at the man by his foot I only make mention Ex ungue leonem of him by way of Caution to such as meet with him else I would not so much as have mentioned his Tenet the Book is called A brief Survey of the Prophetical and Evangelical events of the last times which seems to be of the Off-spring of Babel and blessed be he that dasheth her little ones against the rock FINIS ERRATA PAge 31. l. 20. for Macedon read Aegypt p. 32. l. 17. dele one of the thighs of Nebuchadnezzars Image l. 20. instead of stood but upon one thigh r. stood upon his two thighs but more especially upon one brazen thigh