not bere the transgression of his 10. precepts but for Vrios sake onely casten him out of his kyngdom vndowted and certayn is it none of the kynges of the erth to siande longe vnpunished in their securite and pryde Wherfore let all good princes lerne this lesson longe to rule well euen not to worshippe themselues and their actes but to worship god as he techeth them nether their owne belys and lustes to nourishe and fede but to nourish the churche of cryste For albeit the kyngdoms be the houses and kouers of the churche yet for the trew churches sakis do the kynges and their kyngdoms prospere and flourisshe as witnesseth the scripture Wherfore let all emâ—…ro kynges and princes sewer and prowde wryte in the middis of their hertis this saying of Daniel Thy kyngdom shal be taken from the to teche the to knowe the moste hyghe god to rule and gouerne mortall menis kingdoms and to geue them to whom he lysteth For what els dothe daniel here teache but all siche weal sewer emprowrs kynges and princes to be plaged lyke Nebucadnezar yf they repente not and cease their persecucion of cryst and of his chirche this daye captiued vnder their vngodly articles actis institucions and tradicions contempning gods ministers callinge them to a beter mynde as did here the kynge despyse daniel admonishing him therfore was he depriued of his kyngdome wytte and mynde to But aftir this I Nebucadnezar lyfted vp myne eyes into heuen and came agayne to my mynde And I blessed the most hyghe god the euerlastinge syuinge god I praised and magnifyed whose regall power is perpetuall and his kyngdome dureth for euer and euer For all the inhabitants of the erth are naught and nothinge estemed in comparison to him which at his plesure doth what he lysteth â—â— well with the company of heauen as with the dwellers vpon earth Nether maye there any man let or holde bak his hande or saye to him what doist thou or wherfore hast thou done thus In this same tyme my mynde came againe to me I receiued ayen my glory the magnificence of my kyngdome my emperiall maiestye my shappe and forme were restored to me My counsellers and my nobles sought me oute and I was forestored into my kyngdome that my maiesty was more ample then before Now therfore I Nebucadnezar prayse extost magnifye the kynge of heauen all whose workis be trew and his wayes right and iust It is he that maye caste downe full lowe the prowde This deieccion and humisiacion might not the kynge knowe beinge in his 〈◊〉 securite and arrogant pryde For then he blasphemed he compessed men to idolatrye and was an heuey burden to all his realme But nowe he tamed and plaged of god beginneth to repente and is nowe restored to his mynde now thus afflicted he knoweth god and himselfe he murmureth not against god for thus punishinge him but he breketh forth into his prayse confessing his iust dealinge with him for his offences thus to be punished worthely which he coulde not haue done except god by his graciouse goodnes had thus lyfted him vp and geuen him vnderstanding Here therfore haue ye an example of a penitent kyng which delyuered from his miserye geueth god thankis accordinge to gods promise saying Call vpon me and I shall delyuer the then shalt thou glorifye me First here is described the affect of a penitent herte in his tribulacion and arysinge therout confessinge god to be iust in his threatis of the lawe and to be mercyfull according to his promises of the gospell Thus did kynge dauid repente and make his confession in the. 51. Psal. And daniel lykewyse cap. 9. powereth forth his herte before god teachinge vs lykewyse to repent and to be conuerted to God Secondarily he expresseth the frute of y e kyngs repentance that is to wete God to geue miche more ample giftis to the repentaÌ„t then he toke from them as ye see him to haue done to Iob in his last ca. And daniel for his miseries oh how greate rewardis receyued he Thirdly he expresseth the forme of thankis geuinge euen to affirme god to raigne all 〈◊〉 psalm 118. and also in the hole psalter For what els is the psalter boke then the glasse of the most holy trinite into this ende wryten for the chirche of the lyuing god to lerne so to repente and aftir our delyuerance to geue thankis to god as here do the kynge Now sith all things be wryten as Paul saith for owr doctryne let vs beholde whether there be not yet dayly daniels with their felowes sent vnto emprowrs and kyngdoms admonishinge them of lyke mutacions and soden fallis consydeâ— how their wordis be regarded and their persones entreated And whether for their cruell persecucion they be not or lykely to be shortely kut downe lyke this tree caste oute of their dicions empyres and realmes demented with dâ—uyllisshe doctryne degenered into brute beastis folowinge their sensuall beastly lustes hauing their consciences fetered with menis tradicions snarled with supersticiouse ceremonies and romish rytes lying yet still without the trewe chirche naked â–ª all vertu in stormes and derkenes of errours more palpable then in the seruitute of egypt because they will not receyue y e fre gospell of the lybertye of the spirit to be regenerated by faith so to do cryste vpon them to be kouered with his rightwysenes holynes c. For these dreames and visions be dayly sene as the first Monarchye was by daniel prophecied to be kut downe euen so is this last Monarchye of the Romans threatened lykewyse of the watching aungell to be shortly smyten downe and the euerlasting kyngdom of cryste to be reueled vnto all flesshe newly rysen from death vnto euerlasting lyfe in which he graunt vs with his father holy spirit to lyue for euer so be it ¶ The argument of the. 5. chap. This chapter declareth the miserable fall of the last kynge of Babylon heuey mutacion and ende of his kyngdome for his idolatry and so greuouse synnes committed against the firste precept Here is described a superfluouse fest full of excesse euen a very beastly banket where vnto kynge Belsazar biddeth his nobles in which is manifestly shewed into what an vnhappy ende siche viciouse intemperate excesse comethe All kynges and princes maye lerne of this fall of so hyghe a kynge to feare and to worshippe God as the. 2. psal teacheth them lest of God the translator of kyngdoms they be depriued their realmes with Belsazar THe kynge Belsasar made an exceding feste biddinge therto a thousande of his princes and nobles in whose presence he dronke the wyne at the workinge of y e wyne he coÌ„manded the golden and syluer vessells to be brought forth whiche his father Nebucadnezar had taken awaye out of the temple of Ierusalem that the kynge his nobles his wyues and concubines might drinke out of them which done or in doinge
an example howe in trouble we shuld calvpon God and our desyer obtained 〈…〉 geue him praise and thankis as he commandeth saing call vpon me in tribulacion aÌ„d I shall delyuer the and thou shalt glorifie me To call vpon God is to aske his promises in cryste for all the promises of God ar Amen that is ferme fast and sewer in cryste For what so euer saith cryste ye aske my father in my â–ª he shal geue it you To geue thaÌ„kes is to 〈…〉 God for his benefits geueÌ„ vs in cryste by whom the sorowful and sadde be animated whiche delyuered do thanke him Of the Psalter boke we may lerne to call vpon and to geue god thankis The sense of all the places in Daniels thankis geuing is all giftis to be of God not onely the giftis of soule but of bodye and fortune as Paul affirmeth in his pistles to the Corinthes and Ephe. Iam. also Wherfore the very worship of God to be setforth in this place we may confirme it by the Psal. 50. Wherfore Daniel going vp vnto Arioch the kings cheif officer sent of the king to slaye the wyse men of Babylon biddeth him hold his haÌ„dis lead me to y e kinge I hal expowrte hi his dreame Daniel geueth vs an ensample to loue our enimies but yet to condempne their falsedoctryne and their synnes the trwe doctrine of cryste constantly to affirme For the wise polityk enimies of goddis worde in babyloÌ„ he so loued that he wold excuse their ignorance and for their ignoraÌ„ce praye that thei be not slayne the consideracion of his excusacion and peticion was for that he knewe the natural wyse men not to perceiue those thingis which be of the spirite of god For the spirit of god onely seeth the mynde of God Whetfore it is he only that may before saye and tellout gods will Wherfor this example of loue is very rare and selâ—… sene to delyuer our enimies apointed to dye because thei be ignorant of the worde Let vs therfore no lesse thirst the bloude of our anticristeÌ„ enimies then crist wold not dampne the aduouteres accused and condempned of the Magistrates IoaÌ„ 8. But yet their false doctrin let vs as stroÌ„gly and boldely confute condeÌ„pne as cryste cryed wo wo vnto the Pharisais and with as inuicte a mynd and manly an herte let vs confesse the worde of God as wold cryste dye for his gospell The cause of your dreame in your slepe was this you being kinge reuolued in mynde as ye laye in bedde what was to come aftir wherfore the reueâ—ler and opener of secrete mysteries sheweth to you what is to come and vÌ„nto me verely is not this mistery reueled for 〈◊〉 wisedoÌ„ where by I excel al other mortal meÌ„ but that the interpretacion shulde be declared to you y e king that ye shuld knowe the cogitacions of your own herte Now is the occasioÌ„ of the kinges dreame expressed y e dreame because it had a certain consternacion of mynde feare therwith al to be of god of god to be ex pressed because the kig desyâ—… what maner king doÌ„s there shuld be aftir him therfore â–ª god by this dreame sheweth 3. monarch to come aftir his empyre in the thirde cryst the eternal king to come whiche shuld delyuer mankind from the deuil â–ª dethe hell to destroye the worlde with fyer in the laste daye to geue lyfe euerlasting to the beleuers and to dampne the vnbeleuers into fyer perpetuall It is an highe vertew a man not to boste and attribute that thing to hiself which is of God but to teache cryste purly â–ª wherfore Daniel where he sayth The reueeler or opener of mysteries shewethe it you c and not I he wold a voide the prayse and estimacion of himself that the kinge might conceiue therby some godlines by Daniel but God saith he reueleth it to declare the kinges cogitacions So that by the know of cryste to come the king and his realme might a voide the wrath of God and obtaine thorow cryste the benediccioÌ„ of the gentilis promised to Abraham that is by faith in cryste to haue eternall lyfe But let vs heare the dreame kynge behold Thow didstsee a great image large highe of a mighty forme terrible to beholde standing before the whose head was al of golde his breste armes syluer his belye and loynes brasse his leggis his feete were parte of and parte of pot baerthe Thou didste beholde it vntil there came a stone smyteÌ„ out without hand is which smitte the image vpoÌ„ his â–ª erthen feete breking them al to powlder Then was the teste or potsherd the brasse golde syluer redacte into duste so that not onely of the wynde were thei blown away as chaffe from the floer in somer but also that their place could no more be fownde But the stonne which had smitteÌ„ the image was made so great that it fulfilled the vniuersal erthe This is your dreame nowe wil we expowne it before y e king The telling of his dreame expresseth not onely 4. ciuile empires vnder the w e the iews crystis chirche shuld be afflicted vnto the ende but also it sheweth an euangel â–ª spirituall kingdom of cryste to be ouer all kings monarchis But first lerne we kingdoms to be constituted of god the later to be worse theÌ„ the former and lerne we crystes kingdom to be described of the tyme of powr when he shal come to the world to destroye it with fyer geuing to al the beleuers eternal lyfe in a newe worlde And as in the firste parte of this narracioÌ„ he signifieth as it were in a legale or seculare sermone the kingdoms to be made to be howses nources defenders of the gospel but sewerly what so euer is in the world without the gospel it is but idolatry death dampnacion euen so in the â–ª other parte as it weâ—e with an euangeli sermone he calleth them all vs to the knowlege of cryste monisshing the king and al mortall men to remeÌ„â—ber and thinke vpon the miserye and shortnes of the worlde of the resur reccion of the dead and lyfe eternal Thou king art the moste noble of all kinges vnto whom the God of heuen hathe geuen powr Maiestye c. Thou art therfore this golden heade The firste Monarchy which stode first vpon the caldeis eft sence on the AssirioÌ„s and at last by succession al ioyned into one called the kingdom of Babilon is here the golden head And in describing the kinges maiestye powr c he shewth kingdoms to be geuen of God not goten by manis powr And where daniel saith god to haue geuen althingis into the kinge of Babylons hande he tellethe him that not by the powr of his idole and image of Beeâ— of Babylon the king sitteth so sewer from al his
synnes with rightuousnes Of the which the defenders of their merits and aduersaries to faith iustifying can take no holde as they seme to themself For the very rightwisnes or forme of rightwyse making before god is onely of faith wherby oure synnes be sorgeuen of y e which faith trew almose and workis of mercy procede as doth the light from the sonne and heat out of the fyer Synnes be redemed before god in the rightwysenes of faith And they be redemed before men in the rightwysenes of the lawe of good workis of mercye as ye se here the almose to the pore to folowe at the redeming and remission of synnes before god in the rightwysenes of faith So that the kyngs iust dealing his mercy compassion of the pore were the testimonies of his repentance iustificacion by faith This counsell of daniel coÌ„taineth the hole lawe gospell First to know our synnes by y e lawe then to repente and by faith to be absolued of which all as out of the tree ther procede y e frutes of repentance faith that is the workis of loue and mercye to the pore afflicted This counsell of daniel geuen to the kyng declareth God straightly to require of the kyngs and princes not onely the obedience of his ten commandemeÌ„ts but also princely iustice that is the diligent cure and charge of his chirche which was then as it is nowe cruelly entreated in captiuite of menis tradicions by the chirche vnderstande his subiectes to whom the kynge 〈…〉 a publike peace and fredome quietly to heare tryst the worde of god preched And what Daniel taught his kyng the same ought all prechers to teche their kynges For danielis doctryne perteineth to all emâ—… kynges and preachers vnto the worldis ende and especially vnto this last tyme of the last Monarchye wherin the same face of y e churche apereth which then was sene ☞ Nethelesse yet came all these thinges ouer the kyng Nebucadnezar For aftir 12. monethes the kynge walkinge in his princely palace of Babylon sayd thus Is not this great and mighty Babylon which I myself haue buylded by my nowne mighty power into the glory of my maiestey a worthy bewtye for a kinges house familye Whyles the kynge was thus speking there fyldowne a voice from heauen sayinge Vnto the oh kynge Nebucadnezar it is answerde and decrede that thy kyngdome shal be taken from the thou shalt be casten out fro menis companye and with wylde beastis shalt thou lyue eatinge grasse lyke an oxe tyll thy seuen tymes be passed ouer to then tent thou shuldst knowe the moste hyghe God to gouerne and rule the kyngdome of mortall men to change and to geue them to whom he willeth And euen in the same hower was this thing so fulfilled in Nebucadnezar that fro men was he casten forth to eate grasse lyke an oxe to lye forth wette vnder the skye vntyll his heares were growne lyke y e fethers of egels and his nailes lyke the clawes of byrdes These wordes speaketh thâ— kynge of himselfe as it were spoken in the persone of another man All these thynges came to him because he corrected and fered by dreames and monisshed by Daniel yet wold he not repent and amende his lyfe Nether did it repent god of his sentence But he toke him in the middis of his vngodlynes when he thought himself most sewer welthy blowinge forth his owne gloriouse pryde his triumphes and magnificence not rendering the glorye vnto god and therfore by this voice from heauen was he thus condempned and punisshed God had taryed longe enough for his repentaÌ„ce but because he was euery daye worse and worse he printed into him the depelyer his punishment rebukinge him the more sharply But here let vs note the condicion and state of an impeniteÌ„t kynge for all his godly teachings prechings to him exhortacioÌ„s monicioÌ„s and godly bokis delyuered him by his prophetes and lerned men He walked vp and downe whiche is a token of an ydle and priuate persone he behelde his gloriouse cosily buyldings with sich wordiâ— as declared wherin stode his transitory felicite and vayne affectis Here thou seist a kyng ouer so many nacions prouinces and tongues ydely walking praysing himself as though in all his so wyde a realme there had bene no seriouse thinge for him to do How many poore afflicted persecuted good men were there oppressed was daniel and his felowes the peple of god there preching vnto him in captiuite all thinke ye well entreated Wanted the kynge at that tyme no good counsell nor lerning where stode the pore men with there causes to be hearde Whatsoeuer honest paste tymes as they call them be imagined for kyngis to recreate their spirits pressed with studye and labours for the preseruacion of their realmes defense of their pore and punisshing of malefactours yet in their passe tymes let them beware lest iustice equite and iugement be neglected as they were in this kyngis ydle deambulacion For by siche ydle securite kyngis haue fallen with Nebucadnezar into arrogancy pryde and at last into blasphemyes and so cast out of god from their realmes And especially siche noble men as haue bene endewed with great giftis prosperouse successes For when they worship their giftis their powrs strength triumphes victories their ryches c. as their strange gods then beginne they to despise the very god Whose comminacions once neglected they will themselues to be worshipped for goddis Example of Sennacherib thinking himself stronger then God Timothe of Athenes bosted himselfe openly in his oracion sayinge This victory haue I done and not fortune Great Pompeius sayd he wolde with one spurne of his fote fill all Italie And thus by siche securite fill Nebucadnezar into pryde and synned agaynste the first table trusting to miche to his owne wysedom and strength rightwyssnes policye and power of which ydolatry he fill into the breaking of the second table euen into the oppression and persecutinge of the chirche of God Also God not to maye bere nor suffere long these sewer and welthey proude contempners of his worde namely the rulers of his peple not onely by all the comminacions of god but also by the example of all kynges and princes destroyed for their securite and pryde we maye well confirme it Howe miserably was Sennacherib destroyed 〈…〉 Timothe aftir that proude sayinge nothinge prospered And howe wretchedly Pompeius that vpspurner of the erth perisshed Lucanus describeth it And how heuey was the image of this kynge Daniel here paynteth him tellinge him not onely to lese his kyngdome but also his mynde and glorye which was miche beter Further more that this example of the wrath of god not being able to bereâ— sewer and prwde kynges be not wryten for ploughe men and carters but for emâ—… and kynges to lerne them most of all to fere god when they most flourissh haue yet moo examples If god in dauid crystes father might
they praised and worshipped their owne golden syluery coper 〈…〉 treen and ston ney goddis Hytherto god hath setforth his glorye in the conuersion of Nebucadnezar now he declareth his gloriouse powr in destroying and an ende making of so mighty a monarchye of the vngodly Babylonits which destroyd he with great glorye wolde sende home agayne his peple to buylde vp ayen a temple more gloriouse then before In the former chap. ye see a kynge repenting himself and bringing forth the trwe worship of god whom god orned and endewed with giftis Now ye haue a contrary example of a wyked kynge restorynge idolatrye not repentynge whom God therfore casteth downe and geueth his kyngdome to â—other men Now were the. 70. yeres expired in which the iewes as Ieremy tolde them shuld continew in captiuite for Nebucaduezar raigned 45. yeres whose sonne Euilmeredach folowinge his fathers godlines and renderinge vnto kynge Ieconie his regall honour endewing the iewes with many greate benefyts raigned 23. yeres Him succeded this laste vngodly kynge Belsazar raigninge 3. yeares vnlyke his predecessors restoringe idolatrye which to shewe himself the enimye of the trewe doctryne and to confirme idolatrye prophaned and polluted the holy vessels belonging to the temple of god with manifest contempt blasphemynge god as did Rapsaces and Sennacherib and as the iewes at last derided cryst saying yf thou beâ—â—â— the sone of God descende from the crosse There must therfore nedis great plages folowe siche blasphemyes and coÌ„temptis of god as threateneth the. 2. precept god will not reken him giltles that blaspheme his name c. For nether the sone nor the erth nor the rockis of stone nor any creature maye suffre their maker so to be blasphemed and despysed as ye maye se it at the death of cryst where the sone with drâ—we his lyght the erth trembled and quaked and the rocks braste in sonder Here shall ye see the iust iugemeÌ„t of god and what maner an emprowr and princeâ— he wyll suffer to raigne when he entendeth to kutof and translate their kyngdoms that is to wete dronkerds bellybeastis voluptuouse tyrants couetuose oppressours of their comoÌ„s furiouse murtherers of innocents persewers of crystis religioÌ„ ydle belys sekers of their owne vayne and carnall plesures depending vpon their flaterers for glorye louers of women contempners of rightwysenes fauorers of malefactors blasphemers and idolaters Euen siche as were Sardanapalus Heliogabalus and this last kynge of Babylon which in banketing with his whores in a blasphemouse spight of the god of Israel thus abused his holy vessells drinkynge dronken out of them with her lots which because he wold not be monisshed with his grandfathers punishment nor take ensample at his repentance â–ª god toke this heuey vengeance vpon him and his realme Nebucadnezar was 〈…〉 downe to be exalted but Belsazar was deiected to be w t all Babylon vtterly destroyed As Isay Abacuk and Ieremy had prophecied before In this destruccion of the first Monarchye lerne the figure of the destruccion of the worlde in this the ende of the last Monarchye when thou se est lyke em prowrs kynges to raigne ouer the world For as God is the most iust translatour changer of realmes so doth he destroye them for right iust causes This Belsasar was the very canell of all fylthynes euermore runing from one syn to a nother First his viciouse interperaÌ„cye is described how he was geuen to excesse dronkenes horedome and blasphemye of God which is an euident token of his realme shortly to be translated and himselfe destroyed Deliciouse delicates effeminate ryght strong men â–ª and miche the soner the soft AssyrioÌ„s By siche carnalite was Capâ—a made a Canne to HaÌ„nibal Wel ther fore sayd the wyseman Wo to that lande whose kyng is a chylde and here princes delyte in erly and late drinking eating A meruelouse blynde sensuall securite to see the kynge to celebrat siche a fest bidding therto all his nobles to eate drinke dronken takinge their pleasures in banketting daunsing singing playinge so sorowlesse their enimyes kynge Cyrus and Darius beseging the cyte They halowed a certayn hyghe fest daye of their god Beel as ye se aftir this maner now to do some called Crystians in all nyght eatinge and drinkinge which when Cyrus knewe it he had chosen himself the more apt tyme to take the cyte Thus were y e Sodomits sodenly vnwares oppressed Thus were they drowned with Nohas floude And so shall all the worlde at last be sodenly destroyd with fyer Wherfore let vs suspect all siche welthye and vngodly securite Here ye see how that in tyme of bataill when he shuld haue called vpon the very god he called togither his princes to eate and to drinke beyende all mesure â–ª à nd to worshippe false gods And when his enimies layd awayt to destroye him and his cyte he contempned them as one sewer enoughe seruinge not god but his belye And when he shulde haue bene compased with his armed host he sate drinking and eating excessiuely emong his vayne flaterers and soft herlets Now was sage daniel farre from the court and yong minions were of RoboaÌ„s counsell Nowe were his spiritualtye as his sothesayers dreame doctours enchauÌ„ters sorcerers diuines at his hande teachinge him in all securite to blaspheme deryde and to contempne the god of daniel And in despyght of him thus to abuse and prophane the iewels of his house I will not here with an allegory applyed to oure tyme touche oure spirituall Magos and subtyle sorcerers enchaunters and bewitchers of their emprowrs Belsazars with flaterye and polytyk persuasions auertynge them from danielis doctryne and holsome monicions vnto their olde papistrye so vigilantly obseruynge and waytinge vpon emprowrs and princes affectis to sette to their wynges the swiftlyer to flye and folow their deuillish dampnable counsels making them dronken of that Babyloni blody whores cup of abhominacion that they might y e more blasphemously abuse and prophane the holy vessels of godis temple euen to persecute and burne the trewe ministers of the gospell peruert and violently wrest his worde to make it serue to their synfull lustes and carnall affectis although I know the scripture with hir owne keye clerely to open and vnloke this same allegory Apocap 17. Et nunc igitur reges intelligite But now ye kynges get ye knowleg and be taught monisshed in tyme c. Here shulde the kynge with his Babylonits haue repeÌ„ted and called for daniels doctryne and counsell and not haue bannisshed him and his felowes his courte In so present perelis to promyse themselues siche securite to reioyse in bankettinge and festinge to blaspheme god and despyse his trwe ministers and prechers and to neglect repentance is the moste certayne signe of an vtter subuersion of their kyngdome and empyre This storie first warneth vs of the horrible powr of y e deuyll which in all ages abuseth the moste hyghe emprowrs
yeares betwixt the ende of the. 62. hebd and the death of cryst A lyke speche is it That aftir the takinge awaye of the scepter Sylo shulde come but not immediately for he came not tyll 47. yeres aftir the takinge awaye therof Albeitkinge Cyrus of a good hert gaue them licence to departe and buylde their cyte yet was it not finisshed in his dayes For the good purposes of kings be oftyn tymes letted for nothing can they do except god saye Amen The wrath of God for oure synnes is the cause that with so greate difficultye y e temple of god is not yet finisshed but rather letted so cruelly But yet propter Christum promissum for crystis sake promised vs it shal be at last although with great difficulty and losse of many a good manis lyfe finisshed But here lo was the Iewes cytie temple and all their comon weall vtterly destroyd for the slayinge of cryste Let all crysten emperours kings and bisshops that yet slaye cryst in his members beware and wayte for a lyke destruccion The text hath Et nihil ei that is and nothing to him Some vnderstand it of Cryste As this might be the sence Messias shal be slayne and yet coulde they laye no cause worthey of death to him Some vnderstande it of the Iewes as I haue translated it signifyinge that because they shall putt him to death they shal be vndone and vtterly destroyd For aftir that full mesure finisshed of their wykednes in denyinge and slaying their king they shall nether haue any more kinge nor preist nor ruler nor temple nor cyte no they shall nomore be called the peple of god For they cryed and denyed him to be their king sayinge We haue no kinge ouer vs but the emperour and therfore it foloweth ☞ For there shall come a mighty armye of the emperour destroye both their cytie and temple yea their destruccion ende shal be as it were with a diluuie And aftir the bataill their shal be an vtter perpetuall vastitude and destruccion of them Lo they refused their owne kinge cryst for the emperour sayng We haue no king but the emperour and now see how beneficiall themperour was to them lyke wyse oure spiritualtye this daye refuse the gospell and cryst geuing vp their auctorite powr and goods to emperours and kingis to defende their kingdome But in shorte space shall ye see their seclare emperours and kings serue them worthely as Titus and his host serued the Iewes their cytie and temple He compareth their miserable destruccion to the floude of Nohe For very fewe or none of the Iewes were left in Ierusalem so destroyd but all were slayne or famisshed or dyed of the stinke and pestelent corrupcion of their dead innumerable carkases or els caryed awaye captiued as a vehement floude caryeth all awaye with it For very hard sharpe and bitter was that consuming siege and storme The RomaÌ„s with many ofte and diuerse assawtes bete downe the Iewes miserably aftir the batails were done there remayned a perpetuall vastite desoâ—acion For neuer aftir was it nor shall their Leuitiâ— preisâ—hed nor their kingdoÌ„ of Iuda nor the policye and comon weall of Moses nor cytie of Ierusalem be restored But as I say Ieremei O see sayd Aftir that calamitose destruccion shulde the gentils be called the peple of God which enbrace the gospell as it is wryten Rom. 9. 10. Playne it is the Iewes often aftir this destruccion to haue had enforced to reedifye and restore their comon weall of Moses For in y e tyme of Adrian emperour they gathered them thyther a great multitude inuadinge y e lande with armor But Adriane puttynge them to flyght destroyd many of them Aftir that Iuliane the apostata for the hatered he bore to the crysten religion graunted the Iewes licence to reedifye their cyte temple The worke was Begune and miche money gathered to performe it But with many terrible erth quaâ—is and flammes of fyer oute of the foundacion the edificacion was throne downe and miche peple slayne with the stones tymber falling vpon them Also Nazianzene telleth that their clothes were wondrefully stayned thik with red figures of the crosse as it were with blode imprinted in their clothes wherfore the Iewes thus afrayd with these celestiall wondrefull signes left their worke and fled from the place For god had decreed their policie neuermore to be restored God wold haue thexample of his wrath sene of all the gentylee to monissh vs therby that he wolde horribly and terribly punisshe and plage the contempt and crucifyinge of his sone he is yet dayly crucifyed afresshe among the papistis He will also that Moses comon weall be buried with Moses nomore to be sene nor knowne left the opinion fayth in their ceremonies and rytes be coÌ„ firmed men beleuing to be iustifyed with the Iewes by their rytes ceremonies workis and tradicions Also one hebdomade shall confirme the couenant made with many men And the middis of this hebdomade shall abolishe and abrogate sacrifice and oblacion Here he attribueth to the hebd the same thinge that perteyneth to cryste For cryst in this hebd confirmed his testameÌ„t and couenant as Paul disputeth it largely to the Hebrewes by his death sacrifice once for all for euer sufficieÌ„t This one hebd recheth from the birth of cryste vnto the destruccion of the cytie coÌ„teyning lxx yeres In the middis of this hebdo that is in the. 34. yeare of crystis age the Iewes fulfylled the mesure of their wykednes by kyllinge him and so were they worthely reiected This hebdom the aungell diuideth in the middis geuinge the first half to cryst preching and suffering and to tother half to the peple and cyte to their sacrifices rytes all to ceasse be abolisshed For himself hanging on the crosse sayd that all was ended and enclined his head and yelded vp his spirit which done the veyle of the temple was kut in sondre from the hyghest to the lowest parte that by these woundrose signes god wolde testifye to the herdnecked Iewes by the host and oblacion of his sone all the figuratiue sacrifices now to be ceassed and gone Well therfore sayth the aungell In the middis of this heb shall ceasse the hostes and sacrifices But this thinge wolde not the Iewes beleue but went on styll with their wont and somtyme holy but now vnlawfull and to be abhorred sacrifices to be offered And y e holy men which thus preched they persecuted and banisshed many they slewe for this so soden a gospell and new lerning as do our phariseis But yet did god by his long pacient suffraÌ„ce call them to repentance by all the reste of this tother half hebdomade euen 35. yeres folowing yea and with threatenings he wold haue frayd them from their conceyued pertinate styffe malice but all was in vayne as ye see it lyke wyse this daye wherein we haue had
graue causes My mynde is to dedicate vnto you most noble priÌ„ce this my labour and litle boke that when I hear your good will towerd the chirche of cryste and to honeste studies to be praysed I wolde therfore declare also this your vertewe vnto the students exhorting them to loue aÌ„d reuereÌ„ce godly princes and in their praiers commende them with their comons vnto God Great is the infirmite of man greter is the fury of the deuil which brening in the hatered of god as he thrusted out our first pareÌ„ts to fall into these miserable sorouful calamities euen so studieth he perpetually to hurte Crystes chirch And cheifly he layeth awaite at the higheste head therof of our lyfe nether is there any so great wisedom which can wel perceyue howe great perel there is in euery gouernance and regiment Wherfore all princes conioined vnto the chirche of God ought with the praiers of all faithful to be holpen that God whiche geueth helthe vnto kings wold once rule their counsess and bowe their myndes their enforcements vnto their owne and to the publik sauing helthe Of this thig the readers shuld be monisshed in this kinde of dedicacions For the reding of noble and clear examples shuld exhort the same princes theÌ„selues vnto modesty moderacioÌ„ to pyte not to slaye â—ohoÌ„ so euer the aduersaries of god wold haue killed but to fere God Which examples for this ende hath God set befor their eyes to call them and their posterite to the study and scole of vertew I ther fore besech God hertely the father of Ie su Cryste our delyuerer to preserue you so to gouern you that your gouernance be happye prosperouse to you to your countrye to the chirche of cryste euen the very trewe comonaltie of all So be it In the Calends of Ianuary 1545. translated ☞ The argument or mater contained in Daniel the Prophete by Philip Melanchton MAny myghty and profitable thigis worthie to be depely reposed into good myndis Daniel compreheÌ„deth whyche all to peruse and expresse owr to skantlitle witts be not able Netheles let euery diligent reder knowe hymselfe miche to haue profited if he but the cheif prinâ—ipalls vnderstand although it be but meanly and vse the same vnto hys own godly exercise Considering which part techeth him the trewe inuocation and worship of god and which coÌ„firmeth his faith which reÌ„iecteth and refuteth the iewes and vs castinge away god and his gospel as thei did which parte precheth to vs repentance and which euen nowe monissheth and warneth vs in tyme of these laste perellous dayes blody ende of this worlde For these causes shall I recite breifly as it wer the titles herein contained whiche shal shew you what vtilite shall come to you by reding thys holy boke and diuyne Prophete Firste think you thus of the hole boke That the story of Daniel is a testimony of the preseruacion of the chirche beutified with great glory euen then when it semeth almost extincte and destroid It techeth vs therfor the chirche bothe to be chastised and skourged aÌ„d anon aftir hir crosse to be restored to glori It testifieth also the chirche not by manis counsel powre strength ordinaÌ„ces noractis but by the sin helpe of god euen from the begining to this daye to be defended preserued and encreaced It putteth vs also in mynd of the promises of god to be performed to hys chirche although it be done aftir a nother waye then we can conceiue As when it was promised to the tribe of Iuda The scepter nor teacher to be taken awaye from it vntil that sauiour Sylo come wher of the kinges of Iuda were so bolde that they so oft rebelling moste proudly and cruelly they resisted and dampned the prechinge of Ieremye concerninge the destruccion of their cite temple and kingdom As wold nowe men resiste and destroye him that shuld preache to emprours and to kinges saing Excepte ye repent and receiue the gospell nowe offred you the turke shall destroye all cristeÌ„dom But Ieremy knew full wâ—ll these thinges bothe to come to passe that the peple of god shuld be chastised by an haithen king and yet at that tyme nether the regale famylie nor the stok of Iuda to be extincted nor the trwe prophets to fayle bâ—wanted And euen so it came to passe beyond al menis expectacioÌ„ when fewe or non knew therof For the kingly stok eueÌ„ in the babylonâ— captiuite had their honor where god stered vp prophets and orned his chirche with great glory yea and euen the haithen gentiles did he adioyne vnto the felowship of his owne chirche so that there was then a gloriouse conuersion of the haithen vnto God as I praye God there may be of the turkes and iewes once vnto owr trewe cristen religion Secondarily ye shal obserue the testimonis of Messias owr king Cryste For as the other prophets were cheifly stered vp that by them the promises of Cryste shuld be spred the wyder euen so it behoued Daniel to do the same office and that bi many wais and in many visions For he prohecyed of his birth telling the yere and tyme therof and of his passion aâ— certenly and iustely the very tyme as did Iohan Baptist poynt himforth withe his finger euen whyles yet the comonweale of the iews shuld en Cryste shuld be borne and suffer and also when their ceremoniall shawdews sacrifices all shuld ceasse Thirdely ye shal note the order of the. 4. Monarchies which order is here expressed that the very tyme wherin god wold haue cryste borne shuld be knowne and the tyme of the general resureccion of the dead and the iugement shulde be signifyed and foresene So that Daniel prophecieth certainly of these troublouse laste blodye dayes and persecucion nowe of late begunne which all Cryste with his laste coming now at haÌ„d shall of Fowerthly ye shal note the places of repentance of faithe and of the iustificacion by faith onely Fyftely ye shall note the examples of good and euil kingis Sixtely consydere the testimonie of the resurreccion Seuenthly there is geueÌ„ vâ— a forwarning of the vngodly kingdoms which aboute the ende of the worlde shall enforce and conteÌ„de to quenche and put away the gospel of god And here is described the sorowful lameÌ„table cruel scateringe of the pore prechers and professours of Crystes verite and the persecution of the chirche dispersed aÌ„d vanished into sondry strange londis porely there liuing vnder kinges emâ—… and rulers which wyth cruelty defende idollatry supersticion and false religion And in so great confusion emong sondry nacions sondry sectis shall aryse bolstred vp by manis witte reason concerninge gods worship inuented by man and the iustificacion by workis c. Agenst which prophane fantasies and idle imaginacions we must lern in the gospel god to be worshiped in spirit and faith onely in cryst to iustifye Ayenst the epicures that denye the resurreccion and soules to be immortal here
crystis birth 550. yeris here was y e age of the world 3978. From crystis birthe vnto this yere there be 1545. And thus haue we the age of the world from the creacion 5523. But because onely Daniel prophecieth of the. 4. highe Monarchies of the world and how cruelly crystis chirche shuld be persecuted vnder euery one of them and how it shal be treated vnder this last monarchie of the Romans to y e worldis ende ye shal first know that a Monarchie is an empire or kingdome wherin all the gouer nance dependeth of one man albeit the same hath vnder him many kings princes So that a monarchie is the sole head imperye ouer all the world The first monarchie stode vpon the chaldeis eft sone vpon the Babilonitis bothe at last ioined into one And begane at the ende of the first age in AbrahaÌ„s dais and continued vnto the last yeris of Daniel eueÌ„ to the ende of the captiuite of y t iews in babilon w t Monarchie stode 1495. yeris ended in the yere froÌ„ the creacioÌ„ 3440. And theÌ„ began the second Monarchie w t was the empyre of the medis persies to florissh coÌ„tinued 191. yeres TheÌ„ coÌ„quired grete Alexander the Medis begane y e third monarchie called the empire of the grekis which stod 260. yeris TheÌ„ at last 47. yeris before cristis birthe begane the 4. Monarchy called the Romane empire w t yet standeth but as Daniel did forese it vpoÌ„ feble feet made of britle potba â–ª erthe The leggis therof saithe he were For wheÌ„ it first begane y e Romains were myghty valeauÌ„t so coÌ„tinuing tyl Mahumete the popis of rome by fraude minisshed skatered diuided translated y e eÌ„pire as ye see it this daye dekaid this last monarchie hath now stoÌ„deÌ„ .1592 yeris Iustê° cesar first beig consoâ—er estsone the first emprowr of rome w t raigned 4. yers 7. monethes whom succeded octanius Augustus in whose yere 42. was Cryste borne OF God 3. in persons and one in substance we beginne this exposicion for that according to his threatenings comminacions he hath by Nebucadne kyng of Babylon asmightly destroyd the kingdoÌ„ of the iews for breking his 10. coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts agene so mercifully acordig to his promises he preserued Daniel w t his felows endeâ—owring al wais to kepe his preceptes In this glasse we behold god both almightie merciful by kiges prophets so to gouerne y t worlde that thei w c wil not beleue the prophets and trwe prechers as did the iewes conteÌ„pne Ieremye must w t out mercye be destroid by the kinges and at laste by the turke acording to his threatenings in the lawe but thei that beleue his prophets as did Daniel and his felows beleue Ieremie shal be mercifully preserued by the kiges eueÌ„ vnder the turke to according to his promises Let vs therfor beleue the doctryne of the prophets and prechers preching the lawe gospel lest with the edged swerde of the kinges and turke the seruants and ministres of God we b'e slayne with the vngodly iewes but rather contend by faithe to be conserued with Daniel acording to Gods promises He cannot lve which saith I am the strong and zelouse God the visitour and seker out of the wykednes of the fathers in their childern vnto the thirde and fowerth generacion But yet am I merciful into thousandis that loue me and kepe my preceptis In this Chapter it is shewed howe that Daniel with his felows taken in batail were brought into the kigs courte of Babylon and there liberally brought vp so that thei became very apte and able to gouerne the comon weal whiche story coÌ„teineth first a clere example of the diuyne prouidence and then an example of the holy and liberall educacion of yonge men The first Chapter In the thirde yere of the raigne of Ioachim kinge of the iewes Nebuchadne â–ª kinge of Babylon came to Hierusalem and besieged it And the lorde yilded vp Ioachim king of the iewes into his handis and also certain of the vessels and iewels of the house of god whiche he carying awaye with him into the londe of Babylon into the howse of his god did sette them vp in the tresure howse of his God The first place contayneth the wrath of god and punisshement of wykednes â— vngodlines according to the comminacions of god begin at the examples of the wrathe of God that is at the greuouse calamite and miserable captiuite of the kinge his subiectes the destruccion of their cheif cite Hierusalem burning of their noble temple for their idollatry and breking of his preceptis which miserable calamitouse captiuite and deadly desolacion ar described in the. 4. of the kingis 24. cap. and in the laste of the cronicles called Paralipomenon Hitherto therfore tendeth the hole storye of Daniel That as the iewes with their comoÌ„ well were so miserably destroyd and led into captiuite by gods minister Nebucad ne kynge of Babylon for despysing the preching of Ieremye and slaying his prophets teaching them the law and gospel aÌ„d warning them of that their pla ge to come ouer them euen so shal al the crysten realmes at laste for thrusting awaye the gospell offred them and sleying the trwe pechers sent them of God be lykewyse miserably destroied and captuied of the turke so that firste by mutuall and ciuill batails emong themselues one destroing other thei make the waye more easy and redy for the turke to inuade and ouercome all cristendome And wherfore shal God do thus to his peple Because saith Ieremye thei haue casten vp the couenant of their owne God and worshiped strange Gods Vnto the which senteÌ„ce Daniel subscribeth saying we haue not obayed the prophets the seruants of God In the londe of Sennaar that is in the loÌ„de of y e caldes in a great playn was BabyloÌ„ builded in processe of tyme mightely and strongly augmented with riche palaces pleasaunt howses stroÌ„g walles and towers called the head cyte and empyre of all the worlde so celebrated and standyng inuicte with many gloriouse victories by the space of 1495. yeres hauing the hole world vnder their dominion It was builded in 4. square 60. thousand pa ouer from wall to wall the wall is 200. fote highe and. 500. fote brode And yet was euery fote lenger by 3. fyngers then owers It was in circuite withoute the vttwarde wall is 480. forlongs It was dowble walled with many highe aÌ„d strong towrets And by a meruelouse crafte and labour the floude euphrates was brought to runne rownde aboute it betwixt and without the walles and thorowe many places of the cite It is so described of the auncieÌ„t historye wryters as of Iosepho Plinio Herodoto Orosio as no cite els to be lyke it But this so mighty a citie and golden head when the kinge Balthazar with his nobles were festing and
borne vp Also here be prices taught their office to se diligently that their subiectes be lerned the worde of God and other craftis and coning artes c. necessary for a comon weal. It is testifyed here confirmed the precept deu 17. coÌ„maÌ„ding the kiÌ„g alwais to holde the boke of the law of god in his haÌ„dis that he mought read it lerne therein Wherefor kynges ought to procure diligeÌ„tly siche lerned godly meÌ„ of whoÌ„ thei shuld lerne who also shuld tech other euen hitherto pertaineth the saying of I saye 49. euen the kings to be y e nources of their peple that is kings to nouresh vp maintayn and defende the prechers and techers of the chirches and scholes and not to destroie burne banishe and commande them to silence Oh how highly is king ezechias praised for restoring the studies and scoles of the preists Wherfore al princes ought to know God to requyre of them straightly this office The iewes persecuted their owne Prophets but nowe the haithen kinge nourissheth them aÌ„d receiued grete benefits of God for so doing For he was by them conuerted vnto the trwe religioÌ„ and had a flouresshing kingdom for these good me nis sakes For god largely recompenseth this kynde of office according to his own promise whoso geueth but a draft of water to any one of my preachers he shal haue his rewarde But contrary the tyraÌ„ts whiche despise moleste and persecute the godly prechers studies and scoles thei shal be plaged with horrible punishmeÌ„ts To this study of godly prices pertaineth that peter commandethe Euery man to be redye to geue a rekening of his faithe and to satisfie whoso asketh him ther of and Paul commandeth Titum that the peple lerne to excess in good workis vnto vses necessarye so that thei be not vnprofitable At laste ye se Daniels temperancye to haue bene the worke of his lawful profession commanded in the law and not the tradicion of man nor yet his own chosen holynes or religion he wolde not defile himself with the haitheÌ„ kings forboden meats to auoide the company rites of the gentiles Also Daniel being in the kings courte nether for threates nor for contempt or plesure nor by powr wolde hebe ouercomen or tempted once to swarue from the trwe worship worde aÌ„d fere of god no not for promocioÌ„ whiche thing wil not owr spiritual courtyers do Loke ye therfore of Daniels coÌ„stancye his faith and temperaÌ„cie and folowe it if ye will with Daniel be godly promoâ— For thei that glorifye me I shall glorifye them saith the lorde 1. samuel 2. And thei that despyse me I shal abhorre and with shame confounde them The godly therfor in tyme of peace heare the prophets and prechers that is thei feare the comminacions of God and beleue his promises wherfor when thei be punisshed with the vngodly as men in perel both in one shippe thei despeier not but thei confesse their synnes to God pronowncing him to be iuste And because God saith as verely as I lyue I wilnot â— death of a synner but had â—r him to be conuerted lyue a non thei erecte theÌ„selues by his promises ayenst his comminacions thei cal vpon him thei be herd and holpen as ye se it in the example of Daniel and his felows in this Chapter For thei be as sewer as god lyueth and raigneth that he will kepe promise w t theÌ„ that repent beleue his promises â—herfor thei prescribe not y t tyme nor place nor maner to god in fulfilling his promises w t them as do the vngodly but ayenst all hope and truste thei hope and beleue as did Abraham and thei preche as did Abacuâ— saying God wil fulfil his promise This example therfore techeth vs manifestly trwthe it to be that Paul saith God to be mighty enoughe to bring althings to passe aboue our estimacion expectacion asking and vnderstanding â–ª to whom be glorye But contrary do the vngodly whiche in tyme of peace deryde and coÌ„tempne the prechers of the gospel and heare the prophetes of the deuil preching his aÌ„d their own false doctryn boldely affirmig those coÌ„minacioÌ„s of y e trw prophets to be vain because god promised y e scepter of Iuda not to be taken froÌ„ theÌ„ and as we promise oâ—r selues victory ayenst the turke because we be crystened cal vpon holy saints he being an heithen miscreant we make with ower â—yes that is with the false interpretacion of the scriptures and falser preching the peple and ower selues so sewer that we dare saye and crye with the Iewes Templum domini templum domini The temple the temple of the lorde The churche of God the churche of God arwe c. But God almyghty and mercyfull nethelesse kepeth his promises as thou here seist him yea although he punisshe the vngodly as it is afore sayd For it is the synne of the false Prophetis being ignoraÌ„t of the nature and difference of the lawe and Gospell that make the vngodly in tyme of peace to coÌ„temne and skorne out the worde of God and so to fall from God in tyme of batail And euen the bloude of all these contemners of Gods worde now perisshed shall God requyre at the handis of owre false Prechers Wherfore Ieremye wel dehorted and disswaded the peple sayinge Se that ye beleue not the lying wordes and sermoÌ„s of the false prechers saying The temple the temple of the lorde is so holy For because that Hananias agene-sayd Ieremies sermons Iere. told him he shuld dye the same yeare because he preched agaynst the lorde So trewe is it that is comonly sayd ye will not beleue y e trwe prechers exceptye se signes mirâ—… Let vs therfore feare God accordinge to his commandements and beleue in him as it standeth in owr credo and accor ding to all his promises and praye we alwais as cryste techeth vs in owr â—ordis prayer that we may in tyme of peace w t our wel doings and sayngs ouercom the enuye of our aduersaries and in the troublous tymes of warre be preserued with owr cryste and preseruer almighty as were Daniel and his felows and may raigne as thei did in the middes emong owr enimies Amen Here is Nebuchadne â—â—â—â— dreame declared whiche Daniel interpreteth of the. 4. Monarchies which shal be destroid at the coming of crystes kingdome IN this chapter God conforteth his captiued iewes and ensâ—ructeth the king vnto the kingdom of heuen He coÌ„forteth theÌ„ in that he glorifieth Daniel shewing Messias to come in and aftir the fowerth Monarchie He enstructeth the king in that he confoundeth his wyse men the preistis and dreame tellers in de claring cryste to pertaine vnto the gentiles but so that firste the wysedoÌ„ of those worldely polityk preistis be proued all folisshnes In the secoÌ„de yere of Nebucadnezar he himself sawe a dreame whereby his spirit gretely afraid he awaked Then he called
togither his astronimers encha unters â–ª and the sothe sayers in all caldye to tell him and interprete his dreame c. Nowe God reueleth in an ordir the. 4 Monarchis witnessing that in the ende of the worlde the euerlasting kingdom of the faithful which trwly haue worshiped and feared God shal come vnto them In this reuelacion is there first of all consolacion and a doctrine set before the peple for they dyd now se themselues not forsaken of God in that they had soche Prophets as was Daniel one They lerned also when that perpetuall glorye promised to theyr fathers shuld be loked fore Bâ—sydis this the kynge and many other gentyles by this doctryne were monisshed to know the very God and to enbrace the trwe religion and worde of God Secondarily this chap. containeth an example That God heareth the godly geuing to the askers in fayth wysdom and other gyftis It conteineth a testimony That empyres aÌ„d kingdoms be constituted of God It monisshe vs that the empyres and kingdoms by lytle and lytle shall fall into worse and worse states and the later and last shal be one aftir a nother more troublouse full of synne and mischeif and least iust As was the Romane empire crueller and harder then the Persyk and Greke empires It is testifyed that it is lawfull and necessary for faythfull men to bere rule For Daniel obtained the rule of certayne prouinces for his felowes In these firste fowr places are contained thre examples that is to wete two of the mercy of God declared vpon the kynge and on Daniel and one example of the wrath of God shewed vpon the wyse men of the worlde The kynge Nebucadnezar studyed mused what shuld come of his realme and of the hole worlde wherfore God created him a dreame wherby he shuld be certifyed what and how many kyngdoms shuld before come euen vnto the euerlastynge kyngdome of Christ for God wolde in this dreame shewe Christ to the kyng and to his haithen realme because he had before sworne it by a sacred othe vnto the sead of Abraham now captiued in the same realme of Babylon saying By my nownself swere I that in thy sead shall I blesse all nacions Vvherfore that this kynge and nowrce of Christ might knowe the Babyloni religion to be deuillisshe and the Iewes religion to be Goddis trewe religion he maketh the kynge to forgete his dreame smytyng yet into his mynd so depe a dreadfull desyer to know it that not onely all the wyse sothe sayers and dreame tellers of Babylon but also euen Daniel with his felows he wolde coÌ„mande to be slayne onelesse they could declare and shewe him his dreame For as it behoued the Philisteins to haue had experience what a geste thei had of the arke of God euen so it behoued the victore king to knowe what maner men he had in captiuite but yet w t more mercy then pharo felt what gestis he had of the same sead The wyse enchaunters preistis and sothe sayers of Babilon ar the example of the wrathe of God For thei bosted and craked religiously dreames to be shewed and declared of God themselues to haue the coning to declare them If ye haue this craft to interprete my dreame as ye professe it saithe the kinge so may ye as well haue the coÌ„ning of your goddis to tell me what I dreamed But seing that ye cannot tell me my dreame ye declare yourselues worthei to be conuicted as very lyers and foles according as saith I saye God coÌ„foundeth the wyse in their owne craftye subtylite the lorde knowth how vayne ar the studies and thoughtes of the worldly wyse meÌ„ for in that thei denyed any man to may shewe that dreame thei toke away the prouidence of god and denied the religioÌ„ of the iewes that is to saye the lawe and the gospell by the whiche meanes God is cenuersant withe men and reueleth his misteries Wherfore the king iustely threateneth them death according to that saying I will destroy the wysedom of the wyse For this is of a trwthe God will firste shame destroy and confounde the false religion and the wyse politike prudent mayntayners therof before he reuelethe and bringeth in his gospell aÌ„d trwe doctryne And as the polityk prudeÌ„t sent their spyes before to vewe the loÌ„de of canaan concey â–ª a feare and a despaier neuer entredin them selues but rather despaiered of Gods promise euen so shall these politik wyse in so great laysour taking casting so many perels of sedicions tumulte if the gospell offred shuld be spedely receyued neuer haue it nor neuer entre into the kingdom therof For whoso obserueth the clowdes and wether shall neuer sowe nor reape Eccle. 11. Daniel and his felows ar the example of the mercy of God For therfore wolde God that the king and victore shuld threaten deth to Daniel captiued that he shuld be constrayned to call vpon god and so thorowe his inuocacion the dreame shuld be known openly into the coÌ„solacion of the chirche captiued and into the conuersion of the gentiles vnto cryst for whom and by whom onely all thinges be done When Daniel knewe the decree of the kyng and that sentence was geuen the wyse dreame tellers to be slayne and that Daniel his felowes were sought of Arioch the shryue to be slayne Then Daniel toke y e mater in hande and sayed to the shryue c. This is an example of fayth in God almyghtye as hath the fyrste article of oure Credo For as Abraham aboue all hope agaynst hope beleued and crept vp by hope vnder the wynges of the almyghty so doth Daniel here by fayth pro myse himselfe to fynde oute the dreame which was impossible to all y e wyse men of the worlde For as no promise of God is impossible to be fulfilled so ar all his promises possible to him that beleue theÌ„ Because therfore he knewe God to calforth that â–ª is not to make it in dede whatsoeuer god saith it is done w t great confidence Daniel in the perel of death condemneth the kynges crye and promiseth the interpretacion of his dreame with a ioyfull Gospel or tydings to them all by which promise he so broke the kynges wrath and returned his swerde into the sheathe which shuld haue slayne them that he maye be well nowmbred amonge them of whom saith the scripture The holy faythfull thorow fayth ouer came kingdoms but how â–ª verely by faith as it folowthe Then went Daniel home and shewed his felows Hananias Misael Asaryas the mater â–ª praying them to prayefor the grace gifte of God celestial in this secrete hyde thinge leste thei w t the wyse meÌ„ of babyloÌ„ be notquartered into peces whiche done This secrete mystery was reueled to Daniel in a vision by night theÌ„ dani did laude praise y t god of heueÌ„ saying The name of god be honoured c. Here is lo
enimies in the most ample and mightiest Monarchie but by the benefit of God Ieremy confirming the same saying That nacion and kingdom that wil not serue Nebucadne shall be visited with swerde pestilence famyn This was called the golden head because that as it was the best gouerned with all cyuile iustice equite vnto this daye so did the king Nebucad raigne most victoriouse more then 40. yeres and being olde left his kingdom to his neuye as Ieremy prophecied whiche felicite to haue had not hapened to the other 3. kingdoÌ„s Daniel here aftir testifieth assigning to y e persik realme 3. orders of tethe To the Macedoni â–ª Monarchie 4. head is and 10 â–ª hornes to the Roman empire This goldeÌ„ head had but 3 kinges in daniels tyme For Nebucadnezar raigned 45 yeres â–ª his sone Euismerodach 23 and Beltthalat 3 yeres For from this last hogge was the babyloni monarch translated vnto the persis as ye shall see in the 5 chap. Aftir this there shall spring forth a nother kingdom vpon the erthe lesse then thyne This was the Persy Monarchie and the Medis empyre signifyed by the syluer breste and armes when this monarchie of the Medis and persies begane we shal shewe it in the 5 chapter How it was gouerned ye shal see in the 6 cap. aÌ„d in the eleuenth how longe it endured ☞ And then shal ther be the thirde Monarchie called the brasen empyre whiche shall be ouer the vniuersal worlde This is the monarchye of great Alexander of his mighty coÌ„federed successours signified by the brason belly and soyncs the begining of this kingdom ye see it here in the. 2. ca the middis in the. 7 8. the ende Daniel prophecieth in the eleuenth ¶ But the fowrth king doÌ„ shal be as stroÌ„g as harde as for it shall lyke make softe breke tame all other king domo And wÌ„here thou didst see the feete and toes partely erth â—n and parte it signifieth the kingdom to be diuided nethelesse yet shal it retaine some what of the ferme fastnes of as it were vnder y e sole of his fote as thou didste see the miyt with pot ba erthe And because the toes were parte aÌ„d parte ba erthe this empyre shal be partely stronge and partely frayle and weak And where thou didst see the miyt with ba erth it signifieth these diuided kigdoms to be ioyned togither emong themselues and confedered by bloude in mariages but yet shall not one agre long with a noÌ„ther their confederacies shall not stonde nor holde no more then may be mixed and welled togither with ba erthe This fowerth Monarchie is the Romane empyre thus descrybed more at large then the other thre because it was in the beginnynge more strong valeaunter and harder vntyll by Mahumets religion and the Popes Antichristen crafte it was diuided dispersed minisshed and dekayed as ye see it this daye brought vnto his potba erthen frayle feble feet euen the last kyngdome to be destroyed partely by intestyne ciuile warre emonge themselues and thus the maye made partely by the Turke and at last by the stonne sinyten oute of the hyll which is by the kyngdom of Christes Gospell preched which worde proceded oute of the mounte Sion and oute of Hierusalem euen now euery daye out of the very trwe churche of Christ dayly wryting and preching this foundacion stone Christ purely frely and faythfully Daniel diuideth this descripcion into thre expresse signes First he saith in his feete and toes of and erth there shall remaine as it were vnder the sole some ferme fastenes of Which signifieth the Romane empyre although it be diuided and dispersed into Germanye Englande Spayne France and Turkye c. into other Monarchies yet shall these Monarchies holde as long as they may the nature of vnder the vse and ministracion of the Romane lawes called the ciuile or emprowrs lawes Secondarily he sayth these fete and toes partly 〈…〉 and partely erthen to signifie the Ro mane empire after his firste strengthe to be made feble and weake which may be proued by the examples of some mygthy and inuicte emprowrs and of other weake and ouerthrone Thirdly he sayth They shal be mixt together but yet shal they not cleaue to nomore then may be welled together with a potsherd And this signifieth as hath the text They shall seke confederacions and affinities by bloude consanguinitie in maryages and all in vayne As ye se it for albeit em and kynges haue ioyned together in maryages with theyr daughters and sonnes yea and with holy sacred othes in lege the hoost broken and diuided betwixt them yet hath one inuaded and destroyd other They shal be confedered to make a newe and all one Monarchye but all in vayne for this is the last empire to be destroyed at the last daye is yet in destroyinge for resistyng persecutynge Gods worde whether it be the seculare or Ecclesiasti particulare or vniuersall empire or kyngdome ☞ For in the tyme of these kynges the God of heuen shal set vp a kyngdom which shall neuer be destroyed nether shall this kyngdome be delyuered vnto any other peple which kyngdom Monarchye shall destroye and make an ende of all the other empires and kyngdoms but it self shall stand for euer as thou sawest the stonne smyten out from the hil without handis breking into poulder the brasse test erth syluer golde Whylis yet these kingdoÌ„s endured but yet translated into the Romane Monarchie shall Christes kyngdom be begune vpon erth For the em Augustus in the tyme of ChristÌ„es byrth described the hole worlde as Luke wryteth The God of heauen to set vp fast this kyngdom is Christ by his worde and spirit of God to raigne as himself before Pilate confessed saing My kyngdom is not of this worlde for as Dauid in the. 2. Psal. so doth Dan. Promise here Christis kyngdom to come to be a spirituall kyngdoÌ„ This kyngdom standing vpon the preching doctrine of Christes gospell shall neuer be destroyed although these Monarches cruelly burne and destroye the prechers and professours of the worde but as Christ is eternall so shall his worde be euer and all that beleue it lyue euerlastingly For the worde of God sayth I say standeth for euer and shal be preched and wryten vnto the last daye And all the kyngdome of the worlde which resiste and persecute Christes kyngdome which is his worde preched and his churche the spirit of God shall breake them to powlder when he shall reproue and conuince them of syne of ryghtwysnes and of iugement For where be nowe all the sewers at they not in hell with all the deuyllis And where is the Gospell It lyueth raigneth in heueÌ„ w t Christ here in his faythfull at last syke a consuminge fyer to deuoure oure enimyes according to the Psal. 110. And as towching the hyll out of which the stonne was out
of the name of god For to worship god to faldown before an image with any reuerent behauiowr ar so contrarye that no man may do them bothe be saued The king therfore coÌ„fesseth his synne before all his hole realme the more clerely and effectuously in that his commandement was spred so farre and yet dureth vnto the worldes ende It is a token of trwe repentance when so noble and mighty a prince is not asshamed openly to confesse his synne Nowe the kinge lerneth to honour god without images in spirit and verite Nowe let vs coÌ„pare the fygure with the trwthe Cryste is the auÌ„gel in the middis of the fyer here present with vs in the middis of our tribulacioÌ„s The worlde is that hotte fornaceful of affliccions kindled agenst y e godly where in we be nowe proued tryed Cryst was sent to be partaker of owr tribulacions by whose strypes sufferinge we be healed These 3. yonge menis faith was so great that it changed y e kinges commandement it turned his hert it delyuered their bodyes from the fyer of this faith sayth Paul that it quencheth fyer it ouer cometh kingdoÌ„s This faith wilnot knele to any image nor crepe to any crosse but onely to lyning god in heuen Now is not the kinge a shamed to cancell and teuoke his former wyked precepte ayenste all the persi and babyloni lawes for he fered god more then men he wolde confownd himself to exalt and glorifye god almighty Let all princes take hede howe thei suffer images to staÌ„d in places where men worship especially where hitherto idolatrye hathe ben committed lest thei prouoke y e turke y e minister of gods wrathe te destroye theÌ„ It is the office of kinges to take awaye images y t occasion of blasphemy and idolatrye to punisshe the spekers and doers or wryters for the reuereÌ„t behauiour and worshiping of them and to maintain the prechers techers wryters ayenst their popisshe idols the bisshops Nowe to holde y e hole chapter in mynde haue it here digested into 9. places with the declaracioÌ„ of theÌ„ aftir Philip. melan The first place is an example of the blynde boldenes of men institutyng newe worshipings seruice religions and honours for God withoute his worde which all God damneth by this miracle The second is a doctryne that sich vngodly image seruyce and false worshippings it behoueth to reprehende and to dye rather then to obeye them Thirdly Gods commandment must be preferred before all menis precepts powers actes lawes yea and aboue the comon peace and tranquilite of our lyues Fowerthly Blasphemye ought to be refuted as is here refuted the kings question saying What god may delyuer you fro my hande Fiftly What maner faith it ought to be of bodely delyuerance that is to with this condicion If it so please god And of the difference of the promises some corporall promises haue the condicion and some haue it not The sixte containeth the glorificacion of the godly contrary to the blasphemye of the wyked and the punisshmeÌ„t of the vngodly namely of them that be the ministers of other menis fury The. 7. is a testimonie that in their perels god sendeth his aungels to the faithfull The hath the conuersion of the kynge folowinge at the preachinge and glorifying of the godly At last The proclamacion techeth it to pertaine to princes to prohibit and punisshe blasphemyes let them alone blynde as they be euen y e blynde leaders of the blynde For the. 4. The kynge not onely coÌ„mandeth an vtwarde reuerent behauior to be geuen to the image but he addeth also a manifest blasphemy wherby he wolde vsurpe to himself a powr aboue godâ—â— As in altymes haue the tyrants derided the godly whyls they pacieÌ„tly waited for gods helpe For ether be they Epicuris belly bestis or els thinke they themselues the spirituall headis ouer the peple of god to coÌ„pest them by violence to beleue what they lyste as are y e popes cardinals bisshops God often tymes by clere examples and bodely delyuerances chalengeth to himself the glorye of his owne name as in y e 4. of the kyngs 19. of Sennecherib sayinge Thou hasi ben wode and in a fuâ—y against me thy pryde is ascended vnto myne eares But aftir siche skorning and derisions with blasphemyes of god as ye se it of criste intyme of his passion a noÌ„ there folowe erthe quakis eclypses derkenesscs at none dayes Be not nowe the kings of the erthe committed one against another as it were shaking all the erthe with bataill and blodye warre And is ther not derke ignorance of the trowth in some of theyr hertis in the middis of the clere lyght of the gospell now spred ouer all in euery tongue Euen the naturall dome creatures shall testifye as did the erth the sonne the rockis c. and shewe god to before agreued and to abhorre the blasphemies of their maker And euen lyke bengeance is lyke now to folowe lyke derisions and blasphemies of god and of his worde The very godly cannot dissemble at siche blasphemies but openly refute and rebuke them saying Ther is oure god in heuen whoÌ„ we worship which is mighty to delyuer vs. In expresse wordis they saye Whom we worship to signify themselues to preche and pronounce him to be the very onely god which had delyuered them and this to be his worde and the same to be his worship and religion which the iewes had commanding them not to falldowne before any image nor to geue them any reuerent behauiour Wherby ye se god not to be reuerently worshiped nor aknowledged but in and by the same worde which himself geueth vs and siche reuerent behauiours before images which haue not his worde for them but playne coÌ„trary against them to be abhorred as crystand Paus teche vs Math. 15. Rom. 14. 1. The fift place techeth vs to seke out the promises of God and to consyder the nature of fayth how we shuld abyde and depende vpon God for our delyuerrance For the text openly preâ—heth and prayseth the fayth of siche aknowlegers for the promises require that we beleue that god both may and will helpe vs. But as concerning his will ther is in some thinges a condicion to be added as in corporall delyuerances and bodely preseruacions Helpe vs lorde geue me helthe of body delyuer me out of daunger fro my enemies yf it be thy will But the promise of grace and remission of synnes for cristes dethes sake expressed onely requireth that the asker beleueth it to be geuen him with out any condicion of his owne merits or fulfilling of the lawe as some men yet dreame For in the remission of synnes and in the imputacion of rightwysnes and syfe eternall god hath expressed his will to be asked without any condicion As hath the text Euery one that beleueth in the sonne hath lyfe euerlasting Wherfore the effect of Cristis
birdes flye their wayes from it but the stok with the rotis thereof leaue still in the grownde with chayne 's of 〈…〉 brasse so tyed that he may go and graze in the wylde felde and ly down vnder the dewe or rayne of the heuens eating the moyste grasse with the brute beastes and let the humane or manis reason be taken from him brute beastis senses be geuen him vntil the course of seuen tymes be passed ouer him And this thing was dectâ—ed by the sentence of these spedy watchers in the counsell of these holy messagers from heuen that al men lyuinge shuld knowe that y e most highest must so rule raigne in the kingdom and empyre of any mortal men that to whom he lyste to geue it theâ— shal raigne in it and if he lyst he will lyfte vp there vnto the moste abiecte and vileste man This dream I kynge Nebucadnezar did see and thou Belthasar tell me what it meaneth for all my wyse men cannot interprete it to me Thou cannest for thou arte endewed with the spirit of the holy goddis Danielis doctryne had confounded the wysedom of all the kinges spiritualtye therfore thei enuyed daniel and all the iâ—wes so gretely and kept the kynge thus long from this so godly an open coÌ„fession and general pistle sent forth declaringe his faith and repentaÌ„ce This pistle sheweth howe secure prowed negligent he was in his prosperite Into whiche securite negligeÌ„ce pryde it is to be thought that his enchaunters sothe sayers spiri tual wysemen had casten him for feare he shuld haue left his olde false religion Now therfore the merciful god at last whiche hathe kinges hertis in his hand had cast him into a nother fereful dreame wher vpon he was thus moued to spredeforth the glorye of god his owne penitent coÌ„uersion First the kinge confesseth his faithe then he sheweth the miracles of the. 3. former chapters affirming no god able to do these miracles but onely y e god of daniel and at last he concludeth the kingdoÌ„ of cryste as it is in the. 2. ca. to abyde for euer god to be the changer of kingdoms constitutor of kings And here note diligently Securite to be the companion of welthines which securite casteth downe the kinge hedlong into y e forgeting of god so that he was become negligent prowde in conclusion lyke a brute beaste As saith the Psal. Man when he was in honour he vnderstode it not wherfore he degenereth into beastly nes In this state ah lasse for pite lye many noble men of which securite saith dauid when I was in prosperite then I thought neuer to haue fallen But y e serchâ—r â–ª 〈…〉 of sich vngodly securite welthy men y e visitour of wykednes cannot long suffersiche sewer negligent prowde weal persons to continewe as the scripture testifieth Let al princes beware how thei stande in longe prosperite and trust delyght to miche in the same I was in my howse said Nebucadne 〈…〉 as happye pro sperouse and welthei as any man althin gis succedinge to my desyer myne enimies all suppressed no where any man so hardy as to make any sedicion I had ryches aboundaÌ„tly all men fered and reuerenced me as their moste mig hty kinge I had my helthe of bodye me thought I was wyse and prudent And to be breif I had all things as victories c. at my com mandement But yet knew I not how gre uouse a fall and heuy a chaunce stode at my dore how nighe was the axe y e tree how frayle and brytle is securite welthenes to mortall men wherof god so affrayde me w t so terrible a dreame that all things beganne to be to me suspecte ferefull vnsauory redye to fall fro me And the greatest feare of all was of some sodeÌ„ mischaunce now hanging ouer my heade redye to supresse me Lo here we se the felicite of man in this worlde whiche be it neuer so hyghe and great yet in a momeÌ„t maye it be fallen awaye yea euen a dreame lo maytarye and turne siche felicite bak ayen in the middis of hir course Sew erly the scâ—ipture aboundeth with examples teching vs ali present and longe felicite to be grettly suspect What a pleasaunt fertyle country did lot â–ª chose him self in Sodoma he dwelt there long pleasantly but with what perell at last escaped he Dauid had goteÌ„ him at last great quietnes sittinge at home was he not anon an aduouterer yea and in that welthey securite withe the great displesure prouoking of gods wrathe did he nowm ber his peple The riche man in the gospell promising himself so long lyfe quietnes harde anon Oh fole this nighte shal thei take thy lyfe from the. And the peple of Israell as oft as thei wexed weal and fatte as saith the song of Moses were disated so ofte did thei kik ayenst forsake and forget their lorde god Also y e chirche being vnder the tyrannouse emâ—… was the holyer but aftir the fauour of constantyne and other crysten emâ—… it degenered miche from hir first beutye into a deceitfull deuillesshe defor mite And who was happier then adam in Paradise and yet he stode not there long Haue not men reputed most holy ben syn ners yisse and euen the wysest haue ben deceyued and the moste strongeste haue had a fall Wherfore right wyse is y e counsel of the apostle saying he that stondeth take hede he fall not Note therfore howe playnly y e kinge here describeth his owne arrogaÌ„cye saynge I kinge Nebucad was blessed happye c. he saith not the god of heuen made me thus happye and so ful of prosperite and welthe but I was happye quiete riche victoriouse sewer c. and all thorowe my â–ª owne wisdome prudence policye But when god as saith dauid had hidden his face from him he was a fraide God hid his face from this sewer negligent and prowde kinge for that he trusted more in his owne then in the kingdom of god And as dauid was iuged of god and rebuked by Nathan eueÌ„ so by this dreame was Nebucadnezar iuged of god and of daniel by the interpretacion therof corrected and called to repentaÌ„ce lest he shuld haue ben condempned with the worlde Troble punisshment and persecucion â–ª begyne at the howse of god Wherfore god by this dreame not onely correcteth and punissheth this king but also coÌ„pelleth him to serchout to knowe y e meaning of his dreame But he synned gretely in that he firste in the beginning askid not counsell at the seruant of god but at the manciples of the deuil Clere is the testimony of dauid sayng oh lorde I call thy testimonies into my counsell wherfore when y e wyse of y e worlde could not interprete these dreames and daniel coulde do it it is signified not onely the same to be trewe lorde bringe thou to
vs helpe for vayne is the helpe of men but also god alwais before y e reueling of his worde to confounde the wysemen of the worlde Wherfore y e king callinge daniel to interprete his dreame coÌ„mendeth him first of his name of his spirit of his pastorall office of his coninge and lerning that thus the doctryne of y e â—â—â—theÌ„ might be asshamed the worde of god florisshe in his kingdom â—â— miche said of y e narracion of his dreame of the vocacion of daniel to expownd Nowe let vs heare daniel declaring his dreame and calling the king to repentance ☞ Then Daniel called Belthasar being amased spake not almost of an howrâ— he was so astonned that the kynge began to awake him oute of his trowblous cogitacions and heuye mynde sayinge Belthasar let not my dreame nor the interpretacion therof in any wyse trouble or hurte the. Vnto whom Belthasar answer â— sayinge Ah my lorde and kynge This dreame come vpon thyne enimies and the interpretacion therof vpon thyne aduersaryes The tree sene of the so grete so hyghe â–ª c. it is euen thou thyself ah kynge so greate and mightye â–ª that thy hyghe maieste attayneth to the heuens and thyne imperye vnto the farthest costes of the erth And as towching him oh kynge whom thou didst see a watcher an holy one flying downe from heuen crying kut downe the tree and destroye it permitting the stok with the rotes to stand still in the grownde the same in cheynes to go graze vpon the felde and to lye vnder y e dewe rayne from a boue coÌ„man ding him to eate w t the beast is tyll his 7. tymes be past this is oh king the interpretacion sentence of the most hyghest decreed agaynst y e my lorde kyng Men shall cast y e forth to dwell with the best is of the felde suffring the to eate fede w t their oxen and thou shalt lye wett vnder the skye tyll thy seuen tymes be past that thou shuldst knowe the most hyghe god to be kynge and ruler ouer all the realmes of mortall men and to geue them to whom he willeth But what signifieth the stok with his rotes to remain in the grounde veryly that thy kyngdom â–ª shall stande to thyself to enioye it so long as thou shalt aknowl e the god of heauen to be lorde king ouer it Wherfore oh my king let my counsell please the allowe it redeme thy synnes w t ryghtwysenes thyne iniquities with iust doing to the poor afflicted so that thy felicite may be prolonged Daniel was of a more feruent faithfuller spirit towerde his kynge then be now a dayes these flaterers so nyghe theÌ„ in fauour feding their affectis For he so loued him that he wolde tell him y e trwth were it neuer so odiouse bitter â–ª displeasaunt â–ª vnto him But in that he stayed so longe ere he spake he declareth his prudence both because he wold not seme rasshe also lest he shuld apere to reioyse of the king is misfortune For albeit he was now with his countrymen in captiuite yet wolde he be faithfull to the king and honour him iustly yea although he knew how tender and delicate be princes â—ares corrupt with the gloriouse glaueringe of flaterers and therfore the soner exasperated with sharpe and heuey tydings The astonned slaknes of daniel caused the kinge to be the gredier of the trewth which also seing the prophet to be so trou bled in himself as one not gladly willing to test him of siche heuines was the more desyerouse to heare it and to haue his counsell For the kinge perceyued some waighty thing to be signified against himself For where the diuine iugemeÌ„ts so feare an innocent prophete miche more shuld they be terrible to a wyked king But yet the goodnes and iâ—ntelnes of â— kinge apereth againe in that he animateth the prophete exhortinge him to tell it whatsoeuer the dreame be pardoninge him whatsoeuer he shall saye But daniel elegantly and wysely first mitigateth y e mater praying that these mischances signifyed might fall vpon the kyngs enimies By which wordis he nether speaketh agaynst gods will nor yet dissembleth but shewth himself to be heuye for the kings misfortune declaring himself to be the kynges frende or els he shulde haue wysshed euyll to himself As though he shuld haue spoken playnly for that I hold my peace so long thinke not that I dowte of your dreame but because I perceiue it to be a fearfull vision I pray god that it fall not vpon you Daniel in telling the dreame digesteth it goodly into thre partes first declaring the felicite and prosperite of the kynge Secondarily his punisshment Thirdly his repentance First he telleth him that the tree so great and hygh with all hir beuty birdis beastes and frutes c. signifieth the kynge Nebucadnezar for that god had subdewed to him all other realmes wherof before he was called the golden head and that not onely for his ample power but also for his hyghe arrogancye and pryde attributing to himselfe in his securite the glorye of god whose imperye is ouer heuen and y e vniuersall erth He also magnified himselfe the more for his often victories For he was the Monarch of the worlde And his name was fered ouer all The fayer branches of it are his myghty nobles and princes The plentuouse frutes signified his yerely rentes and giftis w c his subiectes and all nacions willingly brought him By the birdes nesiled in the branches were signified his hygh lerned wyse men sothe sayers c. taken as spirituall men being of counsell with his goddis to bringe to the kynge their oracles answers from them for this belly brode delyghteth yet to sitte and nesile a loft in their â—asy plesant nestis By the beastis lyinge vnder the tree be signifyed the subiectes and comons lyuing quietly vnder his lawes defended by the kynges power and as it were vnder his winges And as this goodly myghty tree fedde defended all these creatures so ought the godly kynges as I say sayth to be the nources and feders of their subiectes seing them vertuously brought vp in gods lawes defending the innoceÌ„t pore afflicted with iniuryes and punisshinge the malefactours For it is their office not onely to defende the publyk peace but also punisshe y e malefactours and preserue and promote the godly lerned and to take charge lyke a father and mother ouer the churche of criste seing it taught gods worde faithfully and purely quenching idolatry and suppressinge all supersticiouse rytes c. and tradicions of men Hitherto pertayne all the places concerning Magistrates which kings and prin ces ought to know for the good workis of kynges and princes are to do their office expressed in the scripture Also the comoÌ„ peple and subiectes signified by the lyuely fowles and beastes fedde out of y e tree their
office and dewty is to geue thankis to god for the frutes and shadewe of their tree and serue and obeye their prince praying incessantly for him And albeit the golden head and this fayer tree signi fyed the babyloni monarchie and kyng yet perteineth this doctryne vnto euery em â–ª 〈…〉 and prince yet lyuing which doinge his office is the very golden gifte most flourisshing frutefull tree of god Secondarily where he seeth the spedy watcher and holy aungell so haastely descending c. He monissheth the kynge warning him of the iugement of god and of his owne humiliacion and deiection For the voice of the holy watcher was y e sentence and decree of the most hygh god against the kynge which vseth his aungels thus to serue kynges and all good men which are sayd to come downe that they shulde knowe manifestly whether ther were so great arrogancye securite and ingratitude in the kynge or no as in Gene. 11. The lorde speaketh lykewyse of y e Sodomits I will go downe see whether the noyse which is comen vp to me be done in dede And ayen when they had buylded the towr of babel The lorde went downe to se the cyte which phrase of speche lerne all iuges to not be to swyft in sentence geuing but before all things diligently to serche oute and knowe the cause Here therfore first came downe the aungels and knewe the arrogancye negligent securite of the kynge Wherfore they 〈…〉 kut downe the tree That is to saye cast downe the kyng from his dignite and honour and let him be humbled Then was he for his melancholyâ— furye and haastines cast oute of his realme of his owne nobles which was for that tyme his confusion destruccion And now he not being aknowledged of his nobles nor of his comoÌ„s it is verefyed his branches to be 〈…〉 of both greate bowes and small twigges and all bothe his birdes and beastis to flye from him oh meruelouse soden mutacion of y e hyghe hande of god by his iust iugemeÌ„t to lese his subiects because himself wold not be a subiect vnto God which because now he lyued a beasily barbarosse lyfe beinge mad aâ—â— out of his witte he was counted worthely with beastis as to eate lyke meat with them to lye wett in stormes without to be associated with them his heare his nayles ouer growne his bodye made harde and wrinccled with cold and heate And that by seuen tymes that is half an heb domade euen thre yeres and an halfe For the persians diuide the yeare into 2. tymes that is into wynter somer or 7. tymes is taken for y e iust complete tyme sufficieÌ„t for his punishmeÌ„t geuen of god And here be we lerned y e holy a waking aungels to be the kepers of godly kinges their realmes in al their wayes as saith the Psal. The aungell of the lorde bullworketh rownd aboute y e godly Hitherto perteineth the examples of godly kinges of whom there was euer but a fewe euen in y e peple of god wytnes Iesus Syrache 49. Also the holy watching aungels do threaten plages vnto vngodly emâ—… and princes as ye here see him crye kutdowne the tree where ye see the example of arrogaÌ„t prowde ingrate negligeÌ„t princes transgressours of gods lawes and the nowmber of them to be great in the peple of god vnto whom their destruccioÌ„ is tolde them before of the prophets As saide â—onâ—s to the king of y e Niniuites There be yet but. 40. dayes before thy destruccion At laste we be lerned god to mitigat the plages to the trwe repentaÌ„te as biddeth the holy watcher the stok with the rotes to remayne that is his kingdom not vtterly to be destroyd yf he repente example of Niniue wihch repentant was reserued For the watchinge holy aungell sayde Thy kyngdom shall stand sâ—ill to the as long as thou aknowlegest the power and dominion therof to be of God So that in fine he saith no nother wais to be to conserue a kingdom but to abyde in the feare of god as testify eth the. 33. Psal. of all kings princes worthy to be lerned The sermon of daniel is the some of y e hole diuine scripture Iesus to witnes euen the mouthe of god commandinge to preche the lawe gospel thus saing preache ye in my name repentaÌ„ce and remission The counsel of daniel is the worde of god as it is clere by dauid daniels brother in cryste saing The worde of god is my counseller As daniel hath taught vs so it behoueth vs to teche other as saith Paul diuyde trwely imparte the worde of god to other wherfore wheÌ„ daniel wysshed that his counsel might please y e kinge he wolde teche the kinge no nother waye to eskape the wrathe of god to come then by repentaÌ„ce accordinge to the lawe and so to beleue all his symes to be forgeuen him for and thorowe onely the faith and confiâ—â—â—â—â— of the mercy of god promised in cryste Herof may the godly sprited be led into the knowledge of the other iugements of god For god nowe punissheth to amende vs w c shal at last if we amende not plage vs to punisshe vs. Nowe he seeth the figge tee planted in the vyne yarde he coming to seke therof frute none fynding biddeth y e vyne keper kut it downe saing wherfore occupieth it the grownde vnto whome he answerthe Sir let it yet this yere growe vntill I haue digged it aboute dunged the rote And if it bringe forthe frute it shal stonde orelis let it be kut down The vnthrifty sone taketh his fathers substance and spendeth it vicioeâ—sly at last was compelled to come to the hoggis troffe for hunger but aftirwarde he repented him remembring his fathers benignite and so he retourning home is receiued withe grete ioye Let vs conferre these lyke parables with this storye And we shal lerne our first parent 〈…〉 created of god to haue bene in so highe a dignite that he might haue bene compared with the aungels reching to heuen for that he was so excellently 〈…〉 with glorye innocencye beinge sewer immortal and lorde of the creatures of the erth of the sea and ayer made vnto the image of god But yet did this vnhappy felicite make him forgete god his maker and as an vnprofitable tree to be kut out of paradise But yet abode the stok in the rotes and in criste was his dignite conserued yea and encreased to in that he repented And euen thus haue we ourselfs lost our kyngdom loking for greuouser punishment vnlesse we obeye this most holsom counsell of daniel which couÌ„sell also all the scripture geueth vs and cryst exhorteth vs ernestly therunto Onely the deuyl reclameth and shutteth vp the bowels of mercye oure myndis he puffeth vp and entyseth vnto vnrightwysnes to make vs his perpetuall captiues The hebrwe text hath redeme thy
and securite then is there present a soden destruccion The kynge thus troubled asked counsell at his diuines charmers as did Saul at the dead which is ayenst god saying I shall destroye the wysedom of the prudent And seinge it helped not he was sore vexed which signifieth not onely the cogitacioÌ„s of the worldly wyse to be vayne but also that before the reuelacion of gods worde god is euer wont to confounde and shame menis doctryne tradicions contrarye to his worde wolde god emprowr and kyngs wold se diligent ly to the godly instruccion of themselues and their peple by faithfull fre prechers and good bokis But because this cure of soules touche so fewe rulers and we will all with a lytle teachinge or non at all be greate coninge crystianes it is come to passe that emprours and kyngis maiestes cannot defende themselues the counsels of their wyse be made voyd god euer saying Thy empyre shal be taken from the and be geuen to thy better And contrarye wyse the godly in aduersite to be counforted as this part folowng declareth it Then the quene hearinge of this feare and trouble of the kynge his princes came into the banketinge house sayinge kynge longe be thy lyfe Let not thy thoughtis trouble the nether chang thou thy chere For there is in thy realme a man endewed with the spirite of the holy gods in whom in thy fathers dayes ther was found the lyght of knowlege and siche vnderstandinge wysedom as haue the goddis him thy father Nebucadnezar made bishop of all the lerned diuines of the wyse men the spiritualty of the Chaldeis and prophets or sothesayers the kynge I saye thy father did so because that in daniel whom the kynge named Belsazar there was founde a plentuouser and hygher spirit coning and vnderstandinge to expownâ— dreames to declare secretes and to solute harde questions Now therfore let daniel be called which shall interprete and declare this thinge And thus was daniel brought to the kynge Vnto whom the kynge sayde Art thou this daniel one of the sonnes of the captiuite of Iuda whom the kynge my father brought out of Iuda I heare saye thou hast the spirit of the holy goddis and not onely to be illumined and wyse but also to be in the an hyghe amplier prudence then in other men There were now brought in before me my spiritualtye diuynes and wyse men to reade this wryting and to shewe me the interpretacion therof but they coude not But I hea re that thou canst do it wherfore yf thou canst reade and interprete me this scripture thou shalt be cled with purpure c. All this maketh for the confusion of y e kynge and his wyse men For when they all were thus troubled and amazed then come thereforth this olde woman with good counsell and counfort yf any had bene left them This quene was sober not in the fest emonge these dronherds with their herlottis and therfore she remembreth and commendeth daniel with hyghe prayse vnto hyr neuye the kynge whom the more she commendeth the more shame it was to the kynge all those 3. yeares raignynge to not knowe but neglect so wyse and godly a counseller She called him not a captiue but spake reuerently of him with hyghe coÌ„mendacions but the gloriouse kynge spyghtfully asked him Art not thou that daniel one of the captiues of the iewes This place coÌ„teyneth two sermons the one of the godly quene the tother of the ongodly kynge vnto daniel by whom daniel in the mutacion of the kyngdom is promoued the promise of god is declared to be trwe saying I will be mercyfull into thousandis The olde quene forgote not the trwe doctryne of daniel as ye see by hyr wordis commendinge him for his diuine spirit for his lerning prudence wysedom and of his bishoply dignite and â—ning to interprete dreames mysteries and to solute harde questions She monisheth y t kynge godly vnder a colour of daniels prayse to call him in and heare him but he called him of y e same entent as Herode called cryst as ye maye see in his skornfull question asked him For as the calling of daniel nowe to late to the court made for the kyngis confusion so made it for daniel and the chirches helthe and counforte which vnder vngodly emprours and kyngs denyinge them socour and ayde in their landes maye not there dwell and flourissh wherfore the chirche so longe wayleth and suffereth exylie vntyll god correck the kynges for hyr sake as dauid testifyeth Blessed therfore be God oure heuenly father which so tenderly taketh charge ouer the forsaken and banisshed ministers of cryst oure kyng in the kingdoms of this worlde that in kyngis hawlis and courtes there is euer founde an Aboiâ—s which will defende Elias ayenst the denylly she tongues and so in the mutacions of realmes promote him as was here daniel exalted but not yet so to escape w t lot the Sodomitis all sonken It is here to be noted that the kyng iuged his sophos to haue the spirit of his holy godis as now do emperours and kynges iugâ—e of their holy ghostly fathers the fryers and bisshops ☞ Then answerd Daniel before the kynge saying Take thy rewardis to thy self and thy gift is geue them to another Nethelesse will I reade the wryting to y e kynge and the meaninge therof shall I shewe the. Vnto thy grandfather Nebucadnezar oh kynge the most hyghe god gaue this kyngdom maiesiye glorye and magnificeÌ„ce And for this his ample maiestye geuen him all peple nacions tongues fered and dreaded him for that he slewe whom he lysted reserued alyue whom he willâ—d he exalted whom he wol de and thrusted downe whom he wolde But when his hert was thus puft vp w t arrogancye and pryde he was deposed from his seat royall and they toke awaye his glorye And he was expelled fro men a beasily mynde geuen him to wandre emong wylde asses was fed with grasse lyke an oxe the dewe fallinge from aboue standinge vpon his bodye lyinge in the felde vntyll he aknowleged the most hyghe god to gouerne and translate the kyngdoms of mortall men to whom he lysteth And albeit thou Beltsazar beinge his neuy haste knowne all this yet hast thou not humbly submitted thyself vnto him but exalted thyself ayenst the lorde of hâ—uâ—n commanding the vessells of his house to be brought before the that thyselfe thy nobles thy wyues and whores might drinke wyne out of them Gods of syluer of golde coper 〈◊〉 tree and of stonne which can nether see nor heare nor fele nor knowe any thinge thou hast praysed and loaued But god which hath thy breathe and lyfe and all thy wayes in his hande thou hast not worshiped wherfore thissame hande is sent the of him to wryte the this same scripture And euen this is the wryting Mene Mene Thekel Vpharsin as miche to
saye as god hathe tolde vp and made an ende of thy kyngdome Thekel is to saye Thou art wayed vp in a bylance and art founde to lyght or thou art bought and sold. Pheres that is Thy kyngdome is diuided and translated to the Medis and Perses Now is daniel called to be the foreshewer of the iugement of god nether salutinge the kynge nor praysing his giftis in which thinge he declareth the kynge to be casten awaye of god therfore vnworthey reuerence he openly rebuketh him for his greuouse synne shewinge the sentence of god to be geuen vpon him and his kyngdom He nether flattereth him nor thanketh him for his giftis he selleth not the grace of god for kyngis giftis but sheweth him playnly the causes why he shuld be slayne and his kyngdom translated First therfore daniel beginneth at the office of a trewe precher not sekinge his owne but gods glory other menis profyt euen the helthe of the congregacion by confessynge the trewthe The aâ—dacite and bolde speche of daniel signifyeth the abieccion of the kynge and his realme Then he layeth before Beltsazar the examples of his grandfather Nebucadnezar wherat because this king his neuy amended not but was worse he declareth his synne to be the greuouser For they synne most greuously of all which amende not themselues at other mens punisshment but neglect the former wryten examples of gods wrath As there was seuentymes double punishmeÌ„t decreed vpon the slayer of Cain seuentymes seuen more payne for the â—layer of Lamech And cryst in Mat How depely damneth he the ingrate cryties that wold not be monished by Sodom and Gomor wherfore yf Beltsazar was slayne because he wold not be moued to repentance by thexample of his grandfather let vs now taught with other menis perells amende oure lyues lest for lyke synnes we suffer lyke paynes For verely euen this to be the vse of all thexamples of gods wrathe it is plaine in Paul to the Corinthes 1. Corin. 10. sayinge Oure fathers were smyten downe in the desert because they shulde be vnto vs figures and monicions that we fall not into lyke lustes These thinges be wryten for oure warninge ouer whom the ende of y e worlde hangeth Wherfore whoso standeth beware he fall not Daniel amplifyeth aggrauateth the greuousnes of the kynges synne by coupling strange and coÌ„trary gods with the very trewe god signifyinge the kynge not therfore onely to be depriued his lyfe and realme because he coÌ„tempned the example of the wrath of God in the fall of his grandfather not moued therat to repent but also because he passed farre his grandfather insynne in that he blasphemed the very God in worshiping doing reuerent behauours to his false gods and images and prophaning or abusing y e holy vessels And thus doth daniel tell the kyng to be destroyed his kyngdom to be translated for these two synnes one because at the example of Nebucadnezar he wold not be warned to repent himself the â— other synne is the violatinge of the first and 2. commandements in committing idolatrye and worshipinge or reuerencinge images which ther is no synne more greuouse deseruing the present punishment powered forth of the wrath of God from heuen both vpon emprours kynges princes vpon their empires and kyngdoms as ye here see it manifestlye The thre wordis wryten of the hande of god Mene Mene Thekel Vphar sin Daniel expouneth thus The first worde Mene signifieth god to haue nouÌ„bred tolde or mesured and apoynted the symites and tyme vnto tyraunts beyend the which they shall not passe nor before the which tyme prefined by gods infallible and immutable prouidence they shall not fal nor dye Mene therfore signifieth the tyme of the mutacion And the tother two word is signifye the maner of the mutacion not onely of this kyngdom but of all the kyngdome of the worlde at all tymes so to come to passe by Gods decreed will Also the repeticion of this worde Mene hath a greate pythe signifyinge the tyme and houre offiche decreed iugements of god certaynly and sodenly to come vpon them As sayde Moses to the Corites And as in this oure tyme sayth Draconites was that tyraunt depriued his gouernaÌ„ce at his rype tyme when he sayd that he had seuer God in heauen to haue bene dead then his owne wyked felowe Well therfore prayeth the Psalme agenst siche blasphemouse tyrants that fewe and shorte might be their dayes for they be very Iudases Wherfore as this worde Mene warneth tyrants of Gods heuey iugement hanging ouer their headis that they shuld repent and be monisshed according to the. 2. psal as was Ezechias and so obtained xv yeres addid to his lyfe so it counforteth the oppressed of tyrants that we shulde suffre paciently and endure constantly for that the Psal. sayth Shortly and sodenly shall the vngodly be destroyed and perisshe The tother two wordis Thekel and Vpharsin tell vs the plages and maner of their coming Thekel signifyeth Beltsazars kyngdome to be now wayed bought and solde from him The thirde worde Vpharsin signifyed his kyngdome to be diuided from that nacion vnto y e kynges of Mede and persie For the first plage of emperour kynges princes and preistes is to lose their auctorite and name as hath the psal Contempt is powered forth vpoÌ„ princes and rulers god makinge them to erre in a wrong waye but the poore afflicted he helpeth out of this trouble and fedeth his housholde as his owne shepe Sith empires and realmes stand by gods power it must nedis be God that geueth kynges their auctorite as it is wryten And parte of the hoste went their wayes with him euen they whose herts god had towched Also thexamples of all ages wytnes The noble men to haue bene va leant in auctorite not by manis power and wysedom to haue enioyed their hertis desyers Wherfore whensoeuer any mutacion hangeth ouer the princes and rulers headis and their realmes then beginneth their auctorite and name to dekaye and be minisshed For do not the coÌ„sent of all good men iugd now otherwyse of the pope his cardinals bisshops religiouse monkis and preistes then they did of late Be not menis myndes turned from them Is not their proude falsely vsurped auctorite worthely blotted out of good menis hertis The other and his last plage is the losse of his kyngdom for as did dauid succcede Saul so do here y e Medis and Peâ—seis succede y t Chaldeis and Assyriens And this was lo the ende of the first Monarchye and of so gloriouse a golden head Let all tyraunts nowe therfore ceasse lykewyse to trust to their owne ryches and power let them repent themselues of their persecucion of gods worde his ministers And thinke that they maye shortly by some soden chaunce lese their kyngdoms and empires as did Beltsazar lese and leaue his most flourisshing empyrre of Babylon vnto the Persyes
which had as yet in the begininge very lytle power Also note this thinge That as Dauid pondred wayed Saul as ye see in the psalmes euen so do the coÌ„sent of the crysten congregacioÌ„s in their prayers waye and pondre as it were in the lances of gods worde the wykednes of oure present persewers at the comminacions of God sainge I shall viset their iniquite Let emprour and princes therfore wysely and godly in all fatherly loue behaue themselues ayenst the crysten chirches their subiectes that they maye be fauoured and as in the. xx psal prayd fore For yf their auctorite fauour be lost in the crysten chirches and they be prayed fore as the Iewes in Babylon prayed for Babylon and their persewers in the. 137. psal both the emprour kynges and their kyngdoÌ„s are vndone The last worde Vpharsin signifieth clerely y e kingdom to be dissipated and skatered geuen to the Persians which albeit they were helpers to y e Medis for xenophon playnly denyeth the persone of Darii to be present in y e besege therof yet by his host present with kyng Cyrus they obtayned the cyte Wherfore according to the prophecyes the kyngdom of Babylon was at last translated vnto Cyrê° that he shulde send home ayen the Iewes out of captiuite to buylde vp their temple for the which to be done daniel was promoued Then Beltsazar commanded that daniel shuldbe cled with purpure and a golden chayne hanged aboute his nek and to be proclaymed the thirde lorde or ruler next him in the empyre This place hath an example whereby we confirme God in the mutacions of kyngdoÌ„s therfore the more to honour his chirche then in peace that they might conuerte the victores and encrease his chirche emong them For thorow the honour obtayned by Cyrus daniel as sone as Babylon was taken begane to be knowen what he was of Cyrus and Darius which aknowleged themselues to haue had wone the cyte by gods fauour Wherfore let crysten congregacions be confirmed by this example in perturbacions of realmes not to fall to the vngodly but rather to heare cryst sayinge When ye shall heare rumores of bataill be ye not afrayd nor troubled To receyue clothes golde promocion of kyngs is not synne so longe as they be taken to th entent as daniel receyued them For to the pure all things be clene and contrary to the polluted and infidels all are vnclene but both the mynde and conscience of these men are vnpure as Beltsazar honoureth not daniel as the prophete of God but as he wold haue done to any one of his diuynes and spirituall enchaunters and sothsayers nether repenteth he himself but wold be sene to kepe his promise to saue his princely honor Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is synne And therfore he falleth as it foloweth ☞ In the same nyght Beltsazar the kynge of the Chaldeis was slayne This place as it were the conclusion of all describeth the fall and death of the kynge and mutacion of his kyngdome for his blasphemye and festinge in securite and synfulnes xenophon wryteth Babylon to be taken the same nyght where in the kynge in great securite and confidence celebrated his fest vnto his god Beel For Beltsazar in his huntinge of enuye slewe y t sonne of Gobie and therfore these two princes or rulers vnder Beltsazar one called Gobiamand the other Gadatam then beinge with kynge Cyrus first entred the cyte and tower of Babylon and slewe the kyng Gobiam being auenged of his sonnes death Here is so y e ende of the first and golden monarchye which stode 1495. yeres and ended in the. 3440. aftir the creacion of the worlde Wherby all emperours kynges and princes maye fele it with their fyngers onely god to be the defender of empyres and realmes so that except he watche ouer them in vayne are their cites kept And except he defende them by his aungels inuayne gather they tresure inuayne buysde they blokhouses and municions inuayne mustere they and take they vp men Wherfore I exhorte and monissh yet agene emperours kynges and princes all that they worship not straÌ„ge gods nor yet exhibit any reuerent behauior vnto images nether to trust to miche to their tresure municions and helpe of men money For here maye they see this golden head of the worlde sodenly for their idolatrye coÌ„tempt of the trwe prechers and for the neglectinge of Gods worde sent them to be destroyd but let them worship and thanke God onely the father of Iesu cryste oure delyuerer now in these last dayes y e restorer and bringer ayen of his worde of saluacion Let them I saye worship him accordinge to his firste and .ii. preceptis as the psalmes teache them An example of daniels accusers torne of the lyons is here setforth to fraye all flaterers aboute kynges from euyll counsell â–ª geuinge to deterre them from their false complaynts and maliciouse accusacions of the inoncent ministers and prechers of goddis worde For in this chap â–ª as it were in a seuerall lytle boke concer ninge the false accusers of prophetis and trewe prechers torne in pesis of y e lyons we see that euyll counsell is the worst of all to the counsellers But to teache the readers playnely and orderly that they might the easlier holde this golden lytle boke in memory we will diuide it into 7. places The first is of y e office of victours or conquirors The seconde conteyneth a terrible example of the spiritualte bisshops being in courte and of counsell steringe emperours kynges and princes by their euyll counsell vnto persecucion mischeife and wykednes The thirde hath an example of the constant confessor of gods worde The .iiii. hath examples of the infirmite and weakenes of fayth and of the persewers of the worde The fyft hath examples of the wrath mercye of god The .vi. hath an euangely proclamacion of kynge Darii The seuenth hath the example of a man glorifyed aftir his crosse DArius Medus being lvii yeares olde toke vpon him the kyngdom whom it pleased to constitute 120. gouerners ouer y e hole empyre Ouer these men he ordined 3. cheife princes or rulers emong whom one was daniel vnto the which 3. hyghe rulers the other 120. shulde geue a rekeninge of their offices that the kynge might be cased of his so chargeable burdens But daniel excelled all the princes gouerners for that he had so excellent plentuose a spirit wherfore the kynge had thought to haue ordined him gouerner ouer his vniuersall empyre This Darius kynge of the Medis xenophon calleth Darius Cyaxares y e sonne of Astiagis whom Cyrus succeded to raigne ouer the Medis Persis and Babylonits and Cyrus was the first kynge of the Persis and raigned aftir Darius xxiii yeares with whom Darius aftir they had taken Babylon raigned not fully one yeare So that kynge Cyrus in all raigned xxiiii
yeres This kynge Darius in that he constituteth so godly gouerners in siche an order ouer his empyre he techeth all victores and coÌ„quirers their office aftir their victorie to constitute the polycie and to reforme the chirche bringing althinges aftir so greate coÌ„fusion in the mutacion into a beter ordir For although these two kynges Darius beinge the elder and Cyrus the yonger both togyther had taken Babylon because Cyrus gladly as xenophon wytnesseth gaue the tytle of the empyre to Dario therfore do daniel here declare y e empyre to be ordered and reformed aftir this maner of Dario. First he constituteth 120. gouerners to be sette and diuided into iiii or iii. partes of his kyngdom into which parties as we diuide ours into shiers that empyre was now diuided These gouerners were as y e kynges handes and eyes as here aftir ye shall see y e rulers vnder y t kynge of Egypte to be called his armes of the which rulers thus sayth Peter Beye subiect to the gouerners sent of y e kyng Ouer these sayd 120. he setteth 3. cheife ouerseers to take a rekeninge of these 120. of the which iii. daniel was as the Archebisshop ouer all These 3. shuld ouersee that all the other did their office And thus was the kyngdom peaceably and ordrely ministred iustice equite and iugement trewly executed for that lytle tyme that the chirche of God might be the easilier reformed For doutles Darius enstructe and counselled of daniel aknowleged this so great a victory to be of god for his chirches sake the iewes therfore Cyrus gaue god the thankis and receyued this counsell of daniel so to order the empyre and at laste to geue the peple of god the iews lyberty to returne and to buyld their temple in Hierusalem Of this ensample let al cristen kings hauig siche victoryes seke out the counsels of the godly lerned trwe prechers of the worde and aftir their doctrine and counsells order their comon policyes and chirches so that their constitucions and actis repugne not the gospell of cryste But see see how the shade we fo lowth the sonne and enuye felicite and howe that lying false thefe the deuyll by his enuiouse spyghtfull spiritualtye layeth a wayte to destroye bothe the prophetis and good kinges Wherfore these cheif rulers and the gouerners studied to fynde some occasion to trappe Daniel in the kynges maters but no cryme nor synne coude they fynde in him he was so faithful and iust that no fawlt nor vnright coude thei fynde in him Then these men said we shall neuer fynde any fawlt nor occasioÌ„ ayenst this Daniel except we inuent somwhat ayenst him in the religion and worship of his owne god And vpon this these preistis and gouerners went togither to the kynge saing â–ª king darius for euer mought ye lyue All the princes and lordes spirituall temporall gouerners counselers nobles and officers ouer thy empire and prouinces haue decreed to make a kings law or acte to be proclamed and straightly to be obserued That whosoeuer shall aske any thing of any god or man by 30. dayes but onely of the which arte the kyng he shal be casten into the lyons denne Now therfore oh kyng confirme the decre and subscribe it that it be not changed according the ferme and perpetuall lawe and custom of the Medis Persians that no man be so hardy to breake it Wherfore Darius the kynge subscribed the coÌ„mandement nowe writen Mencion afore is made of the spiritualtye of the chaldeis being euer in so highe auctorite and in counsell with the kyngs of BabyloÌ„ that in all highe harde dowtful things they sought theyr counsell coning at them which be called in y e text Magi Sophi diuini incaÌ„tatorâ—s astrologi fatidici c. that is wysemen sothesaiers diuines charmers â—targazars be witchers sorcerers destenye tellers iuglers and siche lyke as were so great with their goddis that thei daily fetched their oracles answersÌ„ at their mouthes vnto the kings These wyse menis wysedom their coning dani had ofteÌ„ tymes coÌ„founded and made their wisedom folisshnes their highe lerning vayn lyes and lying vanite as ye haue sene it before in the in terpretacioÌ„s of Nebucadnezars dreames and visions and now last of all in the declaracion of the handewriting vnto beltsazar Wherfore the enuiouse enchaunters and spyghtfull spiritualty neuer cea sed hunting for occasions to destroye daniel And nowe they seing him in moste highe fauour with these two newe kings lykely to cause them to reforme their false religion and to bring in the very trwe religion and worship of the very god con ceyued this deuillishe acte and promoued it vnto these bisshops the ouerseers and rulers of the counsel causing theÌ„ to bring it vnto the king and himself to confirme it subscribed with his own haÌ„de Which done thei thought now to haue had trapped innocent Daniel For the heithen kinges did regarde their actis lawes con firmacions and othrs so highly that thei were with them inuiolable vnable to be reuoked or anulled so highly regarded theâ— constancie trwth and faith in othes and promises as ye see it before in beltsazar geuing daniel the giftis althoughe he tolde him so heuey an interpretacion of that hand writing But our spiritualtye albeit a king or emprowr hathe geueÌ„ out any inuinccion acte or proclamacion that godly is or to any of their subiectes a saltconducte passe porte or municion w t his brode seal to come in salfe and to go out of his realme yet wyll thei make him beleue that he is not bownde to kepe pro myse withe heretiques as thei call the treio prechers of the worde as thei once serued doctor barnes 12. or 13. yeres agoo when he was sent on message out of germanye to the kinges maieste Syr Thomas more then being chanceller Nether will thei steke to perswade their princes to restrayne the byble once preuileged graunted by the kinge to be read of al meÌ„ and the pure and syncere preching of the gospellonce commanded of the king and inioyned thei be not asshamed to cause the king to neglecte it or to reuoke it But and if emprowr or king shuld decre by a sacred othe to smite of Iohan Baptistes head or to slaye innocent Paul then wyâ—â— thei perswade him siche othes to be inuio ble But nowe oh kinges be ye warned of siche spirituall sprites get ye vnderstanding and be ye lerned Seke ye out sage daniels lerned in gods laws to be of your counsell and beware of theise polityke pru dent popish doctours of the popis lawes For it is highe tyme. But wherfore did Darius subscribe so sone to this decree and deuillissh acte verely his spiritualty had bewitched him thus to do So it was that daniel was in fauour and herde of bothe Cyrus and Da rius but especially of Cyrus to whom he cleaned most for the prophecies that weÌ„t vpon him out of
exyle in captiuite and when they shall dye as did holy Steuen vehemently praye and daniel also at all tymes holdinge God in their prayers with his owne bondis and promises his peple to be delyuered out of the captiuite of menis actis decrees articles tradicioÌ„s rytes cere c. Oh how vehemently prayd cryst his passion now being at hande For then for the confession and inuocacion of the name of god the houre was comen wherin he shuld be casten into y e paynfull pitte of deth well therfore in the tyme of the crosse dothe Paul bid vs praye in euery place cryst biddeth vs asweis praye as daniel here praith Daniels prayer standeth of these thre partis of thankis geuing for his innumerable benefits of prayse for his godly power miracles shewed for them and in confession aknowleginge himself and the peple to be synners and god to be trewe faithfull of his promise in sauing and delyueringe siche synners that thus call vpon him in faith Cryst in his agonye â–ª his disciples praye lest they shuld fall into temptacion and Paul biddeth vs euer to geue thankis to god thorow cryste Wherfore daniel wolde not dissemble in câ—ssing to pray for the tyme. ☞ Now these men insidiously obseruing daniel espyed him praying and makinge supplicacion to his god Wherfore they went vnto the kinge reasoning with him vpon his acte and commandement sainge East thou not publisshed an acte decreed in wryting that who aske any thing of any god or man by xxx dayes but onely of the oh kinge he must be casten downe into the lyons denne whom the kinge answerd sayinge yisse trâ—wly And it must be holden fermely inuiolable aftir the lawe perpetuall of the Medis and Perseis Then they answerde â–ª sayng before the kinge This daniel one of the nâ—umbre of y e captiued Iewes regardeth nothinge at all thy commandements oh kinge nor yet thy proclamacion which thyself hast publisshed in wrytinge For thryse euery daye he prayth which thing the kinge hearinge was gretly heuey for him And thought playnly to haue delyuered daniel studied vnto the sone going downe labouring hardely for his delyuerance But these men so insidiously cominge to the kinge told him Thou must know it oh king that the lawe of the Medis and Persies is that no acte no commandement or lawe made of the kinge maye be changed Then at the kings coÌ„mandement Daniel was brought forth and thei did caste him into the lyons den Then the kinge spekinge to daniel sayd Thy god whom thou hast euer worshipped delyuer the. And ther was brought a stonne and layde vpon the mouth of the denne which stonne the kinge with his owne seallor ring and with the signet of his nobles sealed that there shulde nothinge els be done ayenst daniel or left his will shuld be changed in daniel Here haue we an example of a weak simple olde kinge bewitched deceiued and ouercomen of his gosily flaterers and of his owne polityke counsellers Now ye see the great diligence of these enuiouse hypocrites ye see their deceites vnmerciles murther and ingratitude Daniel was now a right venerable sage olde father more then lxxx yeares olde well deseruinge and paynes takinge to profit euery man so that worthely he might haue bene called pater patrie the father of the hole lande But all his benefites his vertewes his innocencye nor his reuereÌ„t sagenes might not moue these maliciouse magos to refrayne them selues and to pitie him Onely go they aboute to destroye the man all because he worshipped god onely and no man nor creature These be the venemouse spyders which creping into euery fayer flower of the garden gather nothing els but present poyson Now behold their sleighthy poyson They come to the kinge not first of all accusinge daniel for that they knew the kinge loued him so intierly but they first trapped the kinge in that they preassed so sore vpon him with his owne lawes and actis aftir the lawe of those nacions in nowyse to be broken or changed the kinge once confirminge them They reasoned with him of the inuiolable fastnesse of the acte and decree vnto which the king no siche thing suspecting as they went aboute anon graunted And verely to speke of laws actes there is nothing so necessary to comoÌ„ wealis and kingdoms to be conserued as the holy obseruacion of good lawes For they be compared to an hedge or pale which kepe of euyll beastis froÌ„ the good gardeÌ„s which if they be broken downe in any place an ingresse is open to all euyll denouring beastis Or if y e law be once or twyse dispensed with anon it ceasseth any more to be a lawe Plato compareth lawes to pillis medecyns or pocions which if y e syke bodye teuomite there is no helth to be loked fore Wherfore in good â–ª lawes actis there behowueth to be a certayne diuyne auctorite Who wold bere aâ—werde which nether to kutte nor to smyte is nothing apte To conserue lawes and to nourisshe iustice is y e swerde geuen from god aboue And therfore be lawes called holy because it is not lefull to breke theÌ„ but they be ferme and immoble The lawes are aboue the kinges as Darius here confesseth It were the most indigne and detestable thinge that good lawes shulde be subiecte and vnder euyll men For yf the lawes be godly and good he fighteth ayenst God that breketh them Of this thing is the kings scepter a very apt signe and token in that it is ferme and inflexible Which thinge the iewes well vnderstode when thei to deryde crystes kingdome his auctorite and lawes gaue him a reede in his hande wauered with the wynde signifyinge that inconstant kings must make wauering weake lawes to daye made tomorow marred But these enuiouse enchaunters did wysely dispute with Darius of the solidite fastnes of his lawes making the king inferiour to his lawes But fulwyked was their deceyte to thruste into his head so vngodly and so dampnable an acte for a good lawe which the kinge shulde haue reiected vtterly For by that acte both y e king was dampned and daniel his wysest counseller destroyed This their mischeuose fraude at last espyed of the king but all to late he labored the hole daye to saue daniel but all inuayne for the rigour of his lawe preuayled for that as these subtyle serpents had perswadid it it was not lefull for the king to violate it Oh how pertinate and styfe are the vngodly lawers act makers in their owne wyked lawes to be conserued What excuse shall ye bringe oh ye false lawers and brekers of gods holy decrees coÌ„man ding you nether to put to nor to take away any thinge from his worde Haue ye not red alledged of Cryste so solemply this graue senteÌ„ce oute of I say saying Inuayne do men worship me with menis tradicions and doctrynes And here is to be noted that lawes
his worde This lyon signifyed the golden head kingdom of Babylon vnder whom the peple of god especially those lxx yeres suffred greuouse affliccions A lyon is a cruell beast yf he be exaspered and gentle yf the man faldowne naked before him except it be in great honger he hurteth not siche humble prostrated proyes He is without suspicion and fraude Vnto this lyon or kinges of Babylon there were sette egles winges for that thei were swyft vnto all their affayers yea vnto blodsheding in batail The same kingdom in Ezechiel is called the fower formed beast first lyke a lyon for their hardines in subdewinge their aduersaris lyke an egle for their swyftnes in their businesses lyke an oxe for their constancy in labours to be sustained and lyke a man for their prudence in things to be afore sene The which condicions kinges and magistrates ought to haue Of this lyon sayd Ierem. 4. There is comen vp a lyon out of his cowche Innumerable affliccions suffred the Iewes vnder this lyons blody tyranny as themselues complayn saying Vpon the floudis of Babylon we sate and wept whyles we remembred zion This lyons 2. winges were the two peples of the Chaldeis and Assyrians They were smyten of the lyon câ—sten out of the lande when y e Persians subdewed them To be then eleuated to stonde vp as a man signifieth that kingdom in Nebucadnez his sones dayes to be exalted to y e knowledg of God their kingdom therby to be glorifyed But in fine the mynde of a fraill man was geuen to it in Beltsazar which in his beastly securite perisshed lost y e golden head so bolde a lyoÌ„s propertie In siche olde fygures men may see yet present exaÌ„ples for the verite correspondeth the fygure vnto y e â—orldes ende in a perpetuall verificacioÌ„ By the bere is signifyed the Persi kingdom a beast lesse iently theÌ„ the lyon and especially in his olde age when he is most chorlysshe gredier to deuower and very false wherfore in scripture for his cruel auaitlaing he is ioyned with the lyon A wiked prince is a roring lyon and an Hongry bere A man is in an euil case when he flying from the lyoÌ„ meteth with the hongry bere The iewes had wende thei had bene nowe out of all perell when thei had escaped the lyon of Babylon and nowe to be delyuered and to be sent home ayen but thei met with the bere For the Persies delt cruelly with theÌ„ letting theÌ„ of their returne and of their building of the temple cite well 70. yeres So that thei fownde this dewche prouerb trwe iung herren iung beren alt herren alt beren Cyrus at first prudently and iently entreated the iewes Beres while thei be yong ar tractable enoughe but aftir warde it came otherwyse to passe For whylis he reigned y e proposed building of the teÌ„ple was letted and many of the iews still reteyued in captiuite And his sone cambyses openly persecuted the iewes Also the other kings of Persye aftir Darium eâ—acted of the iews great tributis This denouring bere with his 3. morsels in his mouth signifieth the insaciable auarice in deuoring their subiectis substance his 3. long tethe ar the 3. cheif kings Cyrus Darius and 〈…〉 tayer yes This deuouring Persiâ—… bere not onely shed miche blode but she persecuted cruelly crystis chirche Orosius and Iustinus wryte that in the Scythiâ—… batail ayenst Tamyrim Cyrus head was of smiten of the quene of tamyre she auenging the blode of hir sone and was put into a botel full of blode with these wordis Blode hast thou thirsted blode drinke thou w t blode be filled of w t these 30 yeres thou hast beÌ„ insaciable Also in that felde he loste all his host two hondred thousands of the Persians But although the chirche was cruellyer persecuted vnder the leoparde folowing yet for the chirches counfort was this Persiâ—… bere slayn of Alexander the great And so was the Persiâ—… kingdom translated vnto the grekis The leoparde or spotted panthere expressing the nature and wittes of the gre kis signifieth the kingdom of great Alexander His 4. winges and 4. hornes ar the 4 successours of alexander by whose helpe in so short a tyme he subdewed to himself all the worlde For the story witnesseth kinge ptolome to haue had goten â–ª egipte Antigonus Asiam the lesse Antipater Macedoniam Seleucus Syriam and farre be yende to haue coÌ„quired and albeit this greke sprekled panthere had so great a powr and dominion so mightely horned and headed so swyftely winged yet because this beast abused his powr in breking the commandements of god and namely of the first table and in persecuting his chirche so cruelly by Antiochus epiphanes he was destroid miserably and the kingdom translated to the fowrth beast that is vnto the Romane empire This fowrth ferefull Romane beast is described terribly hugly strong armed withe tethe of deuouring and tearing fleshe and bones euen the same that is sene in the 2. chapter called the leggis of whose fete were partely parte potbakt erthe For what els signifie these wordes with so terrible a sownde then the empyre of Rome not onely with the most harde batails at home and with out of themselues and of strangers to be consumed and destroid but also the same most cruelly to persecute crystes chirche and to destroye vtterly and irreparably the iewes policye for euer and their nacion By the leauings or remenants vnderstand the laste parte of this monarchie his fete signifye the laste emperours of it This beast to trede vnder his fete the leauings signifyeth the later ende of this kingdom to haue the most crueltyes and calamites brought ouer it by y e pope and at last by the turke For how greuonsly hath Italye bene torne and rent almoste these 900. yeres of the Gottis of the grekis longobards of owr empero wrs But why is this beast vnlyke al the other former verely this empyre must dure loÌ„ger then the 2. and the thirde monarchy and all the vngodlines and persecucion done distinctly and seuerally in the tother shal be gathered to gither and committed of this beast And the laste emperours and popis of this empyre shall vexe and persecute the chirche longer cruellier then any of the other His 10 hornes signifye the cheif prouinces and realmes vnder the Romane empyre Which were very many For the nownber of 10 signifieth a great multitude as in Iob. See ten tymes that is greatly ye haue confounded me And Cryst lykeneth the kingdom of heuen to 10 virgens So that the meaning is that the Romane empyre shuld haue amplier and moo prouinces then the other former Orels take the 10 hornes for Italy Spayne France Germany Illyrik Grece Affrik Egipt Asia Syria For the countries annexed vnto these 10 must be rekened with them as Pannonia adioining to Illyrik and Macedonia ioined to Grece
☞ And whylis I consydered these hornes lo there grewe vp another lytle horne amonge them of whom 3. of the former hornes were plukt out And beholde ther were hornes in this horne as the eyes of a man and a mouth speakinge stoute and great thinges This lytest horne was and is the Anticrysten kingdome of the popes of Rome with all their vnclene clergye by lytle lytle at their begininge creping vp from so low a state into so hyghe dignities power and possessions vnder themperours and their x. other hornes sowen oute of the serpents sead into euery corner of the worlde flyinge lyke locustes into euery emperours and kinges bosome ether to be their confessers counsellers prechers or teachers out of pore scoles and cloysters are these beggers cropen vp aboue emperours and kinges by their serpentine flatering fraudes and holy hypocrysie And as daniel here seeth 4. beastis ascending out of the sea so doth Ioan resoning the same vision see the same beast arysing vp lyke wyse out of the sea But the cruell formes and facions which daniel sawe in y e thre beastis the same altogyther seeth I can in this one hugly beast sayng And the beast whom I sawe was lyke a leoparde and his feet as beres fete and his mouth lyke the mouth of a lyon He seeth him also with y. hornes which he expowneth to be x. kinges which had not yet in Ioans dayes receyved their kingdoms but shuld then in tyme to come as kinges in an hower take their power For sone aftir by the fraudes of this lytle horne the empyre of Rome was as ye see it diuided into feet and toes as Nebucadnezar did see it to come which is shal be the â—uine and fall of the hole empyre Of this diuision and skateringe therof Paul in Neros tyme gaue as it were a watche worde and warning before sayng He that holdeth the empyre let him hold it fast now yet a whyle tyll it be taken awaye For euen then saith Paul was he working his secrete anticrysten mischief and wykednes In somich as Ioan anon aftir Paul sayd And euen now are their many anticrystes which are gone forth of vs but yet were thei non of vs. Lo here maye ye see this beast to be no stranger borne farrof for Paul saith he sitteth in the temple of god he is therfore a domesty enimye a tame beast not to be sought among the Turkis Iewes and SaraceÌ„s as oure bisshops wolde make vs beleue whylis themselues play this beastis parte vnder oure noses at home in the temple of god and not in the temples of the Turkis and Iewes They tell vs where the head emperours and kings be crystened and thei of their counsell and teachers ther can be no persecucion by Anticryst but all is iuste execucion lo. But Iohn daniel saye that he shulde putforth his hornes vnder the winges of all the other crysten kinges euen amonge crysten men in the chirche of cryst in crystis name against cryst his name and his faithfull to make bataill Here it apereth Iohn to say the same that daniel saith but yet in other wordis For where as in this place daniel sawe a beast armed with 3. grete teth deuouring and consuminge all the same did Ioan see takinge his tyrannye cruell power his prowd seat and his mischeuouse maiesty of the dragon y e deuyll beinge a blody murtherer and a lyer from the beginning Agen where Ioan speketh of the beast with x. hornes he addeth to him another beast ascending from the erth sene of him to haue two hornes lyke a lambe but he spake as did the dragon executed all the power of the former beast in his sight The. x. horned beast ascending out of the sea is the spirituall Anticryst of Rome hauinge himselfe w t all his lawes rytes tradicions decrees and doctryne defended of the emperours swerde and with the swerdis of all these kinges once geuen to drinke of his golden cuppe of poyson Amonge these his stronge defenders and mighty hornes he arose first but a lytle horne vntyll they deuolued vnto him their powers possessions and autorities to slaye the sayntis and then was he a mighty worthy x. horned blody whore of Babylon But at last the gospell once reueled it did pluk from hir head hir holy vysare of hypocrisy and gaue hir in hir most hyghe and holy head a deadly wounde had not his cardinallis bishops and fryers strewed into euery emperours court and kinges hawlis spedely putto the plaster in rolling and tossing the ball ayen vnto the seculare powers flatering them with the popis tytles power possessions auctorite to maintayn and defend all the popes ceremonis tradicions doctrynes more sewerly confirmed with the seclare emperours actis and articles defended with swerde and fyer cruellier then euer they were vnder the pope himself For the healing of this wounde one horne was called the most sacred cesar another the most crysten another the most catholyke and another his first begoten some and another defender of the faith c. Which clerkely cure of the clergy when Ioan had espyed lo sayd he I see another beast ascendinge oute of the erth with two hornes c. meaninge the seculare antichristen emperours and kinges hauing now two horned powers both their owne and the spirituall auctorite as they had first and all to persecute the gospell now of late offred them and to burne the professors and prechers therof And it is to be feared lest the Turke be also this two horned seculare Anticryst ascended out of the erth For I dare say That rather then y e gospell shuld be frely receyued and the pope with his spirituall sourgens be brydled or suppressed with y e worde of God their state and lyuing corrected reformed there at the emperours and kinges crystened consenting and coÌ„pellinge these lytle whorishe hornes to daunce aftir the poore painfull pype of y e gospell they had leifer ten Turkis to inuade and yf their selues bringe him not in and to raigne ouer all crystendom then one crysten kinge For they had leyuor be vnder Mahumet and his lawes then vnder the crysten kinges and emperours and vnder the holy gospell of cryst For vnder the Turke they yet conceyue some hope ether by tribute geuinge or by their olde hypocritish holy flatering fraudes to stande styll in their dignites glorye ryches possessions and auctorite But in both these beastis their cruell hornes are encreased take them for whom ye will for both the Turke and Mahumete in Asia and Aphrica and the Pope with his false prophets and falser cardinals and bishops with all their coniured and sworne seculare papistis in Europa haue goten them a mighty perelloê° power ayenst cryst is poore fely lambes as ye see in their commandements decrees articles actis and proclamacioÌ„s and inquisicions for bokis heresies as they call goddis worde to be prohibited
pressed downe burned with all the promouers therof vnder the Turke thei haue some hope to stand styll in their lustes and plesures but vnder the gospell of cryst they be lyke to lese all and their kingdome to haue a miscrable fall Before this daniel sawe the last Monarchie which was the empyre of Rome to be diuided into many kingdoÌ„s as perchaunce into France Portugal Spayne Pole Denmarke Englande Hyerlande Scotland Napels Boheme and Hungarye which be the. x. hornes and sene of Iohn by the. x. hornes helping the read Romishe beast to suppresse the kingdome of cryst For by the popis policies thus was the noble empyre skatered into hir owne destruccion that this lytle horne might haue the proye and preeminence ouer the hole empyre This lytle horne saith daniel grewe vp amonge these x. kingdoms or x. seculare hornes by whose ayed ryches and auctorite the pope w t his prelates ascended from poore buggerly beggerly fryers and flaterers vnto siche an imperial maiestye aboue emperours and kinges And here daniel seeth 3. hornes smyten of from these so many kinges by the lytle horne That is the Anticrysten pope to make weake and feble whatsoeuer emperour and kinge he listed depose them at his plesure and to translate y e empyre and kingdoms into his owne nettis to vse and occupy them himself Or if ye will take the. iii. hornes prescisely for 3 empires or kingdoms falsely vsurped of the pope beholde vpon his head the triple crone infaming himself to be the throerdowne and destroyer or robber of thre great kingdoms yea and euen the subuerter of the hole Romane empyre Netheles his flaterers yet make him beleue that he is emperour and kinge ouer haeuen ouer y e erth and of purgatory yea and ouer hell and deuyll to But this is trewth He once translated the empyre from the east to the weest and from the Frenche men to the Germans And now contendeth he to translate it to the Turke which shal be his last translacion his owne destruccion with the heuey mutacions of all the west kingdoms yf he can bring his blody purpose to passe For Daniel saith this lytle horne to haue eyes lyke manis eyes that is to be prudent and polytyk to loke for his owne ease lucre For he thinketh to gett more vnder the Turke then vnder the gospell yf it be receyued of the emperours and of all the crysten kings as he feareth it wil be Iohn geueth him hornes lyke a lambe That is to saye he shall do all his fraudelent featis vnder a meruelouse pretence of holynes innocencye and mekenes For he shall wryte himself the most holy when he shall shewe himself by his dedis to be y e most wyked prophane cruell wolue comen in shepis clothes for vnder y e tytle of Papa father of fathers he is y e most marciles tyrant of all tyrants vnder the name of Summi or Maximi pontificis that is of the most hyghe and greatest vigilant watcher and ouerseer of his flok he is the most negligent idest idoll dome dogge vnder y e name of pastor which is a flok feder he is the most pestelent poysoner And euen these be the two 〈◊〉 hornes signifyed by y e two forked bisshops myters althoughe say they they signifye the two testameÌ„ts and that thei be lerned in nether of them bothe Nowe when ye see this beaste to deuolue theise his holy tytles and godly names of innocency and meaknes to any seclare horne or beast ascending out of the erth and the same do take them executing the Popis power and tyrannye in persecutinge the gospell and to confirme papistrye speking wryting decreing articlyng enacting c. as did the dragon then take heed for then contendeth this beaste to heale his awne deadly head wounde agene The two hornes lyke lambes hornes be both the powers seculare and ecclesiastâ—â— ether in any one spirituall or in any one seculare Anticryst Also it is to be noted That bothe Daniel and Ioan saith he hath a mouthe speking great blaphemies or prowd arrogancies ayenst god he shall speke as did the dragon euen blaphemies ayenst god as did he that said I will asceÌ„de and belyke the most hyghest god And as did the serpent perswade Eue to not beleue god but to thinke the most trwe god to be a dissembler or a lyer The turke and Mahumet speke gret blaphemies ayenst god in their alkaron But owr litle whore of Rome hir cardinalls bishops and prechers speke the moste gretest and greuoust blasphemies of all and themselues defende them with fyer and cause their seculare anticristis to defend them with swerde Thei be not ashamed to wryte and teche the pope to be of syke powr with cryste the pope cannot erre the pope to be the supreme head and spowse of the chirche and vicare of cryste And because he hathe the emperiall powr he may distribute the kingdoms and ryches of the worlde as he lyst and because he is the hyghest bysshop he maye geue all the chirches benifices as cardinallships bysshopryks and benefices to whom he lyste and he bosteth the gospell to be subiecte to his interpretacion and vnderstanding yea except saye some of owr bishops that the scripture be confirmed by siche ordinary powrs it is no scripture nor may not be redd but of siche as thei lyste to delyuer lyceÌ„ce it nor in any other tongue then thei liste to geue it vs. He will haue his lawe and tradicions to be obserued aboue gods laws and the transgressours of his lowsey lawes to be greuouslier punisshed then the brekers of gods precepts He bosteth himfelf to make lawes and articles of owr faithe and to adde mo sacraments to them then cryst made and to consecrate and to make the body of cryste to sende awaye the substance of the bread the accidents as the whigtnes rowndes tast other qualities quaÌ„tities remayning He confesseth crist with his lippes to be a red emer but yet he techeth he dothe and writeth many grete blaphemies contrary to the mystery of owr redempcion as in his purgatory satisfaccions merits 〈◊〉 and siche other All these blaphemies speketh he vnder lambes skinnes in an innocent holy pretence hauinge hornes lyke a lambe he will apere humble lyke any other inferiour man yet shameth he not to open his mouth to speke greuouse blasphemies ayenst god and his peple This beast Paul handleth and his pesteleÌ„t pro pertyes he treateh saying This sinfull man and forlorne chylde aduersary to god will be exalted ayenst god and aboue his worship cleame and vsurp a worship to himself and teche a certain vtwarde reuerent behauiour to idols and images so that he will sitte in the temple of god osteÌ„ting and bosting himself setforthe for a god that is he will with his lawes decrees actis articles and doctrine sitte deper in menis consciences more feared then god himself with his ten coÌ„mandements and
But the rest which haue their powrs taken from them or depose them shall yet lyue with their posterite folowinge them for a lytle tyme not so sodenly to fall as their head hornes For the laste of all is this fowrth in the which aryseth this lytle horne with his impes and in which the Turke also persecuteth vntyll himself with Mahumet and their hole anticristen bodye be slayne In the other kingdoms yet left aftir y e Turkis and popis be in destroyinge allthough the kinges dayly perish and lese their dominioÌ„s yet shall their subiectes obtayne fauor with their ouercomers and lyue their apointed yeares but when the iuge shall sittdowne both the euyll kinges with their euyll subiectis shal be casten into the pitt of fyer Wherfore y e aungell eâ—powneth it sainge And they shall take awaye his power scater and desiroye it in the ende prefixed of God And this is the porcion of the cuppe of the vngodly which had leyfer folowe antichrist then cryst For God shall as sayth Paul take awaye all princelynes powr and might Wherfore this comminacion of god prophecieth vnto all the kinges and peple from the beginnig of the worlde fighting agyenst the gospell of the almighty God and of oure sauiuor Iesu euerlasting fyer onlesse they repent as the. 2. psalme warneth them Also lest any man shuld thinke the lytle pore lost shepe of cryst euen the chirche of god to be vtterly and for euer deuoured of theis bereslyons leopardes and euen of the terrible beast the Turke Daniel saith that the tyme and houre is prefixed vnto euery one of them all That is to saye It is decreed in heauen how long euery one of the kingdoms in earth shall stand and how wyde they shall sprede Hytherto semeth it Paul to haue loken when he sayd God made out of one blode all man kynde to dwell ouer the vniuersall earth and hath prefined their constituted tymes and hath prefixed the lymites of their habitacion that thei shuld seke God Now is it shewed how long the lyon shall rore howe long the leoparde shall crye with open mouth and the bere how long he shall grone and crye There yet remaineth the ende of these terrible beastis the pope and the Turke euen the kingdoms which yet stonde ouer Germanye ouer Turkey and ouer Crystendom to be destroyd by the last daye of iugemeÌ„t Which thinge albeit it be wryten of daniel into the consolacion of the catholyk chirche yet maye we wepe and wayle to see the gospell thus troden vnder fete in all the vniuersall worlde Tell me where the gospell shyneth in any part of Aphrica where in y e great part of Asia In Europa vnder the Turkis emperours popis emperys there be here and there chirches but they be so cruelly oppressed that nether good letters nor lerning maye florissh nor y e chirches maye haue any godly teachers But what profiteth it to complaine Sewerly this mystery of the crosse was setforth in the sone of God anon fro the beginninge of the worlde and is yet so confirmed with the examples of all holy men that no consolacion maye be geuen to the chirche besydes the coming of Iesu cryst the sone of God and man Wherfore because the powr of the Turke cannot be lyke the Romane empyre nether shall he occupye all Europe for daniel denyeth any fyfte Monarchye to come we shall breifly expresse the wordis of daniel touching the cominge of the sone of god for oure consolacion Cryst therfore shall come lyke the sone of man for because he shall iuge almen he shall be se ne as a man of almen This confirmeth he saying The father hath geuen powr to iuge vnto his sonne because he is the sone of man And therfor it folowth in the text And beholde for in the night I sawe in the cloudis of heuen one coming lyke the sonne of man which coming forthe was brought vnto the great aged and he gaue vnto him powr glorye the kingdom that all peple nacions and tongues shuld serue worshipe him whose powr is an euerlasting powr neuer to be abolesshed for his kingdom shall neuer be destroid The sone of man to come to this great aged one is the same that Paul saith cryste to delyuervp his kingdome that is the chirche of his chosen vnto his father whiche geueth to cryste powr glory and a perpetuall kingdom euer to raigne with his electe as the Psalmes of Dauid declare him and his kingdom Also the same that cryste saith Ioan. 5. And his father gaue him powr to iuge because he is the sone of man And to be breif cryste shall verely thus come shortly to iuge the persewers of his chirche and to delyuer y e godly as himself describeth it Mat. 25. let vs therfore procede At this vision I daniel trembled in all my bodye my mynde went fro me for feare insomiche that I went to one of y e standers by asking him the very trowth in all this mater Which tolde it all vnto me and expowned to me the hole vision sayinge These 4 beastis figure 4 kinges to a ryse vp or out of the erthe And the hi ghe holy faithful shal receiue the kingdoÌ„ and obtaine it for euer Aftir this I desyered to knowe the certaintie of y e fowrth bâ—asâ—e whiche so greatly differed from al the other namely in that he was so fereful armed with tâ—the with his clawes of stâ—â—l deuouering and tearing into peces the reste he trode down with his feete I desyered also to knowe what meÌ„t the 10 hornes in his head and to be certified of that litle horne growing vp vnder them and of the 3 hornes smiten oute frome the former hornes And of the horne that had menis eyes and spake so great and sâ—owte thingis and why his forme and loke apexed sâ—owter then the other And that I sawe this horne to make bataill with y e holy faithful and triumphed preuailed ouer theÌ„ vntill the olde aged came and the iugemeÌ„t was geuen to the highe holy faithfull the tyme perfixed was come that the faitfull shuld obtaine and receyue their kingdom And then he tolde mo thus The fowrth beast fignifieth the fowrth kingdom that shal be in y e world whiche shall differe from all the other kingdoÌ„s in might and powr for that it shall deâ—ower the hole erthe and breke it all to powlder The 10 hornes signifye 10 kinges to aryse out and to spring vp out of this beast and after them there shall aryse a'nother litle one distinct and mightier then the former For he shall oppresse and castedowne 3 kings For he shall speke at the syde of the most highest god or speke on his parte of diuine things But the highe holy saitis he shall tangle snarle or destroye And shall arrogantly take vpoÌ„ him to change tymes and lawes which shal be put in to his handis whether it be for
a long or any shorte tyme. Then aftir shal be the iugement and his powr thus taken from him he shal be vtterly slayne and destroid But the kingdom powr and ample maiesty vnder the hole heuen shal be geuen to the holy faithfull peple of the most higheste whose raigne is eternall and all the highe powrs shall serue and obey him And here he ended his wordis But I daniel had many a grete and troublous thought so vehemently was I troubled that my chere my fauour was clene changed But yet reserued I this thing in my herte Now haue ye the exposicion of all this vision as it is afore expowned and nowe declared by the aungel which was cryste himself wherfore it nedeth not to tarye miche vpon this place saue onely to declare the confession of our faith therin to confirme the aungels exposicion by y e other places of the scripture For in that daniel at this vision was so troubled asked one of the by standers and so fast reserued the aungels wordes we ought to lerne this doctryne of the vision of these 6. kingdoms that is to say of the 4 Monarchies of the anticristen kingdom and of the kingdom of cryste to be reuerenced receyued as the worde of god the trwe vnderstaÌ„ding therof to be asked of cryst y e messager of god and not for the crueltye of these beastes and hornes yet persecuting the chirche to fall or once swarue froÌ„ the kingdom of cryst which is the gospell but to contempne all the miseries iniuries and troubles of this lyfe yea and euen death it self for crystis kingdoÌ„s sake Of crystis iugement to come Ioan also saith he sawe a seat sette and 24 cheyers for the 24 eldres c. For albeit cryst be the only iuge w c of his father hath receyued all iugement yet shall the apostles asiste him hauing their trones And therfore saith he here And the iugement was geuen to the highe holy faithfull Cryste is called the olde aged for a iuge ought to be a graue sage man of long experience Whom Ioan called the lambe slayne froÌ„ the begining of the worlde and the worde which in the begining was with god so that we may see that the prophetis aknowleged cryst euer bothe god and man his whight vesture sheweth him to be y e most iuste and incorrupt iuge without spotte and himself in a gloriouse victory ouer syne death deuel and hell to be sene ioyouse and counfortable to his faithfull To coÌ„firme his old aunciet sage grauite he sawe his heares pure as fyne whight woll hore headed pretende grauite and wysdome His flammey seat casting forth long strykes of fyer signifye that god is a terrible consuminge fyer to the vngodly For Ioan sawe him w t a two edged swerde procedinge out of his mouthe for that his senteÌ„ce which he shall there pronouÌ„ce shall be sharper and depelyer persinge thorow then any two edged swerde in separating the stinking gotis from the pure innocent lambes Here Daniel seeth the same swerde lyke a fyery floude flowinge oute of Crysâ—is mouthe whose vehement myghty heuey sentence ouer the vngodly no horne may resiste Then cometh he forth in his hyghe maiesty accompanied with his infinite noumber of aungels so that non of these hornes be able to resist him but the wyked shall tremble and quake desyeringe the mountans to fall ouer them to hyde them from his fyght for hereof is he called the God zabaoth that is the god of hooâ—tes The bokis to be layd open are the conscieÌ„ces of euery man accusing or excusinge them For they shall haue their factis in mynde freshly openly sene wherfore they be worthely condempned For that greate daye shall make opene the secretis of euery herte For when it shal be sene who be set on y e right hande and who on the fyfte then shall all fraudes hypocrâ—cye tyrannye which yet be taken for rightwysnes godlynes and zele be layd open then shall Anticrystes blasphemyes and persecucions be iuged and punisshed as ye see in the text when cryst stode before Caiphas to be condempned he tolde them the same that the aungel here testifyeth That aftir this youre false iugemeÌ„t ye shall see the sone of man sittinge on the mighty right hand of god coming vpon the cloudis of heauen c. in which wordis he did put y e scribes bisshops in mynde of this scripture of daniel but he tolde his tale to deffe men for it was as miche to saye to them as this Now I stand before you as a man mortall to be iuged but here aftir ye shall not so see me standing but coming vpon y e cloudis of heauen so that ye be now warned before of my iugement to come ouer you trâ—wer and iuster thâ—n yours And where he sayth That the iugemeÌ„t shal be geuen to the holy hyghe saintis and y e tyme â—refiyed that they shulde receyue the kingdom and aftirward this kingdom powr and ample maiesty to be vnder the wholl heauen it is the same that the Apocalyp and I saye speke of the newe heuens elements and earth euen the same paradise vnder y e skye vndefyled wher vpon rightwysnes as Peter sayth shall euermore dwell vpon that earth of the lyuinge we shall triumphe ouer death hell and Anticryst singinge Death where is nowe thy sâ—yngel Hell where is thy victory oh thou forlorne beast where be thy x. hornes where is thy seculare swerde and arme where be both thy horned seculare spirituall powrs are they not now broken into dust and thyself with thy hole bodye of bisshops and cardinals and seclare hornes cast into the lake or pitt of fyer now then shall Cryst nomore be persecuted in his members wherfore he shall then be full glorifyed And we shall haue oure bodyes in ioye which once were partakers of oure persecucions wherfore we shall then haue oure perfyt and full felicite which yet in the mean tyme we haue onely in oure sowlis But what meaneth the aungell to saye He shall sâ—arle or destroye y e hyghe sayntis verely els but that with his false doctryne capciouse othes articles interrogacions he shall fraudelently deceyue and trappe the simple innocents and shed their blode tyrannously Also he shall arrogantly take vpon him thinke to change the state of tymes and lawes He weneth to change y e tyme which with swerde and fyer thinketh to shorten the lyfe of man and to preuent and disapoint gods infallible eternall and immutable prouideÌ„ce wherby he hath prefiyed euery manis tyme houre of deth which as noman can differre or prolong it so caÌ„ne noman shorten nor preuent it except men will make God an ignorant persone and so consequently no god at all He chaÌ„geth the tymes and lawes that any of the sixe worke dayes commanded of god will make them vnholy and idle dayes when he lyste or of their owne holy dayes abolisshed make
princes and prelatis consentinge to their false doctryne and wyked enstruccions The signes here described are the manifest markis of an vngodly king and kingdome One is to teache and suffer to be taught any doctryne contumelious iniuriose â—lasphemose ayenst god Another is to kyll the faythfull good prechers professors of gods worde and to take awaye the scriptures the fode of their souls from the simple poore thirstinge for the worde of their saluacion Vnto these tokens god addeth this testimonye and threteninge That he will dampne this beaste be he Turke emprour prince or Pope or all togyther and translate their wyked kingdoms into strange gouerners Also here is to be noted a nother heuey thretening which precheth the calamitouse affliccions of y e chirche He sayth these hornes shall moue and make bataill against the godly and destroye many Crystians and their congregacions Which is an heuey sermon and contrary to manis iugement thus reasoning Wherfore shuld god geue so prosperous impery and victories to so open wyked men and to peple so contumeliose and coÌ„trary to cryste openly blaspheming the scriptures and slayinge the trewe prechers wherfore suffreth he vs callinge vpon him onely and oure onely mediator Cryste holdinge his doctryne thus cruelly to be cast awaye and oppressed Trewly daniel here speketh of a grete greuouse calamite and long persecucion For in all Aphrica and in a greate parte of Asia many yeres hath the name of cryst bene quenched In Europa albeit here and there in the Turkis empyre there be left yet some crysten congregacions yet are they with so cruell heuey fierce bondag oppressed that no good studies of crysten letters maye there be excercysed frely lerned and professed the chirches beinge without trewe techers there many by lytle and lytle haue casten awaye y e name and religion of criste As ye see this daye amonge vs many to fall bak to the Pope and to his popish doctryne because y e seclare policye so strongly and cruelly yet defendeth it The turk plucketh from the parents of cristians a certayn noumber of their chyldren to enstruct them in bataill and to nosell them in his Mahumetis tradicions rytes and religion as do some Crysten emprours princes pluke the yonge lerned from the vniuersites and scholes into their courtes which once poisoned with all courtly corrupcions anon be they made bisshops cardinals pastores and rychely beneficed Which miserable seruitute in courte is harder to a crysten curate then the bondag in the â–ª fornace of Egypte And yet are there many so madde that with greatsiewte labors thrust themselues for luker and honour into this miserable derke Egypte But what are the causes of these calamities aftir manis reason verely it is thought by manis iugement the trwe chirche to be the synagoge of satan them to be heretiques which cleue to gods worde or els why shuld god thus suffer them thinke they to be oppressed and brent if he loued them And thus manis reson douteth whether they be redemed with Crystis blode which suffer pacienly for his worde But here must we beholde the face of the very chirche euen from y e beginninge where oure first pareÌ„ts sawe the testimony geuen oute of heuen in the sacrifice of Abel wherby they had hope the chirche to be continued and brought forth into Abels posterite But lo anon was Abel slayne of his owne brother and wyked Cain a lone was left whose vngodly posterite bylt a cyte and playd the tyraunts whylis yet his first parents lyued and coÌ„ tempned of Cain their owne sone Ayen aftir Nohes flode Babylon once buylt the heithen the doctryne of Nohe Sem contempned fyll from god And but a very lytle flok of godly men was there left which sely flok wandred carefully hyther and thither poorely bysted euen the family of Abraham And sone aftir the same sely sorte of Abrahams families posterite were tossed into Egypt there oppressed with heuye seruituâ—e in myer and â—ley groning vnder their intolerable burdeÌ„s which aftirwarde comen into Palestine there to dwell in the lande of Canaan what slaughters suffred thei How great mutacions and destruccioÌ„s of their realme folowed them what hard captiuities vexacions and affliccions endured and sustayned they And how lytle a parte of the worlde was Israel and the Israelites whylis yet in the mean câ—asen the gentilis which knewe not god obtayned the most hyghe empyres of the worlde When we see therfore siche often poore troublos states and faces of the chirche let vs aknowleg the wrath of god ayenst the worlde not fall from god although in this last tyme we see the trew chirche greuousely shaken and afflicted but let vs kepe fast in mynde this playn descripcion and ferfull face of the chirche That is by the meruclous counsell and will of god the chirche to be layd vnder y e crosse The causes wherof be shewed in the doctryne of the prophets and apostles Onely this thing let vs consyder concerning this fast olde age of the worlde That the Prophets and Apostles prophecied the world to be plaged because that aftir the gospell be publesshed and preched in certain regions the tyrannous horned kinges and papistis shuld wex wode and tame their fierce furye vpon the sely weak members of cryste And besidis this for that euen of them which shuld defende nourish chirches the pore congregacioÌ„s shuld be persecuted seduced and polluted with images false doctrin cruell slaughter of saintis and with almaner prodigious lechery lustis we must knowe that of these seadis stories do shewe y e Mahu meti poyson and the popish pestelente religion to haue had their beginings When Arabia and Egipt and the Rome chirche were 〈…〉 and torne into many monstrose doctrines and sectis then the confusion of sondry opinions and of supersticious semely ceremonies aÌ„d rites did moue light men to cleue to and folowe their false doctrine cloked and coloured with hypocricye and apparent chosen holines And therfore daniel lykeneth bothe Mahumete the pope vnto that horne which hathe manis eyes that is a fayer decent semely shewe of vtwarde deuocion as they sey of laudable rites and gods holy seruice Aftir this as the turkis powr encreased so did the popis auctorite and false doctrine take place and sprede ouer all crystendom so that as the world was is corrupt with their false religion so is it and shal be greuously plaged with the same two forked hornes for their idolatrye for their worshiping of ded saintis and for the prophaning and filthefying of the holy souper of the lorde and for their stinking wyue les chastite But see nowe howe the tymes agree It was decreed of the transubstancion as thei call it in the yere of cryste 1215. Nocentius the thirde being pope Which decree hath confirmed the most horrible prodigiose idolatrye that euer was And anoÌ„ aftir in the yere
1250 begane OthomaÌ„s kingdom to prospere And so shortely aftir this idolatrie once coÌ„firmed his kingdom begane to aryse and encreased aboue all other regions and brought forth weapens ayenst the west parte of the worlde to punisshe the filthei spottis of the romishe chirche So that assone as this idolatrie of the 〈…〉 begane to be confirmed of the pope the turks powr did encrease to skourg it in cristendom and shall yet more and more growe and preasse vpoÌ„ vs tyl this idolatrie of the 〈…〉 be takeÌ„ quite awaye This othoman being the great turke enlarged miche the turkis dominion out of whose blode all the kinges of the turks sence vnto this day haue reigned and taken their originall to whom god geueth strength and powr to punissh all cristendome for their idolatrye in the 〈…〉 for their false inuocacion and other abominacions whiche require a nother Nebucadnezar euen the turke to punisshe them But yet is there added this consolacion Where Daniel signifieth that there shall neuer be the fyft monarchie And therfore the turkis powr shall not be lyke the Romane empyre to destroy all Europe For as ye see the popis kingdom to fal when he thought himself moste sewr and highest euen so shall the turkes imperie faile and encline when he shall come to his highest thinking himself to conquire all and to raigne alone for euer then shal his half tyme come vpon him with a sodeÌ„ fall in the middes of his course For then shall the moste glad day begine to shyne in whiche the sone of god shall sterevp y e dead geuing to his chirche eternall lyfe and glorye and casting all the vngodly into euerlasting torments These same things be spoken of Gog and Magog in Ezechiel and in apoca 20. For Ezechiel faithe that Gog and Magog aftir thei haue done their mischeif in destroing slaynge then shall their selues at laste be desiroid in the mountains of Israel Which albeit it may be vnderstandeÌ„ of the laste iugement yet I think it to signifie the batails which the godly haue and shall haue in this laste olde age with the popissh emprowrs kinges and turke w c all shal be ouercomen in the hill is of Israel that is in the places where the chirche of cryst dwellethe in which the gospel is preched and receyued â–ª and the peple trwly in the faith of the sonne of god one onely mediatour call vpon their heuenly father For the pope and turke shall not be ouercome but by the sone of god fighting for his chirche as ye shall see it clerâ—yer in daniel 12. chapt saying Michael which is cryste the great capitaine shal stond forth for the defence of the peples childrn But bothe in daniel and in Ezechiel there be prophecied many great destruccions Which with all our hertis we beseche god to mitigate 〈…〉 Hitherto Philip Mesancthon This cap. is a prophecie of the monarchie of the Perses to be translated to the grekis Macedones Dario their kinge slayn by Alexander which dead anon y e Monarchie of the grekis was diuided in to 4 cheif kingdoms that is into Macedone Egipt Asiam and Syram And at laste in the Syrsake kingdom there arose Antiochus epiphanes which being of all enemies the moste cruel tyrant scourged the iewes and was the figure of our anticrystes In all these heuey and blody muâ—acions of kingedoms and trowblose tymes â–ª God wold confort his peple leste in the middis of these affliccions and offendicles thei shuld despeyer Let vs hear y e text In the thirde yere of y e raigne of kiÌ„g Beltsazar there was shâ—wed a vision vnto me Daniel aftir this former vision w c in my visioÌ„ loking aboute me methought I was by the floude Eule Nowe daniel being out of y e kiÌ„gs court of babylon in the londe of persie in a castel called Susis by the flowde Eule seeth a terrible vision Susis was the head cyte of Persye so called of Roses otherwise called persâ—polis there in was king Lyrus his cheif palace 140. forelongs aboute Of the flowde Eule hauing his head spring in Medis runing about the castel or tâ—wer of Susis write the pliny in his 6 boke 27. chap. Daniel saw this vision by the flowd whose waters lyke as the later waues thruste forthe the former sourges euen so shall one tribulacion and persecucion succede a nother coÌ„tinually as long as crystes chirche dureth and the gospel be trwly and frely preched vnto crysis coÌ„ming Wherfore it is necessary the chirche to be counforted and taught lest among these greuose affliccions and heuey persecucions she fainte and despayer Also it behoueth vs to be warned that we might know the causes of these plages and so to estiem them And therfore sayth daniel here that for the sinnes of the peple was Antiochus sent so cruelly to punisshe them as saith Paul Because men loued not the trwthe now preched to theÌ„ therfore shall god sende them mighty illusions making them to beleue lyes These heuey threatis shuld moue vs diligently to receiue and conserue the trew doctrine now offred vs lest god suffer yet a greater dâ—rkenes and greuoser plages to be casten vpon vs. It shal be therfore expedient to behold the horrible destuccions and cruel affliccions done vnto the iews by Antichus that we might haue consolacion lest we fal and despeier seing there be many lyke Antiochus nowe executing lyke tyrannye and cruelty ouer chirstis floke ☞ And myne eyes lysted vp lo I saw a â—amme hauing two hornes standing before the floude whiche hornes being very long yet was there one hygher and longer then the tother and in the extremest parte it did shote forth moste prowdly This raÌ„me I sawe runing with his hornes ayenst the weste and ayenst the northe and ayenst the sowthe so that no beastes might resist him nor be delyuered froÌ„ out of his powr so that he did what he listed and wexed great in doing great actes And whilis I considered lo I sawe an he gote coming fro the west vpon the face of al y e erthe nether lyted he vpoÌ„ the erth And this gote had a forth stretched horne to be sene standing betwixt his eyes â–ª He came vnto the horned ram whom I sawe standind before the flowd with a mighty violence he ranne ayenst him And I saw him come eueÌ„ to the ram where in his hotte fury he smitte the ram broke bothe his hornes for the ram had no strength to withstande him so that he smitte him downe to the grownde trode him vnder his fete there was non that mighte desyuer the ram from him Then did the gote right valeant grete actes was mightely highly magnified and when he was in his moste strength and powr his great horne was broken in whâ—se place there grewe forthe 4 hornes procedinge ayenst the fower partes of the world And out of one of them there went forth a litle
horne which wexing grete did prowd and cruelactis ayeÌ„st the sowth and by easte euen in the most amene and pleasaunt londe And then he stretched forthe himself ayenst the beutiful hoste company of heuen and of this celestiall company and also of the starris he threw downe some of them to the erthe and trode them vnder his feet yea and at laste euen ayenst the self emperowr of the hoste with great arrogancye he lyfted vp himself with crakis and bostes so that therby the dayly perpetuall sacrifice was taken awaye and the seat of the sanctuary of god was subuerted And the heueÌ„ly hoste with their dayly perpetuall sacrifices were geuen vp into his hand is for their synneâ— and he scourged down the trewth to the grounde and coÌ„mitted this cruel mischeif prosperously When the Babylony â–ª kingdome was now at an ende and daniel had senâ— the Perses to haue the empyre this vision was shewed him to th entent he shuld teche his chirche how that both vnder the Medis and Perses the conquirers of Babylon and also vnder Aleâ—ander the conquirer of the Persies and at last vnder Antiochus that Anticryst and sâ—ourge of the Iewes shulde be persecuted and plaged For trewely because the peple eueâ— loueth more the peace â—ase of the worlde then to study to lyue aftir goddis preceptis the spring of all peace therfore is this crosse shewed them to be suffered caryed vnder these kingdoms then to come for breking of gods commandemeÌ„ts that god according to his threateningis might be feared and Cryst accordinge to his promises might be wayted fore hiâ— coming prayd for to god This vision is a prophecie of the vprysinge and fall of the kingdoÌ„s of Cyrus Alexander Antiochus the very pesielence of the Iewes The Ram standing at the Persiâ—â—loude signifieth Cyrus the duke and leaderforth of the Persies He is called the two horned because he ledforth the hostes of both the Medis and Persies For his ii hornes signifye these two hostes This Rammis greatest hyghe horne signifieth Cyrus y e king of Persie the hayer at last of all Mede yea and made the king of all the kingdome This Ram to runne with his hornes ayenst the west north sowth signifieth him comen from the â—ast out of Persie to haue faughten ayenste all men that is to weyt ayenste the Arabies and Egypcions which lye sowthe â—ayenst the AssyrieÌ„s and Palestyns lyinge west from him and ayenst the Lidions and Capadocies lying north No beast to might haue stande ayenst him signifieth him beinge king of Persie to triumphe and haue the victory of all other kingdoÌ„s To do therfore what he lysted wexing so great a victour signifieth the kingdom of Persie so prosperously to haue had succeded that Cyrus as it is red gouerned 120. prouinces whose Monarchie dured about 200. yeres Now whether this Ram was fygure to any of oure present crysten realmes let the diligent obseruers of tymes states and realmes loke and they can espye it whyles we treate and talke of the Gote that is of Alexander king of the Grekis Here the Gote as afore the Leoparde signifye the same king euen great Alexander The nature of these two beastes agre well with the properties of the kinges of Grece The Gote maye well clyme and skip The dukis of y e Grekis were valeant both in counsels and in their busines decreed swiftly to be performed In counsell geuinge in delibering in decerning thinges delybered in thinges decreed spedely to be finisshed in espyinge an apte occasion who were more ingenioâ—se and clearer witted then Philip and Alexander But as y e Leopardes or spotted pantheres albeit they hunteoute all beastis and feare no darte nor spere for they smyte them of with their swiftnes yet with wyne are they made dronken then aftir their lustes one leapinge the other made weary are thei taken Euen so the kings Philip and Alexander ouercoming all and nothing fearing they were so ouercomen of wyne and lechery that the one was destroyed of voluptuosnes and dronkenes kylled the tother The leopardes be desyerouse of wyne and therfore there hunters powerforth wyne nyghe their haunted places and a certayn space of they set downe y e hole great vessell full of myne the sauour whereof drawth the panthers or leopards for both be one saue the pardus is the male and the panther the female oute of their dennes which when they haue all dronken oute and be made dronken thei playe their lustis togyther so that at laste they made weary fall downe to sleap And then come the armed honters and take them Euen so haue ther bene many valeant prudent princes but in coÌ„clusion by lustis intemperance and droÌ„kenes they perisshed destroyd wretchedly As were Philip and Alexander and aftir them Demetriuâ— and the later Philip which thinge hath happened to many men sence it chaunceth yet to many Noble valeant princes fortunat in all their affayers warres victories neuer shrinking nor flying bak haue there bene which at last haue bene cowerdly broken casten downe of their owne lustis haue had a miserable tragi ende their nature before clene changed and themselues deformed and destroyd in their owne fylthy dronken lecherose lustis Also let vs see the descripcion of the lande for that this Gote came from the west vpon the face of all the erth and atteyned or lyted not vpon the erth Which signifieth Ale vander coming forth from Grece to inuade estewarde then sowthwarde at â—ast northwarde in short space subdewed all the world vnto him To not towche nor lyte vpon the earth it is sayd because he beginning in his .xx. yere did in a maner flye ouer all the worlde was made the emperour of all the worlde in the xxxii yeare of his age wherin he dyed not for age nor in victorye but with voluptuosnes and wyne was he oppressed Wherfore that prominent great horne of the Gote in his most sâ—rength broken of signifyeth the mighty power of great Alexander smyten downe in his cheif flowers Whether ther be yet any siche Gotis let their fortune declare them the clere eyed obserue it But whom did he so smyte with his horneâ— verely euen y e ram before the floude For as in floudis one sourge soupeth vp deuoureth a nother euen so one of these kingdoms deâ—oured vp another the later swellowd vp y e former And how the Persik kingdome was translated to the Grekis and the Greke empyre of Alexander diuided into y e Macedonyk Syriac Asiatik Egypt kingdoms which all Daniel by all his wordes of the Ram and Gote will teche it is plentuos lyer described of Diodoro Curtio Iustino c. Now to the lytle horne sprongen vp out of these .iiii. hornes that is to saye of Antiocho Epiphane The lytle horne signifieth Antiochum Epiphanem descendinge out of the stock of Seleucus holdinge Syriam aftir the death of
Alexander whiche aftir this ways came to the kingdome Out of Seleuco was borne Antiochus the greate which had these .iii. sones SeleucuÌ„ Antiochum Epiphanem and Demetrium And when Antiochus the greate warred with the Romans and had left in hostage or pledge Antiochum Epiphanem Demetrium he dyed in Syria â—â— left his sone Seleucum aftir him no king but a foole wherfore Epiphanes knowinge of his fathers death gote himself preuily from Rome and came into his fathers kingdome his vnapt brother deud he enioied the kingdom in the .137 yere aftir Alexanders death witnesse the .1 chapter of the first of the Maccabeis This Antiochus was of Catalinaris crafty witte Wherfore daniel here prophecieth that by Antiochum Epiphanem the sowtheste euen the most pleasaunt lande of the Iewes shuld be skourged and plaged which is called zâ—by in Hebrewe for hir fertilite that is the beutye and flowr of all landis euen as the Iewes for the trwe worship of god delyuered them by Moses and the prophetis are called the beutyfull ornaments hoosâ—es or companies of heuen as be the sonne mone and starres He skourged the sowth when he inuaded Egypt makinge bataill against Ptolome the elder his sisters sone being king and compelled AlexandriaÌ„ to flye for socoure to Ptolome hir yonger brother But how y e senators of Rome desyered of his bretherne expelled false AntiochuÌ„ out of Egypt by their ambassiadour Popilium ye shall se it in .34 boke of Iustini partely here aftir How Antiochus skourged and plaged that pleasant desyred lande throw down the starres into the erth and destroyd the holy habitacle in the first and .ii. of Mac cabeis it is so clerrely and cruelly expressed that I abhorre and tremble not onely to speke but also to wryte any more of this blodye beast But right heuey destines abyde them that euyll deserue which thing I maye confirme by the example of Antiochus the very image of Anticryst For when he inuaded destroyde in the east parties as daniel here prophecieth and not onely from the besege of Elymaid of Persie he was with the great heuines of his mynde repelled and put bak but also when it was tolde him his capitayn Lysiane with his host to haue 〈…〉 fledde he fyll into so greate a sykenes and thought that before his death he confessed himself therfore so greuously to be plaged and so compelled to dye because he had so spoyled and destroyd y 4 temple of Ierusalem and so cruelly skourged the Iewes For it was not enoughe for him thus to persecute the Iewes and subuerte all their lawes holy rytes and godly ceremonies and sacrifices instituted of God but he wold arrogantly blaspheme god himself suppresse his trewth with all his diuyne sacred ordinances yea and he prospered in his mischeif This miche be sayd for the preface of the prophecye Now heare the interpreter ☞ And I hearde an holy one speake saying vnto a certayn meruelouse excellent one How longe shall this vision of the dayly perpetuall sacrifice and of the blasphemose synne which is the cause of this deuasâ—acion and destruccion endure that both the holy sacred temple with all hir sacrifices and the Iewes shal be thus troden downe And he answered me Aftir two thousand and. 300. dayes which containe the daye and night shall the holy temple be restored to the iust and lawfull vse And whylis I daniel beheld the vision desyerouse to knowe it lo there srode before me one lyke a man And I hearde with in the floude eule the voyce of a man crying out sayinge Gabriel teache this man this vision Then he came nyeâ— the place where I stode whose coming so nyghe me made me so afrayd that I fyldowne flat one my face And he sayd vnto me Attende and perceiue thou sone of man For this visioÌ„ shal be fulfilled in the last tyme or in the ende of the captiuite And whylis Gabriel thus spake with me I fylldowne grouelinge as one had bene ouercomen with great sleap And he towching me lifted me vp ayen into my standing And then he sayd Beholde I shall teache the what thinge shall come when this wrath is finisshed for it shall haue an ende at the tyme prefixed Daniel calleth the interpretor of the vision a meruelouse excellent one As Iâ— say calleth cryst a meruelous one a counseller c. Here therfore he asketh this meruelouse one whiche was cryst apperinge lyke the aungell Gabriel so called for his meruelouse excellent strengthe how long y e peple of god shuld be so skourged and persecuted of Antiochus which was the figure of oure Anticrysten Antioches and lytle horne crept vp in the Romane imperye and so consequently what affliccioÌ„s hang ouer the chirches of cryst to the worlds ende for it is manifest that whatsoeuer the aungel tolde before of the heuey affliccions of the Iewes the same be now verified and done vpon the chirche of the gentyles which thinges sith they be past it is no dowt but the rest of the vision is in fulfillinge now and shal be euery daye fulfyssed vpon vs tyll cryst become to iugement This meruelouse one whose name is hidden is cryst Iesus the sone of god which euer from the begining hath bene present with the godly as he now is present and shal be vnto the worldis ende For the kingdom of cryst is cryst himself present with his worde and spirit counfortinge vs certifyinge vs of the casamities to come hearinge vs calling vpon him gouerning oure thoughts wordis and workis by aungels so that death troden downe we mought haue lyfe eternall This is my couenant with them sayth the lorde My spirit which is in the and my wordis which I haue putte into thy mouth shall not go fro thy mouthe nor from the mouthe of thy sead whylis the world stande For where two or iii. be gathered togyther in my name I am in the middis of them For because therfore that vnder Antioche the chirche shulde be so miserably 〈◊〉 and torne and Gabriel the fauorer of the chirche asked howlonge that calamite shulde endure therfore cryst answereth 2000. and 300. dayes that is 6. yeares 3. monethes and. 20. dayes that the godly readers of daniel might haue confort in that persecucion and be assewered Antiochus that blast of the deuyll be yend that tyme to rage no farther For eueÌ„ so came it to passe as the bokis of the Maccabeis testifye For it may be shewed y e image of Iouiâ— olympii to be set vp in y e temple in the yere 145 aftir the deth of asexander y t moneth of NoueÌ„ber then was Nicanor ouercomen and slayne in the yere 151 in februarie called adar vnto the which adde december Ianuarie and februarie with the odde dayes and thou haste the iuste nouÌ„ber And in that he saith the morning euening he vnderstandeth the naturall daye as it was first created containinge the night and
daye togither I shuld in the begining haue tolde ye the occasioÌ„ of the calamite but it cometh not out of ceason what so euer profitteth Wherfore as it is cleare in the 1 boke of the Maccabe God to haue had fore sene by 137. yeres Antioche to be the scourg of the iewes and the autor of thir affliccioÌ„s for the sinnes of y e peple euen so is it play â—e in the 2 chap God also to haue had sene before the ende of Antioches pestilence to be Matathiam and the Maccabe is So that there is nothing done vpon erth but god knowth it before nether willeth he vs any thing to know before but that â—heafore saith and telleth it vs to come Wherfore let vs namely counfort owrselues in this that owr meruelouse one cryste here saith vnto gabriel the maÌ„ of god bidding him to expown the visioÌ„ to dani â—â—so desyrouse to know it what it mought signifie for because it pertaineth to the laste dayes For it signifieth cryste vnto all men desyering to vnderstand prophecies euer to sende some that will teche hi that is so minded towerds God as was daniel affected towerds cryst his aungel when this vision shuld be declared Nether signifieth it els daniel to be conserued by his worde to be liftedvp and refresshed of the aungel then cryste by his auÌ„gels the ministers of his word to this entent to animate the timerouse and to strengtheÌ„ the weake that thei shuld with the prophetis wordes shewing cryste the sauior refresshe and confirme the chirche pressed vnder the crosse Wherfore let vs geue thaÌ„kis to crist for that he neuer sleapeth whilis his chirche is in persecucioÌ„ but is euer awake to deleuer vs in his name callinge vpon our father whiche is confirmed by the example of the Macabeis The ram which thou sawest with two hornes is the kinges of Mede and Persie And the roughe hearye gote is the king of the Grekis And the great horne betwixt his eyes is the firste king which broken there stode vp 4. in his place w c aâ— the 4 kingdoms to rysevp oute of the same nacion but non of them lyke him in strength And in the ende of these kingdoms when synne and iniquite shall preuaile there shall standvp a king shameles and subtyle This king shal be mighty sâ—rong but not by his owne powr And he shall woundrefully wast and destroye and shall prospere mightly in his actis He shall make away and destroye grete mighty men yea and the faithful good peple to And by his crafty subtyltie he shall expede his affaiers properously thorowe deceytes He shall in his owne consaight take great enterpryses vpon him be magnifyed And himself strengthened with great riches shall destroye many men Also he shall resiste the most highe prince of all and theÌ„ with out manis handes shall he be alto broken Now is the vision declared to Daniel by the aungel at the commandement of the sonne of god But certeinly it is said and prophecied of owr present anticrists bothe spirituall and seculare playing antioches parte euen this daye For that anticriste Antiochus ouer the iewes prefigured owr anticrystes in the ende of the worlde ouer the gentils The occasion of the destruccion of kingdome by Antioche and anticrists ar the obominable sinnes of the peple of their emperowrs princes For as before crystes first cominge for the sinnes of the iewes God steredvp Antioche to skourge theÌ„ euen so now for the contempte of the gospel god befor the seconde coming of cryste hathe steredvp owr antichristen Antioches as cruelly to persecute the crystianes as euer did Antiochus the iewes For where the text sayth when synne and wikednes is preuailed and hath the ouerhand what els folowth then the contempt of the worde and the sinnes of the peple to be the very causes of bothe these skourges that is to saye bothe of the iewes Antioche and of the crysten Anticristes Albeit by Anticryst be taken al that resiste and persecute cristis worde aâ— Ioan said in his tyme to be many anticristis But because this prophecie sowneth to be spoken of the kigdom of Antioche that is of anticryste nether be there any kingdoÌ„s vnder the sonne more contrary to cryste then Gog and Magog that is to weit the Mahumeti hâ—ast and the false prophete of rome with his 10 seculare hornes with weping teares trwly saith Doctour Ioan Draconites do I tremble and quake to speke it â–ª That vnder the name of anticrist muste be taken the Turkis kingdom goten by swerde and violence the popis kingdoÌ„ constituted by fraude and supersticion Antiochus compared with Anticryste by Draconites Daniel gods painter wolde by the descripcion of Antioche prefigure vnto vs the maners of Anticryste First of his vnshamefaced face for that he was is the moste impudent despyser of god and the fiercest bolde beast to persecute and to be contrarye to his worde as be the two sonnes of antioche this daye the turke the Rome bishop w t his hornes y e most shameles pestelent persecutors and condempners of the gospel of god for arrogantly dare thei do what thei liste contrarye to gods wil. Of his fraude is he described for as that subtyll fraudelent foxe Antiochus craftely circumuented egipte Iudeam euen so be the false turke and his subtyle serpent the pope the two crafty marchants with their false fayned wordis deuillish doctryne to peruerte al meÌ„ not of their owne powr but of other menis For Antiochus was so mighty ouer Iudâ—am by the falshed and vnfaithfulnes of the bisshops of the iewes and by y e vain leuite of the peple as it is redde in the Maccabeis And euen so these two bretherne albeit vnlyke inprofession the turke and the pope gote and constituted their kingdoms by other men is powr and might The turke at first by the mighty fraudes of mahumete and the pope by the powr of emperowrs bisshops cardinals kinges and his owne subtyle supersticiouse hypocrysye and chosen holines And now therfore shall ye note that by the counsell mischeif of the bishops Anticristis seat shal be translated and tossed from the ecclesiastiâ— cheier of Rome vnto the secular emperowrs and king is trones as the storye fygured in that secular and anticriste Antiochus which was out of the stoke of the emperowr of the grekis called Seleucus and helde the kingdom of Syre And begune to raigne in the 137. yere aftir the dethe of Alexander as witnesseth the first boke of the Maccabe This hathe euer ben sene in all stories That the emperowrs and kinges will attemper bende and bowe all religions and beleifes vnto their owne profit and pleasures As when Antiochus knewe the iewes for their religion and faith not gladly to suffere any heithen king to be their gouerner he first studied howe he might destroie their faith and subuerte their religion and so to become
their kinge For he iuged all religions besydes his own to be vaâ—n and false whiche beinge in this prowd temerariouse iugement coÌ„ceiuing of himself to haue auctorite to chang menis faith and gods religion fyll into many carnall lustis filthines ambicion and into allkynd of greuose crimes casten vp of god to fight boldely ayenst god himself euen to bring Iudeam into bondage and to abolisshe all the old doctrine of the prophets vnto the whiche his prowd purpose the vngodly wikednes of the bisshops ministred diligently this occasion For when the godly man Onias was bishop of the iewes his brother Iason went to Antiochus in the beginning of his raigne and gaue him money to destroie his brother Onias and to geue him the bysshoprik And by a lyke fraude there came the third man Menelaus and â—he plukâ— the bisshoprik from Iason which bishops brought in the greke prophane filthei opeÌ„ playes into the cite of Ierusalem to do antioche pleasure thei trode vnder foâ—e contempned gods lawe and conformed themselues vnto the most filthye courtly prophane facions of Antiochus drowned in all excesse pryde dilicate and soft syuing and in all the haithen maners Aftir this was menelaus slayn whom the bisshop Alcimus succeded which was also a pestelent ennimie to the Maccabeis These obominable crimes of the bishops were the seadis of all the miseries calalamitis of that tyme as thei be nowe Nowe returne we to the comparison of antiochus with Anticrist describing him of his incredible destruccion Which howe he destroid the peple of god as we caÌ„not reade it without grete dolour writeÌ„ in the Maccabeis euen so not without weping teares do all crysteÌ„ men nowe fele it how the cursed turke abolissheth the diuyne scriptures and the Romishe bisshop the lorde god renyed which hath bought vs bringeth in his dampnable fectis as peter witnesseth Nowe see what good successe and fortune he had in his mischeif which prosperite therin god gaue him to skoâ—râ—e the peple for their sinnes And out of the same spring and well it is cleare that the prosperouse successe of the turke and of the pope floweth as Paul witnesseth affirming god to geue them effectuouse errours stronge illusions to beleue lyes He is also described of his oppression of great men and of the holymeÌ„ But wherfore permitteth god him so to doâ— verely because he hateth sinne whose grauite we see not will mortifye vs â—â— the crosse nether was the worlde at any tyme worthei to haue any holy man long to dwell in it Wherfor this serpeÌ„tin seaâ— Antiochus must nedis to his paine fele y e mighty faithful of the chirche by their faith and prayers to be stronger then all the emperowrs popes kings deuils deathes An example haue ye of those 7 bretherne with their mother What merueâ—â— then is it if these two hand is of anticrist the pope and the turke persecute destroy and kyll the mighty prechers holy faithfull of the chirche Se yet the successe of his deceitis and fraudis and behold his pryde therin Because Antiochus Mahumete the popese so good successe of their false lerning and fraudis wherwith thei and their bisshops doctours and false apostles bewitche inflame the emperowrs kinges and their mighty magistrats of the worlde to persecute the congregacioÌ„s of god thei be extolled in themselues ar become so grete contempners of god his worde as the 10 and 73 psalmes describe them Also he destroith many with his grete benefices and promocions For many men be not onely by his prosperose successe deceiued supposing it to be diuine and perpetuall but also because thei be bowndeÌ„ to him by giftes and benefits thei be as it were fysshes takeÌ„ with a swete beyght For so did Antiochuâ— craftely retraine in office these bishops Iason menelaum Alcimum siche other with his benefits bisshopriks as longe as he listed And do not the pope yet a greter frende to the turk then were then the bishops to Antiochus agreter frende I say of the turke then of any faithfull precher binde emperowrs and kings the patrons of his wiked kingdom vnto him with large giftis diuine titles commodities ryches dignities and plesurs reteined and kaught as fisshes with the beight Of his blasphemie To resist the prince of princes is to be extolled aboue euery thing that is called god that is to weit with his humane tradicions actis articles and swerde to oppresse the professours of the gospell Iuge thou aftir the scripturs and thou shalt see no difference betwixt Antiochum and his successors the turke the pope sane thei were not all in one tyme but know one thou knoweâ—t all for thei be so lyke as one â—g to a nother At laste Daniel describeth him of his departing For the workeman is worthei his rewarde As before cryst is first coming Antiochus not touched with manis hand but with the hand of god therfore dyed with alto late repentance because he so cruelly destroid the peple of god and their teÌ„ple euen so before cristis second coming this wiked forlorn childe shal be reueled and with the breath of the lordes mouthe destroid that is the errours of anticrist the pope and his kinges and emperowrs shal be disclosed and reprehended by the doctrine of the lawe and gospell so that all the holy faithfull shall abhorre them and fall from them non to cleaue to them but the dampned wretches Paul confirming the same saing Thei shal be all condempned whiche beleue not the trewth but delight in vnright wysnes Hitherto haue we compared Antiochum with anticryst And nowe albeit the lorde in this owr tyme skourgeth vehemently the kingdoms of anticryst with the gospell yet shall not his kingdoms altogither fall before his luste iugement as Paul affirmeth saing He shall destroy him with his cleare and bryght cominge And in the Apocal. The false prophete shal be caste into the dououring botomles pitte Whoso therfore is wyse let him auoyd out of babylon that is let him fal from anticryste Netherfore feare let vs not forsake the profession of the gospell for the persecucioÌ„ of the anticrists For beter is it for crists sake to dye then with anticrist to lyaâ— vnto the ende Nowe returne to the descripcioÌ„ of owr anticristen Antioches in the text where be many particles hauing very heuye terrible significacions or tokens to come ouer them whiche euery diligent reader by himself may consider if he beholde our present dayes The trewth saith Daniel shal be troden vnder fote vpon the erthe For now we see the bisshops and their sworne secular sort to defende ayeÌ„st their owne consciences the most manifest crimes impieties and all abominacion as be their vngodly abuses of sses playn idolatry worshiping of dead seiants stockes stones wyuelesse vnchaste chastite whoreâ—om and all maner prodigiouse lecheries Wherfore it is plaine that thei mok and blaspheme the
For albeit many princes approue not their idols and tyranny of the clergy yet for their sakis they execute horrible crueltie And in the mean tyme they reioyse smyâ—e on themselues with smothe countenances fayning this dampnable excuse That they must defende the auctorite of the chirche Also where daniel sayth That deceite and fraude shall prosper in their handis It hath a large sence First it signifieth their falsely inuented doctrynes w t gliteringe hypocrisye commended of the worlde besydis this it signifieth y e other crafty deceitfull bondis wherby the spiritualty hath bâ—wnd the kinges and emprours to them or haue minisshed their powrs plucking to themselues the seclare possessions and their auctorite And ayen it signifieth the fraude of the secular princes in pluckinge the ryches possessions of the spiritualty into their owne handis vnder some honest colour of reformacion of the chirche abolishment of abuses heresies and schismes or by promisinge to defende their false faith false religion And now they bothe with a woundrefull craft and wylie driftis fayn a freshe and paintforth I cannot tell what certayn greate abuses and heresies with perels to after the olde vsages to make any innouacions or to abolisshe the aunciet decent rytes and laudable ceremonies or comely customs in the chirche or sodenly to set of the wont and olde receyued holy holy diuyne seruices And by these crafty perswasions they incense emperours kinges craftely to persecute and sley cruelly the professors and prechers of gods worde as haue the pope and his clergy labored these 9. yeres to bringe the emprour vpon the GermaÌ„s for receiuing the gospell but y e Turkes soden incursions euer at those tymes letted him and them both All these thinges daniel vnderstandeth by this worde Dolus which is crafty deceite or subtyle gyle and fraude At last he sayth That both these anticrystes thus tossinge the ball betwixt them one klawing the tothers bak They shall be destroyd withoute handis Wherby he signifieth that before crystis last cominge the gospell shal be preched setforth openly which shall withoute weapens and humane powr smytedowne both these anticrystes false auctorites and strength of both these estatis As in the chapter folowinge he sayth That the wyse and lerned emong the peple shall teache many men to beware and auoyd Anticryst but these shal be smyten downe with swerde for their good doctryne And then sayth Paul shall that wyked vngodly chylde be reueled whom y e lorde shall destroye and slaye with the breath of his mouth signifying to come that Anticrystis errours and false doctryne shal be reprehended and confuted before the generall iugement euen as the grey morning gothe before the sone vprysinge Here is it clere that this prophecie is now verefied and perteyneth to this oure tyme wherein the gospell is now so purely and so vniuersally by gods infallible prouidence publisshed bothe by bokis and prechers ouer all the worlde as Daniel and Paul declared it That in these last dayes shal be great bataill and stryfe and miche contencion ayenste these anticristis doctrine themselues so cruelly defending it fyghtinge ayenst god his holy worde Wherfore here now let bothe the parties look well vpon themselues that is bothe spirituall and seculare and contempne not the monicion of the holy gost The name of the chirche holdeth back many men that they be not against these bisshops and their seculare impes But y e holy gost in daniel and Paul clâ—rely witnesseth that kingdom whether it be spirituall or seculare Turke or Mahumet which defendeth idolatry and sleyeth y e godly not to be the chirche but a faccion a synfull secte reiected of god And therfore Daniel exhorteth almen to forsake this Anticrysten chirche as cryethe the aungell in the Apocalypse sayinge Get ye forth auoyd and flye oute of Babylon Agene he conforteth the godly which rebâ—ke and refute their errours certifyed themselues to haue the commandement of God for them and in so â—ebukinge the vngodly they â—e sewer to please god all god their study to be accepted of god and that god defendeth his own chirche as saith daniel plainly The lerned in the peple shall teche many and thei shall fall c. Nethelesse he promiseth the very trwe chirche to continew and abyde ferme and faste albeit many of them be slayn for the trwthe for thus he saith The peple which know their god shall haue the victory c. Let vs therfore not be afraid to steke to the profession of the trwe doctrin nether let our myndis be hurt nor disquieted although our aduersaris crye neuerso lowd calling vs sediciouse heretiques lutherans zwinglians sacramentaries c. incensing and stering vp bothe emperowrs kinges withe the turke to to kill vs most cruelly But yet shall not these two hole kingdoms the seclar and spirituall anticrystis fall quyte awaye before the laste daye but some parte in ether of theÌ„ shall abyde whom cryste shall destroy at his coming The same signifieth the Apocalypse speking of the false prophete to be casâ—e into the deuouringe botomles stinkinge pitt of hell Now yese anticryst to be one and many in succcessioÌ„ whether thei be ecclesiastiâ—â— or seculare turke or Mahumete euen siche as be gone forth of vs saith Ioan were neuer of our sorte sitting as saith paul in the place of God blaspheminge the name of god and persecuting his chirche ye may therfore compare our anticristis to Antiochus in euery one of his wiâ—ed deadis and blody persecuâ—ion of gods peple in robbyng and destroing the temple of God and thei that be deceiued of him ar seduced worthely for their sinnes For this is the most greuouse plage eueÌ„ to be castenvp of god to obay and beleue false doctrine and therfore saithe Paul shall god send or caste them vp into the most stronge illusions to beleue lyes that all shuldbe dampned which haue not beleued the trwthe but haue approued and consented to vnrightwysnes This anticryst saith Paul shall worke his fraudes in them that be forlorn because thei receiued not the loue of the trwth wherby thei might haue ben saued There ar this day Iasons Alcimus and Mâ—nelaiâ—sses betrayers traditours simoniaks sent vs â—ueÌ„ the childern of this world very blod thirsters and whore mongers whiche for the trwe worship of god bring in idolatry adâ—outry despising faith and loue in which god is cheifly worshiped out of these moÌ„sters there brekein vpon vs tyrantis exe cuting their tyranny aboue mesure with out pitie which may not heare the glorye and worde of god spoken of These these ar the very rank cheiftains of all heretikes bold arrogant and vnshamefaced these ar not ashamed to lye openly in pulpits nether be thei ashamed what and how great opeÌ„ crymes or mischeif so euer thei commit These men had leifer al the worlde to be ouerthrone then thei wolde once ceasse and gobaâ— or recant their opeÌ„ly
tyme I did myne office to certifye the all godly men warninge you before of these persecucions that when thei come ye fal not froÌ„ the trwthe but â—â—ther to dye then to renye cryst And where the aungel saith he had faughten with the prince deuil of persye and assone as him self was comen thence the prince deuil of the grekis to come thither to make trouble he shewth that god by aungels defendeth bothe kingdoms and chirches so that althings be so longe salf as thei be of good aungels defended from the euil let vs here be counforted with these wor dis That the euerlasting worde and sone of god with his aungels be euermore present with his chirche in all oure afflic cions and persecucions to helpe vs to thrust awaye the deuyll with all his impes yet persecutinge and to destroye his workis let vs paciently tarye for his helpe ayenst these deuyllysshe vngodly persons runninge and roringe in euery place enforceing with the Turkis and anticrystis powr to skater and destroye Christis chirche yea y e prince of this worlde flyeth vpon vs with a more present destruccion and crueller armore euen with the negligence and tyrannye of emperour and kingis and blody bisshops which shulde defende noureshe chirches He assauteth vs with mischeuous wylye wittes subtyle sophisters and popis lawers incensed of the serpentine sathan to sowe confirme false doctrynes and deuyllyssh opinions But he which with his aungell crist kouered his peple in the reede sedgie sea in the wildernes he that defended Iosue Gedeon Samuel Dauid with all his faythfull peple and as Iacob sayd the aungell which hath delyuered me out of all perels mought blesse and defende vs these his chyldren Let vs remember that god hath geuen vs his aungels and cryste also in commandement to kepe vs in all oure wayes for the aungell of the lorde bulworketh rownd about them that feare him and delyuereth them Sith god sendeth his aungels to kepe his chirche let vs the lesse feare the perels of oure bodyes or any pouertye whyles we iustly apply oure callings This miche be sayd into the two chap. folowinge Now to the kingdoms in which the aungell prophecieth the persecucions of the Iewes to drawnigh and to come ouer them in y e. 62. hebdom before cryst the sauiour be borne and also of the persecucions which shall continew from the birth of cryste and destruccion of Ierusalem and vexe vs the gentilis to the worldis ende IN this chap. the aungell reherceth the kinges vnder whom the Iewes shuld be vexed and persecuted vnto the coming of cryst during yet the. 62. heb dom that is in the. 434. yeres folowinge For God wolde confirme daniels fayth premonisshe his posterite of the euyls to come Let these therfore be examples â—etforth not onely for all kingis that in the feare of god and for the loue of cryste they might lerne to auoyde the horrible and terrible plagis of their vngodlynes but these examples be also prescribed to the chirche that we might be taught vnder all emperours and kinges to bere the crosse For as the Iewes vnder these kinges suffred many persecucioÌ„s and vexacions tyll cryste came euen so must y e crystians vnder all turkisshe emperours kinges and anticrysten popis bere the crosse vntyll the laste daye In this oure tyme full fewe are ther siche fauourers patronâ—â— nources and defenders of good letters and holy scriptures as were Alexander the greate and Ptolomeus Philadelphus ther are so many Antiochis y e burners of good bokis and sleyers of holy sayntis Alexander caryed euer about y e poet homer w t him faught euer so happely but not for cryste Wolde god there were now but one Iosiâ—s or Ezechias which wolde karye Dauid and Moses about with him that he might for crystis sake as happely as did Alexander fight in these troubles dayes the iust batails for the defence of the gospell ayenst these turkish anticristis God stere vs vp a nother Philadelphus which wolde gather to gyther all these so greate and holy lerned mâ—nis bokis of late printed and laye them in lybraries and not burne them Let vs heare the aungell yet spekinge with Daniel ☞ For I trewly was from the first yere of Darius the Mede present by him to helpe and strengthen him And now shall I tell the trewly what is to come Beholde there be yet standinge in Persie 3. kinges and the fowrth shal be the rychest of them all which therby boldened and holding his ryches shall stete vp all his princes ayenst the kingdom of the Grekis The aungell spekinge before in the .9 chap. of the .70 hebd remembred the harde tyme to which space he gaue the first 7. hebd wherein with so greate difficulty the cyte and temple were buylded In the x. chap. he expressed yet the difficulty largelyer shewinge the bataill of the good aungell ayenst the baddein all these .49 yeres wherin the buyldinge was so long letted at last absolued Now he telleth how many kinges stode in Persie in these 7. hebd He sayth thei stode for that thei flourisshed and appered to themselues to stand fast for euer neuer to be conquired The first was kinge Cyrus the .2 Cambyses the .3 Smerdes one of the Magis The .4 and rychest was Darius Histaspis called Artaxerxes and also Ahassue rus which had .2 sonnes xerxes and Darius Longimanus This Ahassuerê° was mighty and ryche as ye see by his infinite tribuâ—is in the storye of Esiher therwith prouoked his princes in conclusion ayenst the Grekis which for their wittis and ryches were also the more animated to fight ayenste the Persians both their euyll princes that is their euyll aungels ther vnto so incensing them But yet shall ye note it that Ahâ—ssuerus himself prosecuted not this warre but left it to be faughten with his sonne xerxes which waging bataill with the Grekis his father dead left his brother Darius Congiman to raigne in Persie which Darius called the yonger and hauynge Esdras and Nehemias his techers and counsellers his mother quene Esiher beinge a Iewe gaue the seconde licence to buylde vp and finissh the citie and temple And from the. 32. yere of this Darius the yonger brother to xerxes to the begyning of the Romane Monarchee I iuge that we must geue the seconde diuided part of the hebd that is the. 62. hebd which reche iust vnto the first emprour and counsull Iulius Cesar euen to 47. yeres before crystis birth for the aungell as it appereth by the tellinge and diuydinge of the nowmbers and by the processe in y e text had euer rather a respect to the beginnings order and ende of the. 4. Monarchyes and especially to those 3. Monarchyes folowing to the affliccion of his chirche vnder the sayd imperies then to the continuance and lynking to gyther of the nowmbers one immediatly to folowe the tother For
he sayth aftir he had distributed the first 7. heb to the buylding distinctly and seuerally in the next verse not repeting the former 7. hebd And aftir 62. hebdomadis cryste shal be slayne Now is it manifest that aftir none of all these last and lerned menis accompt if thei folowe the wordis of the text and not repete the former 7. hebdom can the nowmbere be continewed immediately but must be broken as the aungell breketh diuideth them So that this is y e sence and mynde of him That aftir 62. hebd where the prophecie of Iacob shal be fulfylled concerning the scepter of Iuda to be taken awaye and the Romans to rule the iewes then shall cryst be borne slayne c. but Iacob sayth not immediatly aftir y e scepter be taken awaye nomore then the aungell sayth here immediatly aftir the. 62. heb cryst shal be slayne for it was I saye 47. yeres aftir and aftir these 47 yeares yet 33. aftir ere he was slayne This miche haue I lerned sence by the expending and waying of the text processe thereof so that if as Cicero sayth oure later cogitacions be wyser then the former let the readers be iuges Now to the text xerxes prosecutinge the prouocacion by his fathers ryches faught ayenst y e Grekis in Europa where he ouercomen fled bak ayen into Asiu where he thus beastely and cruelly lyued had a miserable ende For he toke his brothers wyf beinge a lyue and gaue his brothers daughter to his owne sone aftir warde laye by her and then he slewe his brother He lyeth not which sayd I shall viset iniquitie For these incestuouse beastly blody crueltyes the Monarchye of the Persians begane to shake and fall and xerxes himself was miserably slayne of Artabanus the last kinge of the Parthens Cet this be an example to all emperours and princes to betaught to feare God leâ—t for siche crymes they be the destruccion of themselues and of their kingdoms ☞ Then shall there stande vp a strong kinge and obtayn the most mighty emperye and shall do what he lyft And when his kingdom hath stonden it shal be broken and diuided into the. 4. clymats of y e worlde but not to his owne posterite nor yet with that maiestie and power wherwith himselfe ruled For his kingdome shal be minisshed and distributed to other kinges besydes these 4. or vnto strangers By these wordis the aungell describeth the flourishing encreace and destruccion of great Alexander For vnder the Grekis the Iewes shuld suffer yet many plages For Alexander himself thought to destroye Ierusalem but the hyghe bishop coming forth ayenst him mekely with the Ceuitis so iently moued and entreated y e kinge that he was right beneficiall with greate giftis vnto them This mighty Alexander to rule conquire al y e worlde was called before the gret horned flying gote Him to do what he lysteth is to haue a prosperouse successe in all his affayers and victories For he beinge but. 20. yeres olde ere he was full 33. had subdewed all the worlde The verifying of these prophecies declare them to be spoken of god which onely as present foreseeth althinges to come And where he promiseth vs delyuerance he sheweth himselfe to tender vs that enbrace his prophecies The godly therfore are confirmed left they fall bak from their profession But the last part of this chap. perteyneth to the last parte of this Monarchie and to this age of the world declaring what persecucion cristis chirche hath and shall yet suffer vnder the cruel seculare spiritual anticristis at laste vnder the turke Mahumete the spi ritualtye yet lordely reigning aâ—tir a prophane proude haitheÌ„ fassion persecuting the doctrine of cryst quenching y e lyght of the gospel of the trwe inuocacion in faith and confidence in the sone of God defending by their seculare armes idolatry fighting burning fageting for their idols and for their prodigiouse lecherouse lustis slayinge innocents for the trwe doctrine For vnto their spiritual tyraÌ„ny y e seculare emperour princes adde their furiouse merciles blod sheding bothe by persecucion of the gospel and by batails whose pryde and riches be the spâ—rres vnto all this tumult where in good studies and letters gospell and cryste shal be neglected at laste a new derkenes fyeâ—cer furies withe the miserable mutacioÌ„â— of kingdome nowe begune in brewing These affliccions wold god men wolde consyder and before all aske of god to preserue gouern norissh encreace his chirche And if ther be any prices which may heale these woundis let theÌ„ now do their office leste cryste in his laste iugement now at hande accuse them gilty dampnanacion Nowe shulde emperowr and princes setforth the byble and defende good prechers Now shuld the crysten lerned men be sought out to teche crystes worde of saluacion Now it behoueth princes to defende the gospel of cryste teching peace and not banissh and burne the worde of peace commanding the trwe faithful prechers to sylence and restraining the scriptures and godly bokis forboden of them to be redde of the cristen good peple so de syerouse to reade them for their counforte in these troublos dayes Take ensample at the said kingis whiche solonge as thei gaue lycence to the iewes to buyld their temple god gaue them noble victories and rest as ye see it in Salomons dayes but wheÌ„ thei restrained and forbode the buildig therof thei had their handis full of warre and themselues miserably slayne A lyke terribly and trobles face is there this daye of the worlde for inhibitinge the buylding of the chirche of cryst God sent them his aungel cryste to helpe them whylis thei were content the iewes to edifye their temple And when thi inhi ted or neglected that good worke he prouoked one kinge to destroye another as y e stories declare it There be nowe meruelous subtyle craftinesses excercised in courtes insidiouse wylinesses couetuose counsels priuey studies for promoons and one king to destroy another faith les fauor flatery c. Whiche all is called polityk prudence and pleasauncie but it muste all shortely be turned into misery folisshes and into a calamitouse destruccion But retourne we to Alexander the beginner of the .3 monarchie and let vs set him as a glasse before all emperowrs princes to see themselues in him ye haue herde of his good fortunes and successe in so shorte a tyme whiche translated the monarchie of the persies vnto the Grekis as the prophecie was then verifyed with in .200 yeres folowing But the same prophecie yet tuneth vnto this daye vpon lyke Alexanders in a perpetual pathe to be verified vpon all the crysten empires and kingdome which haue so blasphemosly persecuted and quenched the worde of their saluacion so mercilesly sheding the innocent blode for the Gospel Some kingdoÌ„s haue felt the stroke of this worde moo be
lykely to fele the chaÌ„gys of their kinges stocke Let al other bewarâ— of lyke heuey mutacions inminent the bore is now opened shut it if ye can God had endewed mighty Alexander with greate and cleare giftis It was a great beutyfull glorye to him in that he was feared and sought to of all other kinges endewed he was with imperye ryches and many noble victories and delyuered from many heuey chaunces and perels of his owne subiectis He was also of natute very stronge hardy and in counsell he passed the wysest he could iuge and foresee what was euer for the beste he was prudent comely princely affable ientle and amiable he loued iustice and punisshed the malefactors No prince lyke him in vertewe morals so long as he was in a right mynde But he aknowleged not god to be the auctor of them And therfore of pryde and wealynes gaue himselfe vp vnto his owne lustis as to eating drinking delicately and immoderately vnto voluptuosnes of his bodye to be pampered vp to satisfye his lybidinose fleshe And beinge dronken he slâ—we his moste entyre and necessarye frendis and was most cruell ayenst them which did him most faythfull seruice Then he polluted himselfe with lecherye vnto these fowle crymes he added contumelyes and cruelty ayenst god he beleued himself to haue a certeyn diuyne prerogatiue and power aboue all men and god to as wold yet some pestelent flateringe fryers and prelates put it into emprours and kinges headis he aknowledged not himself to haue had done so noble actis and escaped so greate perels by goddis helpe onely but attributed this glory prosperite to his owne wysedom dignite royall to fortune and to his owne policie powr and ryches He wolde come forth some tymes disgoised lyke Iupiter Hammon all in glytering ye low golde and eft sone as Diana wolde he daley most lasciuiously and fylthely emong women Wherfore there folowed the most heuey punishments For ere his kingdom was set in ordir he dyed in his dronkenes bantkettinge with his whore And at this his wretched fall all his familye and kinred was also throne downe For anon aftir Olympias his mother his sister and his two wyues and his two lytle sonnes were slayne of his owne minnioÌ„s and playe felowes What ensample of manis inconstancie can be clerelyer setforth For this so mighty clear a kinges stock and familye cold not fynde a faythfull frende to defende his aftir his death no not one in all the worlde no not among them vnto whom himself had geuen so many giftis and prouin ces and whom he had brought vp promoted For Cassander the sonne of Antipater which was brought vp of a chylde and promoted of Alexander slewe Olym pias Alexanders mother aftir he slewe Roxonem his sonne called Alexander and his tother sonne Hercules borne of Bersine The gouerner of y e Sardins slewe Cleopatram his syster These calamitis came not to Alexander and his house of chaunce but of the wrath of god and all to monissh lyke king is in tyme. Many synnes god punissheth in this lyfe let vs thinke vpon the iugement to come where eternall paynes be prepared if we amende not The transitory shortnes of this lyfe shuld moâ—e princes to beware and repente and set the feare of Gods maiesty before their eyes Remember mor tall princes ye be but dust you be no gods God will shortely intercept your brethe whose rewarde is euerlastinge dampnacion if ye repent not Alexander raigned .7 yearis after he had slayne Darius the laste kinge of the Medis and Persies And then the Greke Monarchie susteyned greate batails trouble and slaughters and was torne and rente as hath the text into many and sondre dominions of strange kinges Alexanders posterite elene extinct Then there arose blodye batails betwixt the kingis of Asia and Syria and Egypt all in the same Monarchie neuer ceassinge cruelly shedinge eche others blode vntyll the Romans wexinge stronge begane to set in fote and so at last coÌ„quired the Grekis the Assyrions and EgypcioÌ„s And thus was the worlde .47 yeris before crystis birthe deuolued into the fourth Monarchie called the Romane and last empyre From Darius LongimaÌ„s death to the begininge of the Romane Monarchie which was .409 yeres but especially from a non aftir the death of Alexander when the kinges of Syria and Egypt thus cruelly destroyd eche other yea maye be sewer the Iewes had euyll reste For their lande laye in the midde waye betwixt Egypte which is sowth from Sy ria So that the Iewes were euer ouerrunne and depopulated of both y e hostes now of the Egypcians and then of y e Assyrians Grekis Alexanders kingdom aftir his death was broken and diuided into the .4 partis of the worlde or windis of the heuen subuerted and distributed to aliaunts that is into Syriam Egypt Asiam and Grece By the strange dukes and kinges of these .4 kingdoms which serued Alexander are vnderstanden Seleucus king of Syria Antigonus of Asia Ptolomeus of Egypte and Arideus of Grece yea they diuided all the prouinces of the hole Monarchie emong themselues and then they faught who shuld haue all thus was his kingdome broken and dispersed So greate calamities were there aftir Alexanders death by the reason of so many perpetuall batails that Demades very aptly coÌ„pared the powr and hostes of dead Alexander to the dygged out eye of Cyclopus These examples I reherche that siche punisshments might warne princes and moue them to modestie and to feare god Remember that cryst sayd Withoute me can ye do nothing Amende therfore your lyues and be mercyfull to the poore innocents or els loke for no fauore but for the vengeance of God to be powered forth shortly vpon you Darius Longiman raigninge at Babylon whylis his brother xerxes faught in Europa ayenst y e Grekis gaue licence and commandement to the Iewes to returne and finisshe their citie and temple For it apereth Esdras Nehemias to be of his cheif counsell And therfore his fortune agreed with his vertew For God defended that modeste and beneficiall kinge vnto his chirche helping him in his gouernaÌ„ce and defence of his realme Let emperours and kinges folowe this godly kingis fact in reedifying gods cite and temple which is his chirche by settinge forth trewe prechers and teachers to reedifye the walles of Ierusalem The text But the southe kinge one of Alexanders princes shal be mightye This southe kinge one of Alexanders cheife capitains or dukes brought vp of a poore soldyer was called Ptolomeus the great and also Ptolom Sotir that is a greate sauiour but yet all Syria suffred all thinges coÌ„trary to his name For this Ptolomeus the sonne of Lagi gouerned Egypte which was sowth fro the Iewes and was a mighty king and vexid sore y e Syrians and Iewes For vnder a fraudelent colore to sacrifice he entred into Ierusalem vpon a saboth daye and
cruelly dealt he with y e Iewes leading awaye many thousandes captiued â–ª Pausanias telleth that he left aftir him sonnes Philadelph Ceraunion and other Polybius affirmeth him to haue dyed almost 40. yeres aftir Alexander ☞ Contrary to this kinge shall there be another mighty one and ouercome him whose dominion shal be right great ample This kinge was the north king Seleucus Nicanor of Macedo the sonne of one duke Philip which was not therfore called here so mighty in dominion ouer so great an empyre because that aftir y e deth of Perdyk the gouerner of Babylon because he ouercame Antigonum fightinge ayenst Syria and his sonne Demetrius and in the front of the bataill ouercame slewe LystmachuÌ„ but for that he being slayne vnwares by the awayt layinge of Ptolome Ceraunio the brother of Philadelph left y e most ample kingdome to his sonnes that is to weit the kingdoms of Babylon Persie Mede Bactre Parthie Asie and parte of Syrie This man was not hurtfull to y e Iewes but suffred them to kepe and vse their owne lawes Iosephus to wytnes Now procedeth Da niel the kings of Asie Macedonie that is the west and east kingis omitted in his prophecie of the kinges of Syria and Egypte because that betwixt these two kingdoÌ„s Iudea was situated and was well 300. yeris vexed molested greuously persecuted shaken in sondre of them both But before we declare daniels prophecie we shall in ordir one ayenst another set the names of these kingis of Sy rie and Egypt vntyll we come vnto Antiochum Epiphanem the very scouâ—ge of the Iewes The kings of syrie â–ª north The kin of egypt south Seleucus Nicanor Ptolomeus Lagâ—s Antiochus Soter Ptolom Philadelphus Antiochê° theos his wyf his sones Seleuc Antioc Ptol. Euergetes his son â–ª Castinicus Hierax his sonnes Seleucus Ceraunius Antiochus the greate his sones Ptolomeus Philopater Seleucus Philopater Antiochus Epi phanes his sister Cleopatra wyfe to Ptolomeus Epiphanes Ptolom Philometer his sonne Bernice his daughter But aftir a fewe yeres thei shal be confedered For the daughter of the southe kinge shal be geuen in mariage be brought to the northe kinge to make the peace and concorde but this humane policie and strength shal not longe endure nether shal hir â—ead oryssewe stande but bothe she and thei that brought her thirther hir sonne hir parent and housbonde shal be all betraid and destroid in short speace Here ye see the vnhappye chaunces that folowe the humane policie of them that persecute gods peple albeit their counsell and policie appere neuer so godly before men What might seme more godly then by mariage and affinite to confir me concorde and to make peace and frend ship Bernice the daughter of Philadelphi kinge of Egipt was geuen to Antiocho theos king of Syrie to make the peace For these two kinges had ben longe at warre and Ptolo. Philadelp had lost certain cities in Syria whiche cities he thought by this gifte of his daughter at length to recouer But all was in vaine For this Antiochus repudiated his own wyfe called Laodice mother to Seleuco callinico and to Antioche hierax maried Bernicen Which maryage and repudiacion or diuorce from his firste wyfe was the occasion of greate mischeif and murther For Seleucus Callinicus at y e persuasion of his mother Laodice slewâ— Bernicen his stepe mother with hir yong sonne which murther was the occasion of many a blody bataill as ye shall see here aftir This Ptolomeus Philadel â–ª was he that instaured the lybrary in Alexandria hyeringe the. lxx interpreters to translate the. v. bokis of Moses oute of Hebrew into Greke This prophecie was not onely spoken of those kingis but also of other folowinge them It is not long agoo sence some kinges gaue their daugh ters to forein kinges in maryage to conciliate amitie and what succeded therof thei neuer sence agreed well Albeit Ptolom Philadel was a vaingloriouse viciose couetuose kinge yet did god vse him as an instrument to serue his glory in steringe him vp to cause his scriptures to be translated and reserued for euer in lybraries This Ptolom thought by this mariage of his daughter at lengthe by hir posterite to ioyne all the hole kingdoÌ„ of y e north to his owne realme of Egypte and gaue in dowrye with Bernice the lande of Iewrye Antiochus toke hir and repudiated his owne former wyfe Caodice vsed hir as a concubyne But at last she beinge weary of that lyfe poysoned him for his labour and caused hir sone Calliâ—icum to slaye Bernicâ—n with hir yonge sone and did sette Callinicum in his fathers rome to be kinge of Syria wherfore this humane policie and confederacion stode not long nether might Bernices sead enioye the kingdome of Syria Also the men that brought hir thyther which shulde haue defended hir and hir issewe all were destroyd hir housbonde to which all shuld haue bene hir staffe parents and conforters ☞ And then shall there stande vp a nother of hir stok to come into hir place which shall come with an host ayenst the kinge of the north This man was Bernices brother now kinge of Egypt called Ptolom Euergetes prouoked to reuenge his sisters his nâ—uies deathes He came with a great power ayenst CallinicuÌ„ kinge of Syria He shall come sayth the aungell and obtayne many great cities of Syria he toke awaye miche tresure and images And therfore sayth the texte ☞ And shall inuade his stronge cities and castels and in them he doinge great and cleare victoryes and featis of warre shall obtayne his purpose And carye awaye captiued into Egypte their gods with their rulers and most dere and preciouse plate and iewels of gold syluer And for a fewe yeres shall he stande sewer at rest from the north kinge This king of the south Ptolom Euergetes his sisters death thus reuenged returned sodenly home into Egypte by y e reason of sedicions and vprores wrought in his absence so that at his retourne he was compelled to make peace and to take trewce w t Seleuco Callinico And at this tyme Euergetes commanded Iewrye to paye him tribute and was without warre certayne yeares at reste from the Syrians And therfore sayth the aungell Aftir that the kinge of the southe shall haue thus inuaded Syriam he shall returne into his owne londe ayen for fere of sedicions there in But Euergetes first obtayning y e cheifest strongest holdes of Syria did chase Seleucum out of his fathers Philadelphis kingdom and place for kyllinge his sister and toke from him a greate part of Asia he robbed his tempels and spoyled his londe ere he returned Now did Antiochus Hierax fight ayenst his brother Seleuco which Hierax ouercomen and fleing into a wildernes was slayne And Seleucus casten of his horse dyed This was the miserable ende of these 2. wyked brethern not raigninge skant 3. yeares This story toucheth the aungell
because that betwixt these rauisshinge hulkis thus spoylinge and slayinge eche other Iudea lying in the middes amonge them was taxed pilled and robbed vnto the ba re bones But y e sonnes of him set on fyer shall gather a mighty houge multitude into an hosâ—e And one of them coming as it were a vniuersall floude flowing all ouer shall come vpon him go thorow his realme come ayen preasinge and persinge euen vnto his most strongest castels The two sonnes of Seleuci Callinici king of Syrie which sonnes were Seleucus Ceraunius and Antiochus the great thus set on fyer came with this so great an host ayenst Ptolomeum Philopatrem the kinge of Egypte This one of them here mencioned was Antiochus y e greate and ayer of the hole kingdom of Syria aftir that he had ouercomen Milo For his brother Ceraunius betrayd in Asia dyed in y e tyme of this bataill Antiochus therfore coming with so great an host recouered and oppressed many cities in Egypte and in Phenicia which were subiect to y e EgypcioÌ„s Here he came vpoÌ„ him that is vpon Ptolom Philopater king of Egypt lyke a floude and as Polybius wryteth describinge the begininge of the gestis of Antiocho with thre score thousand fotemen and. 6000. horsemen brought vnto RaphiaÌ„ the king of Egyptis most strong citie where ayenste him he pitched his tentis where the bataill faughten Antiochus had the victory rekouered his former lost cities And here were the Iewes compelled to change their lordes gouerners in which mutacion what vex acions and how greate losses and affliccions thei suffred ye maye well coniecter For whose heuye cause and persecucionâ— to be knowen the aungell thus prophecieth But how Ptolom Philopater with might and strength repelleth this violence it foloweth Then the south king shal be prouo ked with anger shall lede forth his host to fyght ayenst y e north kinge which shall bringe forth in bataill an infinite greate multitude whiche multitude shal be delyuered into the sowth kingis handis which karyinge awaye this multitude shal be eleuated with a proude herte because he hath throne downe and goten so many thousandis But this victorye shall not long stand fast Now is the bataill treated which Ptosomeê° Philopater kinge of Egypt faught ayenst Antioche y e great Philopater was wealy and prowed anon angred and sone moued to warre here he hath y e victory of Antiochus and therfore was his herte so puft vp that he had throne down so innumerable an hoste and recouered his lost cities for now he thought to take his case in all idle lustis at home Iusti nus wryteth That Philopater might haue depriued Antiochus of his kingdome now if his vertewe had holyen his fortune Sed vincere scis Hannibal vti victoria nescis Oh Hannibal thou knowst how to haue victories but how to vse and kepe thy victories thou knowest it not Iustinus in his 29. boke sayth Ptolome to be to named Philopater of a contrarye facte for that his father and mother flay ne he gote Egypte Wherfore an euyll tree must bringforth euyll frutis For Phi lopater returned home slewe his owne wyfe Euridice which was his owne sister all the nightis continually was he geuen to whordom and the dayes to banketing He permitted his man concubyne Agathoclern and his woman concubine Agathocleam to rule Egypte oh what maner a ruler had then miserable Iudea But this his victory stode not long sewer and faste For he lyued not long aftir but had a miserable ende By his lyfe he caused y e Iewes to be rent of elephants In theis dayes were the Iewes greuously afflicted and scourged For first they had ioyned themselues with Antiocho y e greate Aftir that were they taxed and mulcted of the EgypcioÌ„s and thei that were then in Egypt were cruelly handled For the kinge of the north shall yet come ayen vpon him bringing forth a greter host then before and aftir a fewe yeres shall he come ayenst him with a migh ty greate coÌ„pany strongly prouided with greate ryches This is the prophecie of a new bataill by Antiochus the greate ayenst Ptolom Epiphanem the sonne of Philopater now dead For a non aftir Philopater beinge dead and his very yonge prince Ptolom Epiphane left behynde him Antiochus moueth bataill agenayenst Egypte But here was Antiochus commanded of the senatours of rome which had taken y e tuicion of y e yong prince to let Egypt a lone Which thinge he heuely takinge ioyned himself confedered with Hannibal and Philip kinge of Macedo but yet was he ouercomen of the Romans and was com pelled to geue ouer not onely y e hole Asia vnto the mount Taurns but also geue in pledge to the Romans his sonnes Antioche Epiphanem and Demetrium But in these dayes many shall resiste and ouercome the king of the south For albeit the Romans had taken the tuicion of the yonge fatherles prince of Egypt yet be these tutors oftin tymes ve ry slowe And therfore ceased not Antiochus now confedered with Hannibal and Philip Macedo which sent ayed to Antia chum to molest the yonge prince Ptolom Epiphanem and by the wayes were the Iewes most greuously vexed both of the Syrians and also of the Egypcions ☞ And the cruell men of thy nown peple euen many bakfallers from the lawe shal be puft vp and extolled all to fulfyll the prophecie of their owne fall to be all to broken This verse declareth the impictie vngodly cruelty and the forsaking of the lawe of god to be the cause of the calamities of y t Iewes For he cannot suffer these synnes of his peple which sayd I shall viset their iniquite c. Here he paynteth the wyked bisshops of the Iewes which being both cruell and forsakers of Gods lawes puft vp with pryde seduced drewe aftir them many Iewes into lyke synnes for their fallinge bak from the lawe of God When Antiochus burned the bokis of Moses and commanded the kepers of the lawe to be slayne Machab. 1. then were the Iewes a frayd and especially the bisshopes and hyghe preistes they tyll bak quyte from the lawe which shuld haue geuen example of constancie godlynes animating and exhorting other to standfast in the feare of god cleuinge to his promises by faith These bishops were Iason Onias Menelaus one procuringe the death of his owne brother that he might haue his bisshopryke Onias w t many lyke bakfallers from god fled into Egypte where in Helioposi they buylded them a temple and altares and vsed there religion as they were wont in Ierusalem whom god had directely coÌ„manded to haue but one temple one tabernacle one altare no where els to be any buylded but in the londe of Canaan For so knew God the consent of his doctryne to be the beter kept For he had decreed from what place his voyce shuld sowne be hearde caryed
ouer the hole worlde But yet shall the king of the north come and cast vp bulwerkes about their cities and take his moste strong townes nether shall y e south armes stande ayenst him nor yet maye his most stronge chosen soldyers resiste him For he cominge thus vpon him shall do his luste noman withstandinge him He shall also inuade and stande strong in that most pleasaunt desyered lande which shall yelde themselâ—s into his handis Also Antiochê° shall turne his face vnto Egypt to get the hole realme For vnder the colour of a peace makinge he shall geue his most feyer daughter in maryage to the yong fatherles prince to destroy him but it shall not so come to passe nether shall Antiochus haue the south kingdom Aftir this shall Antiochus turne himselfe to the eyelondis and take many of them But the prince or counsull of the Romans shall compell him to ceasse with rebuke and shame so that he shall not do this traiterous vilanye to the yong prince of Egypt Wherfore Antiochus shall turne himself to the defences or holdes of his owne londe where he shall smyte himselfe ayenst an harde stone and fall neuer to be fownde ayene The aungell returneth to Antiochus the greate yet ayen inuading Egypt ther to haue goten many of the yonge princes cities Nether might the yonge chyldes armes called Ptolom Epiphanes resist him Here were y e Iewes vexed greuously on both sydis Here Iudea is called the most pleasant desyered lande not onely because it flowed with mylke and honey as Moses sayth but also because that god did not so to any nacion as he did to y e Iewes Antiochus inuading Iudea stode stronge in it when he did put Scoba the yonge princes of Egypts deputie capitayne w t all his host out therof to flyght Which Scoba ouercomen Antiochê° made the Iewes tributaries to him yilding themselues to antioche vpon the condicion to kepe styll their religion Aftir that Scoba was slayne of Antiocho in Iewry the Iewes brought vnder his tribute he maketh yet a nother viage into Egypt vnder the colour to marye his daughter Cleopatra to the yonge prince Ptolom epiphane The iewes fained themselues to be Antioches frendis and to receyue him into Ierusalem Albeit thei knew it and were glad then that the RomaÌ„s prepared to resist him Nether was it but dissimulacion on Antiochê° part For he had decreed to diuyde the tribes of Iewrye parte to be geuen with his fayr daughter Cleopatra in maryage to Ptolom Epiphanes yet but a yong chylde in a maner and the tother parte to receyue to himself into his owne realme annexed He wold mary his most goodly fayer daughter called filia feminaruÌ„ for hir excellent beuty albeit the Hebreus vse the same phrase for euery woman to the southe yong prince that yet by siche means he might sette in his fote to gete y e southe kingdom into his posterite but it succeded not For aftir Antiochus death there folowed a greate inclinacion and losse of the kingdome of Syria He fayned to go a playne waye but he entended deceite to the yonge prince yet fayled he of his purpose For his daughter aftir she was maryed quene Cleopatra loued beter hir king and spouse Ptolom Epiphanes then hir father Antiochus in this case and not to destroy hir housbonde that y e realme might come into hir fathers handis This daye lykewyse had leyfer the spiritualtye geue their most fayer daughter diuitias to the emprour and kinges of Egypte for a deceitfull colour then to kepe her styll that yet at last thei might obtayne ayene their olde kingdom that is the seculare spirituall autorities powr ouer princes to do what thei lyst as thei were woÌ„t to do but it shall not succede Religio enim peperit diuitias filia deuorauit matrem for religon brought forth ryches and the daughter hath deuoured hir mother Then Antiochus turneth his face to the eylandis sayling into Grece ther to fight against the Romans where by Hannibalis and other menis helpe he gote Rhodes and other cities to helpe him ayenst the Romans But the consull of Rome resisted him and did put him to a shamefull rebuke and made him to ceasse and to be content with Syria and to yelde Asiam to the Romans with the charges of the bataill and to rendre to them the shippes the captiued and all that flede to him Wherfore sayth the aungell he shall returne home with shame he shall be smyâ—â—n ayenst the rocke and be alto broken in his owne fall For now Antiochus returned into SyriaÌ„ for very pouertie robbed a ryche temple of Iupiter dyndymeâ— where of his owne peple he was wretchedly slayne This was the ende of Antiochus the greate which lyuing wold neuer ceasse from warre and yet faught he euer vnhappely For the dukes of yong Ptolom â–ª perceyued his fraudelent enteÌ„t in geuing his daughter in maryage therfore gote thei the Romans to be the princes defenders for that tyme. It is therfore the destruccion of many realmes to moue batail not necessary nor iustly namely fortune frowninge vpon them And therfore this it is that the aungell sayth in the ende He shall turne himselfe to the helpe defences or holdes of his owne londe in Sy ria c. For in this his shamefull flyght from the RomaÌ„s with so greate losse and rebuke he for nede robbinge the temple was miserably slayne of the comon peple And there shall succede him a vyle couetouse extorsioner and pieller of the peple exactinge greate tributis vnworthey any princely honor he shal be sone slayne but not nobly in any open bataill The descripcion of Seleucus Philopater the sonne of greate Antiochê° raigning but a shorte tyme his two brethern Antiochus Epiphanes and Demetrius yet kept in hostage for pledges at Rome This Sâ—leucê° is here called a vyle questor that is a vyle extorsioner a bryber a pieller poller c. a man nether valeauÌ„t in warre nor defender of his country but a comherde nether armed with lawes nor defender of iustice but an idle vnprofitâ— ble prince and a very idle belly burden of the erth This vyle questor was made awaye shortely by the fraudes of his brother Antiochê° Epiph. being in hostage at Rome that this deuyll and subtyle serpeÌ„tine anticristen Antiochus might enâ—oâ—e his kingdom This descripcion ought diligently to be noted For it is and shal be the very face of the present gouernances in these oure last dayes For of siche coue tuose cruell tyrants idle extorsioners piellers pollers brybers foles idle belly beastis not defending good peple nor ministringe iustice and iugement nor suffering honest manerâ— nor holsom doctryne to be taught but with great taxes â—xcyses loons prestis neuer to be repayd thus beggering their empires and comoÌ„s the money â—uyll spent aftir their owne synfull lustis as do comonly the courtis of emprours kinges
and quenes of siche idle vyle quesâ—ors shall the last kingdoms of the worlde be gouerned This vyle Seleucus commanded the temple of Ierusa lemto be spoyled as now at last shall there lyâ—e vyle questors gather into their haÌ„ dis all the ryches of the Popis chirche If ye compare this image vnto the laste age of the worlde ye shall perceyue the aungell not to haue onely prophecied of Scleucus but also of the later kings and emprours of this worlde and to haue setforth the calamities of the chirche of cryste in these later dayes that we might knowe the synnes of the spiritualtye of their idle impes to be worthely plaged of the seculare Seleukâ— which both togyther shall persecute Christis poore flok And yet shall god delyuer his from both their blody mouthes These vyle questors shall dayly inueÌ„t newe kindis of eccyses and exaccions to pyss and empouet their comons as hytherto haue y e bishops done in vexing pollyng and pilling their diocesans preistis persons abbels spi ritualty tyll there shall come the thirde kyght and swâ—pe awaye both frogge and mouse Lytle rememberd they that Ioan Baptist coÌ„manded them to be coÌ„tent with their owne stipendes They contempne the example of Achab whom God so punisshed for taking awaye Nabothâ— vyneyarde Thei shulde spare the possessions and goodis of their subiectis and diocesanâ— that y e peple might haue to setforth their chyldren to scole and to lerne them honeste and vtyle occupacions and that thei might helpe their godly kinges emprours trewe prechers in tyme of nede ayenst foren incursions But as I sayd let vs know these open plages to be iuste punishments of the peples synnes warnings to excite them to godlynes and to commende the congregacioÌ„s to gods cuâ—e and to mitigate these cruell open tyraÌ„nys and to sende vs wyse rulers iuste strong and happy princes studyinge for y e profit of their comons to geue vs good bisshops to orne the chirches and not to oner them and to setforth and illustre the glorye of god and not to obscure it ☞ But him there shall succede a contempned persone nothing estemed to haue had bene kinge or thought to haue had the kingly honor but yet shall he gete it by giftis and come in quietly at his pleasure and obtayne the kingdom by flaterye In this king is described and figured Anticryste to raigne both in the seculare kinges and emprours and also in the ecclesiastik sorte in these laste dayes vnto the worlds ende Let vs therfore beholde the begininge the successe and ende of this anticrysten Antiochus which to come to the kingdom slewe his owne brother Seleucus as did Iason slay Onias the bisshop to obtayne his bisshopryke And haue there not bene lyke pagents playd emonge emprours kinges popes preistis and bisshops one to succede another Antiochus his begininge was vyle and coÌ„temptible not loked for to be king For he was in presone at Rome left in pledge of his father nether asked of y e Sy tiaÌ„s nor lawfully called to be their king for his elder brother Seleucus had now a sonne alyue to succede him The aungel therfore calleth him a contemptible or an vnestemed persone for that he wanted auctorite that is vertewe felicite vnloked fore of the peple But god did set him in auctorite and place to be the instrumeÌ„t of his wrath For whosoeuer shall well tule and be obayed of his peple he must nedis haue auctorite which onely God createth witnes Solomon saing An eye seinge and eare hearinge both be of God Albeit therfore this antiochus was subtyle and a bolde waryer yet because he wanted y e iust auctorite before men that is he was vniust outragioê° â–ª cruell viciou se he was called of the aungella coÌ„tempned vyle vnestemed wretche He therfore what by deceitfull fraude flaterye and fayer false promises gote the fauour of y e romans to defeat his brothers sone of the kingdom But will ye see anticryst in his proper colours He shall come into his auctorite and place of himself vnsent of god nether entreth he in by the dore but lurketh a wolfe vndera lambes skynne What glitering shewe of honesty vertewe godlynes and holines sheweth and pretendeth this horned beast vnder how many holy preteÌ„ces to suppresse heresyes sedicions and to abolisshe false religioÌ„s yea to abolisshe anticryst himself to refor me the chirches and plante the gospell playth he anticrystis parte in stablishing false doctryne and falser religion and in suppressing the trewe gospell vnder the colour of preching the gospell purely and syncerely he burneth banisheth all trâ— syncere and pure prechers of it Hath not Mahumete and the popes by these subtyle fraudis goten their kingdoÌ„s Thei promise to teche declare the lawes of god but thei preche their owne dead deuilishe dremes Thei wryte themselues the most holy headis and vicares of the catholike chirche of God but thei be the most prophane cheiftains of sathans synagoge Thei pretend rightwysnes worke all mischeif Thei fayn peace and be the autors of y e most vniust batails Thei praise and preche mercye and good workis and be therselues the most cruell mercilesse tyrants and sheders of innoceÌ„t blode spendinge the goodis of the chirche substance of the poore vpon their owne fleshly lustis and dirtye doinge sakes Thre thinges be here expressed First he is not called Secondarily it came prosperously to passe with him to raigne Thirdly he obtained all thingis by murther fraude and flaterye He was farre inferior to his father antiochus the greate both in powr fortune He was a subtyle deceiuet a fayer false promiser a fla terer a viciouse lecherouse persone couetuose graceles bolde in mischeif and pie teles ☞ And armes shall come lyke a great rysinge sea before him they shal be ouer whelmed of him yea euen y e prince him self which was confedered with him By these arysinge armes be signifyed the princes of Syria Egypte but cheifly the capitains of the hostes holdinge and kepinge the cities in Phenice which lyke a swelling sea came rysing vp ayenst this Antiochus Epiphan which armes had then leauer ether Seleucus his sonne the Syriam or els Ptolom Philometor the Egypte prince and sonne of Cleopatre sister to this Antiochê° to haue raigned then this contempned Antiochus Epiphan This prince here confedered with him was Ptolom Philometer Cleopatras sonne and king of Egypt All these armes and princes saith the aungell shall this wiked Antiochus ouerwhelme and ouerflowe them lyke the dilâ—â—iâ— of Nohe Hither to hath he described the begininge of the raigne of Antiochus Epiphan now shall ye see the middis of his raigne that is to â—eit his 3. expedicioÌ„s or viages of y e which one was into Phinicen the other two into Egypt ayenst his sisters sonne Ptolom Philometor ☞ For after that he shall make an iâ—sidiose confederacion with him he
as he was to the iewes in Antiochus tyme not sufferinge that greuou sepersccucion to continewe senger then y e said 1290. dayes he saith dayes because the litle tyme apereth so longe to the afflicted Thê° be we warned to perseuer strongly in pacience abydinge the glorious coming of cryste to iugement to slaye this anticristen horned whore of babylon withe the almighty breathe of his mouth that we might haue our perpetuall ioye teste with cryste But daniel go thou hence vntyll the ende be comen be at reste For thou shalt stand vp with thy parte in the ende of the tymes Here at last is daniel commanded of y e aungell Cryst to departe and to take his reste his bodye to lye down and sleape in the duste his soule to reste in ioye in Abrahams bosome which is in heuen with god the father with his sone holy gost with all y e holy aungels spirits of the lust vntyll that gloriouse daye of y e resurreccion all crystis enimies thrust downe vnder his fete And then he telleth him that he shall resume his gloriouse immor tall incorruptible spirituall bodye standing vp ayen as it were from sleape with his parte and blessed company of the cho sen. Thus shall we all bothe gladde fresshe and ioyfull aryse rogither in the laste daye which is now owr moste present coÌ„solacion Iesus cryst our resurreccion graunt it vs that we mought so vnderstande teache and lone daniel the prophetes that me myght with them ryse agene in that euerlastinge scole perfectly lerne to knowe to honor God vnto whom onely be glorie immortall So be it Nowe geue thankis to our celestial father thorowe Iesus cryste our redemer that he hath at last so clerely by his prophete daniel reueled to vs these so secrete misteries so that we be assâ—wered cry sâ—e our redemer to haue had ben comen incarnated these 154â— yeres ago that he shall come agene shortely to delyuer vs mightely out of anticristis tyraÌ„nye destroye him w t his almighty worde We beseche the oh father for cristes sake ge â—e vs the very feare faith in the make vs call vpoÌ„ thâ—for our onely mediator cristes sake to be herde that among these so many mighty fraudes of Anticryst we â—hriâ—k not we fall not froÌ„ the but that in thy holy feare pacieÌ„t abydig we might perseuâ—â— to our endis reste with daniel in the cominge of cryste Iesu we mought with him in the felowship of thy chosen meâ—e our sauiour cryste in our glorifyed bodies rysen ayene into that perpetuall felicite prepared for vs in cryste from the begininge Amen Emprinted at Geneue 1545. G. I. Halcyon is a kingis fissher The last dayes be ê‘ellous Cap. 12. A monarchie is one empire ouer all the worlde the scripture is Gods worde the first age 2. age 3. age the first age 2. age 3. age A monarchie the first monarchie The. 2. Monarchye The. 3. Monarchie The. 4. Monarchy Daniel 2. The argument The om nipotencie mer cie of God God ruleth the world by kinges prophetis note this wel good reader 22. Cap. 9. Cap. Gene. 7. Of babylon citie Amonicion 2. Pet. 2. Rom. 11. Text. The office of kinges and victours the chirche is fre in captiuite Exo. 20. What thing is victoriose kings shuld do Deu. 17. kinges muâ—â—â— euer â—â—adâ— y e boke of Deut. Daniel â—althasar â—ananias drach Rom. 13. Text. Exo. 20 Cap. 11. Places of the. 1. cap. Rom. 11. The false prophe tâ— were euer in greter autorite theÌ„ the trwe wherfor be good men scourged w t the euil The batail i promises 29. Eze. 33. Ephe. 3. The glory of the peple of Israel â— their exi le Gen. 49 3. place Prou. 20 2. Paral. 31. Mat. 10. 1. Pet. 3. Titu 3. The godly howe thei shal do in tyme of peace batel Eze. 18. Faith erectâ—th hirself vp bithe â—mises ayenste the threates We may not poit God the tyme pla ce c. How the vngodly behaue theÌ„selfe in tyme of peace batail The fast and punisshement of the false prechers Iere. 28. The cry sten lyfe The argnmeÌ„t of the 2. ca. Text. Gen. 22. It behoueth the victor to fele what captiues he hathe 1. Samu â—l 5 6. god how he is w t men I say 29 the word of god reueled shameth maÌ„ nis doctrin seme it neuer so deceÌ„t laudable Text. Rom. 4. all thynges be possible to God Heb. 11. Text. Psal. 17. What it is to call vpoÌ„ god 2. Cor. 1. Ioan. 16 Text. Our ennimies must we loue 1. Cor. 2. Onely y e holy gost seeth what is to come Our eni mies but not their doctryn to be loued Text. Whiche drames be of god Cryste when aÌ„d wherfor he shuld come Text. The kiÌ„g doÌ„ of cry ste. The begining fal of kiÌ„gdoms be of God Christis kingdoÌ„ kingdoÌ„s ar y e howses of the gospell The worlde without the gospel is hel Text. â— Mona Text. Text. Text. 4. Monarchie The Romane empiâ—e shal be destroyed Cast of all shall the Gospell destryoe both Pope turke vsurping the Romain empire The diuision of the Romain em pire Text. Christes kyngdoÌ„ when it begane institued of God Christis kyngdoÌ„ is his worde his chur che the ston â—ut out of the hil without hande Luc. 19. Psal. 2. Text. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Tim. 5 The. 3. chapter Bothe autors â–ª defenders worshippers of ymages â–ª shal be greuosly plaged Text. accusers of good menshal be destroyed Text. Text. To not defende y e trwthe and to re nye it is allone The lyberty of the faith full in the crosse To worship god what it is Rom. 10. Dissemble not in Gods honore worship The bisshops vn godly godly worship of ymages Onias Menelaus Iason Macha Exo. 32. Leui. 26. Psal. 96. Deut. 4. 27. Exo. 20. Iosue 8. Deu. 16. 1. Cor. 10 Thre hâ— nors a diuine honor A ciuâ—le honor And an ydoll honor w t win gloseth and it oute w t a certain reuerent behauior Matt. 5. Text. Beware ye cruell hangmeÌ„ meÌ„ but ners Psal. 104 Text. The subiects folowe their kynge coÌ„dicions the first precept is the rule of all doctryne I say 7. Who was the angel in the fyer The flame burneth the burners of y e faith full be they neuer so far of Psal. 2. Text. The pro perty of our papi stis about kingis emprowrs To send forth pre chers is y e spediest way to plant y e gospell Cryst is with vs in y e middes of y e fyer of tribulacion I say 53. Hebre. 11 kinges take hede your fice the first place TyraÌ„ts deride y e godly Oure erth quakis and present eclyps Ioan. 3. In his first article against D. barnes Corporall promises haue condicioÌ„s but not y e promises of the gospell Of y e 6. place 26 Wherfore God laith vpon vs bodely affliccions Psal.
50. We must praye incessantly Luc. 16. The. 4. chap. Chap. 4. Text. Balthasar is y e most hyghe keper of tresure Prou. 2â— securite is y e companioÌ„ of welthines Psal. 48. Edg prosperite of kings wyl haue a bitter ende Deut. 32. Iere. 27. and. 49. Prou. 11. Luk. 23. 1. Pet. 4. kynges ought first to aske couÌ„sell at y e seruants of â—od Text. The braÌ„ ches The frutes The birdes Mat. 13. 8. The bea stis Lerne ye kynges The office of kynges Aungels come downe Cap. 11. Psal. 76. Aungels kepe kynges and their realme To wyked kynges god threteneth destruccion To y e repenters payns be mitigated the fere of god is the only way to kepe real mes Iesus is y e mouthe of God what couÌ„ sel ought to be geuen to kings Luke 13. Two ryghtwysnesses one of faith onely before god and another of y e là we before men The order of iustificacioÌ„ Text. Sennac Timoth Athene Pompeiê° the great Sewer proude kynges god hateth What princes shuld do Text. The confession of a penitent The psal ter is y e boke of y t trinite 1. Cor. 1. Galat. 3. Text. Nebuca Euilme Belfaz 4. of the kynges cap. 18. 19 Mat. 27. Note this diligently Isay. 21. Abac. 2. Iere. 51. Eccle. 10 An allegory in sylence expressely omitted Allegories must be vnlocked w t their owne keyes A lyek senteÌ„ce Prou. 29 Rom. 1. 1545. of y e vse of y e goodiâ— of y e chirche Idle bisshops goodis shuld sustaine poore coÌ„ gregacioÌ„s and scoles They prophane y e chirche goodes that suffer y e iust ministers to want mat 24. Text. The kingis spiritualty is called to court Mat. 25 Gen. 27 Heb. 13. Isay. 55. Num. 22 Rabby Saadias Isay. 21. Abac. 3. Iere. 51. 2. Pet. 2. kingdoÌ„s for their synnes be chaâ—ged 1. thes 5. 1. Sa. 28 Isay. 8. and. 23. Deu. 18. The reuelacioÌ„ of gods worde coÌ„ fouÌ„deth the wyse idolaters Text. the quene was his graÌ„dame Nebuc wyfe Father is here his graÌ„d father psa 10â— 1. of the kings 18 Gen. 19. Text. Eccl. 10. The office of a trew precher The examples of gods wrath ar not to be neglected Mat. 10 and. 11. The vse of y e exaÌ„ples of gods wrath For two synnes kingdoÌ„s be translated The explicacioÌ„ of the. 3. wordis Num. 16 psal 108 Psal. 2. psal 106 1. reg 10. 54. siche lyke psalm is xenophon Text. the chirche wherfor it flourisheth more in captiuite then at libertye Mat. 24 TituÌ„ 1. Rom. 14 Text. xenophon 1495. the age of y e first Mo marchie psal 126. An exhortacioÌ„ to emperours and kyngs psal 2. .33 The argumeÌ„t Cap. vi Darus Cyaxares Cyrus raigned 24. yeares A godly ordinance in kyngdome Text. Magi. doctour Barnes had almost come to hor agen into germanye Psa. 2. Isay. 42 45. Disparilite felicite brig forth enuye debate in euery estate Text. Daniel opeÌ„li breketh the vngodly kings wy ked actis The obiection The solucion The declaracioÌ„ of y e solucion coÌ„ firmacioÌ„ therof psal 51. Eccle. 11. Deut. 1. Num. 13. psal 94. 3. reg 8. Danielâ— prayer coÌ„sisteth in 3. partis Text. This da niel was spoken of spight conteÌ„pte Of lawes and actis Plato Mat. 27. Deut. 12. Mat. 15. Isay. 29. Psal. 18. Lyuil laws Ca. 11. Weake faithed Ro. 14. Isay. 42 psa 144. Persewers TituÌ„ 3. Mar. 9. An exaÌ„ple to be noted folowed of kinges Text. The lyons psa 109. Rom. 6. The argument of the â–ª 7. Text. Chap. 7. The lyoÌ„ of Baby lon Plinye Prou. 18. Amos. 5. yong lordes yong beres olde rulers old beres Orosius lib. 2. Iustinâ— lib. 1. The peâ—siâ—… bere smiteÌ„ thorow of â— e greke leoparde The leoparde is the Macedonik Monarchye Alexanders successours the 4 wiges 4 hornes The last beaste is the Romane eÌ„pyre The. 10. hornes Iob. 29. Mat. 2â— Text. Apoc. 13. Daniel coÌ„pared with the Apocalypse Apoc. 17. 2. Tes. 2 1. IoaÌ„ 2. Apoc. 13. The spi rituall anticrist The beastis wouÌ„de healed of his owne spiritual sourgens The seclar antichrist Apoc. 17. The. iii. hornes casten downe of the pope 2. thes 2. The difference betwixt the turk and anticrist IoaÌ„ draconite The tur kes king dom wheÌ„ it begane Of the place where it â—â—â—â—ne Off his powr Ezec. 38. and 39. Off his doctrine the trew token of the chirche a comparison of y e Mahumetes doctrine of the popis Text. Apoc. 1. 5. Exo. 24 psal 54. psal 91. Vse 12. 2. thes 1. 2. Mat. 19. Rom. 8. Paul Ro viii his whit clothes Ris flaÌ„mey trone what it signifieth Ioel. 2. Rom. 2. 1. Cor. 4. Text. Apoc. 17. 16. 20. 3. documents Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 4 Act. 17. Gen. 3. 4. Cryste shall come lyke the sone of man Ioan. 5. Text. Christs kingdoÌ„ Ioan. 5. 1. Cor. 15 Text. Apoc. 4. and. 20 Ion. 1. Hebr. 4. Rom. 2. 1. Cor. 4. Mat. 26 Isa. 65. Apoc. 21. 2. Pet. 3. Ier. 48. Exo. 23. 20. 31. 34. 35. Leuit. 23 Deut. 5. God Magog Philip. Melan. The doctryne TokeÌ„s of a wyked king kingdoÌ„ The coÌ„minacioÌ„ The corrupcion of the youth The corrupcion of manis iugement The forme face of the trw chir che psal 104 Exo. 1. The face of our present chirche Whefor TraÌ„substaÌ„cion othomaÌ„ began to gither The con solacion Gog magog Ezechi 3â— 39. Where ar y e mountains of israel The. 8. Chapt. Text. Susis At the flowde wherfor visions be sene 2. thes 2. Text. Of the â—am w c was the Persie kinge The Go te is Alexander The paÌ„ther is y e same A gote is a stin king lecheroâ—se beast The descripcioÌ„ of Grece An apte similitude Of y e lyt le horne Antiochus Epiphanes 1. mach 1 .2 Macc. 5. 1 mach 6 Text. Which is 6. yeres â–ª 3. moneth 20 dayes wrath is y e captiuite of BabyloÌ„ of antiochê° I say 9. Gabriel y t streÌ„gth of god Cryst is y e meruelouse one Mat. 28. I say 59. 1 maca 7 Adar Chap. 1. 1 maca 2 Text. Antioch the figure of our anticrystes 2 maca 5 2 thes 2. The sin nes of y e world ar the causes of anticrist Gog Magog The differeÌ„ce of y e turkis popis kingdoÌ„ Antishameles face his fraudes of other menis powr Onias Iason anticrist described of his vaâ—â—acion antiochê° was fortunate 2 Macca be 5. antiochê° y e oppressor of grete good men 2 maca 7 antiochê° was deceitfull prowde antiochê° destroeth with giftis antiochê° a blasphemer The end of antiochus 1 mach 6 2. thes 2. the text 12 verse Text. The ende of An tiochus Text. Text. Nota. ☞ Text. Dâ—lus Text. 2. thes 2. The name of the chirche Text. Ioan oâ— cosampa diâ—â— 1. Iod. 2. 2 thes 2. Text. Mat. 24. Hitherto Ioan ecolampadius Text. An hebdoma is 7. yeres 2 Cor. 4. 1 Cor. 10. Luk 8. 2. Cor. 12 What
worke dayes agen when they changed y e Saterday into Sondaye of eting dayes fasting dayes of mery and glad dayes to marye in they can make sorowfull dayes forbiddinge maryages They haue changed gods lawes and turned them into their owne tradicioÌ„s to be kept aboue Gods preceptis And as for their owne lawes they will change breke them when they lyste And this powr shal anticrist haue whether it be for long or shorte tyme. For so miche sowneth the Hebrew phrase which is for a tyme a lytle whyle half a tyme signifyinge that Anticryst shall make lawes to stande as long and as shorte tyme as he listeth and the tymes will he order sett and change at his owne plesur But is it not onely y e office of god to chang tymes and lawes Here is therfore the prophecye fulfylled of him Euen to exalt himselfe aboue all thing that god is called This text But the hyghe saynts he shall tangle trappe destroye and arrogantly thinke to change the tymes and lawes c. is of diuerse lerned men diuersely translated The vulgare text sayth That he shall speke wordis ayenst the hyghe god And destroy the sayntis of the mosthyghest thinke that he maye change tymes and lawes they shal be taken into his hand for a tyme half a tyme. Ioan Oecolampadius translateth it thus He shall speke wordis on the syde of the most hyghest c. and the Tygurine byble or zirâ—k text hath And he shall make wordis of diuine thinges Derba enim faciet de rebus diuinis that is for he shall make wordis of diuyne things The scole doctors of diuynite as Dâ—nce and his faryne â–ª what new strange sterting termes they haue inueÌ„ted to expresse their dirty diuynite the scole men know it of the which their Missa transsubstancion sacrameÌ„ts and consecâ—acion be some ifye lyst to tast them of y e which scoldinge scole mater thus termed Paul gaue Timothe an ernest last warninge adding aftir many graue monicions Oh Timothe kepe fast that â–ª is deposed into thy custody beware and estiewe prophane newe vanities of wordis and these disputacions pro and contra in their false science falsely called diuynitie which many doctours professing 〈◊〉 haue shamfully erred in the faith In this vision daniel seeth him to haue a mouth geuen him spekinge great and stowt thinges To speke ayenst the hygh God or to speke on his syde or on his behalf for his worsship as though he were sent and commanded of God is when he speketh of himselfe starke lyes and blasphemies Is it not ayenst god thus to speke and to make vs beleue that he speketh on the part of the most hyghest when he speketh for the deuyll is parte and all on his syde The serpent made Eue beleue that he spake on Gods syde when he tolde hir that hir eyes shulde be opened and them to be as goddis c. The papists wold make vs beleue that in all their lawes false worshipes fulser inuocacions decent seruice laudable rytes and ceremonies in all their necessary enstruccioÌ„s and vncrysten institucions sermons sacraments blessingis buzings halowingis â–ª â—sses and siche lyke that they speke all for goddis worship and on his part when all is playn ayenst god his worde and for their owne fylthey lucre honor synfull affectis Thus make they wordis or false mater of diuyne thingis that is to saye they mok with goddis holy worde or thruste in their owne dreames for goddis worde into the greate hurte and slaying of his holy faithfull they think to change tymes and lawes Which all these thre thinges shall be putt into his powr saith the aungell for a tyme tymes and half a tyme or as hath the Hebrew for a tyme long or short How long y e chirche shall suffer vnder these hornes tyll cryst come to iugemeÌ„t the daye and houre of their fall and his cominge God onely knoweth it But the holy faythfull which haue bene these many yeres past and yet be delyuered into their handis to suffer ah lasse they thinke it to long that anticryst shall thus raigne and persecute the chirche vnto the last daye But when the pestelent popes and the cruell Turke promise themselues the Monarchye of the hole worlde then shall there be a soden fall of their wyked purpose as it is expowned before for then shal that most desyred ioyfull daye of cryste beginne to shyne ouer vs in which daye y t chirche shall be saued and these thre beastis the Pope with his clergye the Turke and Mahumete with their x. hornes persecutinge the gospell shall be for euer dampned Oh God immortall howe greate vastacions and destruccions in the chirche are there prophecied of Ezechiel to be made of Gog and Magog And here how cruell persecucions doth daniel prophecie to be done of the Turke and pope euen the two handis and hornes of the deuyll praye we therfore the mercyfull god the father of oure sauior Iesu as did king Ezechias that he wolde geue vs peace and his worde in oure dayes and wolde suffer shortly to come oure delyuerer Iesus lest we be putt into the hande of this enimye of all enimyes the most cruellest that now are haue bene and euer shal be So be it For beter is it the last daye to come then the Turke Philip Melanchton both lernedly and sharply noteth vpon this chapter iii. thinges to be coÌ„tayned A doctryne a comminacion and a consolacion The doctryne he sayth perteineth cheifly vnto this last age of the worlde For men be meruelously moued at the slyber fortunes therof vnto both the parties Some seing the great prosperouse successe fortunes and meruelous victories of the Turkis and other menis kingdoms and coÌ„trary wyse the chirches of God to haue so harde fortunes persecuted and destroyd in euery region will rather folowe them that best prosper and so fall from y e trewe chirche to the Turke or Pope yet raigning in seculare princes polycies doctrynes and institucioÌ„s actis and articles enbracing their false and vngodly religion Yea they miss ayed the Turke and Pope fightinge on their sydis to bringe them into an amplier and hygher empyre to th enteÌ„t they might be ether partakers of their prosperouse successe and lucre or els to haue y t Turke their helpinge horne to suppresse the gospell for vnto this ende shall the pope helpe the Turke and the cardinals and bisshops helpe and perswade theire emperour and princes Although themselues as they wilnot receyue the Turkis wyked doctryne so in their hertis will thei neuer be obedieÌ„t and subiect to their seculare lawfull headis and magistrats But when they shall fynde an occasion vtterly rebell and fight ayenst their headis For this cause god warneth vs before lest we taken with the admiracion of powr and good successe or els broken w t trouble and persecucion fall from the gospell vnto these prosperosly puft vp