raigned in Media but that can not be for this Darius was also the king of the Medes and Persians as is euident c. 6. 5. Iosephus Scalliger giueth vnto Darius 17. yeares making him the last king of the Chaldeans after whome Cyrus succeeded lib. 6. de emendat tempor 6. Iunius opinion seemeth to be commentar in 5. c. v. 29. that the first yeare of Darius was the second of Cyrus 7. Pererius affirmeth that Darius raigned but one yeare and that Cyrus succeeded him in the same yeare beeing the 70. yeare of the Iewes captiuitie 8. But the truer opinion is that Cyrus and Darius raigned ioyntly together as thinketh Calvin and that the first of Darius was the first also of Cyrus for in the first of Cyrus the word of God spoken by Ieremie concerning the 70. yeares captiuitie was finished 2. Chro. 36. 22. And so likewise it appeareth in this place that in the first yeare of Darius that time of 70. yeares was expired the first then of Cyrus and Darius concurred together for the rest it is like that Darius raigned not long but beeing 62. yeare old when he tooke the kingdom vpon him he might die the same yeare which was also Cyrus first see more hereof c. 6. qu. 3. 9. And whereas it is saide in one yeare of Darius which Pererius gesseth to be so called because he raigned but one yeare the reason rather is this that the word aâ—hath which signifieth one is according to the phrase of the Hebrew taken for the first as Gen. 1. the morning and euening were one day that is the first and Mark 16. it is said that our Lord rose in one of the Sabbaths that is in the first day of the weeke Polan Pintus 3. Quest. Whether in the first yeare of Darius the Chaldean Monarchie was dissolued and the 70. yeares captiuitie ended against the opinion of Iosephus Scalling lib. 6. Iosephus Scalliger a man of excellent learning who for his singular labours in that learned and exquisite worke which he hath written of the emendation of the times hath highly deserued of all men yet is in diuers points ouerseene and especially in this matter concerning the ende of the Chaldean Monarchie and of the Iewish captiuitie for lib. 6. of that worke he hath these positions 1. He affirmeth that the Chaldean state was not dissolued in the 70. yeare of the captiuitie but rather in the 60. yeare for from the 8. yeare of Ieconias captiuitie vnto the ende of the Chaldean gouernment are found saith he by Iosephus computation who therein followeth Berosus about 60. yeares 36. yeares remained after the 8. yeare of Nabuchadnezzers raigne when the captiuitie beganne who raigned in all 43. yeares after Nabuchadnezzer Euilmerodach 2. yeares then Niglasar 4. yeares Labosardach 9. moneths and Nabonidus whome Cyrus ouercame 17. yeares 2. He thinketh that Cyrus did not take Babylon in the first yeare of his raigne but many yeares after when he had vanquished Cresus the rich king of Lydia two yeares after that as Herodotus writeth he ouercame the Chaldeans But Cresus was ouercome as Eusebius doth cast the time in the 4. yeare of the 57. Olympiad whereas Cyrus began to raigne in the 1. yeare of the 53. Olyampiad 3. The first yeare of Cyrus he would haue concurre with the 46. yeare of the captiuitie not with the 70. yeare for the beginning of Cyrus raigne as is before shewed was in the 1. yeare of the 55. Olympiade And Babylon was taken in the 2. yeare of the 58. Olympiade which was the 14. yeare of Cyrus and the 60. yeare of the captiuitie 4. A fourth assertion is that the captiuitie ended in the last yeare of Cyrus about the 2. yeare of the 62. Olympiad when as Cyrus had now subdued many countries which could not be in the beginning of his raigne for thus Cyrus saith in his Edict for the returne of the Iewes All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heauen giuen vnto me And whereas it is there called the 1. yeare of Cyrus that is not to be vnderstood of his raigne but of the captiuitie for so the Iewes began their account of yeares from that time Contra. 1. The first position is contrarie to that prophesie of Ieremie c. 35. 12. When the 70. yeares are accomplished I will visit the king of Babel c. then the 70. and last yeare of the captiuitie and the dissolution of the Babylonian state must fall out together as for that computation of Berosus of the yeares of the Babylonian kings it is vncerten neither doth Iosephus alwaies follow it who els where ioyneth the last yeare of the captiuitie with the first yeare of Cyrus 2. Herodotus is deceiued much in his historie in the order of time and in the computation of yeares as is euident in this one instance Nitocris the mother of Balshazar whome he calleth Labynitus the last king of Babylon he maketh but fiue generations or descents from Semiramis which exceedeth not an 165. yeares counting a generation at 33. yeares or at the most 500. yeares if we giue an 100. yeares to a generation whereas the most writers are of opinion as Hierome Eusebius Orosius Augustine with others that there were at the least a 1000. yeares betweene them 3. The two last assertions may euidently be conuinced by the Scripture which expressely setteth downe that the returne of the Iewes and so the ende of their captiuitie was in the first yeare of Cyrus which must be vnderstood of his raigne ouer Chaldea for he had raigned before in Persia and Darius in Media he might say all kingdomes were giuen him because he had ouercome the large Empire of Babylon The Iewes indeede accounted their owne yeares from such notable deliuerances as from their going out of Egypt from their returne out of Chaldea but there is no reason so to account the yeares of the raigne of forren kings neither can any such president be shewed in Scripture 4. Quest. Of the 70. yeares of captiuitie in what sense they are called seuen generations Baruch 6. 2. Whereas the Prophet Ieremie defineth and setteth downe the tearme of the Babylonian captiuitie to be 70. yeares c. 25. v. 11 12. c. 29. v. 10. it seemeth strange that Baruch c. 6. 2. should say that they should remaine in Babylon seuen generations to this obiection diuers answers are made by the Romanists who hold the epistle of Baruch to be Canonicall 1. The word generation is taken diuersly sometimes for 7. yeares as when the Physiâ—ians prescribe that a child should not be let blood till he hath accomplished two generations that is 14. yeares Eusebius taketh a generation for 20. yeares Herodotus sometime for the space of 2â— yeares sometime for 33. yeares Diodorus for 30. yeares in which sense Hâ—mer saith Nestor liued three ages that is 90. yeares Dyonisius Halycarnass by a generation vnderstandeth an 100. yeares and so it is taken in Scripture Gen. 15. 13. 16. foure generations are
loue I were nothing Pintus 3. But there are some which are the faithfull seruants and true Prophets of God who haue both the gift of Prophesie with the vnderstanding therof and are also in Gods fauour and in the state of grace such an one was Daniel Quest. 4 v. 1. Why Daniel maketh mention of his name Belteshazzar What the meaning of this name is is shewed before c. 1. quest 28. But Daniel nameth himselfe here Belteshazzar for these cause 1. voluit hoc vaticinium celebre esse per omnes nationes he would haue this prophesie famous among all nations where he was knowne rather by the name of Belteshazzar then by the name of Daniel Calvin 2. by this meanes though he were called by a strange name yet he would make it knowne se non alienum esse à populo Dei that he was not enstranged from the people of God but continued still in their communion 3. And hereby also Daniel intimateth that he was the same man vnto whom the former visions were shewed and the vnderstanding of secret things and so by this meanes this vision was receiued with greater credit and authoritie Polan Quest. 5. v. 2. Why Daniel was so long in heauines 1. Theodoret thinketh this was one cause thereof because all of the Iewes hauing libertie to returne yet many of them beeing in loue with the pleasures of Babylon neglect◠in patriam reditu tanto beneficio vti noluerunt neglecting to returne into their countrey would not vse so great a benefit But if this had beene the cause Daniel would not haue deferred the time of mourning so long for this backewardnesse of the people was knowne in the 1. yeare of Cyrus when the people had licence to returne 2. An other cause of Daniels mourning is supposed to haue beene the remembrance and consideration of so many heauie things as were foreshewed him in time to come to befall his people 3. As also because it was reuealed vnto him to what blindnesse and obstinacie his people should growe as to put to death the Messiah Perer. But if either of these had beene the cause Daniel would not haue put off his mourning so long for the first was signified vnto him in the 3. of Balthazar c. 8. and the other in the 1. of Darius c. 9. But this mourning of Daniel was in the 3. yeare of Cyrus two yeares after 4. Therefore this indeede was the cause the people which were returned had begunne to reedifie the Temple and presently they were hindred by Cambyses Cyrus beeing occupied in warres abroad this hard newes came to Daniel in Persia and therefore he mourneth entreating the Lord that the businesse might goe forward Iun. Polan Oecolampad Pellic. with others Quest. 6. Of the time that Daniel mourned which was three weekes of dayes 1. This is added of dayes by way of distinction because in the former chapter he had spoken of weekes of yeares Polan 2. Some thinke he mourned 3. weeks to signifie the Trinitie gloss interlin but that is too curious 3. Some because the people hauing leaue to returne in the first of Cyrus had deferred their iourney vntill this 3. yeare and therefore Daniel mourneth 3. weeks for euerie yeare a weeke least this negligence should haue beene layd vnto the peoples charge Hugo but this is contrarie to the storie Ezra 2. where it is declared that they beganne to build the Temple in the second yeare therefore they did not put off their returne vnto the third yeare 4. Further Hugo hath an other conceit that as Daniel fasted 21. dayes before the Angel appeared which represented Christ so the Church hath the like vse to fast 21. dayes before the aduent But such superstitious customes are not grounded vpon either precept or example in Scripture superstition was the mother and founder of such inuentions 5. This then was the cause Daniel herein sheweth his constancie not that sorrowe is valued before God by the length of time but Daniel continueth in fasting and prayer expecting still some comfortable answer from God he therefore giueth not ouer vntill he sawe that the Lord graciously inclined vnto his prayer Iun. 6. And in that he fasted 21. dayes in the 1. moneth the 1. day which was the newe moone which they were commanded by the lawe to keepe with reioycing seemeth to be excepted Iun. 7. And whereas within this time they vsed to keepe the Passeouer which was a time also of reioycing it seemeth that in the captiuitie that solemnitie was omitted and so thinketh R. Leui whereupon Theodoret reprooueth the Iewes in his time who vsed to celebrate the Pasch with all the rites and ceremonies thereto belonging wheresoeuer they were whereas by Moses lawe it was onely to be kept in the place which the Lord should chuse Quest. 7. Of Daniels abstinencie v. 3. I ate no pleasant bread In the Hebrewe it is called bread of desries which Theodoret taketh to haue beene common bread because it was desired of all but it rather signifieth some fine pleasant bread such as whitebread or manchet is to browne Vatab. for afterward he speaketh of wine which is a pleasant and principall drinke from the which also Daniel abstained it is not like that for 3. weekes he did eat no bread at all 2. Now in that Daniel the space of 3. weekes refrained the drinking of wine and eating of pleasant bread or meate it seemeth that before he vsed them so that Daniels abstinencie when he did chuse at the first to be fedde onely with bread made of pulse c. 1. seemeth only to haue beene for a time which some thinke was for that he was now in yeares and therefore it was not fit he should vse such a sparing and course diet as he did before or now he was at his owne finding and needed not to be forced to eat any meate that was polluted but might prouide such as he thought best himselfe Lyran. Perer. But this rather was the cause as M. Calvin well noteth that now there was not the like danger as then in eating delicate meates for then they were vsed as baits to corrupt Daniel and winne him from his faith and religion But afterward Daniel elapsus è Diaboli Regis insidijs hauing escaped the snares of Sathan and of the king vseth greater libertie Quest. 8. Of the custome and vse of anointing which Daniel also forbeareth Hierome here writeth that the Persians in stead of bathes vsed to anoint themselues ye◠to besmeare themselues all ouer with ointment as Plinie writeth lib. 13. c. 1. which they did both to defend themselues from the intemperat heat and to keep their bodies in health Lyran. this custome of anointing was verie auncient Plinie in the same place saith it was not in vse in the time of the Troiane warte But that is not so for Diodorus Siculus lib. 2. c. 1. reporteth how a king of Egypt called Miridies allowed vnto his wife for ointment and other ornaments of her bodie
language and therfore vsed of the learned Genevens Dan. 2. 6. But I rather thinke with Tremellius and Polanus that howsoeuer in times past there was small difference for that part of this booke which is written in the Chalde tongue from the 4. v. of the 2. chapter to the ende of the seauenth is called also the Aramites or Syrians language c. 2. 4. yet now they doe manifestly differ the ancient Chalde speach and the common Syrian language 7. Now the Chalde tongue is either that purer kind of speaking and writing which is vsed here in Daniel from 2. c. v. 4. to the ende of the seauenth and Ezra c. 4. vnto the seauenth which was then commonly vsed in Babylon or els it was more impure such as the three Targums are written in namely of Onkelus Ionathas and the Hierosolymitan as also the two Talmuds the one of Babylon the other of Ierusalem ex Polan Quest. 26. v. 4. Of the necessarie institution of schooles and the manner and order thereof v. 4. Teach the learning and language of the Chaldeans 1. Hence appeareth that the institution of schooles wherein youth should be brought vp in good letters was very auncient for here in Babylon such as were afterward to be employed in the state had their education in learning So among the Egyptians they had the like vse where Moses was taught the learning of the Egyptians Among the Israelites 48. cities were appointed for the Leuites which were as the common Schooles and Vniuersities for the whole kingdom Samuel and Elizeus had their Schooles and Colledges of Prophets Among the Grecians Athens was famous for the studie of Arts and in Egypt Alexandria yea the rude Indians had their Gymnosophistes and the Romans had their Colledges of Augures 2. Beside hence it is gathered that the chiefe care of the promoting of learning belongeth to the King as here Nebuchadnezer giueth it in charge 3. And because kings beeing occupied with other affaires cannot themselues attend that busines they are to set ouer such places good ouerseers as here the King committeth the care of this busines to Ashpenaz 4. And as here choice is made of the best wits and such as were not deformed to be brought vp in learning so such should now be preferred to places of learning as are like to profit well in that profession and not euery spittle and dulhead to be obtruded and thrust into such places by fauour to make a scholler of beeing fit for no other employment 5. These vpon whome this learned education is bestowed were the sonnes of Nobles whereas in many places noble men thinke it a disgrace to be learned whereas there cannot be a greater ornament vnto true nobilitie then learning 6. Here also it is shewed what they should learne to be instructed in the knowledge of the tongues whereby a way is made for other learning 7. And they must not be alwaies learning a time is prefixed here of three yeares to take triall how they profit they which are put to learning must not be non proficientes but after some time make some proofe how they profit 8. The king also prouideth suâ—ficient maintenance for them a competent diet not superfluous but in times past Abbeyes had too much and now Schooles of learning haue too little Bulling Quest. 27. Why other names were giuen them 1. Quia nomina Iudaea oderant fugerant because the Chaldeans did hate and shunne Hebrew and Iewish names Iun so also Hugo Card indigne ferebat quod vocarentur nominibus Iudaeae the king could not endure that they should be called with the names of Iudea to the same purpose Lyranus nomina Hebraica erant Babyloniis abominabilia the Hebrew names were abominable to the Babylonians 2. In changing of their names the conquerer shewed his power ouer them and that by this mutation of their names they might know themselues to be seruants for it is a signe of superioritie to impose names as Adam gaue names vnto the creatures he also gaue a name vnto his wife so conquerors vsed to giue names to them whome they subdued As Pharaoh king of Egypt would haue Eliakim king of Iudah called Iehoiakim and Nebuchadnezzar called Mattaniah the last king of the Iewes Zedekiah Polan Among the Romanes they which were adopted and receiued into the number of the citizens did change their names for a remembrance and memoriall of that benefit and seruants likewise when they were manumitted did take vnto them the names of noble and free men Alexander 3. But there was a further reason in it vt deleret rex memoriam propriae gentis that by this meanes the king might blotte out the memorie of their owne nation and kindred 4. And beside the names were abolished which had any mention of God as El. Iah as one of these was in all their names Daniel Hananiah Mishael Azariah and in the newe names giuen vnto them there were quasi trophaea deorum suorum as monuments of their gods So by this meanes they thought to extinguish all memorie of their religion Iun. Polan Quest. 28. Of the signification of their names both the newe and the olde 1. Daniel signifieth the iudgement of God or whom the Lord iudgeth Hananiah is named of grace and fauour Mishael some interpret asked of God Pap. Osiander but the better deriuation is which is of God Iun. Azariah helped of God 2. Their newe names are thus interpreted Belteshazar some would haue signifie scrutator the saurâ— a searcher of treasure Pintus some custos insignis thesauri a keeper of a notable treasure Bulling some take it to signifie diuine treasure Osiand or the keeper of Bel their idol Pap. But the true sense is one laying vp or keeping the treasurie of Bell for the word is compounded of Bel and teshah to lay vp and atzar treasure Iun. Polan this name was giuen by Ashpenaz to Daniel but at the kings appointment and therefore it is said that the king named him Belthazar cap. 5. 12. Shadrach some expound a legate or embassadour Osiand some delicate Bullin Pap. some a delicate field Pintus but the true notation is this 1. the inspiration of rach that is the sunne for shadah signifieth to inspire and rach a king which name they giue vnto the Sunne Meshach some interpret prolonging Pintus some industrious Pappus some pretious Bullinger Osiander But it is compounded of Meh which and shach the name of Venus their festiuall goddes Meshach that is who is of the goddes shacah the festiuall goddesse for the Babylonians vsed vpon the 16. day of the moneth Loy to celebrate the feast of their goddes shacha for 5. dayes together during which time one of the seruants was Lord and ruler of the familie apparelled in a princely robe called Segane the Hebrewes call it Saga Iun. ex Athenaeolib 14. dipnosophrast Abednego some interpret servus lucis seruant of the light Pap. some servus illustris a famous seruant Osiander some the seruant of
Iupiter I haue taken the earth to my selfe take thou heauen c. with which picture Alexander was so delighted that he proclaimed none should take his picture but Lysippus 6. Such was his celeritie also that in the space of 13. yeares he conquered more nations then one would haue thought he could haue trauelled ouer in so short a time Apelles therefore pictured Alexander with a thunderbolt signifying his great swiftnes and agilitie in his exploits 7. Alexanders great â—ame also may be counted among other parts of his greatnes by the which he subdued more nations then by warre for the very terrour of his name made many Kingdomes submit themselues vnto him and at the same time when he died he expected Embassadours from all the Nations of Europe from France Spaine Italie Sicilie and from Africa for if he had not then died he had taken order to prouide him a great navie to haue compassed Arabia and Africa and so to haue surprised Spaine and Italie 8. The acts and monuments of Alexander are to be counted among other memorable things as first the Cities which he built which Plutarke nameth to haue beene 70. then he brought the barbarous nations to ciuilitie he taught the people Hyrcani the vse of mariage the Arachosians tillage and husbandrie the Sogdians that they should nourish and not kill their parents the Persians to honour their mothers and not to vse them for their wiues the Scythians that they should not eate the dead but burie them 9. Adde hereunto his singular vertues his constancie and patience in induring of labour his clemencie toward those whome he conquered the same day he tooke and restored againe to the king of India his kingdome Darius mother he honourably entertained as a Queene his continencie was singular Darius wife and his most beautifull daughters he touched not but preserued their chastitie neither would he see them But his liberalitie and magnificence exceeded his other vertues he gaue 23. thousand talents among his souldiers to pay their debts he bid to one feast 9. thousand ghests and gaue vnto euery one a cuppe of gold to one that asked a reward of him he gaue a citie which he refusing as too great a gift for him Alexander said Non quaero quid to decet accipere sed quid me decet dare I stand not vpon it what it is meete for thee to take but what it is fit I should giue And to conclude this point Plutarke saith that those vertues for the which seuerally certaine worthie men haue beene commended did all concurre in him as the valour of Achilles the chastitie of Agamemnon the pietie of Diomedes the courage of Cyrus the policie of Themistocles the boldnes of Brassida the wisdome of Philip his father 10. This was also part of his terrene happines that as he counted Achilles happie because he had Homer to set forth his praise so he had diuers excellent writers to register his acts as Ptolome King of Egypt Hecataeus Aristobulus Callisthenes Onesicratus Diodorus Siculus Trogus Pompeius Iustinus Q. Curtius with others Quest. 49. vers 40. Whether this fourth kingdome must be vnderstoode to be the Romane Empire There are here two opinions some take the Romane Empire to be vnderstood by this fourth kingdome which is compared to yron and the same to continue after the comming of Christ to the ende of the world as Lyranus interpreteth the two legges of the diuision of the Romane Empire into the Occidentall and Orientall at Constantinople of the same opinion are Rupertius Hugo Cardinal Pintus and of our writers Bullinger Pellican Geneuens Caluin Melancthon Osiand Some doe here comprehend the Romane Empire but vntill the comming of Christ as Pererius in vers 32. We will examine their reasons 1. Vers. 28. Daniel saith that the Lord shewed the king what should come to passe in the latter dayes therefore all the Monarchies to the ende of the world are here signified Contra. The word acharith as is before shewed doth not onely signifie the latter or extreme dayes but the time following as it is taken Gen. 49. 1. and the Prophet expoundeth himselfe vers 29. what is meant by the latter dayes that which should come to passe hereafter 2. It is not like that the Lord would conceale this thing from his Prophet and that Daniel speaking of three of the Monarchies should omit the fourth which was the greatest of all neither would the Lord leaue his Church without comfort herein Contra. 1. As God reuealed not his whole minde vnto the rest of the Prophets so neither had Daniel a cleare vision of all which should happen in the world 2. he toucheth all these foure kingdomes and gouernments which should be the chiefe oppressors and afflictors of his people vntill the rising of Christs kingdome vntill which time they had not endured much at the Romanes hands but by their owne procurement Daniel therefore speaketh of those kingdomes onely which medled most with the people of God then it much belonged not to their present comfort to heare of those kingdomes which should come afterward 3. Daniel prophesieth of the kingdome of Christ which should still encrease vnto the ende of the world vers 44. And cap. 12. 2. he euidently speaketh of euerlasting life and of the resurrection Contra. 1. The Prophet doth but touch that by occasion in a word to shewe the perfection and consummation of Christs kingdome it followeth not that therefore he should describe all the Monarchies to the ende of the world 4. But the euent of things answering to this prophesie sheweth that it is most fitly applyed to the Romane Empire 1. Because as yron the Romane Empire subdued all other kingdomes for whereas Alexanders kingdome was diuided into foure Prolome had Egypt Seleucus Syria Antigonus Asia the lesse and Antipater Macedonia who also obtained Antigonus regiment all these foure dominions were dissolued and dissipated by the Romanes Paulus Aemilius ouercame Perseus king of Macedonia and led him with his two sonnes Philippui and Alexander in triumph Lucullus and Pompeius subdued Mithridates and Tygranes and brought vnder the Syrian kingdome and Augustus Caesar ouercame Antonie with Cleopatra his wife and made a Prouince of Egypt And all the East countries Pompey the great subdued and ioyned to the Romane Empire as Asia Pontus Armenia Paphlagonia Cappadocia Cilicia Syria with others waging battell with them 30. yeares together hauing slaine put to flight or taken an 121. thousand and 83. thousand and taken 846. shippes and a 1538. cities and castles Plin. lib. 7. cap. 26. Bulling Pap. and Lyranus sheweth 3. wayes whereby they became such conquerours sapientia exercitio armorum bonâ— regimine by their wisedome exercise of warlike feates and good discipline and gouernement 2. The two legges doe signifie the diuersitie of gouernement which was euidently seene in the Romane common wealth first they were gouerned by Kings then by Consuls afterward by Tribunes they had their decemviri their Dictators for a
much lesse interpret this diuine writing so man is of himselfe vnapt and vnable to apprehend any spirituall thing the vision of the Prophets vnto carnall men is like vnto the words of a booke sealed vp Isa. 29. 10. the reason whereof the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him c. 4. Doctr. That God often vseth weake instruments as namely women to effect his purpose v. 10. Now the Queene c. came into the banket house The Lord vseth oftentimes women in his seruice which are the weaker vessels and instruments both to shewe his libertie that he is not tied vnto any meanes but may vse any indifferently and to declare his power in setting vp weake meanes and to bring downe the pride of the wise when they are confounded by the simple and vnwise As here the Lord gaue more wisedome and vnderstanding to this honourable and auntient Queene then was in the king and all his thousand nobles now assembled together So the Lord raised vp Deborah to haue more courage and wisedome in her then Baruch had And thus in our age and memorie as Polanus noteth Deus adhibuit Reginam Angliae ad confundendum Hispaniarum potentâ—ssimum regem God hath vsed the Queene of England to confound the mightie king of Spame 5. Doct. Of the obliuion and forgetfulnesse in Princes of those which deserue well of them v. 13. Art thou that Daniel Daniel was worthie for his great wisedome and necessarie employment in the Babylonian state to haue beene remembred of the king as he had beene honoured of his predecessors But such is the mutabilitie of Princes fauours As in Egypt there rose vp a Pharaoh that knewe not Ioseph neither remembred the great benefits which he had done for that nation So Saul had soone forgotten Dauid that had played before him and by whom he had found great ease for not long after he asked Abner whose sonne he was Therefore as it is in the Psalme it is better to trust in the Lord then to haue any confidence in Princes 6. Doct. Of the necessarie and profitable knowledge of histories v. 18. The most high God gaue vnto Nebuchadnezzar thy father c. Here Daniel propoundeth vnto Balthazar his father Nebuchadnezzar and setteth before him the historie of his life by the which he might haue learned great wisedom The knowledge of former times is most profitable therein we behold the equitie of Gods iudgements his iustice veritie wisedome power likewise we see in a glasse the vncertaine and changeable state of the world And for our owne direction we finde what to followe and what to decline as Diodorus Siculus speaking of the profit that commeth by histories saith pulchrum est ex aliorum erratis in melius instituere vitam c. it is a good thing by other mens errors to reforme the life The counsell of the ancient because of their long experience is commended and followed But the knowledge of histories goeth farre beyond quanto plura exempla complectitur diuturnitas temporis quam hominis aetas in as much as the continuance of time comprehendeth more examples then the age of man 7. Doct. Of the vse that is to be made of examples Examples are either old such as fell out in former times or they are newe such as happen in our owne age and memorie and both are either domesticall or forren examples But the domesticall examples are more forceable and effectuall to mooue as here the example of Nebuchadnezzar is set before Balthazar Thus it is much auaileable to call to minde the examples of our fathers and ancestors before vs to followe their vertue and decline and shunne their vices And most of all we should obserue what hath befallen our selues in the former part of our life as Dauid did comfort himselfe when he went against Goliah in the experience of Gods mercie and power in deliuering him from the lyon and the beare 1. Sam. 17. 8. Doct. That flatterers are about Princes v. 23. Thou and thy Princes c. It may seeme strange that among a thousand princes and noble men that were here assembled together there was not one faithfull counsellor But here we see fulfilled that saying in the Prou. 29. 12. of a prince that hearkeneth vnto lies all his seruants are wicked It seemeth that Balthazar was giuen to heare tales and lies by which meanes it is like that Daniel was out of fauour in Court and therefore it falleth out iust vpon him that he hath none about him to speake the truth flatterers then are dangerous about princes as Haman was vnto king Assuerus And like as oyle doth soake into earthen vessels beeing soft and smooth so flatterers by their pleasant and smooth words doe insinuate themselues 9. Doct. God hath all things in number and account v. 26. God hath numbred thy kingdome The yeares and dayes of the world the tearme and continuance of kingdomes the time of mans life are all determined with God As Iob saith are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thouâ— hast appointed his bonds which he cannot passe c. 14. 5. So the times and seasons the Lord hath put in his owne power Act. 1. 7. neither the age of the world not the tearme of kingdomes not the space of mans life can be measured or calculated by the skill of man but the Lord onely knoweth them who hath numbred and appointed them Polan 10. Doct. Of the fall and ruine of great and famous cities v. 18. Thy kingdome is diuided Pererius out of Pausanias here alleadgeth how many cities which had beene renowned and famous in the world were either vtterly decayed or much impayred as the great citie Niniue and the citie Mycene which ruled ouer all Greece were in his time become desolate so likewise Thebes in Boeotia an other Thebes in Egypt Delos in Greece and the citie Tyrinth together with Babylon which had nothing then left but walls Pausan. lib. 8. which ought to teach men not to put confidence in these earthly things as Nebuchadnezzar did in his sumptuous and costly buildings which after his time came to vtter ruine and desolation so that it is now scarse knowne where Babylon stood 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. That idolaters and worshippers of images make them their gods v. 4. They praised the gods of gold and siluer c. The Babylonians and other Gentiles were not so grosse to thinke that the diuine essence consisted of siluer or gold or that the verie images were their gods for they did hold that their gods were in heauen as the men of Lystra said Act. 14. 11. gods like vnto men are come downe vnto vs yet the spirit of God giueth this iudgement of them that they make such images their gods because they haue deuised such of themselues God requireth no such thing to be represented by Therefore
Iunius in his last edition 201. but in the first he reckoneth for the whole time of the Persian Monarchie but an 129. yeares Beroaldus whom H. Br. followeth an 130. which seemeth to be the best computation for the reason before alleadged namely Nehemiahs age 2. Now there is as great diuersitie in the seuerall raignes of the kings Cyrus some thinke to haue raigned 30. yeares as Cicero lib. 1. de diuinatio Clemens lib. 1. stromat Iustine Eusebius Sulpitius giueth vnto him 31. Herodotus 29. Annius Driedo and Lucidus 22. yeares after Darius the Mede Xenophon yeeldeth him but 7. yeares Bullinger 16. the Hebrewes generally but three namely in the Persian Monarchie he might raigne before divers yeares in the kingdome of Persia M. Lydyat aloweth to Cyrus 30. yeare ouer Persia and 7. ouer the whole Monarchie Cambyses raigned 8. yeares as some thinke Herodotus Eusebius Bullinger as some but 6. yeares Iosephus lib. 11. antiquit as some 9. yeares Sulpitius as others 19. yeares Clemens Alexandrin Iunius giueth vnto Cyrus and Cambyses together but 9. yeares in his annotations both in his first and last edition M. Lydyat 17. yeares Smerdes who vsurped the kingdome fayning himselfe to be the brother of Cambyses raigned but 7. moneths as Herodotus so also Lydyat 10 moneths as Theodoret a whole yeare as Iosephus Iunius Darius the sonne of Hystaspis raigned 19. yeares as Tertullian 30. yeares as Orosius 31. M. Lydyat 46. yeares as Clemens Alexandrin 36. yeares as Herodotus lib. 2. Sulpitius lib. 2. Eusebius 12. yeares according to Ab. Ezra Iunius in his first edition giueth him twentie yeares 36. in his last Xerxes is supposed to haue raigned 20. yeares as Oecolampad Lydyat 21. as Diodorus Sulpitius Orosius 26. as Clemens Alexandrin lib. 1. stromat 22. yeares Iun. edition 3. Artaxerxes Longimanus raigned 37. Melancthon ex Metasthene Iun. edition 1. 40. Pererius agreeing with the most historians 44. as Bullinger 46. as M. Lydyat 40. yeares Iun. edition 3â— Darius Nothus raigned 8. yeares as Clemens Alexand. and H. Br. proleg in Daâ—iel 60. yeares as Phylostratus lib. 1. de vit Apollon 19. yeares according to Eusebius Beda Bullinger M. Lydyat with others 18. yeares Iun. edit 1. 19. yeares Iun. edit 3. Artaxerxes Mnemon raigned 40. Perer. Oecolampad 43. as M. Lively M. Lydyat out of Diodorus Siculus 62. yeares as Plutarke 36. as Bullinger 35. as Melancthon out of Metasth 10. yeares Iun. edit 1. 3. yeares edit 3. Ochus raigned 3. yeares as H. Br. in proleg in Dan. 23. yeares according to Tertullian and Diodorus Siculus and Iun. edit 3. 22. edit 1. and M. Lydyat 24. yeares as Sulpit. 26. yeares as Eusebius Beda Melancthon Bulling Arses or Arsanes the sonne of Ochus raigned 1. yeare according to Tertullian 3. yeares as Sulpit. Diodor. so also Iun. edit 1. and 3. and M. Lydyat 4. yeares as Euseb. Beda Darius the last raigned 3. yeares as Clemens 4. yeares as Sulpit. 5. yeares as Iun. edit 3. 6. yeares as Euseb. Beda 21. yeares as Tertullian Now then if we lay the yeares of these Persian kings together first the smallest numbers of their raigne then the greatest it will appeare what great oddes there is in the account According to some According to others Cyrus raigned yeares 3 Cyrus raigned yeares 30 Cambyses 6 Cambyses 8 Darius Hystaspis 30 Darius Hystaspis 46 Xerxes 20 Xerxes 26 Artaxerxes Longhand 37 Artaxerxes Longhand 46 Darius Nothus 8 Darius Nothus 60 Artaxerxes Mnemon 36 Artaxerxes Mnemon 62 Ochus 3 Ochus 26 Arses 1 Arses 4 Darius Codoman 3 Darius Codoman 21 the summe is 147. yeares the summe is 329. yeares So then the difference betweene these two accounts is of an 182. yeares By this it is euident that there is small certentie to be had from forren stories concerning the Persian Monarchie either for the names number or yeares of their kings whereupon Burgensis thus concludeth Historiae illorum temporum praecipâ—e regum Persarum Medorum sunt plenae diversitatibus contradictionibus c. The histories of those times specially of the Medes and Persians are full of diuersities and contradictions in so much that they onely doe not varie in the continuance of some kings but some histories also name some kings that other histories make no mention of To this purpose Paul Burgens addit 3. in 9. Daniel Now will we proceede to examine the seuerall opinions before set downe qu. 34. 39. Quest. That Daniels weekes doe signifie a certen definite number of yeares This may be prooued by sundrie reasons against their opinion who doe thinke that in this number of Daniels weekes there is not signified a precise tearme of yeares but generally all that time which should follow vnto the comming of the Messiah But that a certen and definite number of yeares is signified and intended by these 70. weekes it may thus be shewed 1. That number of yeares whose beginning and ende is expressed must needes be a definite and certen number beeing so bounded and limited but the beginning and ende of this tearme is described they take beginning at the going forth of the word and they ende at the Messiah 2. The manner of phrase declareth as much 70. weekes are cut out or determined the Lord had as it were cut out seuered and appointed this time for the comming of the Messiah to performe these things here prophesied 3. That number is definite and certen which is diuided into parts but so is this whole number of 70. weekes it is diuided into three parts into 7. weekes 62. weekes and one weeke 4. This number of 70. weekes answereth vnto the tearme of 70. yeares beeing that number multiplied 7. times therefore as the one is certen so is the other 5. Further that time which we are bid to obserue and marke and to attend such things as fall out therein must be a certen and definite time for how els should it be obserued and marked but such was this time here designed by Daniel and the euents which followed it as our Sauiour saith Mar. 24. 15. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place let him which readeth consider it But how could the euent of this prophesie be obserued and considered if some certen direction were not giuen by the time to finde it out 40. Quest. That Origens account can not stand beginning the 70. weekes at Adam and ending them in the destruction of Ierusalem 1. Origen to make this account good taketh euery weeke for 70. yeares to euery day of the propheâ—icall weeke allowing tenne yeares but no where in the Scripture is a weeke so taken but either for a weeke of daies or for a weeke of yeares 2. This whole summe according to his account taking euery weeke for 70. yeares will amount to 4900. yeares but the whole time from the first to the second Adam is not much aboue 4000. yeares not yet so much in some account so that this
time according to Origens supputation will exceede the time of the Messiah almost 900. yeares 3. It is euident that these 70. weekes must beginne at such time as the word went forth to build againe Ierusalem and the Temple they must not then take beginning so long before 4. Neither are they to be extended vnto the destriction of Ierusalem as shall be shewed when we come to examine the seuerall opinions for the ende of these 70. weekes 41. Quest. That the 70. weekes must not beginne before the peoples returne out of captiuitie 1. Hippolytus as Hierome setteth downe his opinion in his Commentarie vpon this place beginneth the 70. weekes fiftie yeares before the dissoluing of the captiuitie and endeth them in Christs natiuitie but this opinion can not stand for 1. the Angel sheweth that these weekes must then beginne when the people returned out of captiuitie 2. from thence vnto the Messiah are 490. yeares but if we should beginne fiftie yeares before the number will arise to 540. yeares By the same reason may be confuted the opinion of Lyranus Burgens Galatinus who beginne the 70. weekes at the 4. of Zedekiah because then they say the promise was made from the Lord by Ieremie for the returne of the people as is shewed before quest 34. for 1. by this reckoning there will be 70. yeares within fowre all the time of the captiuitie added to Daniels propheticall weekes 2. if they will fetch the beginning from that word and promise why may they not as well beginne an eleuen yeares before when Ieremie in the 4. yeare of Iehoiakim shewed them of the captiuitie of 70. yeares Ierem. 25. 1. 11 or yet they may beginne further off from that promise made concerning Cyrus Isa. 45. that he should cause Ierusalem to be builded againe from which time to the ende of Daniels weekes are aboue 700. yeares Likewise R. Salamons opinion is confuted by the same reasons who beginneth the 70. weekes from the first destruction of the Temple in the 19. yeare of Nebuchadnezzer and endeth them at the destruction of the citie for 1. so there will be found aboue 50. yeares more then the 70. weekes from the destruction of the Temple vnto the going forth of the commandement to build againe Ierusalem 2. seeing the Angel pitcheth the beginning at the going forth of the word to bring againe the people and to build againe Ierusalem it is absurd to set the beginning when the people were carried into captiuitie and the citie and Temple destroied 42. Quest. That the 70. weekes doe not beginne in the raignes of the other kings of Persia after Cyrus 1. From the second or 20. yeare of Darius Hystaspis the 70. weekes cannot beginne 1. for we doe not read of any decree made by that Darius for the reedifying of the Temple and citie it is Darius Longimanus in whose 2. yeare the worke of the house of God went forward who is mentioned Ezr. 4. 24. As it may be thus gathered there are named in that chapter v. 6 7. two kings of the Persians after Cyrus Assuerus and Artashasht then after them followed Darius But Darius the sonne of Hystaspis was the third king of Persia. 2. In Darius decree mentioned Ezr. 6. there is no speach of building the citie but of the Temple onely here the Angel speaketh of the going forth of the word to build Ierusalem Perer 2. Neither can the computation beginne from Xerxes the 4. king of Persia by whom Iosephus thinketh first Ezra to haue beene sent and afterward Nehemiah who is called Artaxerxes Ezra 7. and Nehem. 2. for Xerxes is held by the most to haue raigned but 20. yeares onely Clemens affoardeth him 26. yeares but mention is made of the 32. yeare of this Artaxerxes Nehem. 5. 14. 3. Neither can their computation stand which beginne at the 7. yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus when Ezra was sent with the kings letters to Ierusalem for Sulpitius well obserueth Ezram nihil super reficienda vrbe fecisse comperio c. I doe not finde that Ezra did any thing in repayring of the citie his greatest care seemeth to haue bin to reforme the corrupt manners of the people c. And whereas the king doth furnish him with siluer and gold that was rather employed for the sacrifices and seruice of the Temple then for the building thereof Bullinger setteth downe diuerse reasons to confirme his opinion as 1. he prooueth that Ezra was sent to Ierusalem by Artaxerxes 2. that Nehemiah liuing vnto Alexanders time as appeareth by the names of Iaddua and Samballat who liued in Alexanders raigne was sent by this Artaxerxes not by Darius Hystaspis for then he should exceede an 194. yeares 3. the commission giuen vnto Ezra c. 7. 23. thou Ezra c. set iudges and arbiters which may iudge the people c. agreeth with the Angels speach here the going out of the word c. 4. the time agreeth from the 7. of Artaxeres to the death of Christ are found iust 490. yeares Contra. 1. The first is graunted beeing euident out of the Scripture but that is nothing to the purpose 2. It is also confessed that this was Artaxerxes Longimanus not Darius Hystaspis that reason then is impertinent 3. Ezra his commission sheweth that he was to reforme the manners of the people and to set them in order not to build the citie or Temple and therefore it was not the going forth of the word here spoken of which was to build Ierusalem 4. It can not be shewed that this agreeth with the iust computation of the 490. yeares for therein lieth the question 4. Pererius with others as namely M. Lydyat lib. de emendat temp ann mund 3553. would haue the 70. weekes beginne from the 20. yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus by whome Nehemiah was sent to repaire the citie Nehem. 2. 8. which agreeth to the going forth of the word here spoken of to build Ierusalem And for the which enterprise Nehemiah is commended Ecclus. 49. Contra. 1. Nehemiah did not first build the citie and lay the foundations of the walls which was done long before in the raigne of an other Artaxerxes Ezr. 4. 12. which is held to be Cambyses he onely viewed and repaired the breaches of the citie Nehem. 2. 15. there is mention made both of gates and walls before his comming 2. The Temple was builded and finished before the 20. yeare of Longimaniu namely in the sixt yeare of his raigâ—â— but it is not like that the building of the Temple beeing the most speciall thing which the people of God longed after should be excluded out of the compasse of the 70. weekes 5. Their opinion also may be refelled who count the beginning of these 70. weekes from the 2. yeare of Darius Nothus when by the commandement of the king the building of the house went forward and was finished in the sixt yeare Ezr. 6. 15. from thence to the destruction of Ierusalem are found iust 490. yeares the particulars
his age and preached three yeares and an halfe then could not his preaching be deferred vnto the beginning of his 31. yeare for 3. yeares and an halfe counted from thence will fall into his 34. yeare But concerning the time when Christ began to teach more shall be said when we come to speake of confirming the couenant v. 27. 7. M. Lydyat thinketh that Christ died in the 33. yeare of his age almost complete pag. 176. But then it would followe that he was borne about the same season of the yeare wherein he suffred about the vernall equinoctiall or spring time which opinion is refused as improbable quest 71. following 8. Wherefore the best resolution is this that Christ died in the 33. yeare of his age not complete but about the middest thereof not after 3. moneths as Pererius but 6. moneths after his 32. yeare complete The first part of this assertion that Christ suffred in his 33. yeare is thus prooued 1. because by the Romane Chronologie he is held to haue beene borne in the 42. of Augustus inchâ—aâ—e or begunne and to haue died in the 18. of Tiberius the distance of yeares is iust 33. for Augustus raigned 56. and then Tiberius succeeded 2. the same is prooued by the Olympiads as is before shewed Christ was borne in the 4. yeare of the 194. Olympiad and died in the 4. yeare of the 202. Olympiad 3. Pererius further prooueth that Christ died in the 33. yeare of his age by this astronomicall calculation It is agreed vpon that Christ suffered vpon the 15. day of the moneth hauing eaten the Passeouer vpon the 14. day at euen according to the lawe the next euening before Againe Christ died vpon the Iewish Sabbath eue which is our Friday for otherwise he had not risen againe vpon the Lords day which was the third day after But in none of the yeares of â—hrists age from the 30. to the 37. did the 15. day of the moneth fall out vpon the sixt day of their weeke our friday but onely in the 33. for in the 31. yeare the 15. day of the moone was vpon the 27. of March vpon tuesday in the 32. on the 15. of Aprill vpon tuesday likewise in the 34. on the 23. of March on wedensday in the 35. on the 11. day of Aprill on monday But in the 33. yeare onely within this compasse for of the other yeares before the 30. or after the 35. there is no question the 15. day of the moone concurred with the 3. of Aprill vpon friday as may be gathered counting the yeare of the Lord by the Dominicall letter therefore Christ onely suffered in the 33. yeare of his age 4. After Christ was baptized and beganne to preach there were onely fowre Pasches which he kept in the last whereof he died as may be gathered out of the Gospel of S. Iohn the first Pasche is mentioned cap. 2. 13. the second c. 5. 1. the third Iohn 6. 4. and the last when he suffred to the which belong the 11. 13. and 18. chapters of S. Iohns Gospel these 4. Pasches were kept in three yeares and odde moneths which were between the baptisme of Christ and the first Pasche But about the number of these Pasches there is some doubt as now shall be further shewed in the next question following The other part of the assertion that there must be 6. moneths betweene the season or time of the baptisme of Christ and of his blessed passion is thus prooued because Daniel ending the 70. weekes in the death of Christ precisely speaketh of halfe a weeke set apart for the confirming of the couenant which beganne at Christs baptisme and causing all other sacrifices to cease we must then haue halfe a seuen of yeares exactly from the baptisme of Christ vnto the time of his passion Quest. 70. Of the number of Pasches which Christ solemnized in the dayes of his flesh whereby the time and yeares of his preaching is certainly gathered 1. Whereas in the ende of the former question fowre Pasches are assigned the second whereof should be mentioned Iohn 5. 1. yet it is not expressely said to be the Pasche but generally a feast of the Iewes there are diuerse opinions conceiued hereof 1. some thinke it was the feast of the Pentecost which immediately followeth after the Pasche which Iohn spake of before c. 2. v. 13. of this opinion are Cyril Chrysostome Euthymius Theophylaect Thomas Lyranus iâ— the explanation of that place But this cannot be 1. after that Pasche Iohn 2. our Sauiour stayed a while in the citie then he left the citie and Iudaea and returned into Iudaea againe and staied there a good while Iohn 3. 23. after that he departed out of Iudaea and went by Samaria to goe into Galile at what time there were yet 4. moneths to haruest Iohn 4. 35. All these things could not be done in the space of fifty dayes betweene the Pasche and Pentecost and beside the time of haruest is in the moneth Iiar the next vnto Nisaâ— which answereth vnto our March wherefore this could not be the feast of Pentecost which is not two moneths from the Pasche 3. when a feast of the Iewes is named simply without any addition it is vsually taken for the feast of the Passeouer which was their chiefe and principall feast as is euident Matth. c. 26. Luk. 22. Iohn 13. 2. An other opinion is that this was one of the winter feasts which were three one of the dedication of the Temple instituted by Iudas Macchabeus lib. 1. Macchab. c. 4. which was kept the 25. day of the 9. moneth Cisleu the second was the feast of the reedifying of the second Temple vnder Zerobabel which was vpon the 3. day of the last moneth Adar whereof see Ezra 6. 15. the third was the feast of lottes ordained by Mordecai and Esther vpon the 14. and 15. of the same moneth Adar as is declared Esther 9. some one of these three feasts some thinke this to haue beene so Caietan in 5. c. Ioan. Melchior Canus lib. 11. de loc Theolog. But this is not like for these were none of the principall feasts which were instituted by Moses at the Lords appointment But this was a principall feast of the Iewes because it is simply called a feast without any other addition as is shewed before 3. Wherefore vpon the former reasons this was likely to be the feast of the Passeouer after the which in the next moneth immediatly followeth haruest and in the former chapter it is said there were 4. moneths then to haruest c. 4. 35. And although in the next chapter following c. 6. 4. mention is made of the Pasch that letteth not but that this may be the Pasch also for it is vsuall with the Euangelists to ioyne things together which were done farre asunder omitting many things comming betweene as Matthew immediatly after the baptisme and 40. daies fast of our blessed Sauiour treateth of the calling of the Apostles which was
7. But by two wayes chiefely was this couenant ratified and confirmed by the declaration and publishing thereof by his preaching and by the sealing thereof by his most precious blood like as a Testament is first declared and written and then confirmed by the death of the Testator So in the death of our Blessed Sauiour was the couenant before set forth by his preaching fully established as Oecolampad Scimus c. in morte ipsa proprie foedus confirmari c. we know according to the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes that the couenant was properly confirmed in his death c. And this further may be made plaine thus 1. by the type and figure as Moses tooke the booke of the lawe and reade in it and then sprinkled the blood vpon the people saying this is the blood of the couenant Exod. 24. 8. so the booke of this couenant declared by Christs preaching was made sure in his blood 2. This also appeareth by the institution of the Lords supper where Christ saith of the cuppe representing his blood this is the newe Testament in my blood c. Luk. 22. 20. that is a signe seale and representation thereof 3. the Apostle sheweth this also by the nature and condition of a Testament which is confirmed when men are dead Heb. 9. 17. and so in this place the Septuagint translate the Hebrewe word berith by the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testament for the word signifieth both a couenant and a testament as Budeus sheweth in his commentaries for the ratifying then and confirming of this will and Testament of our Sauiour his death and passion was necessarie with the shedding of his most pretious blood for the remission of our sinnes Quest. 84. When this testament beganne to be ratified and confirmed by the preaching of Christ. 1. Pererius deliuereth it as an auncient tradition and a receiued opinion that Christ beganne not to preach and worke miracles till a yeare after he was baptised for the first miracle which he wrought in Cana of Galile they hold to haue beene done the same day tweluemoneth wherein he had beene baptised 2. But this opinion may be easily refuted 1. the words of S. Peter Act. 1. 21. are directly against it of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lord Iesus was conuersant among vs beginning from the baptisme of Iohn vnto the day that he was taken vp from vs must one of them be made a witnesse with vs of his resurrection Here it is euident that Christ beganne to preach after he had receiued Iohns baptisme Pererius by the baptisme of Iohn here thinketh all that time to be vnderstood wherein Iohn baptized till he was imprisoned but that can not be for Iohn beganne to baptize before Christ came vnto his baptisme and before Christ was baptized he preached not neither shewed himselfe publikely therefore the beginning can not be vnderstood to be from Iohns baptisme in that sense 2. Seeing Christ was publikely in his baptisme called from heauen to the office of teaching in that it is saide Heare him it is not like that our blessed Sauiour would intermit that holy function a yeare together 3. Before that miracle in Cana of Galile he entertained Disciples as is euident Ioh. 1. as Andrew and Peter Philip and Nathaniel therefore euen then he beganne to be a publike teacher 4. If Christs preaching beganne a yeare after his baptisme in the beginning of his 31. yeare then could he not preach and confirme the Couenant halfe a weeke that is 3. yeares and a halfe seeing he is generally held to haue died in his 33. yeare wherefore euen presently after his baptisme as soone as his 40. dâ—â—â—s fast was ouer Christ beganne to preach and shew his power in working of miracles 85. Quest. v. 27. In the halfe of the weeke he shall cause the sacrifice to cease when this halfe weeke beganne 1. R. Shelamo thus interpreteth the halfe weeke that a little before the destruction of Ierusalem after the Iewes had violated the truce taken betweene them and the Romanes for 7. yeares then in the middes of the weeke that is in the fourth yeare of those seuen the Romanes came and besieged the citie But it is shewed before qu. 82. that this is but a Rabbinicall conceit that any such truce was made betweene the Romanes and the Iewes 2. Some doe likewise refetre this halfe weeke to the destruction of Ierusalem that in the middes thereof that is the 5. yeare before the ouerthrow of the citie the Romanes came laid siege vnto it Iun. Polan M. Lively But this sense can not be admitted because it hath beene prooued alreadie qu. 49. that these 70. weekes and euery part thereof determined in the death of Christ. 3. Iosephus Scaligor hath a conceit by himselfe that this 70. and last weeke must be deuided the one part thereof he alloweth for the time of Christs preaching namely 4. yeares and an halfe the other for the destruction of the citie two yeares and an halfe more But here two exceptions may iustly be taken 1. he diuideth this weeke the one part aboue 30. yeares from the other whereas euery part of these weekes must one succeede an other 2. he diuideth two yeares and an halfe from the rest but that maketh not halfe a weeke 4. Some beginne this halfe weeke at the death of Christ and continue it afterward when the sacrifices and rites of the law beganne to be abolished by the Apostles as we read Act. 15. Perer. Pint. Melancth M. Lydyat in ann 4043. Osiand sauing that Osiander maketh it the first halfe of the last weeke the other the latter But it hath beene prooued alreadie that these yeares must ende in Christs death 5. This halfe weeke then is better taken for the latter halfe part of the weeke which beginneth at the baptisme of Christ and endeth at his passion so Bullinger saith per praedicationem Euangelij mortem Domini nostri Iesu Christi constat legem esse abrogatam by the preaching of the Gospel and by the death of Iesus Christ it is euident the law was abrogated so also Hugo beginneth this halfe weeke in the 15. of Tiberius at Christs baptisme for then in the baptisme of Christ hostiarum legalium purificatio paulatim coepit vilescere the purifying of the legall sacrifices beganne by little and little to waxe vile Thus also expoundeth the author of the Scholasticall historie as Pererius sheweth in the very ende of his 10. booke vpon Daniel and vnlesse we ende the 70. and last weeke at the passion of Christ it will not ende in a yeare of Iubile for Christ is held to haue died in a yeare of Iubile that the shadow may agree vnto the bodie see before qu. 66. toward the ende 86. Quest. How and when the sacrifices were caused to cease and were abolished 1. R. Shelamoh thinketh that this is vnderstood of the ceasing of the sacrifices in fact when
saw a light confusedly but distinctly they saw not him which was both seene and heard of Paul 4. Pintus thinketh that they saw in deede the Angel but perceiued not what he said and therefore they are said not to haue seene the vision so also Lyran. but the text euidently sheweth that they did not see the vision at all but Daniel onely saw it they heard the sound and therewith were astonished and fled away but they saw nothing 5. Calvin thinketh that Daniel was in his chamber at this time and in his spirit onely by the riuer and so falling into a traunce the rest were stricken with a terrour But if Daniel in spirit onely had seene this vision absent it were needelesse to say that the rest saw it not for how could they see a thing absent 6. In that Daniel had companie and witnesses present it so sell out by Gods prouidence that the truth of this vision which Daniel afterward was to communicate to the Church should not be doubted of Polan 16. Quest. The causes of Daniels great feare v. 8. There remained no strength in me It was vsuall with the holy Prophets and seruants of God to be stricken with a great feare when they receiued any vision as Ieremie saith c. 23. 9. Mine heart breaketh within me c. for the presence of the Lord and for his holy words so Habac. 3. 2. O Lord I haue heard thy voice and was afraid likewise Dan. c. 7. 28. My cogitations troubled me and my countenance changed in me c. 8. 27. I Daniel was stricken and sicke certaine daies Thus were the holy Prophets affected in these visions Now these reasons may be alleadged of this their feare 1. The great maiestie and glorie which appeareth vnto them farre exceeding mans capacitie maketh them afraid and abateth their strength as this was a most glorious sight which here was shewed to Daniel If we can not behold the Sunne without dazeling of the eyes how much lesse is man able to behold such excellent brightnes 2. The heauie things which were declared in those visions did also terrifie them as the prediction of the calamities and miseries which should befall the people of God cast Daniel into a sicke fit c. 8. 3. It is the qualitie and condition of spirituall contemplation that the more the minde is intent thereupon the lesse vigour and strength the bodie hath all the powers of nature bending and applying themselues to the disposition of the minde as Gregorie obserueth well cum ad virtutem Dei mens astringitur à propria fortitudine caro lassatur when the minde is bent toward God the strength of the flesh is abated c. and this he resembleth fitly to Iaacobs halting after he had wrestled with the Angel 4. By this meanes man seeth his owne infirmitie and the greater euidence he hath of Gods power and glorie the more he seeth into his owne estate and feeleth his owne wants As Abraham beeing admitted to that familiar conference with God Gen. 18. confessed himselfe to be dust and ashes Moses who thought himselfe some bodie before as beeing brought vp in the learning of the Egyptians yet after he had talked with God he then beganne to see his imperfection that he was flow of speech Exod. 4. 10. and the Prophet Isai after he had that vision c. 6. crieth out that he was a man of polluted lippes to this purpose Gregor homil 8. in Ezechiel 17. Quest. Whose hand it was that touched Daniel 1. Iunius in his commentarie by this hand vnderstandeth the spirit of God by the which we are comforted as Ezekiel saith c. 1. 3. the hand of God was vpon me by the riuer Chebar But this thing was not mystically but histotically done yet this hand was symbolum virtutis spiritus a symbole or signe of the vertue of the spirit Polan 2. Some take this for the hand of the Angel which appeared in that glorious manner vnto Daniel before Hierome Pintus Calvin Genevens But it is shewed before that it was not an Angel which there appeared but Christ himselfe 3. Lyranus hath this conceit that the same Angel touched Daniel as it were with a mans hand but in an other shape then he appeared at the first for the Angels can easily change their shape But there is no reason to suppose that in the same vision the same Angel should assume a diuers shape neither doe I thinke that the like can be shewed in Scripture 4. Some thinke that this was Christ who touched Daniels lippes and this Polanus would confirme by these two reasons 1. because it is God that vsed at other times to touch the Prophets lippes and to strengthen them as Ierem. 1. 9. and Revel 1. 17. 2. he is said to be like the similitude of the sonne of man v. 16. and so Christ is described c. 7. 13. one like the sonne of man Answ. 1. True it is that God onely giueth strength and vtterance but the Angels also may be as ministers of Gods worke though they doe it not by their owne power as Gabriel touched Daniel and strengthened him c. 8. 18. And Polanus himselfe vpon the 18. v. saith that the Angel tanquam administer Dei as Gods minister did strengthen Daniel 2. v. 18. he saith one like the appearance of man touched me there he sheweth what he meant before by the similitude of the sonnes of men for not onely Christ appeared in vision as a man but the Angels also as Gabriel c. 8. 15. appeared in the similitude of a man and c. 9. 21. he is called the man Gabriel 5. Therefore I subscribe to Iunius in his annotations that this was the Angel that touched Daniel because the same that speaketh toucheth as may appeare v. 11. 19. And Hierome saith that the Angel touched him with a mans hand vt sui generis corpus aspiciens that seeing a bodie of his owne kind he should not be afraid but the armes which Christ appeared with were as polished brasse and therefore not of the same kind and Daniel would haue beene more afraid to haue beene touched with such glorious hands So that hereby it is euident that the hand which touched Daniel was an ordinarie mans hand it was not then the hand of that glorious bodie which appeared before v. 4. 18. Quest. Why Daniels prayer beeing heard at the first yet the Angels comming was deferred one and twentie daies v. 12. In that the Angel meeteth with a secret obiection and vouchsafeth therein to satisfie Daniels minde therein the Lords singular mercie appeareth toward his seruant for Daniel might haue thus thought after the Angel had told him that his prayer was heard the very first day that he humbled himselfe why the Angel came not till now which was three weekes after to this therefore the Angel maketh answer shewing the cause of his stay 1. Hierome maketh this the cause data est per moram occasio amplius deprecandi Deum c. by this
part of time mentioned c. 7. 25. and c. 12. 7. which containeth the precise time of three yeares and 10. dayes during the which the daily sacrifice was discontinued 3. here is one time of 1290. dayes which endeth at such time as religion was fully restored after the purgation of the Temple 4. and there is mentioned a fourth time of a 1335. dayes which endeth at Antiochus death Quest. 27. Of the last words spoken to Daniel goe thy waies vnto the ende v. 13. 1. Melancthon hence inferreth because mention is here made of the last resurrection that Daniel shall stand vp in his lot that the prophesie of Daniel reacheth vnto the ende of the world But this followeth not because the resurrection is here spoken of that therefore Daniels prophesie comprehendeth the last times no more then it can be hence concluded that Daniel should himselfe liue vnto these times yet we denie not but that typically many things in this prophesie may be applyed vnto the persecutions of the Church in the latter dayes 2. Chrysostome thinketh that by this speach the Lord reuealed vnto Daniel that he should not returne into his owne countrey but die in Babylon in the land of the captiuitie as the Lord told Moses that he should not goe into Canaan But though thus much is not here signified it is true that Daniel died out of his owne countrey and he is forewarned of his ende which could not be farre off Daniel beeing now verie old of more then an 100. yeares 3. These words goe thy way vnto the ende doe put Daniel in minde of diuerse things 1. contentus sis hac mensura be content with this thy lot Calvin he should from henceforth expect no more visions 2. that he should perseuere and continue vnto the ende Bulling 3. and that he should set all things in an order and not trouble himselfe any further with curious searching out of these things but prepare and make himselfe readie for his ende Iun. in comment 4. that which God had yet further to reueale for the comfort of his Church he would reserue for other times as Ezra Zacharie Haggie Malachie were raised vp afterward the Lord would adorne his Temple at the reedifyiâ—â— thereof with some propheticall visions M. Br. in commentar Quest. 28. Of these words thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot Here two things are promised vnto Daniel 1. his rest that should followe immediately after his death both in bodie and soule 2. his reward he should stand vp in his lot in the ende of dayes 1. He shall rest both in bodie in the graue and in soule being taken vp into euerlasting ioy the wicked doe not rest after their death for their soules goe immediately to the place of torment as is shewed in the parable of the rich glutton Luke 16. But this is the priuiledge of those which die in the Lord they doe rest from their labours Apocal. 14. 13. 2. He shall stand vp in his lot 1. Melancthon thus interpreteth docebis confirmabis Ecclesiam c. thou shalt teach and confirme the Church in the last times but it is euident that he speaketh of his standing vp in the resurrection because mention is made before of his rest 2. he shall stand vp for the wicked beeing condemned of their owne conscience shall not be able to stand in iudgement Psal. 1. 5. But the righteous shall stand forth and appeare with boldnesse before the Lords tribunall seate Perer. 3. And the lot and portion of the righteous is euerlasting life which is called a lot because it is giuen freely and cast out vnto them without any desert of theirs Perer. and because euerie one hath his lot all shall not haue the same measure of glorie Polan And vnto this gracious promise made vnto Daniel answeareth that holy and comfortable saying of S. Paul I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from hence forth is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue vnto me at that day and not vnto me onely but vnto all them that loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4. 8. God graunt vnto vs so to keepe the faith and to fight a good fight that we may obtaine that crowne of righteousnesse through the merits of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus to whom be praise for euer 4. Places of doctrine Doctr. 1. Of the person and office of Christ. v. 1. Michael shall stand vp the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people here are three things shewed concerning Christ 1. his person he is called Michael that is as God one equall vnto God a distinct person from the Father but of the same essence power eternitie who is the brightnesse of the glorie and the engraued forme of his person Hebr. 1. 3. 2. His office is described he is the great Prince the gouernement is vpon his shoulder Isa. 9. 6. the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings Apocal. 17. 14. the mightie protector and defender of his Church 3. The benefit which we haue is this this Michael standeth for his people to defend them from the rage of Sathan and of his ministers as our Blessed Sauiour saith I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand Ioh. 10. 28. Doctr. 2. Of the resurrection of the dead and the manner thereof v. 2. Many of them which sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake c. 1. Here is confirmed that article of our faith concerning the resurrection of the dead the like hath Iob. 19. 26. Isay. 26. 19. Ezech. 37. 12. and this is the first place in the old Testament wherein euident mention is made of eternall life 2. The diuerse state and condition is described of those which shall rise againe some vnto euerlasting life and some to perpetuall shame as our Sauiour saith in the same manner Ioh. 5. 29. they shall come forth of their graues that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation 3. The easines and facilitie of this work is shewed with God that it is no more for him to raise the body out of the graue then for the body to awake froÌ„ sleep to rise out of the bed so the righteous are said to rest in their beds that is in their graues Isa. 57. 2. sleepe then is an image of death then the awaking from sleepe should put vs in mind of our resurrection and assure vs thereof as Tertullian well saith cum evigilaverit corpus redditum officijs eius resurrectionem mortuorum tibi affirmat when thy bodie is awaked beeing restored vnto the duties thereof it doth affirme and testifie vnto thee the resurrection lib. de anim c. 43. the same Tertullian concludeth the resurrection by the example of the Phoenix which is said to rise out
King 24. 25. Ierem. 52. And of Nebuchadnezzars expedition against Cyrus Ezekiel maketh mention c. 26. to c. 30. In the 25. yeare of Nebuchadnezzars raigne he subdued Egypt and remooued all the Iewes that were thither fledde to Babylon Pererius addeth further that in the 25. yeare of his raigne he had that vision of the image c. 2. but that was rather in the 5. yeare of his raigne as is before shewed quest 6. generall After this he set vp the great golden image c. 3. and was translated from the companie of men and liued among bruite beasts for the space of seuen yeares cap. 4. then he was restored to his kingdome which he enioyed peaceably to the ende of his dayes Pere Quest. 7. Of the time of Nebuchadnezzars raigne 1. Iosephus thinketh that Nebuchadnezzar raigned 43. yeares so also Eusebius and Pererius consenteth wherein he doth not much varie from the yeares of his raigne which may be collected out of Scripture 2. Some thinke that all his raigne made vp 45. yeares Bulling rather 44. betweene both for in the 8. yeare of his raigne he tooke Iechonias prisoner in the 37. yeare of whose captiuitie Euilmerodach the sonne of Nebuchadnezzar began to raigne who lift vp the head of Iehoiachin out of prison these two numbers put together 8. and 37. make 45. and one yeare must be deducted because Nebuchadnezzar is supposed to haue died in the 36 yeare of Iechoniahs captiuitie the last yeare of his raigne and so the whole summe of yeares remaineth 44. Quest. 8. Of the citie of Babylon 1. The occasion of the first founding of this citie and of the name therof is declared Gen. 11. so called first Babel of the confusion of tongues and afterwards Babylon the countrie about Babylonia 2. Nimrod who was the first king or tyrant rather after the flood in which sense he is called a mightie hunter is held to haue beene the first founder of Babylon which was afterward enlarged by Semiramis whom Iulius Solinus and Diodorus Siculus whom Hierome followeth thinke to haue beene the first builder of Babylon but she onely enlarged it and raised vp the walls 3. In this citie and the countrie thereabout the Iewes were held in captiuitie 70. yeares which tearme beeing the stinted time of mans life Psal. 90. 10. sheweth that man during the time of his life and aboade in this world is but a captiue and stranger as Iaakob called his life a pilgrimage Gen. 47. 9. Pintus 2. Polanus thinketh there were 3. cities of this name Babylon one in Assyria whereof mention is made 2. king 17. 24. an other in Chaldea which is here called the land of Sennaar and the third in Egypt which is now called Alcayr the seate of the Sultanes of Egypt But I thinke the receiued opinion is more probable that there were onely two Babylons one in Chaldea the other in Egypt or in the confines of Arabia whereof Raphael Volateran treateth lib. 12. now called Cayro Pintus that Babel mentioned 2. King 17. 24. from whence the king of Ashur brought some to inhabite Samaria is Babylon in Chaldea which was then subiect to the king of Ashur 3. Stephanus also is deceiued who thinketh this Babylon to be the same citie which was called Seleucia built by Seleucus Nicanor which was indeede built not farre off from Babylon some 300. stadia or furlongs by which occasion Babylon became desolate and not so much frequented but they were not all one citie Polanus Quest. 9. ver 1. Of the citie Ierusalem 1. Ierusalem it was the cheife citie of Palestina first founded by Melchisedech as Iosephus thinketh who Gen. 14. is called the king of Shalem 2. It had diuers names it was first called Shalem Gen. 14. Psal. 75. 3. then Iebus of Iebusi the sonne of Canaan Iosh. 18. 28. afterward it was named Ierusalem which signifieth the vision of peace and last of all Aelia of Aelius Adrianus the Emperour who built mount Caluarie and diuers other parts of the city Volat. l. 11. 3. It was diuided into two parts the vpper citie where was mount Zion the city of Dauid and the Temple the neather or base citie which was vnder the hill Pol. 4. The citie Ierusalem is sometime taken in Scripture for the Church of God as Hebr. 12. 22. Ye are come to Mount Sinai to the citie of the liuing God to celestiall Ierusalem Pintus Quest. 10. v. 2. What this phrase meaneth To be giuen into ones hand v. 2. And the Lord gaue Iehoiakim c. into his hand c. The hand is diuersly taken in Scripture 1. As first to put the soule or life in the hand signifieth to put the life in danger Iudg. 12. 3. Iepthah saith I put my life in my hands 2. The hand signifieth a league or couenant as the giuing of the hand implieth the plighting of the troth as Esech 17. 18. He hath despised the oath and broken the couenant yet lo he had giuen his hand 3. It signifieth ministerie and seruice as Exod. 38. 21. These are the parts of the Tabernacle c. for the office of the Levites by the hand of Ithamar 4. The hand signifieth helpe and assistance as 1. Sam. 22. 17. Saul commandeth the Priests to be slaine because their hand was with David that is they were aiding and helping vnto him 5. To lift vp the hand against a place is to assault it and threaten against it as Isa. 10. 32. He shall lift vp his hand toward the mount of the daughter of Sion 6. To lift vp the hands is to pray 1. Tim. 2. 9. I will that the men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands 7. To wash the hands is to purge the heart and works from impuritie and vncleannes as Psal. 26. 6. I will wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and compasse thine altar 8. To put the hand to the mouth signifieth to eate 1. Sam. 14. 27. as Ionathan is said to haue put his hands to his mouth when he did eate of the honie 9. To lay the hand also vpon the mouth is a figne of silence Iob. 29. 9. The Princes staied talke and laid their hand on their mouth 10. By the hands also are vnderstood the works labours of mens vocations as Eph. 4. 28. Let him that stole steale no more but rather labour and worke with his hands 11. To doe a thing with an high hand is to do it presumptuously Numb 15. 30. 12. To touch with the hand is to humble or afflict Psal. 32. 4. Thy hand is heauie vpon me day and night 13. But to giue into the hands of any is to bring vnder their power and subiection as Iudg. 7. 1. The Lord gaue them into the hands of Midian seuen yeares and so it is taken here Pintus Quest. 11. How Iehoiakim was giuen into Nebuchadnezzars hand whether he caried him to Babylon 1. Some thinke that Iehoiakim was bound in chaines and carried to Babylon as the Latine
instruction and admonition or the signification of some things to come such were the dreames of Pharaoh Gen. 41. and Nabuchadnezzar in this booke c. 2. 4. and c. 4. There are also Diabolical dreames which are wrought by Satan to seâ—â—ce and deceiue for if he can by inward suggestions delude and deceiue the minde he can also as well by vaine dreames and fansies insinuate himselfe to deceiue such were the vaine visions and illusions which he deceiued the priests of Baaâ— by when he went as a lying spirit in the monthes of them all to perswade Ahab to goe and fall at Ramath in Gilead Pappus Quest. 43. Whether there be any diuine dreames 1. Aristotle in his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diuination by dreames denieth that there are any diuine dreames at all he confesseth that there are somnia daemonica dreams demonicall or spirituall but there also he ascribeth vnto nature his reasons against diuine dreames are these 1. If there were any such diuine dreames they should be sent and shewed to the best and most wise and vertuous men and not to men of euery sort as they are 2. If God would teach men he would rather doe it by day then by night 3. Where God instructeth men he doth it plainly and manifestly not obscurely and doubtfully as is the reuelation by dreames 4. Bruit beasts haue their dreames therefore they are not diuine 2. Contra. These arguments are soone answered 1. Such dreames are for the most part shewed vnto good men but not alwaies least they should thinke that by their worthines they had deserued that grace and when it pleaseth God to manifest himselfe by such dreames to other then to the righteous it is for their conuersion or for the common good of his Church such were the dreames which Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar had 2. To appoint the Lord to instruct men by day rather then by night is to prescribe lawes vnto him he best knoweth the waies and meanes when and how to speake vnto mens soules 3. Though dreames are in themselues obscure yet God giueth also the interpretation of them as of Pharaohs dreames by Ioseph of Nabuchadnezars by Daniel he leaueth not men in doubtfulnes and suspense as Apollos ambiguous oracles did 4. Beasts haue in deede some kind of dreames namely such as are naturall and caused in the phantasie and sensitiue part but this kinde of diuine and supernaturall dreames they haue not such as was Pharaohs and Nabuchadnezzars dreames and Iosephs Matth. 1. Papp Quest. 44. Whether there be any truth or certentie in dreames 1. As Cicero said that there is nothing so absurd which is not found to haue beene said by some of the Philosophers so some of them haue maintained that all dreames were true and had their certaine signification of which opinion was Protagoras with other Stoikes whose generall opinion was that the truth consisted not in the nature of things but onely in the opinion of men and that some dreames were held to be vaine and friuolous the reason they saide to be this because they are difficult ambiguous and obscure and so are not well perceiued and vnderstood Contra. But this opinion is confuted by the Scriptures beside daily experience which sheweth that men haue many thousand dreames which neuer take effect and if one of a thousand agree with the euent it is accidentall and by some casuall occurrent and not otherwise The Preacher saith in the multitude of dreames and vanities are many words Eccl. 5. 6. he ioyneth dreames and vanities together The Prophet giueth instance of such vaine dreames in an hungrie man that dreameth and behold in his imagination he eateth and when he awaketh his soule is emptie Isa. 29. 8. what is this els but a vaine dreame Such are the dreames of drunken franticke couetous men who dreame of such vaine things as their minde is occupied in such dreames are like the apparitions in the clouds many formes and fashions are there seene which are soone dispersed of the winde and come to nothing 2. Some held the contrarie opinion that no credit was to be giuen to any dreames at all as Xenophanes Caliphonius and the Epicures for seeing all dreames were of the same nature and some were vaine and friuolous all must be held to be so Againe say they if there were any certentie in dreames they must proceede from some certaine causes either God or nature but it is not like Deum obire lectos dormientium that God should compasse mens beds when they are asleepe and cast dreames into their minds and nature is the cause of order but in dreames there is confusion and disorder Contr. 1. All dreames are not of one nature therefore it followeth not if some be vaine that all are 2. Gods prouidence watcheth ouer men both waking and sleeping he passeth not from place to place but beeing in heauen beholdeth all things and doth whatsoeuer it pleaseth him in heauen and in earth 3. Nature worketh certently and orderly when it worketh by certaine and setled causes variable and turbulent causes must bring forth the like effects but true and diuine dreames are most certaine constant and orderly as proceeding from him who is the author of order 3. Wherefore the resolution here is that as there are some vaine and phantâ—sticall dreames procured by mens distempered humours in their bodies or their disordered and vnsetled imaginations in their minde so there are diuine profound and holy dreames as were the dreames and visions by night of Abraham Abimelech Iaakob Laban Ioseph Pharaoh Salomon Nebuchadnezzer Paul Act. 16. 9. which holy dreames and visions had their euident signification and sure effect Perer. Quest. 45. Of the causes of true dreames 1. Plato his opinion was that dreames were procured by spirits who were the mediatours that went between God and man he thought that God himselfe did not meddle with humane affaires but by the mediation and entercourse of such spirits and that by them therfore all dreames were procured But the contrarie is euident that some dreames are wrought onely by naturall meanes as by the multitude of busines in the day Eccles. 5. 2. and where there is any spirituall cause that the Lord himselfe sometime is the agent as it is said God came to Abimelech in a dreame Gen. 20. 3. 2. Aristotle on the contrarie held that all true dreames proceeded of naturall causes but that is vntrue also for the prediction and foretelling of things to come which often is shewed in dreames cannot by any naturall meanes be searched out 3. The Stoikes made three causes of dreames God fatall necessitie and the libertie of the soule which in sleepe is free from all other perturbations Contr. The first cause we allow but not of all dreames but fatall necessitie there is none for then God who is most free should himselfe be tied to such fatall necessitie and connexion of causes and if the freenesse of the soule in sleepe caused such dreames
then one should as well haue such dreames as an other for in the time of rest euery mans soule is free from the busines of the day 4. Porphyrius thinketh that the notions which are naturally in the soule which it brought with it into the bodie are the causes of dreames which notions shew more freely in the night then in the day But Christian religion acknowledgeth no such former notions or pre-existence of the soule before it came to the bodie for the Lord formeth the spirit of man within him Zachar. 12. 1. 5. Synesius maketh the phantasticall part of the soule to be the cause of dreames that as the representations of diuers things are raised in the phantasie so the soule thereupon conceiueth dreames and therefore Pythogoras going to bed vsed to fall asleepe with the sound of the harpe and so prepared himselfe to haue quiet and pleasant dreames But yet the cause appeareth not why such imaginations and representations should be raised vp in the phantasie the phantasie affecteth the soule but how commeth the phantasie to be so affected first 6. Hippocrates maketh two causes of dreames the diuine and supernaturall instinct which is infused of God and the naturall disposition of the bodie for as the humours are affected if there be emptines or fulnesse or any distemperature in the bodie the dreames are answerable But as these are the true causes of diuine and naturall dreames so of other dreames other causes must be found out Hippocrates then toucheth the true causes of some but not of all dreames 7. Gregorie maketh sixe causes of dreames 1. the fulnes or emptines of the bodie 2. the diuâ—ne cogitations 3. the illusion of Satan 4. the illusion of Satan and mans thoughts together 5. the diuine reuelation 6. the diuine instinct and humane thoughts concurring together But as Hippocrates alleadged not all the causes so Gregorie maketh more causes then he needeth as now shall be shewed 8. As then there are fowre sort of dreames as hath beene before declared Quest. 42. so there are fowre causes of the same 1. Naturall dreames proceede of naturall causes as cholerike men dreame of fire phlegmatike of water melancholike men of darknes and blacknes and any distempered humour or affected part of the bodie often raiseth a dreame agreeable as Galen reporteth of one that dreamed that one of his legges was made of stone and presently after he was taken with a palsie and nummenesse in that legge And Plinie writeth how P. Cornelius Ruffinus in his sleepe thought that he suddenly became blind and when he awaked he was blind in deede 2. Of humane dreames humane affaires are the cause which leaue a strong impression in the minde whereby such like dreames are engendred in the night as the thoughts were in the day so mariners dreame of the sea and fish husbandmen of the fields shepheards of their sheepe of this kind was Hannibals dreame who hauing now swallowed Italie in his desire as he transported his armies from Spaine thither he had a dreame wherein he saw a most hideous serpent destroying and deuouring all where he went this dreame was answerable to his desire and seemed to issue forth of his former thoughts 3. The third sort of dreames is Diabolicall which Satan casteth into mens mindes to seduce and deceiue them and of these the Deuill is the author who is the third generall cause of dreames for if some dreames were not caused by Satan why should the Lord condemne such dreamers of dreames which should goe about to seduce and deceiue the people Deut. 13. 1. Of this kinde may be thought Alexanders dreame to haue beene who comming to Ptolome the next king of Egypt after beeing sore wounded by a venemous dart and of that wound like to die fell asleepe by him and in his sleepe saw a serpent bringing a roote in his mouth shewing the place where it grew whereby Ptolome was healed These Sathanicall dreames are of two sorts for some of them doe prognosticate of things to come which Sathan can foretell two waies either by naturall causes he can foresee the euents or he doth foretell such things as he knoweth he is permitted of God to doe the other kind of Diabolicall dreames tendeth to the inciting and stirring vp of men to sinne as murder lust or other vngodlines 4. The fourth cause of dreames is God himselfe who by dreames and visions in the night diuersly instructeth men and teuealeth vnto them things to come ex Perer. Quest. 46. How Diabolicall and Diuine dreames may be discerned 1. Diabolicall dreames are discerned 1. by the matter if they be vnchast and vncleane dreames prouoking vnto any vice or impietie 2. by the ende if one shall haue a reuelation in a dreame of things to come whereof there is no profitable ende but onely the feeding of mens curiositie or the maintaining of superstition 3. by mens persons also a coniecture may be made as if vncleane and corrupt dreames be offered vnto godly and righteous men therein they are to suspect the craft of Satan that he goeth about to assault and tempt them 2. Concerning Diuine dreames they are two waies principally discerned by the excellencie of the matter as when things to come are reuealed the knowledge whereof onely belongeth vnto God or the Lord discouereth mans secret thoughts which he onely can descrie the other way is by the illumination of the minde when the Lord doth so euidently reueale himselfe vnto the soule and minde of man that he nothing doubteth of the author of those dreames but knoweth assuredly that the Lord spake vnto him in a dreame such were the dreames which Abraham Ioseph Daniel Paul had for like as naturally the soule hath light to discerne of the first notions and principles so the minde in this case is illuminate to acknowledge the diuine instinct 3. In diuers manners and to diuers purposes doth the Lord speake vnto men in dreames 1. sometime he terrifieth and feareth them as he staied Abimelek and Laban by fearefull dreames that they should doe no hurt the one to Abraham the other to Iaakob 2. sometime the Lord encourageth men by dreames to enterprise some great worke as he did Gedeon Iudg. 7. 9. 3. he admonisheth some by dreames what they should doe as Paul Act. 16. and Ioseph Matth. 1. 4. God instructeth by dreames concerning things to come as he did in Pharaohs and Nabuchadnezzers dreames 4. And as the endes and purposes are diuers why the Lord sendeth dreames so also the kinds are diuers 1. some diuine dreames are plaine and manifest and neede no interpretation such were the dreames of Ioseph of the starres and the sheaues 2. sometime God speaketh with them himselfe in their dreames as with Abimelech Gen. 20. sometime an Angel appeareth as to Ioseph Matth. 1. sometime a man as to Paul Act. 16. 3. sometime God sendeth dreames not expected or desired such were Pharaohs and Nebuchadnezzers dreames sometime they are first craued and
desired as God reuealed vnto Daniel in a vision by night the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzers dreame which he himselfe had before begged and intreated by prayer 4. and some diuine dreames are answerable to the precedent thoughts of the heart as Iosephs dreame was to direct him what he should doe with Marie whome he was carefull of before and much troubled in himselfe about that matter Quest. 47. Why it pleased God by visions and dreames to instruct his seruants 1. One reason Hippocrates yeeldeth because in the day time men are distracted with many affaires and much busines so that the minde is not so free and apt in the day to receiue such spirituall direction as in the night 2. Aristotle saith that dreames come in the night propter noctis silentium sensâ—um exteriorum vacationem because of the silence of the night and the rest and intermission of the senses and the soule then beeing not hindred neither by the occurrent busines of the day nor by the employment of the senses is more readie and free to attend vpon God 3. Beside the night is secret and so the Lord may then secretly insinuate his will without any disturbance of the partie or obseruation of others c. 4. By this it appeareth also quanto sit Deus potentior ad hominem docendum c. how much more powerfull God is to teach and instruct man then any other can for one man onely can instruct another waking and giuing attention but God can instruct men in their sleepe Averroes hath this opinion he denieth not but that a man in sleepe may haue a propheticall instinct yet he thinketh that other artes and sciences cannot be inspired by that meanes which are onely attained vnto by precept and experience and by the helpe of the outward sense But herein he sheweth his ignorance not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God for though ordinarily artes are learned by such meanes yet God hath infused knowledge without any such â—elps as into Noah Bezaleel and Aholiab the builders of the Sanctuarie Salomon the Apostles 5. Adde further that seeing sleepe is an image and representation of death by this meanes we are taught that the soule liueth after the death of the bodie and hath more perfect knowledge and illumination then while it was in the bodie as more visions and reuelations haue beene shewed vnto men in their dreames their bodie beeing asleepe then when they were awake Quest. 48. Why visions and dreames are often shewed vnto simple and vnlearned men 1. By this one reason Aristotle and after him Cicero would eleuate the authoritie of diuine dreames for thus they obiect that if there were any such diuine dreames giuen vnto men by God ea non obscuris indoctis hominibus sed viris sapientia praeditis dari par erat it was meete they should be giuen not vnto obscure and vnlearned men but vnto such as were wise c. 2. To this obiection we thus answer 1. that such Sathanicall dreames as were vsed among the heathen were inspired into the simple ignorant and superstitious that were apt to beleeue any thing that they might not perceiue the fraud of those spirits whose oracles were vaine and void of truth doubtfull and ambiguous 2. but diuine dreames in deede were for the most part reuealed vnto wise and prudent men as vnto Abraham Ioseph Salomon Daniel 3. sometime also such dreames were sent vpon meane men of no great learning or wisdome in the world but they were such as were deuout and religious which their holines and pietie did make them more capable of heauenly visions and reuelations whereas the wisdome and greatnes of this world doth puffe man vp and so is an impediment and obstacle to such mysticall instructions 4. God also hath sometime giuen such dreames vnto wicked and impious men as to Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzer but then such dreames were shewed them not for their owne benefit but for the good of Gods Church and beside though they had dreames yet they had not the interpretation of them but therein vsed the helpe of Gods seruants as Pharaoh of Ioseph Nabuchadnezzar of Daniel Quest. 49. Why dreames are not alwaies cleare and manifest but darkely and obscurely propounded 1. The reason why diabolicall dreames such as were vsuall among the Heathen were obscure and doubtfull may readily be rendered because the spirits which deceiued them had no certaine knowledge of things to come and therefore the dreames and oracles which they gaue were so doubtfully and obscurely propounded that howsoeuer the euent was it might seeme answerable to the dreame and if they failed in their hope the interpretation should be laid not vpon the reuelation which was giuen but vpon themselues that could not rightly vnderstand it 2. But Diuine dreames either were euident plaine and manifest as the dreames which Abimelech Salomon and Ioseph had Matth. 1. or if they were obscure it was for one of these causes 1. that they might seeke vnto the seruants of God for the interpretation of their dreames as Pharaoh did vnto Ioseph 2. that the seruants of God themselues might by earnest praier begge of God the vnderstanding and interpretation of such dreames 3. the manifold mysteries shut vp in such short visions made them the more obscure as c. 2. the vision of the image comprehended more then could be contained in a long processe of speach such visions the more compendious so much the more obscure were they 4. the Lord thought good obscurely and darkely to reueale his will in dreames that the truth might lie as hid for a time till such time as they were fulfilled and accomplished as Iosephs dreames of the bending of the sheaues and bowing of the starres were not perfectly vnderstood till he was aduanced in Egypt Quest. 50. What dreames may be obserued and by whome 1. To obserue all dreames is friuolous and superstitious 1. for this were much like to the ridiculous customes of the Heathen that tooke vpon them to coniecture by the flying of birds and looking into the entralls of beasts 2. beside it sauoureth of the Stoicall fatall necessitie to think that all things necessarily should follow as men surmise by their dreames 3. And if starre-gazing be condemned of the wise and curious Astrologicall obseruations much more is such coniecturing by dreames to be contemned which hath more vncertentie in it then the other 2. Some dreames notwithstanding though not all may be marked but yet Iamblicus rule is friuolous that such dreames as happen either in the beginning of sleepe before the minde be ouercast with the fuming vapors of meates and drinke or in the ende when now all such vapors are concocted and digested by sleepe are worthie of obseruation but those which come in the middes of sleepe the bodie then beeing drenched as it were and fuming with such vapors are not at all to be regarded for this were to limit God to appoint him his times and
thinke as is touched in the former question that this was the sonne of Nebuchadnezzar the great brother to Euilmerodach but it is before shewed that there were but two kings of this name Nebuchadnezzar called priscus the auncient and Nebuchadnezzar called magnus the great of these two Iosephus maketh mention the first raigned 21. yeares the second 43. yeares after his computation then after him succeeded not an other Nebuchadnezzar which Pintus thinketh but without any ground to haue beene a generall name to all the kings of Chaldea as Caesar was to the Romane Emperours but his sonne Euilmerodach whom Iosephus calleth Abilamarodachus This Nebuchadnezzar then here mentioned was he which was surnamed the great 2. Some thinke that there was a third Nebuchadnezzar held to be the sonne of Cyrus in whose time fell out the historie of Holofernes and Iudith Lyran. but it is euident in Scripture that no kings of the Persians but onely of the Chaldeans were called by that name 3. Concerning the notation of Nebuchadnezzars name Lyranus hath this narration that he ws so called of this euent beeing a child he was cast out and suckled by a shee-goat vnder a tree in the which sate an owle which a certaine leper passing by wondred at to see an owle set there in the day and by that occasion looking about he espied the child which he caused to be nursed and brought vp So of these three is the name compounded of Nabu which in that language signifieth an owle and chodo a goate and nosor a leper But this seemeth to be a fabulous narration for whereas Nebuchadnezzar the great is imagined to haue beene so called vpon this occasion that is not like because his father was called by that name before him Quest. 3. vers 1. Why he is said to haue dreamed dreames 1. Though he dreamed here but once and in respect of the time had but one dreame yet it is called in the plurall cholmoth dreames not somnium a dreame as the Latine translatour interpreteth because many matters were contained in this dreame it was somnium multiplex one dreame yet consisting of many parts Inn. Polan 2. As also because in that one image which he sawe there were diuers mettals which were types and representations of diuers Monarchies one succeeding another Pappus so that this dreame was diuers both in respect of the matter and obiect thereof and the diuers interpretation and signification of the same 4. Quest. What manner of dreame this was which Nebuchadnezzar had 1. Dreames are either naturall which the mind causeth of it selfe but vpon some occasion or beginning either externall or internall or they are somnia immissa dreams which the minde of it selfe procureth not but are sent and wrought vpon it by some other power and they are of two sorts either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent of euill spirits 2. Divine dreames are such as God offreth to the minde and sometime such dreames are shewed to the faithfull as to Iaacob Ioseph Daniel sometime to those which were not of the people of God as to Abimelech Gen. 20. Laban Gen. 31. Pharaoh Gen. 41. 3. Diuine dreames are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is containing some diuination of things hid and secret and afterward to come to passe and they are of two sorts nuda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked visions simply and plainely expressing the meaning scope and purpose of the dreame as that was which was shewed to Ioseph concerning Marie how he should dispose of her Matth. 1. or els they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mysticall dreames folded vp in types and figures which cannot be vnderstood without some signification such was Pharaohs dreames of the 7. fat and leane kine and of the 7. full and 7. thinne and lanke cares Gen. 41. 4. This dreame which Nebuchadnezzar had was both a diuine dreame and of this last sort obscure and darke which could not be vnderstood without an interpreter for though Nebuchadnezzars thoughts who was desirous to knowe what should come to passe after him ministred some occasion yet the cause of this dreame they were not but Gods hand was in it as both may appeare by the effect which it wrought his spirit was sore troubled vers 1. As Abimelech also was in a great feare after he had the vision in his sleepe Gen. 20. and Pharaoh was perplexed after his dreame Gen. 41. Polan As also Daniel himselfe telleth the king afterward vers 28. that God himselfe shewed the king what should be in the latter dayes Pap. Quest. 5. Why it pleased God to send this dreame vpon Nebuchadnezzar 1. The Lord did it for Nebuchadnezzars sake that thereby he might be humbled and acknowledge the true God of Israel and thereupon be fauourable to his people whom he held in captiuitie 2. It was done also in respect of Daniel that by this meanes he might be had in reputation and so be exalted for the comfort of the Lords people as Ioseph for the same cause was aduanced in Egypt to be a softer father to his brethren 3. The vse hereof also is generall concerning the whole Church of God that as these fower great Monarchies were dissolued by the power of Christ whose kingdome onely is inuincible so God will destroy the mightie kingdomes and potentates of the earth who shall band themselues against Christ and his Church 4. Gods glorie also herein is set forth to whom belongeth all power and who knoweth all secrets Pap. So also Hugo Cardi. vt Daniele interpretante glorificetur Deus c. that by Daniels interpretation God might receiue glorie and the captiue people comfort 5. Lyranus addeth an other reason specialis Dei prouidentia circa principes magnos c. the speciall prouidence of God is ouer great Princes because the common wealth dependeth of them and therefore the Lord doth often reueale vnto them things to come as vnto Pharaoh the famine which should followe Quest. 6. vers 1. Of the meaning of these words and his sleepe was vpon him 1. The Latine interpreter readeth his dreame fledde from him which reading followe Lyran. Hu. Car. Pere Pin. Pap. Pel. but the word shenah here vsed signifieth sleepe not a dreame and the preposition ghall is not from but vpon or in Lyranus hereupon taketh occasion to shewe the cause of the obliuion and forgetfulnesse of dreames for obliuion commeth of the commotion and stirring of humours which is the cause that children and olde men are so forgetfull terror autem facit magnam humorum commotionem and terror maketh a great commotion and stirring of humors which inuaded Nebuchadenezzar here But this annoâ—ation hath no good ground here because as is before shewed the text spenketh not of the passing away of his dreame but of his sleepe being still vpon him 2. Some reade his sleepe was interrupted or broken off Pagnin or destistuit ipsum his sleepe left him Vatab. Bullinger for so
was sent as he saith Thou hast shewed now the thing that we desired of thee it is not like that Daniel and the rest beeing full of care in this so weightie a busines would giue themselues to rest but they awaked when other slept So Hugo Card. giueth this as a reason why this vision came in the night quod tempus magis orationi competit because that time is fittest for praier 3. And presently after this thing was reuealed it is said that Daniel answered and said The name of God be praised but he could not thus answer and praise God in his sleepe It was then such a vision in the night as Paul had Act. 16. 9. when a man of Macedonia appeared vnto him and said Come and helpe vs. 4. Yet this further must be added that visions come not onely by day but by night and not onely when men are awake but when they sleepe as Daniel saw a dreame and had visions in his head as he lay vpon his bed c. 7. 1. such visions are more then dreames and differ in respect of the more cleare illumination and euident demonstration of things such was Salomons dreame wherein he had a vision beside when actually the gift of wisdome was conferred vpon him 1. king 3. whereof see c. 1. qu. 51. Yet dreames and visions doe differ in nature still though they may concurre together the one beeing but a representation of the image and similitude of things the other a demonstration of the things themselues 20. Quest. Of the forme and order of Daniels thanksgiuing Daniels thanksgiuing is of two sorts either generall v. 20. to 23. or speciall and particular and either of them consisteth of the proposition containing the doxologie or thanksgiuing and the probation thereof 1. In the generall benediction in the proposition is expressed who is to be praised the name of God not the letters or syllables as the Iewes adore the name Iehouah the Papists the name Iesus but the name of God is God himselfe and the adiunct of the time also is added for euer and euer 2. The probation is set forth briefly for wisdome and strength are his then it is amplified by the effects first his power is declared by two effects the changing of times and seasons and the taking downe and setting vp of Kings then his confidence by three effects 1. in giuing wisdome for action 2. vnderstanding for contemplation 3. and in discouering secret things which is amplified by the cause taken from the essentiall propertie of God he knoweth what is in darknes because with him is light 3. Then followeth the speciall thanksgiuing with the proposition wherein Daniel giueth thanks for himselfe and the probation taken from two effects in opening vnto them the Kings dreame according to their desire and giuing them power and strength thereby to preuaile against and ouercome the imminent danger and perill of death the latter effect is set forth in the first place Quest. 21. v. 19. How Daniel is said to haue blessed the God of heauen 1. The Lord is called the God of heauen 1. because he made the heauens but other gods haue not made the heauen and the earth Ierem. 11. Hug. Card. 2. And this sheweth a difference betweene the true God and idols herein because they are worshipped onely in the earth and not in heauen Pint. 3. And God is so called because he is habitator coeli he inhabiteth and dwelleth in the heauens and therefore he saith heauen is my seat or throne Isa. 66. 1. not that God is limited and confined in the heauens but there are the most glorious and visible signes of his presence Pintus 4. And by this title is set forth Gods glorie greatnes and power because the heauens are the most glorious of Gods creatures and doe sway things below in the earth Polan 2. To blesse is taken diuersly in Scripture 1. when God is said to blesse man benedicere to blesse is the same that benefacere to bestowe benefits as the Lord saith to Abraham I will blesse thee and make thy name great Genes 12. 2. to blesse here is to encrease and multiplie him and make him great 2. when one man blesseth another it signifieth to wish well vnto them and to pray for them as Rebekahs mother and brother are said to blesse her Gen. 24. 60. 3. but when man is said to blesse God it signifieth to praise him and giue thankes vnto him as Psal. 54. 1. I will blesse the Lord for euer his praise shall be in my mouth continually and so is it taken here 22. Quest. vers 21. How the Lord is said to change times and seasons 1. He changeth times 1. he maketh day and night summer and winter ipse est primus motor coelestium corporum because he is the first mouer of the celestiall bodies which doe rule the time 2. and he changeth and altreth the times either according to the course of nature ordinarie as in distinguishing dayes moneths and the times of the yeare or extraordinarie as when the seasons of the yeare keepe not their kind but many times the Summer weather is changed into the winter raine and cold and the winter into Summer Cal. and he altreth the times against the course of nature as when he caused the Sunne to stand still in Iosuahs time and to goe backe in the dayes of Hezekiah Pere 2. He also changeth the particular seasons both of the ayre and weather sending sometime heate and drought sometime raine and cold Polan as also he disposeth of the age and yeares of mans life in generall as mans age was shortened after the flood and in particular sometime shortening mans dayes as he did vnto Moses not suffering him to liue to see the land of Canaan sometime prolonging it as he added 15. yeares to Hezekiahs life Pere 23. Quest. vers 22. VVhat secret things the Lord is said to discouer There are three kinds of secret things which the Lord is said to discouer 1. The mysteries of religion as concerning the blessed Trinitie the incarnation of the Sonne of God the life to come the knowledge of which things a man cannot attaine vnto vnlesse it be reuealed vnto him from God 2. There are the secrets of the heart which none knoweth but God who is the searcher of the heart saue the spirit of man which is in him 1. Cor. 2. 11. to none other are the thoughts of the heart knowne but onely vnto God 3. The things to come are great secrets which onely are manifest vnto him by whome all things are acted and gouerned both past present and to come Pere 24. Quest. How light is said to dwell with God v. 22. whereas it is said Psal. 18. 11. he made darkenesse his secret place 1. God is said 1. to be light in himselfe in his essence because there is nothing in God but most pure sincere cleare as also because he communicateth of this light vnto others as Iohn 1. 9. he is the
earth And of this opinion are Hierome and Origen but now no such thing is found that Ierusalem should be in the middes of the earth Calvin 3. Alfragane with whome Pintus consenteth thinketh that Babylon it selfe is situate in the 4. climate which is in the middes the whole earth beeing deuided into 7. climats but this is too curious 4. By the middes of the earth is better vnderstood the middes of his kingdome Osiand so that this is spoken not in respect of the situation of the place as of the qualitie strength of his kingdome 12. Quest. Why Nebuchadnezzer is compared to a tree v. 8. A great tree and strong 1. Hierome seemeth to be here of opinion that the wicked specially in Scripture are compared to trees as Nebuchadnezzer here and he alleadgeth that place Psal. 37. 35. I haue seene the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a greene bay tree But it is euident that the righteous are also compared to fruitfull trees Psal. 1. 3. 2. Generally a man is likened to a tree as Ezek. 17. 24. All the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord haue brought downe the high tree c. that is all the people of the world shall know a good man is resembled to a good tree and an euill man to an euill tree Matth. 7. 17. Aristotle and before him Plato did call a man arborem inuersam a tree turned vpside downe that as the tree hath his roote and sprigges comming out below so man hath his head and haire vppermost Wicked men are like vnto corrupt trees without fruit Iud. 12. such as the figgetree was Matth. 21. which had leaues but no fruit good men are like vnto good trees Ierem. 17. 8. for like as a tree bringeth forth fruit not onely as an ornament to it selfe but to be commodious to others so the righteous are fruitfull vnto many and as a tree the deeper it rooteth downeward the higher it spreadeth vpward so the more lowly a man is in his owne eyes the more he is exalted before God Pint. 3. Now as men are compared vnto trees in generall so Princes and great men are expressed and set forth by high and tall trees as Ezek. 17. 12. Zedekiah king of Iudah is likened to an high cedar so the king of Asshur is said to be like a cedar in Lebanon with faire branches Ezek. 31. 3. 4. But in that Nebuchadnezzer is here thus resembled to a goodly great tree thereby is not signified the perfection of his gouernment and his princely vertues for euen Tyrants and euill gouernours are as trees whose gouernment as a shadow bringeth some comfort vnto their subiects for better is a bad gouernment then none Calvin 13. Quest. v. 11. Who are vnderstood by the beasts and foules 1. Some by the beasts vnderstand simple men by the foules garrulos mendaces pratlers and lyers such as aspired and looked high gloss Some by the one meane such as were rude and barbarous by the other such as were of most ciuill life Perer. Others by the beasts interpret them of inferiour sort and condition by the foules the more noble sort which dwelt in the branches of this tree in the cities and townes Hug. Card. 2. But by these two kinds in generall are signified all the inhabitants and subiects in his kingdome as Ezek. 39. 17. Speake vnto euery feathered foule and to all the beasts of the field assemble your selues and come good men are compared vnto sheepe for their innocencie to serpents for their wisdome and euill men for their crueltie to lyons and beares for their craft vnto foxes as our Sauiour saith of Herod Tell that foxe so likewise the righteous are likened to doues for their simplicitie and cruell men and oppressors are as rauening eagles Ezek. 17. 4. So it is an vsuall thing for men to be compared vnto such beasts and foules quorum mores imitantur whose manners and conditions they imitate And this some thinke was Pythagoras meaning that held the transmigration of humane soules into the bodies of beasts And so Iamblicus vnderstandeth it of the similitude and likenes of bruitish manners though Plotinus absurdly thinke the contrarie that the soules of men doe in deede passe into the bodies of beasts But Hermes Trismegistus sheweth the absurditie hereof thus resoluing non permittere legem diuinam animi humani transitum in bestias that the diuine law will not admit the passage of humane soules into beasts ex Pint. 14. Quest. v. 12. How Nebuchadnezzer was bound with a band of yron and brasse 1. Pererius thinketh in deede that he was first bound with chaines and fetters as a mad man and afterward let loose and so wandred vp and downe among bruit beasts so also Osiander thinketh he was tied with chaines least he should haue hurt himselfe and others but if this were meant literally then he remained still tied among the grasse and beasts of the field as the words are 2. They which take exception to this historie taking it to be an allegorie doe make this one of their obiections Why they did not rather tie him vp beeing beside himselfe then suffer him to range abroad and how he could liue 7. yeares among bruit beasts and not be slaine Lyranus answereth 1. that if he had beene chained vp infirmitas fuisset aggrauata his infirmitie or maladie would haue beene more grieuous as we see by experience that mad men beeing tied vp are more furious 2. to the which it may be added that they did euen in this time of madnes shew some reuerence toward the person of the king 3. But the best answer is that they left him to himselfe that this prophesie of Daniel might take place they knew he should be restored to his kingdome againe and so he was also by the diuine prouidence preserued and kept from the rage and violence of the beasts 4. This phrase then to be tied vp in chains is here vsed to expresse his madnes because it is the vse to bind mad men in chaines Bulling and hereby is signified the certentie of this punishment decreed by the sentence of God which can not be broken Lyran. so that the meaning is stet inter gramina tanquam vinctus catenis ferreis he should continue in this sauage life in the grasse as one bound with iron fetters Oecolamp Pellican he should haue no power to come out of it vntill his time was fulfilled 15. Quest. v. 11 12. Why this prophecie is vttered in the imperatiue moode Hew downe the tree c. leaue the stumpe 1. It is vsuall with the Prophets to deliuer their prophecies in this manner as Isa. 2. 10. Enter into the rocke and hide thee in the dust for thou shalt enter and hide thee so Isa. 13. 6. Howle ye for the day of the Lord is at hand for ye shall howle and c. 14. 21. Prepare a slaughter for his children that is ye shall prepare Polan 2. There may be an other
with himselfe he must first looke into his owne conscience and see his owne pouertie and nakednes mendicat à te anima tua esurit iustitiam thy owne soule beggeth of thee it hungreth after iustice Perer. 7. Doctr. Of true repentance v. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse c. 1. Here the parts of true repentance are set downe which are these two to depart from sinne and to follow righteousnes as the Prophet Isai saith Cease to doe euill learne to doe well Isa. 1. 16. 2. Hence also the effects of true repentance are gathered which are the fruits of righteousnes so that in vaine doth one afflict himselfe if he doe not alter and change his life such are reprooued by the Prophet Isa. 58. 5. that did afflict their soules for a day and bow downe their head like a bulrush and yet continued in their sinne 3. The qualitie of true repentance is here also expressed that it may not be deferred or put off but speedily prosequuted which is signified by this phrase of breaking off As the Apostle to the Hebr. c. 3. 7. vrgeth that place to day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts 4. The benefit of true repentance followeth it procureth peace and tranquilitie and preuenteth the iudgements of God as here Nabuchadnezzer is promised that by this meanes his peace might be prolonged So our blessed Sauiour saith Luk. 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Polan 8. Doctr. That God seeth and knoweth all things v. 28. While the word was in the kings mouth c. God heard the very proud words which Nabuchadnezzer spake and in that very instant and moment sent his Angel to denounce the iudgement decreed against him So then nothing is hid from God neither our thoughts as the Prophet Dauid saith Thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre off Psal. 139. 2. nor our words as it followeth in the same place v. 4. There is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it wholly O Lord much lesse can our workes be hid as Rev. 2. 2. I know thy workes So that as the Apostle saith All things are naked and open to his eyes with whome we haue to doe Heb. 4. 13. 9. Doctr. Gods iudgements come of a sudden v. 28. As a voice came from heauen euen while the word was in the kings mouth so the iudgements of God ouertake the wicked when they looke not for them so Noahs flood came vpon the old world and the destruction of Sodome vpon the wicked So the day of the Lord as the Apostle saith shall come as a theefe in the night and as the trauell vpon a woman with child 1. Thess. 5. 2. 3. It behooueth vs therefore to be sober and watchful as our blessed Sauiour saith Those things which I say vnto you I say vnto all men watch Mark 13. 37. 10. Doct. Gods iudgements meete with sinnes in the same kind v. 29. They shall driue thee from men Nabuchadnezzer is here punished in the same things wherein he had sinned he was not so much lifted vp before in pride as he is now humbled and cast downe As he had banished many out of their countries and taken them captiue so he is now exiled himselfe and driuen from the companie of men his foode was daintie and delicate before now he feedeth with oxen then he was apparelled in purple and other rich attire now horrido pilo totus obtegitur he is all couered with haire then he was annointed with balme and pretious oyntment now he is wet with the dew of heauen Oecolampad 11. Doct. True repentance is the gift of God v. 31. At the ende of these daies I Nabuchadnezzer lift vp mine eyes to heauen c. Vntill it pleased God to turne this proud kings heart nothing could make it stoope He had receiued many warnings and was foretold of this his downefall and was aduised by Daniel by repentance to preuent this calamitie and beeing in this great miserie he was not mooued therewith till the time was expired and the Lord mooued his heart So our blessed Sauiour saith Ioh. 6. 44. No man commeth vnto me except the father draw him c. 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. That the virgin Marie was not without sinne v. 12. Leaue the stumpe c. Pererius allegorizing this vision of the tree thereby would haue shadowed forth the beautifull state of man in Paradise before his fall and by the stumpe and roote remaining he vnderstandeth the virgin Marie peccato Adami nullatenus infectam not infected at all with the sinne of Adam And Christ is the branch that sprouteth out of this roote Contra. 1. This comparison first is vnfit for here a stumpe onely remaineth without any branches at all he can not finde then here both a stumpe and a branch 2. This stumpe is bound about with a chaine and what other chaines is mans nature bound with then with the chaines of sinne his owne application maketh against him 3. It is a most blasphemous opinion and contrarie of the Scriptures that Marie was without originall sinne for the Apostle saith All men haue sinned Rom. 5. 12. none are excepted but Christ Heb. 4. 15. Marie also confessed her selfe a sinner in acknowledging that shee also had neede of a Sauiour Luk. 1. 47. see more hereof Synops. Centur. 2. err 79. 2. Controv. Against freewill Lyranus by this stumpe remaining vnderstandeth free will per hoc germen significatur liberum arbitrium reuerti potens ad bonum by this branch is signified free will which hath power to returne vnto that which is good Contra. 1. The vision it selfe ouerthroweth this conceit for this stumpe is bound with a chaine it could not sprout of it selfe till the chaines were taken away and before God had giuen Nabuchadnezzer an vnderstanding heart he could not so much as lift vp his eyes to heauen therefore this is but a weake ground to build free will vpon 2. Beside the Scripture euidently speaketh that there is no power or abilitie in man so much as to think a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. And our Sauiour saith Without me ye can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. see more hereof Synops. Centur. 4. err 46. 3. Controv. Against the inuocation of Saints v. 14. The sentence is according to the petition of the holy ones The Romanists doe thus vnderstand this place that the holy Angels made request for the king that mercie might be shewed him and hence would inferre that we are to make our prayers vnto them Contra. 1. That this place hath no such meaning is shewed before Quest. 18. the Angels pray not against Gods will that Nabuchadnezzer might escape this calamitie for it was alreadie decreed with God that it should fall vpon him but they desire rather that what God had decreed in heauen might accordingly be fulfilled in earth 2. And although it be granted quod bene nobis afficiantur that they are well affected toward vs and wish
tenebitur in manu accusatoris which shall be held in the accusers hand which is the deuill But 1. as Augustine saith non sic datur liber mortis c. there is not found to be a booke of death as there is of life onely they which are elected are said to be written and the reprobate not to be written in the booke of life 2. And whereas Pererius answereth that though there be no such booke of death with God yet the deuill may haue such a booke neither doth the deuill know who are saued who condemned and therefore he can haue no such booke neither is there any booke mentioned in Scripture but of the Lords writing as Moses saith Exod. 32. 32. Rase me out of the booke of life which thou hast written 3. Apoc. 20. 12. there are other bookes saide to be opened beside the booke of life then is not the booke of life here comprehended 2. Augustine by these bookes vnderstandeth the Saints which shall come with Christ to iudgement In whose godly life and conuersation the good will of God appeared and in them the wicked as in bookes may see what they should haue done But by the opening of these bookes not onely the wicked but the rightehus are iudged Apoc. 20. 12. The dead were iudged of those things which are written in the bookes 3. Beda by these bookes which shall be opened in the day of the Lord vnderstandeth the sacred Scriptures according to the which mens doings shall be examined and sentence giuen according to the same But the Scriptures are called a booke Apoc. 10. 9. not bookes 4. Calvin by the opening of the bookes would haue signified the manifestation of the knowledge of God vnto the world at the comming of Christ which before lay hid But here bookes are not opened for instruction vnto saluation but for triall and examination vnto iudgement 5. Therefore these bookes are better interpreted to be euery ones conscience wherein all their doings good and bad are written whereof S. Paul speaketh Their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing in the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ Rom. 2. 15. And thus are those bookes interpreted Apoc. 20. 12. The dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes So Hierome conscientiae opera singulorum in vtraque parte bona vel mala revelabuntur the consciences and works of euery one shall be reuealed whether good or bad c. To the same purpose also Rupertus As here the acts and workes of this fourth beast are examined before sentence giuen 6. But as Chrysostome well noteth these bookes are not opened that God should receiue information thereby to whome all mens hearts are opened like as in earthly tribunalls bookes are brought forth non soâ—um vt princeps in instruatur sed vt iudicium iustum appareat not onely to informe the Prince but that the iudgement may appeare iust c. So God openeth euery mans conscience that they may themselues see and confesse that their iudgement is most iust whether to life or death Oecolampad 38. Quest. Of the destruction of the fourth beast v. 11. v. 11. I beheld till the beast was slaine c. Hierome whome Lyranus followeth vnderstandeth this of the destruction of Antichrist in the ende of the world whome Christ shall destroy with the spirit of his mouth so also Vatablus Antichristus significatur eius membra Antichrist is signified and his members But in this sense this prophesie should not yet be fulfilled whereas it is euident that all this was fulfilled before the first comming of Christ. 2. Calvin applying this to the Romane Empire thinketh that the beast was destroyed when the Empire beganne to decay which was immediatly after Traiane the Emperours time for after that time well nigh these 15. hundred yeares nullus Romano potitus est Imperio none hath enioyed the Romane Empire But though the state of that Empire was somewhat empayred yet it was not then wholly destroied but continued in great power and glorie many hundred yeares after Traians time but here the beast is slaine and his body vtterly destroied 3. Bullinger expoundeth this of the ruine of the Papall kingdome 4. Osiander of the decay of the Turkish dominion togither with the Romane Empire so also Oecolampad expoundeth it of the destruction of the Pope and Turke togither by that prophesie Apoc. 19. 20. of the taking of the beast and the false prophet But these prophesies must be distinguished Daniels extendeth to the first comming of Christ Iohns Reuelation to the second 5. Iunius in his Commentarie applieth this prophesie vnto Antiochus Epiphanes his iudgement is set forth in three degrees 1. the beast is slaine the death of Epiphanes is foreshewed who hauing receiued euill tidings first at Persepolis then at Elymais fell into a grieuous and incurable disease as is set forth 1. Macchab. 6. 2. Macchab. 9. 2. his bodie is destroyed his armies were ouerthrowne and all his posteritie rooted out for Antiochus Eupator his sonne raigned not aboue 3. yeares and in him the whole familie of Epiphanes was extinct and the kingdome returned to the right heires 3. his bodie is giuen to the burning fire whereby is signified the grieuous torments of his disease which he endured 2. Macch. 9. 6. But seeing Antiochus Epiphanes is the little horne of the fourth beast and this iudgement belongeth to the whole beast here rather is described the ruine and destruction of the whole kingdome of the Seleucians the meaning then is this rather 1. that the power of the Seleucians after Epiphanes began to abate and their kingdome to be much â—olested by enemies without the Parthians and Armenians and by commotions within and so the beast was slaine then the bodie of the beast was destroyed the kingdome beeing taken from the house of the Seleucians and giuen to Tygranes king of Armenia as Iustine writeth lib. 40. And this bodie was giuen to the fire when Tigranes beeing taken the kingdome was dissolued and made a Prouince by Pompey Polan 39. Quest. v. 12. When the other beasts had their dominion taken away and how their liues were prolonged 1. Some doe interpret these words by the time past that before the destruction of this last beast the other three had beene destroyed so Calvin Vatablus ante interitum quartae bestiae evanueraÌ„t they had vanished away before the ouerthrow of the fourth beast Osiand And though mention be made hereof after the destruction of the fourth beast yet the other beasts were before remooued and taken out of the way Calvin But to what ende is it said that after the dominion of the other three beasts was taken away their liues were prolonged if there had not beene some remainder of the other Monarchies the Chaldean Persian and Grecian after their dominion ceased 2. Some on the contrarie hee thinke that here is
of man comming in the clouds to vnderstand in base and suppliant manner to come vnto a mortall Prince 2. R. Saadia vnderstandeth this also of the Messiah that he shall come as was prophesied of him sitting vpon an asse that is in great lowlinesse and in the clouds armies of Angels shall attend vpon him and that great dominion shall be giuen as the auncient of dayes that is sicut domini filiorum hominum as they which are Lords among men c. But herein also is his errour 1. he confoundeth the first comming of Christ which was in humilitie and his second comming which should be in glorie 2. he dreameth of a temporall kingdome 3. he misinterpreteth the auncient of dayes which he applyeth to mortall men 3. The most of the Christian writers doe here vnderstand the second comming of Christ to iudgement as Lyran. Hugo gloss So also Oecolampad Bulling Pererius granteth that in the vision of the image c. 2. the stone cut out without hands doth signifie Christ in his first comming but here he thinketh that Christ is described comming vnto iudgement because so it is said Matth. 24. then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds c. And because this apparition of the Sonne of man followeth after the destruction of Antichrist But 1. Christ also ascending to his father was taken vp in the clouds 2. the little horne of the fourth beast signifieth not Antichrist but typically and by way of analogie it historically is meant of Antiochus Epiphanes as is before shewed 3. seeing the same Monarchies and kingdomes are described in the vision c. 2. and this c. 7. the same destruction and extinguishing of the kingdomes in both places must be insinuated 4. neither is this aptly referred to Christs second comming but to that his coÌ„ming which followed vpon the dissolution of that fourth kingdome which was of the Seleucians in Syria as is shewed before quest 22. and quest 26. 5. Iunius vnderstandeth the approaching of Christ to the Auncient of dayes of Christs ascension vnto his father but the comming in or with the clouds he applyeth to Christs comming into the world to finish the worke of our redemption deitas illius figuratur aduentu è nubibus his deitie is prefigured by his comming out of the clouds Inn annot so also Calvin thinketh the meaning is that Christ though he were the sonne of man yet differed much from all mankind c. his beginning was from heauen ours is from the earth 6. But all these are better ioyned together to set forth the glorious ascension of our Blessed Sauiour which type we see fulfilled Act. 1. where Christ ascended vp in a cloud by this approaching to the Auncient of dayes is signified his equalitie with his father he approached ad aequalitatem Deipatris to be equall to his father in the diuine essence Lyran. Bulling and to sit at the right hand of God his father Vatab. they brought him before him that is he offred and presented himselfe to his father for so in the Chalde tongue the third person plurall is vsed impersonally Iun. or else the Angels reioycing at the ascension of Christ attended vpon him when he ascended in tryumph to his father as Iustine Martyr expoundeth dialog cum Tryphon Polan 7. And that this part of the vision is rather vnderstood of Christs first comming into the world and his returning to his father then of his second comming to iudgement these two reasons out of the text it selfe may perswade 1. because this dominion is here giuen vnto Christ but Christ receiued his kingdome at his resurrection from the dead when he said to his Apostles all power is giuen vnto me in heauen and earth tunc regnum suum auspicatus est then Christ beganne his kingdome Calv. it was not deferred till his second comming Oecolampadius answereth nouo modo datur illi gloria quam in membris suis accipit c. then after a newe manner glorie shall be giuen him because he shall receiue it in his members c. But it is euident that this is meant of Christs receiuing this kingdome in himselfe though for his members because he is brought to the Auncient of dayes as it were to sit downe in the throne with him which cannot be vnderstood of his members 2. the kingdome vnder the whole heauen is said to be giuen vnto the holy people v. 27. but the celestiall and heauenly kingdome cannot be said to be vnder heauen therefore it is not meant of the Church tryumphant in heauen but of the Militant in earth 8. And yet we so vnderstand this of the first comming of Christ as that we say with Rupertus in primo aduentu coeptum fatâ—mur quod in secundo consummandum est we confesse this kingdome to beginne in the first comming of Christ which shall be finished in his second c. and that Christs kingdome then tooke beginning he sheweth by that text Ioh. 12. 31. now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out Quest. 42. That this kingdome could not be the kingdome of the Macchabees v. 14. And he gaue him dominion and honour c. 1. Porphyrie by this kingdome vnderstandeth the prosperous gouernement of the Macchabees who obtained diuerse victories against Antiochus and procured the libertie of their countrie 2. But this cannot be 1. Theodoret thus reasoneth this kingdome here giuen shall neuer be taken away but this gouernement of the Macchabees continued not long Iudas gouerned three yeares Ionathas 31. Simon 8. yeares but afterward the countrey of the Iewes was oppressed againe And though we take the whole time of the Macchabees which succeeded it continued not aboue an 126. yeares till the time of Herod who depriued them of the kingdome to this purpose Theodoret. 2. this kingdome shall be ouer all the world but the Macchabees onely ruled in Iudea Perer. 3. whereas this Sonne of man commeth in the clowds and approacheth vnto the Auncient of dayes it cannot be shewed how this should agree vnto mortall men Quest. 43. That this kingdome is the kingdome of Christ our Blessed Lord and Sauiour 1. The Iewes seeke by their cauils and shiftes to obscure this cleare prophesie and first obiect that Christs kingdome is not here vnderstood Secondly they argue that Christ is that little home which came out of the fourth beast 1. The first they would thus prooue 1. the fifth kingdome must destroy the fourth beast but Christ at his comming did not dissolue the Romane Empire it then most of al flourished vnder Augustus and Tiberius 2. the fifth kingdome must be distinct from the fourth but the kingdome of Christ flourished vnder the Romane Empire beeing aduanced by Constantine and other Christian Emperours 3. this fift kingdome shall be of all other the most mightie but there are other kingdomes mightier then the Christans as the Turkish power 4. this fift kingdome must continue for euer but the kingdome of
the manner thereof it should be made desolate for euer v. 26 27. 2. The text with the diuerse readings v. 1. In the first one H. yeare of Darius Dariavesh H. the sonne of Ahashuerosh Achasverosh H. of the seede of the Medes wherein which V. L. B. Gahefirst rather it is better referred to the yeare wherein he was 〈◊〉 king then to the person that was made he was made king ruled L. S. but the word is in the passiue ouer the Realme of the Chaldeans 2 In the first yeare of his raigne I Daniel vnderstood by bookes the number of the yeares whereof the word of the Lord came was H. vnto Ieremiah the Prophet to accomplish the desolation of Ierusalem seuentie yeares 3 I turned my face gaue my face H. vnto the Lord Iehouah H. and so throughout for the most part where Lord is translated God to seeke him by praier in seeking praier S. and supplication with fasting sackeloath and 〈…〉 4 And I praied vnto the Lord my God and made my confession confessed H. saying Oh B. G. or I pray thee A. I. V. Lord God great and fearefull which keepeth mercie toward them which loue him I. A. B. which loue thee L. S. V. G. 〈◊〉 the pronoune affix is here of the third person and toward them which keepe his commandements 5 We haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptâ— and from thy iudgements 6 For we would not 〈…〉 vnto obey L. V. S. thy seruants the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Princes and our fathers and to all the people of the land 7 To thee O Lord belongeth righteousnes and to vs confusion of face open shame B. G. as it is this day as is come to passe B. or appeareth this day G. to euery man of Iudah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem yea vnto all Israel neere or farre off throughout all the countries whither thou hast driuen them because of their trespasses which they haue trespassed agaiâ—st thee 8 O Lord vnto vs appertaineth shame or confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because we haue sinned not they haue sinned L. the verbe is put in the first person against thee 9 Vnto the Lord our God pertaineth compassion and forgiuenes because albeit G. V. although B. but the word is chi because we haue rebelled against him and therefore they looked onely for mercie from the Lord hauing no power in themselues 10 For we haue not hearkned vnto the voice of the Lord our God to walke in his lawes law L. which he set before vs gaue before our face H. by the hand that is the ministerie G. of his seruants the Prophets 11 Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy law in turning backe and not hearkning to thy voice therefore the curse is powred vpon vs and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the seruant of God because we haue sinned against him 12 And he hath confirmed his words euery one of his words I. which he spake against vs and our Iudges that iudged vs by bringing vpon vs a great plague euill H. for vnder the whole heauen was not done the like as is now come to passe done H. in Ierusalem 13 As it is written in the law of Moses all this euill is come vpon vs yet made we not our prayers before entreated the face of H. the Lord our God that we might turne vs from our iniquities and vnderstand thy in or toward thy truth 14 Therfore the Lord hath made readie the plague watched ouer the euill H. brought it vpon vs for righteous is the Lord our God in all the works which he doth for we would not hearken to his voice 15 And now O Lord our God which hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mightie hand and hast gotten thee renowne G. a name H. as appeareth this day which remaineth this day V. B. we haue sinned we haue done wickedly 16 O Lord according to all not in all L. S. the word is cecol not becol thy righteousnes I beseech thee let thine anger and thy wrath be turned away from thy citie Ierusalem thy holy mountaine the mountaine of thy holines H. for because of our sinnes and the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem and thy people are a reproach to all that are round about vs to all our circuits H. 17 Now therefore O Lord our God heare hearken vnto H. the praier of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuarie that lieth wast for the Lords sake not for thy sake L. S. for the word adonai is expressed 18 O my God encline thine eare and heare and behold our desolations and the citie G. or of the citie V. I. whereupon thy name is called whereon thy name is called vpon it H. for not for our righteousnes doe we prostrate our praiers L. present our prayers B. G. pray falling downe I. powre out our prayers V. cause our praiers to fall H. before thee but for thy great tender mercies 19 O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord attend and doe it deserre not for thine owne sake for thy selfe H. O my God for thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people that is they are called by thy name V. I. 20 And while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sinne and the sinne of my people Israel and did prostrate cause to fall H. as before v. 18. my supplications before the Lord my God for the holy Mountaine mountaine of the holines H. of my God 21 Yea while I was speaking in my praier the man Gabriel whome I had seene in the vision at the first in the morning H. came flying beeing bid or made to flie H. for the word is in hophal earnestly with wearines H. or swiftly V. and touched me about the time of the euening oblation 22 And he informed me and talked with me and said O Daniel I am now come forth to giue thee vnderstanding and knowledge to make thee perceiue vnderstanding H. 23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandement the word H. came forth and I am come to shew it thee L. B. G. ad for thou art much desired that is accepted of God I. greatly beloued B. G. a man of desires L. S. chamudoth desires H. D. Kimhi readeth hamiddoth a man of vertues and he is called a man of desires not actiuely because he much desired the deliuerance of the people but passiuely because he was a man according to Gods desire that is beloued and accepted of him so Vatab. a man desirous of things to be wished for vnderstanding it also actiuely of Daniels desire therefore vnderstand the matter and consider the vision 24 Seuentie weekes are cut out it is cut out H. impersonally are determined V. B. G. are abbreuiated or shortened L. but chatac signifieth to cut out vpon or
actiuely because Daniel so earnestly desired to vnderstand visions and secret mysteries for his owne and others better instruction so Hugo 2. Some giue this sense quia in te sunt multa desiderabilia because there are many excellent things to be desired in thee 3. or thou art a man of desires that is worthie to be beloued Pintus 4. But it is better vnderstood passiuely he was beloued and accepted with God and so Symmachus translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man desired or beloued of God Oecolampad and so it answeareth to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely beloued with which word the Angel saluteth Mary Luk. 1. 28. that as here God had chosen Daniel to reueale this mysterie vnto concerning the Messiah so Marie is elected of God to be the mother of Christ for the accomplishment of this vision So then Daniel is called a man of desires that is Deo acceptus accepted of God Calvin Iunius Dâ—o amabilis beloued of God Lyranus Deo châ—rus deere vnto God Sa. for things which are esteemed and had in price are called things of desires as Esaus best raiment which Rebeckah put about her sonne Iakob are called garments of desires Genes 27. 15. and pleasant bread Daniel calleth bread of desires c. 10. 3. Polan Quest. 15. v. 24. Seuentie weekes are determined c How Daniels prayer is heard praying for the peoples deliuerance Seeing Daniel made his request for the deliuerance of the people the 70. yeares of captiuitie beeing expired and the Angel doth open vnto him an other vision of 70. weekes of yeares the question is how this is answerable vnto Daniels prayer 1. One answer is that because Daniel had some reuelation of the Messiah which should be incarnate both by the vision of the stone cut out without hands c. 2. and of the Sonne of man comming in the clouds c. 7. he had an earnest desire to be further instructed concerning the comming of the Messiah and therefore herein the Lord satisfieth Daniels desire 2. Lyranuâ— addeth further quia Dominus plus dat quam ab eo petatur because the Lord giueth and graunteth more then is asked of him he doth not onely assure Daniel of the temporall deliuerance of the people now after 70. yeares captiuitie but doth reueale also vnto him the spirituall and euerlasting deliuerance of the people of God after 70. weekes of yeares 3. Father it is answered that it is vsuall in Scripture when any thing is spoken of which is a type and figure of an other that in the handling thereof many things are deliuered which agree vnto the thing that is prefigured not vnto the type as in the Psalmes Dauid and Salomon 〈…〉 as types of Christ where many things as Psal. 2. Psal. 7â— are declared which 〈◊〉 in no wayes agree vnto them but must be referred vnto Christ. And so in this prophesie the temporall deliuerance of the people beeing a type of their spirituall deliuerance by Christ vnder the one is signified the other Perer. so also Rupertus sic illam captiuitatem solvioptat vt pro maiori sollicitus â—it he so desireth that captiuitie to be dissolued as that yet he is carefull for a greater deliuerance 4. But it may furtheâ— be answered that beside that the Angel satisfieth Daniels desire concerning the deliuerance of the people he also foretelleth of the spirituall deliuerance by Christ that the people should not rest in that temporall benefit but be in continuall expectation of the comming of the Messiah by whom they should be redeemed from the bondage of sinne Polan As also because the people notwithstanding this captiuitie of 70. years continued in their sinne the Angel sheweth that God would yet giue them a longer time ofrepentance euen of seuentie weekes of yeares after which time if they repented not their citie should be destroyed according to the determinate sentence of God Iun. in commentar Quest. 16. v. 24. How the seuentie weekes must be vnderstood 1. These seuentie weekes cannot be taken for so many weekes of dayes as weekes are properly taken as Leniâ— 23. the feast of Pentecost followed seuen weekes after the feast of the Passeoâ—er for 70. weekes of dayes make but one yeare 4. moneths and 14. dayes so that then this prophesie should haue beene fulfilled in lesse time then a yeare and halfe Lyran. Bulling 2. Origeâ— taketh these weekes not for weekes of dayes or of single yeares but of tenne yeares that euerie one of these propheticall weekes should comprehend 70. yeares and so the whole 〈◊〉 of 70. of these weekes amounteth to 4900. yeares Eusebius in part followeth this interpretation of the weekes lib. 8. de dâ—monst Euangel for the last weeke of the 70. he extendeth to 70. yeares counting vnto the last weeke seuen times tenne yeares But if this reckoning should stand this prophesie of Daniel is not yet fulfilled for from Daniels time vntill now there are not aboue â—â—00 yeares runne so that their should remaine 2700. yerres of the 70. weekes whereas we see that many yeares since Ierusalem was destroyed and their sacrifices and ceremonies abolished 3. Lyranus reporteth the opinion of some which vnderstand these to be Iubile weekes and some weekes of hundred yeares they which take them for so many Iubilees or 50. yeares make in euerie weeke 350. yeares and the whole summe will rise to 24500. yeares but if euerie day should be counted for an 100. yeares the weeke shall containe 700. yeares and 70. weekes 49000. yeares Against this exposition Lyranus alleadgeth these two reasons 1. no where in Scripture is the name of a weeke taken in any such sense either for 50. yeares or an 100. yeares but either it signifieth weeks of dayes or weekes of yeares 2. the world shall not continue so many thousand yeares neither should this prophesie be yet fulfilled concerning the destruction of the citie and Sanctuarie all which things we see came to passe aboue a 1500. yeare since 4. It remayneth then that we are here precisely to vnderstand 70. weekes of yeares euerie weeke containing 7. yeares for so is a weeke of yeares taken Leuit. 25. 8. thou shalt number seuen Sabbaths of yeares vnto thee euen seuen times seuen yeares so that 70. weekes of yeares make 490. yeares Iun. Perer. Polan Pellican cum caeter Quest. 17 Why 70. weeks are said to be cut out or determined Whereas the Latine translator readeth abbreuiatae sunt 70. weekes are abbreuiated or shortened this hath giuen occasion of some question 1. Augustine epistol 80. ad Hesychium maketh mention how some thus interpreted those words of our Sauiour Matth. 24. 22. that for the elects â—ake those dayes should be shortened that the dayes of persecution should be shorter then the naturall day of 24. houres and thus as well might some suppose the weekes to be said to be shortened like as we reade that in Iosuah and Hezekias time the day was lengthened and made longer then the natural day But this cannot be the
super notat oppressionem this word vpon noteth their oppression who finally were destroyed by the Romanes some giue this sense within this time all these things shal come to passe which belong vnto the eternal saluatioÌ„ of the people Osi. But both rather are signified both the mercie which should be offred vnto this people in taking away their sinnes by the comming of the Messiah and the iudgement which should befal them for their contempt reiecting of the Messiah for both these are afterward touched the benefits which the Messiah should bring vnto them vers 24. and the calamiti ewhich should be sent vpon them vers 26. And both these Iunius in his commentarie ioyneth together Quest. 20. The meaning of these words v. 24. to finish or rather restraine wickednesse 1. R. Salamon who endeth these 70. weekes at the second destruction of the citie and Temple by Titus thus interpreteth that then the Iewes should endure a longer captiuitie then before and thereby should learne to leaue off their sinnes and by their long punishment merit forgiuenesse of their sinne Contra. 1. Lyranus thus refelleth the Rabbine that the Iewes are so farre off from leauing their sinnes by this long captiuitie that they are rather worse for their periuries vsurie profane oathes are notoriously knowne And seeing God punished their idolatrie but with captiuitie of 70. years and now they haue endured captiuitie more then twice 7. hundred yeares it must needs be a greater sinne for the which they sustaine so long a time of punishment which can be none other then their killing the Lord of life the Blessed Messiah 2. Paulus Burgen addeth further that this finishing of iniquitie must be within the 70. weeks but that ceasing from sinne which the Rabbine imagineth must follow after these 70. weeks expired 3. adde hereunto that no man by the workes of the law is iustified or can doe any thing acceptable vnto God how then can the Iewes without the Messiah obtaine remission of sinnes And againe men by their punishment though it be neuer so long and great cannot satisfie for their sinnes for then they which are tormented in hell might at length satisfie for their iniquitie Polan 2. Some following the Latine text to consummate or finish sinne doe thus interpret it to make perfect sinne as the Iewes were come to the height of sinne when they crucified Christ in this sense our Sauiour saith Matth. 23. Fulfillye the measure of your fathers thus expound Chrysostome orat 2. cont Iudaeos Theodoret vpon this place and Eusebius lib. 8. de praeparat Euang. but the next words following to seale vp 〈◊〉 and reconcile iniquitie doe shewe that this phrase signifieth rather the consumption then consummation of sinne 3. Some reading to finish sinne vnderstand it of the consumption of sinne and taking of it away by the death of Christ as a candle is said to be ended when it is consumed Hugo so is the word finishing taken Isa. 40. 2. Speake comfortably to Ierusalem c. that her warfare is finished and her iniquitie is pardoned Perer. so also Calv. Genevens Vatabl. Pintus this sense is not to be misliked sauing that the word is not well interpreted which signifieth not to finish but rather to restraine or shut vp 4. The word cala with aleph which is here vsed signifieth to shut vp but calâ—h with he is to finish and consummate the meaning then is to restraine sinne which Iunius and Polanus following him doe interpret of the preseruing of the elect from that generall defection and falling away of the Iewes which began in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes 5. But seeing the words following to seale vp sinnes c. are generall not of any speciall iniquitie or of some speciall nation but of the sinnes of all these words are better vnderstood also generally that by the comming of Christ and preaching of the Gospel there should be a generall restraint of sinne as many which made no conscience before of adulterie idolatrie couetousnes and such like should be reclaimed by the Gospel Bullinger as the Apostle saith hauing made mention of idolaters fornicatours adulterers and such like who shall not inherit the kingdome of God addeth but such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified c. 1. Cor. 6. 10. 22. Quest. Of the sealing of sinnes 1. The Latine translatour readeth to finish sinne whereupon Pererius taketh occasion to shew how diuers waies sinne was finished by the death of Christ in that he paied the ransome for our sinne abolished idolatrie conquered Sathan So M. Lively preferreth this reading and expoundeth it by that place Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world 2. But seeing the word is chatam which signifieth to seale vp and so the Septuagint read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sealing therefore this reading is to be preferred to seale vp sinnes that is to binde vp as it were and to seale and cloase them as neuer any more to be opened read or declared against vs for as writings are vnfolded and opened to be rehearsed and read so they are sealed vp to be concealed and buried in obliuion which S. Paul calleth the putting out of the hand-writing c. which was against vs Coloss. â— 14. Polan Quest. 22. What it is to reconcile iniquitie 1. The vulgar Latine readeth to take away sinne so also Lyranus Hugo Pintus with others and hereupon Pererius sheweth how three wayes a thing may be taken away by washing and wiping by scraping as a blot in writing and by dissipating or dissoluing as when a cloud or mist is dispersed and so in all these phrases sinne is said to be taken away as Dauid saith Psal. 51. wash away my sinne and S. Paul that Christ hath rased out the hand-writing of our sinne Colos. 2. And Isay 44. 22. the Lord saith I haue put away thy transgression as a cloud This sense is true but it is not well grounded for the word caphar signifieth to expiate reconcile not to take away 2. Some by this expiation and reconciliation vnderstand the taking away of the guilt of sinne whereby we are made guiltie of eternall damnation Polan but that seemeth to be signified before in the sealing of sinnes that they should not be had in remembrance to ouâ— condemnation 3. Hereby then rather is signified that Christ hath made reconciliation for sinne that is he satisfied in his death vpon the crosse pro culpa poena c. for the fault and punishment Bulling 4. Thus by these three words here vsed peshagh chataoth ghaven which are translated wickednesse sinnes iniquitie all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer are implied sinne onely against the holy Ghost excepted Bulling which may thus be distinguished wickednesse against God sinne in our selues and iniquitie against our neighbour Hugo And here this benefit of taking away sinne is set forth in three degrees in restraining the act in sealing them vp in respect of
to the same purpose Three waies hath our blessed Sauiour fulfilled and sealed vp all vision and prophesie 1. Christ hath accomplished whatsoeuer was declared and foretold by the Prophets as he saith Matth. 5. I came not to dissolue the law but to fulfill it and he saith to his Disciples Luk. 18. 31. Behold we goe to Ierusalem and all things shall be fulfilled to the Sonne of man which are written by the Prophets 2. He hath fulfilled and sealed them vp because he hath performed that which the law could not doe which was void weake and impotent without Christ so the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 3. That which was impossible to the law because it was weake c. God sending his owne Sonne c. Christ came to performe that which the law intended but was not able to effect 3. Christ hath made an ende of vision and prophesie they are determined in him Matth. 11. 13. The Law and the Prophets prophesied vnto Iohn vpon which words Chrysostome orat 2. contr Iudaeos sistere oportuit post Christum prophetias c. prophesies were to cease after Christ So also Tertull lib. advers Iudaeos post aduentum Christi passionem eius iaâ— non visio neque propheta est after the comming and suffering of Christ now there is neither vision nor Prophet 4. R. Salomon thinketh that this should be performed after the destruction of the second Temple when after a long captiuitie of the people the Messiah at the last should come and then all prophesies and promises of the Messiah should cease But Lyranus refelleth this conceit by these two arguments 1. because the Prophet Hagge speaking of the comming of the Messiah saith Yet a little while and I will shake the â—â—â—auens and the earth c. and the desire of all nations shall come but if the Messiah were not yet come there beeing 2000. yeares past since Hagges time from whome vnto the comming of Christ there were aboue 400. yeares and a 1600. are runne since how could this be called a little while 2. the same Prophet there saith the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glorie it is euident then that the Messiah should come the second Temple yet standing and not so many yeares after the destruction thereof as the Rabbin supposeth 3. Experience sheweth that long since all prophecies and visions among the Iewes are ceased therefore they are hereby euidently conuinced that the Messiah is come 5. Barbinel an other cauilling Iew obiecteth non debuisse auferri prophetiae donum that the gift of prophesie might not be taken away wherein he sheweth his ignorance in not distinguishing betweene the time of vision and prophecie and of the Messiah who should ende all vision and prophesying We also graunt that God would not haue taken from his Church the gift of prophesying but that he hath prouided a better way for the instruction of his people in speaking vnto vs in these last daies by his Sonne Hebr. 1. 2. Calvin 29. Quest. Of the anointing of the holy one who is signified thereby 1. R. Salomon vnderstandeth this of the Temple and Sanctuarie with the Arke and the vessels thereof which he thinketh should be reedified and builded againe by the Messiah But Lyranus euidently conuinceth this Rabbinicall conceit by that place of Ieremie 3. 16. When ye be encreased and multiplied in those daies in the land saith the Lord they shall say no more the Arke of the couenant of the Lord for it shall come no more to minde neither shall they remember it it is euident then by this place that the Messiah shall not restore againe the Arke and the Temple And in this place the Angel prophesying of the anointing of the Messiah afterward speaketh euidently of the destruction and desolation of the citie Sanctuarie v. 26. so farre off shall the Iewish Temple then be from beeing reedified at the comming of the Messiah that it shall rather then be destroyed 2. Wherefore this most holy or holy of holies is vnderstood to be Christ who was prefigured and shadowed forth by the most holy place in the Temple where the Arke was which had the Tables of stone within it and the golden Cherubims stretching their wings ouer it 3. Iunius in his commentarie giueth an other sense by the most holy one vnderstanding the Sanctuarie the annoynting and ordinarie vse whereof should continue the time here limited and prefixed to draw the people the better to repentance and in the same sense he vnderstandeth the sealing of the vision and prophecie that all this time the Lord would not leaue his Church destitute of Prophets But the former words of bringing in euerlasting righteousnes doe shew that this is better vnderstood of the office of the Messiah as Iunius himselfe interpreteth in his annotations vpon this place how Christ shall performe those two great benefits of taking away sinne and bringing in euerlasting righteousnes by these two meanes his Euangelical teaching and prophesying which shall make an ende of the visions of the law and by his euerlasting priesthood whereunto he should be anointed 30. Quest. Why Christ is called the holy of holies 1. This title and appellation is giuen vnto Christ both as God and man As God in foure respects 1. because he is holy of himselfe and hath it not from any other 2. this holines is essentiall in him not accidentall as it is in man 3. because he is infinitely and beyond measure holy 4. and he is the originall cause and fountaine of all holines As he is man he is most holy 1. because of the vnion of his humane nature with his diuine 2. because of the fulnes of all grace and holines which he receiued as man 3. because he is not holy onely in himselfe but sanctifieth and maketh holy his Church 4. because he was not of vnholy made holy as man is but he was alwaies without sinne and so alwaies holy Perer to this purpose also Osiand he is called most holy because in respect of his diuine nature he is Deus sanctissimus the most holy God and in his humanitie he was without sinne 2. This title to be called most holy or holy of holies is peculiar vnto the Messiah as to be called the king of kings and Lord of Lords And Eusebius obserueth well that he neuer read in the Scripture any of the Priests or Kings to be called holy of holies lib. 8. de demonstrat Euangelic 3. Herein the most holy place in the Tabernacle was a type of Christ wherein the Arke was kept As the Tabernacle went before the Israelites and when it refled they staied so we in all things should follow the direction of this Tabernacle As the glorie of God rested vpon Moses Tabernacle so in Christ this blessed Tabernacle dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. As the Priests of the law had a Tabernacle to minister in so as the Apostle saith Christ
time 3. Nehemiah maketh mention c. 13. 28. of one of the sonnes of Ioiada the high Priest who was the sonne in law of Samballat the Horonite whome Nehemiah chased away this as Iosephus sheweth lib. 11. was Manasses the brother of Iaddua the high Priest who married Nicaso the daughter of Samballat 4. Nehemiah also maketh mention of the last Darius called Codomannus Nehem. 12. Now that Nehemiah also saw the beginning is euident Ezr. 2. 2. where Nehemiah is named among those which returned out of captiuitie according to the edict of Cyrus Two answers are here made 1. that it might be an other Nehemiah beside him who was sent to repaire Ierusalem in the 20. yeare of king Artaxerxes 2. the historie may be transposed for Nehemiah went not vp then but 64. yeares after Genevens annotat Ezra 2. 2. 3. And it is further answered that the Samballat mentioned by Nehemiah c. 12. might be an other of that name or Iosephus might mistake the time wherein Samballat liued and whereas Nehemiah speaketh of Iaddua he onely sheweth that at that time when he writ that booke Iaddua was borne heire to the Priesthood to this purpose M. Lydyat in his booke de emendat tempor ann 3485. set forth this yeare 609. Contra. 1. To imagine two Nehemiahs as they likewise say that Mordecai there named was an other beside Mordecai in the dayes of Esther vnlesse some Scripture might be shewed for it is all one as if they should make two of Moses Dauids Salomons or Zorobabels name 2. whereas the words stand thus these are they c. which came with Zerubbabel Ieshuaeh Nehemiah Ezr. 2. 2. what a disorder were this in the storie these beeing named together to put off Nehemiahs comming so many yeares after And beside this doubt is remooued Nehem. 7. 5. where Nehemiah saith I found a booke of the genealogie of them which came vp at the first and found it written there c. they which came vp with Zerubbabel Ieshuah Nehemiah all these were captaines and chiefe men with whome the people returned at the first Nehemiah then was one of the captaines that went vp first out of the captiuitie 3. To the other answers it may be also thus replied that Samballat mentioned by Nehemiah is the same that assisted Alexander for he is said to haue had one of Ioiada his sonnes which was Manasses the brother of Iaddua to his sonne in law Nehem. 13. 28. And Iosephus is not deceiued in casting Samballat into this time for Nehemiah doth the same neither was Iaddua at this time onely borne for he is counted among the high Priests and if Manasses his younger brother at this time were married then Iaddua could not be so young as onely to be then borne Thus then Nehemiah beeing found to haue liued from the beginning of the Persian Monarchie to the ende may be supposed to haue beene about an 150. yeares of age or somewhat more he may be thought to haue beene 20. or 25. at the returne out of captiuitie and liued after an 130. the whole time of the Persian Monarchie which Nehemiahs age will not suffer to be extended much further And it neede not seeme straunge that Nehemiah might be an 150. yeare old for many yeares after this in the time of Claudius Cesar one T. Fullonius of Bononia was found to be an 150. yeare old and many other are recorded by Plinie in his 7. booke c. 48 49 50. which in diuers countries liued betweene an 100. and 150. yeares 5. This also is an other manifest proofe that the Persian Monarchie could not exceede much an 130. yeares because in the 6. yeare of Darius when the house of God was finished there were some then aliue which had seene the former house as the Prophet Hagge saith Who is he among you that saw this house in her first glorie and how doe you see it now is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing If now there were an 106. yeares runne since Cyrus first as Iunius in his annotations vpon that place in the last edition obserueth they must haue beene aboue an 180. yeares old which then liuing had seene the first Temple Iosephus Scalliger taketh these words spoken by way of wishing in this sense O that any were aliue which had seene the former Temple he would take this as nothing to that But the Prophet speaketh vnto them in the second person is it not in your eyes that is yours which did know the other Temple and so Lyranus well expoundeth Therefore from Cyrus vnto this second of Darius might be some 40. yeares and odde and so some at the age of an 130. or thereabout might haue knowne the first Temple standing and after this there might remaine some 80. yeares of the Persian Monarchie 6. And this further may be an other euident argument that the Persian Monarchie continued not aboue an 130. yeares or thereabout because Nehem. 12. 26. there are nine seuerall men expressed by name which liued in the daies of Ioiakim sonne of Ieshuah who was high Priest in theâ— returne from Babylon and continued vnto the end of Nehemiah now Ioiakim succeeded his father Ieshuah in the Priesthood in the 45. yeare after their returne as Bullinger noteth in his tables 2. tabul 2. These were the chiefe of the Leuites all this while they could not be vnder 25. yeares olde in Ioiakims time for before the Leuites ministred not now if the Persian Monarchie continued 200. yeares or aboue they must be supposed to be very neare 200. yeares old Thus it hath beene sufficiently prooued I trust that it is most agreeable to Scripture to begin Daniel 〈…〉 from the edict of Cyrus wherein we haue the consent of Tertullian Origen Clem. Alexand. among the auncient writers and of Melancth Calv. Beroald Pint. H. Tâ—â— of the new â—â—the difference onely betweene them is in that some begin from Darius some from Cyrus Piâ—â—us from the time of the reuealing of this vision which he vnderstandeth to be the going forth of the word But the oddes is not great onely in a yeare or two in the most in their opinion which make the raigne of Darius the Mede and Cyrus diuers But if it 〈…〉 that they raigned ioyntly together as is prooued before 2. qu. vpon this chapter 〈◊〉 there is no 〈◊〉 But against this computation of the 70. weekes from the first of Cyrus it will be obiected thus 1. that edict because it was void and tooke no place for the worke was hindred all the daies of Cyrus Ezr 4. 3. notwithstanding his former edict is not to be accounted for the beginning of these weekes 2. Cyrus edict was onely to build the Lord an house Ezr. 1. 2. but this word the going out whereof the Angel speaketh of was to build Ierusalem thus obiecteth Pererius against the opinion of Clemens Alexandr so also M. Lydyat reasoneth in ann 3553. 3. Lyranus alleadgeth this reason against it out of Africanus
be vnderstood vpon thy people that is to finish their sinnes and to seale vp their iniquities by the annointing of the Messiah this was the speciall intendment and scope of these weekes yet so as if they reiected this gratious offer then destruction should come vpon them see more of the meaning of these words qu. 19. before 2. Our blessed Sauiour speaketh not there of Daniels propheticall weekes but onely of the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet it followeth not because it is here spoken of that therefore necessarily it should be comprehended within the compasse of the 70. weekes 3. There is no disorder at all in the prophesie for Daniel hauing propounded briefly and ioyntly together the slaying of the Messiah and destruction of the citie afterward commeth to handle them seuerally in the next verse and more fully so did the Prophet before v. 25. for hauing spoken of the 7. weekes and 62. weekes ioyntly he afterward returneth to the 7. weekes after the which the streete and wall should be built and then to the 62. weekes 4. Lyranus well expresseth the reason why the destruction of Ierusalem iâ— mentioned though it be not within the compasse of the 70. weekes quia factum fuit in poenam mortis Christi ponitur immediate c because it happened and came as a punishment for the death of Christ it is put immediatly after 48. Quest. That the 70. weekes ende not after the destruction of Ierusalem 1. Eusebius ending the 69. weekes in the first yeare of Herod beginneth the 70. and last weeke at the baptisme of Christ and extendeth it 70. yeares to the time of the Emperour Traian for so long the Apostolical preaching continued Iohn the Euangelist suruiuing till then But here Eusebius committeth two great errours first in diuiding the 70. weeke so farre by the space of 60. yeares from the 69. weekes secondly in giuing 70. yeares to the last weeke whereas he accounted euery of the formet weekes but at 7. yeares a peece 2. Some Hebrewes as Hierome in his commentarie vpon this place rehearseth their opinion beginning the 70. weekes from Darius the Mede doe end 62. of them in the destruction of the citie by Titus the other 8. weekes they extend vnto the destruction of the Iewes and of their citie vnder the Emperour Adrian Here they manifestly commit two errours 1. they count the 7. weekes last after the 62. weekes which must be counted first 2. the yeares from Darius to the Emperour Adrian make aboue 600. 3. Some set the ende of these weekes further off toward the ende of the world at the comming of Antichrist who after three yeares and an halfe should be destroyed and then the euerlasting kingdome of Christ should be set vp So Hyppolitus and Apollinaris who notwithstanding make two beginnings of the weekes Hyppolitus 50. yeares before Cyrus and Apollinaris at the natiuitie of Christ. But these doe manifestly faile in their account for 1. the weekes must neither beginne so sonne nor so late as hath beene before shewed 2. Hyppolitus continuing 69. weekes to the birth of Christ referreth the 70. weeke to the ende of the world whereas it must followe the other weekes immediately 3. from Christs birth there are alreadie past aboue a 1600. yeares therefore Apollinaris account of the 70. weekes hath no shewe of reason at all Quest. 49. That the 70. weekes must ende at the passion of Christ. Here there are two opinions 1. Some will haue the 70. weekes ende 3. yeares and an halfe after the passion of Christ which time is allowed for the preaching of the gospel and so they beginne the last weeke at the baptisme of Christ. 2. Others thinke that the 70. weekes must precisely ende at the passion and death of the Messiah 1. Of the first opinion are Theodoret and Zonaras 1. tem Annal. which beginne at the 20. yearo of Artaxerxes Longimanus and end the 62. weekes at the death of Hyrcanus from whence to Christs baptisme they count 7. weekes more and then in the middes of the last weeke the Messiah was slaine so there remained afterward 3. yeares and an halfe for the preaching of the Gospel Eusebius beginneth the 69. weekes in the 6. yeare of Darius Hystaspis and endeth 69. of them in the first of Herod about the death of Hyrcanus the 70. weeke he beginneth at the baptisme of Christ and endeth 3. yeares and an halfe after Ioannes Lucidus lib. 7. de emendat tempor beginneth at the 20. yeare of Artaxerxes and endeth fowre yeares after Christs passion so also before him Lyranus Pererius concurreth with them who maketh the 69. weekes to ende at the baptisme of Christ beginning at the 20. of Artaxerxes Longimanus and the seuenth weeke then to beginne which was finished 3. yeares and an halfe after Christs passion so also M. Lydyat in his booke de emendat tempor pag. 75. and 173. But Osiander goeth beyond all these and will haue the 70. weeke beginne after Christs passion Pererius reason is this because 69. weekes must be counted vnto Messiah which ende in Christs baptisme when he was declared to be the sonne of God from heauen whereas he liued before a priuate life therefore from thence the last weeke must beginne And the better to vphold his opinion of his so beginning and ending these 70. weekes he vseâ—h these three helpes 1. he counteth these 70. weekes after the yeares of the Moone which consist of 12. moneths and no more whereof 490. make but 475 yeares of the Sunne wherein 13. moneths goe to the yeare 2. these 70. weekes are so called though there want halfe a weeke to the passion of Christ to make vp a round number the odde yeares are omitted as the like is to be seene in other places of Scripture as Gen. 15. the Lord telleth Ahraham his seed should soiorne 400. yeares which were indeede 405. from Isaaks birth till their comming out of Egypt Iunius also in his first edition vpon this place thinketh the odde yeares to be omitted to make the 70. weekes answerable in proportion to the 70. yeares of captiuitie 3. his third euasion is that whereas from the 20. of Artaxerxes are found to be 477. sunne yeares which exceede the 490. moone years more by then two he saith there are two kinds of numbring inclusiuely when as the numbers where the account beginneth and endeth are included and exclusiuely when as they are excluded as Matthew saying that after sixe dayes Christ was transfigured c. 17. and Luke after eight dayes c. 9. the first numbreth exclusiuely not reckoning the dayes where the account beginneth and endeth the other includeth both Contra. First the Angel expoundeth himselfe how the 69. weeke must be vnderstood vntill the Messiah should be slaine in the last week they determine then not at his Baptisme but at the weeke wherein he should be slaine Secondly concerning his cautels 1. the Scripture vseth not to count according to the moone yeares but according
the Temple vnto Cyrus he counteth 52. yeares Paulus Burgensis thus confuteth this assertion because none are simply in Scripture calleth annointed but those which were annointed either with materiall oyle as the kings and Priests or with spirituall as the Prophets but Cyrus was neither of these wayes annointed And whereas this place is vrged of Cyrus he saith it is not to be vnderstood of Cyrus but of the Messiah this answer of Burgens is verie weake for in that the Prophet saith Cyrus his annointed what is more euident then that he speaketh of Cyrus beeing expressed by name Pererius answer also is vnsufficient that Cyrus was long before the beginning of these weekes whereas it hath beene alreadie shewed that the weekes beganne in Cyrus time 1. Thus therefore is this opinion rather refelled 1. because he himselfe counteth 52. weekes vnto Cyrus which make aboue 7. weekes of yeares Burgens 2. Afterward by Messiah that should be slaine he vnderstandeth Agrippa king of the Iewes and so he changeth the person taking the Messiah for two diuerse persons whereas it is euident that the Prophet speaketh of one and the same Messiah Lyran. 3. he is called Messiah the gouernour or principall for so the word nagid signifieth but none is called the principall Messiah but onely Christ of whom the Prophet speaketh Isay. 55. 4. I haue giuen him for a witnesse to the people for a Prince c. the word is nagid Burgens 2. Some by the Messiah vnderstand Nehemiah as Ab. Ezra some Zorobabel some Iehoshua the high Priest as R. Levi Ben Gersoâ— But these were in the beginning of the 7. weekes at the returne of the captiuitie Ezrâ— 2. 2. it cannot be therefore said that there should be 7. weekes vnto them And againe the office of this Messiah was to finish sinne and reconcile iniquitie which none of these could doe 3. Some by Messiah taking the singular for the plurall doe vnderstand the annointed gouernours whom Eusebius taketh to be the Macchabees who were both Priests and kings but vnto the beginning of the raigne of the Maccabees were aboue 7. weekes from the beginning of the 70. weekes wheresoeuer they beginne them for the regiment of the Macchabees beganne aboue an hundred yeares after the ende of the Persian Monarchie 4. M. Liuely therefore in his Persian Monarchie p. 205. taketh the word Messiah somewhat more largely for the chiefe rulers and kings of the Iewes commonwealth vnto the beginning of whose setled estate are counted 7. weekes for from the 2. of Darius Nothus when the Temple beganne to be reedified of whose raigne there remained 17. yeares to the 32. of Arrashasht are iust 49. yeares in whose 32. yeare the citie beeing builded and set forme of gouernement established Nehemiah returned vnto the king Nehem. 13. 6. of this his opinion he yeeldeth two speciall reasons 1. from the Hebrewe point athnah after 7. weekes which beeing a perfect distinction doth suspend it from the sentence following so that he would haue these 7. weekes to the Messiah taken by themselues and not to be ioyned with the 62. weekes following 2. these two things beganne together the citie builded and the annointed gouernour thereof as Samballat in a letter to Nehemiah ioyneth them both together Nehem. 6. 6. thou and the Iewes thinke to rebell for the which cause thou buildest ihe wall and thou wilt be the king thereof to this purpose M. Liuely p. 209. Answ. 1. Oecolampadius to that obiection of the points maketh this answer we had rather followe in this place the Greekes and Latines quam Iudaeos pro sua libidine punctum constituentes then the Iewes setting the points according to their pleasure but this is a dangerous answer for if we make question of the Hebrewe pricks and points we shall haue no certaintie of the Scripture therefore I rather answer with Polanus that although the perfect distinction athnah be there set yet the rest must be ioyned in sense as the Angel at the first maketh but one whole number of 70. weekes 2. It followeth not because when the citie was builded the setled gouernement began that therefore the gouernours were this Messiah And if Nehemiah were the first gouernoâ—r as it cannot be denied after the building of the citie to the beginning of his gouernement there were not 7. weekes of yeares seeing he was sent in the 20. of Artaxerxes and there continued to the 32. yeare when according to his account the 49. yeares expired 5. Wherefore the best and most receiued interpretation is that by Messiah here we are to vnderstand our Blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus as it may thus appeare 1. one and the same Messiah is spoken of through this prophesie but the Messiah which should be slaine and confirme the couenant for one weeke was Christ therefore this Messiah here spoken of was Christ. 2. the weekes before spoken of to finish sinne and reconcile iniquitie could onely be performed by Christ. 6. Some doe vnderstand by Messiah Christ and make this the sense that 7. weekes that is 49. yeares he should be their gouernour and afterward cast them off But it is euident that the Lord did not onely during those 7. weeks take vpon him the protection of that people but many yeares after also 7. Some obiect that in that Messiah is called here a captaine or gouernour if it were meant of Christ it would extenuate his dignitie M. Calvin answereth that therein the dignitie and excellencie of Christ is set forth who was a captaine ouer all other kings and Princes and this title is giuen also to kings and to the chiefe earthly states as Dauid is called the captaine of the people 2. Sam. 3. 2. and Hezekiah 2. king 20. 5. Pererius addeth further that this title nagid captaine Prince is particularly giuen vnto Christ as Isay. 55. 4. I haue giuen him for a prince or captaine for he was our captaine 1. to lead vs by his holy example of life 2. in teaching the way vnto saluation 3. in gathering together his church and conducting them to eternall life Perer. lib. 10. quest 17. Quest. 61. v. 25. The streetes shall be built againe in a troublesome time how this was fullfilled 1. Some doe referre this troublesome time to the 62. weeke immediately before spoken of which containeth 434. yeares to be counted vnto the Messiah from the ende of the 7. weekes and then the meaning is this that during all the continuance of that time the commonwealth of the Iewes should haue much â—â—â—uble so Iun. Polan and M. Liuely out of Saadiah giueth this sense pag. 172. that Ierusalem beeing builded shall continue 434. yeares before the desolation but in that mention is made of building the streetes againe that is the citie the words seeme to haue speciall reference to these troublesome times in the first 7. weekes wherein the worke of the Temple and citie were intermitted 2. Some by the streightnes of time vnderstand the short time wherein the citie was builded
doe signifie a certaine and definite time and they are onely taken for weekes of yeares so must the 70. and last weeke be vnderstood also and considering that this last weeke is deuided into two halfe weekes the latter expressed the other vnderstood therein must be contained a definite and certaine number for the parts beeing finite and certaine so must the whole be likewise 5. Osiander taketh this last weeke to beginne after Christs resurrection in which space of seuen yeares many by the preaching of the Gospel were receiued and admitted to the newe couenant But seeing the Angel saith that 70. weekes are determined and cut out to finish wickednesse and to seale vp sinnes which things are performed in the death of Christ there also must the weekes ende 6. Many beginne this last weeke at the baptisme of Christ and ende it 3. yeares and an halfe after as Melancthon Iunius edition 1. Pintus with others But seeing it is said he shall confirme the couenant for one weeke he that is the Messiah the couenant must be confirmed before the Messiah be slaine for otherwise how should it appeare that this couenant was confirmed by the Messiah if it be not done in his time that is in the dayes of his flesh he then must confirme it either before or at his death priusquam tollitur è medio before he be taken out of the way Vatab. for otherwise it should not be conspicuous and apparant to be the Messiahs worke 7. Some doe referre this last weeke vnto the last seuen yeares which went immediately before the destruction of the citie Iun. Polan M. Liuely But it is sufficiently shewed before that these 70. weekes must expire in the death of the Messiah and are not to be extended so farre see quest 49. 8. The best interpretation then is this that this last weeke must beginne 7. yeares before the death of Christ the first halfe yeare went before his baptisme as a preparation thereunto then in the latter halfe weeke these things were performed as the next words shewe H. Br. Concent the whole week is named because these things were done in the last week but not in all the weeke onely in the latter halfe thereof beginning at Christs baptisme So Hugo expoundeth it quia non in principio hebdomadis hae mirabilia coeperunt ideo determinat quando haec inchoata sunt c. because these things were not done in the beginning of the weeke therefore he determineth when they should beginne namely in the latter halfe weeke which beganne in the 15. yeare of Tiberius when Christ was baptised Quest. 82. What is vnderstood by the couenant 1. R. Selomâ— by the couenant vnderstandeth the truce for 7. yeares which the Romanes made with the Iewes at the time of the besieging of the citie But Lyranus doth refell this conceit by these two reasons 1. because Iosephus maketh no mention of any such league or truce neither in his bookes of the antiquities of the Iewes nor of the Iewâ—â— warres 2. And if there had beene any such truce it should haue beene made with all the Iewes not with some onely as it is here said he shall confirme this couenant with many 2. Some referring this last weeke vnto the destruction of Ierusalem by this couenant doe vnderstand that speciall fauour which the Lord shewed and the fatherly care which he had of his Church in Ierusalem who were admonished by a reuelation to depart the citie before the siege beganne so Iun. Polan But here rather we are to vnderstand the euerlasting couenant of grace which Christ hath confirmed with his blood then any such temporall fauour 3. M. Calvin seemeth specially to vnderstand this couenant of the vocation and calling of the Gentiles which was fulfilled after his resurrection but this couenant as hath beene said alreadie was confirmed by Christ at and before his death not after Then indeede was this couenant by the preaching of the Apostles published and divulged but there is difference between the ratification of a couenant and the publication thereof as there is between the confirmation of a will and the execution 4. Therefore by the couenant here is vnderstood the couenant of grace made in Christ for remission of sinnes vnto all that beleeue Osiander the new Euangelicall lawe preached by Christ and confirmed in his death Vatablus Pintus such as the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of c. 31. 33. this shall be the couenant which I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my lawe in their inward parts c. I will forgiue their sinnes and remember their iniquities no more c. Quest. 83. How this couenant was ratified and confirmed Some doe expound these words multis with many of the diuerse wayes and meanes whereby this couenant was ratified Perer. but the word larabbini to many is beter vnderstood of the persons with whom or for whom this couenant shall be ratified as the prâ—position lamed sheweth yet true it is that this couenant was ratified and confirmed many wayes 1. First it was ratified by many glorious testimonies of our Blessed Sauiour 1. of the Angels Luk. 2. 2. of the wisemen that came from the East and worshipped Matth. 2. 3. of the holy men and women then liuing at the time of Christs birth as of Zacharie Elizabeth Simâ—on Anna Luk. 1. 2. 4. of Iohn Baptist who gaue witnesse to Christ. 5. of God the father from heauen Math. 3. 6. of Moses and Elias which appeared in the mount where Christ was transfigured Matth. 17. 7. of the Pharisies themselues as Nicodemus said we knowe thou art a teacher come from God Iohn 3. 8. yea of the deuils themselues who beeing cast out of men cried out and confessed that he was Christ the Sonne of God 2. The second kind of confirmation was by the prophecies of the old Testament concerning the Messiah which were all fulfilled in Christ as the historie of 〈◊〉 Gospell sheweth 3. The third ratification was by Christs wonderfull and most glorious miracles 4. by his holy life and conuersation 5. by the predictions of our Lord himselfe which are noted to be seuen 1. of the ruine and destruction of the citie Luk. 19. 43. 2. of the miracles which should be wrought by his disciples Mark 14. 17. 3. of the great persecutions which his disciples should suffer for his name Iohn 16. 2. 4. of the preaching of the Gospell thorough the world Act. 1. 8. 5. of the propagating of his Church ouer the world Ioh. 10. 16. 6. of the continuance of the same Church as hauing a most sure foundation beeing builded vpon the rocke Matth. 16. 18. 7. of his owne death his resurrection Mat. 16. 21. and the sending of the Holy Ghost Act. 1. Perer. 6. But Lyranus also mentioneth sixe wayes whereby Christ confirmed this couenant praedicando miracula faciendo c. by preaching doing of miracles in dying rising againe ascending and sending the Holy Ghost
more then to haue Cesars image in their coine 2. This was done rather after the passion of Christ as Oecolampad inferreth out of Iosephus 3. And though they were remooued yet it is like they stood there some certaine time 4. Neither onely is this abomination of desolation to be restrained to the images which Pilate brought in but it comprehendeth also other like profanations as that of Caligula before mentioned for the word is put in the plural shakutzim abominations Now that this is the most fit and conuenient sense of this place our reasons are these 1. because this reading of the Septuagint and vulgar Latin in the Temple shall be the abomination of desolation is confirmed and warranted by our blessed Sauiour Matth. 24. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place 2. The abomination of desolation which was in Antiochus time foreshewed Dan. 8. 13. 11. 31. they shall pollute the Sanctuarie c. and set vp the abominable desolation is taken in that sense which was the abominable idol of Iuppiter Olympius which was set vp vpon the altar as appeareth 1. Macc. 1. 57. and Iosephus also writeth that he caused the Sanctuarie to be called the Temple of Iuppiter Olympius lib. 12. antiquit c. 7. The like meaning of the same words is also insinuated here 3. The Hebrew word shakutz abomination is peculiar to idols as 1. king 11. 5. Milcom is called shakutz the abomination of the Ammonites the abomination then and abominable thing is most properly vnderstood to be some abominable idol set vp 4. The word also canaph wing is applied to the Sanctuarie as Psal. 61. 4. I will dwell in thy Tabernacle for euer and my trust shall be vnder the couering of thy wings where Dauid alludeth to the Cherubims which strercheth out their wings and ouershadowed the Arke So Matth. 4. 5. the place of the Temple whether Christ was carried in his second temptation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wing that is the pinnacle or battlement of the Temple Pintus taketh the wing for the spreading of the banners in the Temple R. Saadinh by the wing of abomination interpreteth the hand of those which taee abominable things as swines flesh but this is forced and he seemeth especially to haue reference to Antiochus times It is most fitly therefore referred to the Temple the wing or pinacle and part beeing taken for the whole Oecolamp or because in the inward parts were the Cherubims with their stretched-out wings Osiand or rather because the Temple was in respect of the defence thereof and Gods presence called the wings of God Bulling and it stood in the highest part of the citie as ouershadowing the rest as it were with wings see more of the diuers acceptions of this word in the question next before 89. Quest. v. 27. Whether the desolation of Ierusalem here spoken of should be finall The words are thus translated vntill the consummation euen determined shall it be powred vpon the desolate Iun. the meaning of which words is that like a continuall dropping and ouerflowing so shall one calamitie follow an other vntill they be vtterly made desolate 1. R. Salomon vnderstandeth this consummation of the last battell of Gog and Magog in the ende of the world vntill that time should this desolation be but then the Messiah should ouercome all the aduersaries of the Iewes and the citie and Temple should be reedified againe But the battell of Gog and and Magog was past long before Christs time neither should the Messiah come into the world as a victorious Prince he was to be put to death as here the Angel foresheweth see this opinion before confuted qu. 78. 2. Lyranus inferreth vpon these words vsque ad consummationem finem vnto the consummation and ende c. that prope finem mundi c. toward the ende of the world the falsenesse of Antichrist beeing detected by the preaching of Henoch and Elias the Iewes shall be conuerted vnto Christ and vntill that time this desolation shall be c. But that conceit of Henoch and Elias preaching in the ende of the world hath no ground neither shall the comming of Antichrist be deferred so long vnto the ende of the world the Iewes conuersion is expected but their citie and Temple shall neuer be restored againe for that would hinder their conuersion vnto Christ. 3. Wherefore out of this place rather it may be concluded that this ouerthrowe of the citie which is here spoken of should be the beginning of their finall and perpetuall desolation which may thus further appeare 1. This is testified in other places of the Scripture that a finall destruction was determined ouer this people as Ier. 19. 11. I will breake this people and this citie as one breaketh a potters vessell that cannot be made whole againe so also the Prophet Isay saith after he had prophesied of diuerse calamities which should fall vpon them yet for all this his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Hereunto agreeth S. Paul speaking of the Iewes who both killed the Lord Iesus and their owne Prophets and haue persecuted vs and God they pleased not and are contrarie to all men c. for the wrath of God is come vpon them to the vtmost c. 1. Thess. 2. 16. And yet the Prophet Isay more euidently prophesied of the finall ruine of the citie c. 25. 1. 2. O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee for thou hast made of a citie an heape of a strong citie a ruine c. it shall neuer be built againe 2. This further may appeare by comparing this desolation of Ierusalem with the former times of their captiuitie In Babylon they were captiue but 70. yeares afterward the citie and Temple were repaired vnder Antiochus the Temple and citie lay wast 2300. daies Dan. 8. 14. that is 6. yeares 3. moneths and an halfe But this desolation and captiuitie hath now continued aboue 1500. yeares Now whereas the Prophet Hagge saith c. 2. 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Yet a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth c. I will â—â—one all nations and the desire of all nations shall come seeing that in the Prophet Hagges time which is almost 2000. yeares since the Messiah was then to come within a little while what hope can the Iewes now haue after so many yeares to expect an other Messiah 3. Beside this is an euident argument of the finall and perpetuall desolation of the Iewes citie and Temple because they haue attempted since this destruction by Titus to haue restored their Temple and Commonwealth but they were hindred from going forward vnder Adrian the Emperour some 64. yeares after this calamitie the Iewes vnder their captaine Benchochab or Barchochab thought to recouer their libertie they held 50. castles and 980. townes and fortified Beth-oron Adrian came and besieged the citie 3. yeares and 6. moneths at the length
stay occasion is giuen to Daniel the more earnestly to pray that he might the more effectually be heard c. This indeede was the vse that Daniel made of this stay still continuing in prayer and not giuing ouer but this was not the cause which kept the Angel from comming 2. The ordinarie glosse addeth further that when Daniel beganne to pray the Angel tooke occasion and went into Gods presence pro re oraturus to pray for thee and this was that which occupied the Angel but the text is I am come for thy words he came forth as sent from God he did not goe to God neither needed Daniel the mediation of an Angel in his praiers he had a sufficient Mediatour beside euen Michael Christ Iesus the Prince of his Church 3. Pererius addeth further that this was an other cause of this stay that it might appeare what an hard thing Daniel entreaâ—ed for namely the deliuerance of the rest of the people which were yet in captiuitie not that it was an hard thing with God but in respect of the sinnes and ingratitude of the people which hindred this worke But these are mens coniectures the Angel afterward expresseth the very cause which is none of these alleadged 4. Osiander thus writeth that while the good Angel resisteth Sathan whome he vnderstandeth by the Prince of Persia aliquot dies in deliberationibus elabuntur certaine daies passe in deliberation But the Angels neede not any such time to consult and deliberate of their busines as men doe their counsell is alway readie without dâ—bating and their execution speedie without opposition 5. Oecoliampadius alleadgeth out of Chrysostome an other cause of this let to shew vnto the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he asked things which were not lawfull and forbidden that the people should returne which benefit they were vnworthie of But this petition of Daniel was grounded vpon Gods promise that the people should returne after 70. yeares captiuitie and therefore it was not vnlawfull 6. The Angel therefore sheweth whereabout he was hindred these 21. daies he was emplâ—ied in the affaires of Persia to stay the proceedings of them which had hindred the building of the Temple and intended to worke yet further mischiefe against the people of God and therein Daniel had his desire for from the first day that he praied forward the Angel was occupied in the defending and protecting of the Church Calvin 19. Quest. What it was that Daniel praied for and how he was heard 1. Some thinke that Daniel here praied for the returne of the people out of captiuitie which was graunted by Cyrus sed non sine magna disceptatione but not without great disceptation and opposition the Deuill interposing himselfe to hinder this busines But the people returned out of captiuitie two yeares before this in the first of Cyrus for which thing Daniel had prayed for before c. 9. Of this opinion seemeth also to haue beene the author of the interlinearie glosse Daniel praied vt captivus populus sub Dario relaxetur that the captiue people vnder Darius might be released he meaneth Darius the Mede that raigned with Cyrus by whome as Hugo Card noteth initum fuit consilium the counsell first was begunne for the peoples returne But this as I said was done two yeares before this prayer of Daniel 2. Lyranus thinketh that although this libertie were graunted by Cyrus yet because most of the Iewes were borne in the captiuitie which had continued from the first taking of the citie in Iehoiakims raigne 70. yeares from Iehoiachins carrying away 66. from Zedekiah 56. yeares they beeing in loue with Babylon where they had possessions and there were borne deferred their going two yeares and so Daniel feared ne totum hoc negotium de eorum reditu impediretur least that all this busines concerning their returne might be hindred c. But it is euident that the returne of the Iewes out of captiuitie was not so long put off for they according to Cyrus edict returned in the first yeare and in the second yeare the seuenth moneth they beganne to build the house of God Ezr. 3. 1. 3. Pintus thinketh that Daniels desire was to know what should become afterward of the Persian Monarchie and what should befall the people of God But though these things be afterward reuealed to Daniel c. 11. yet that was not it for the which Daniel was in heauines three weekes of daies The Lord graunteth more then he desired and reuealed vnto him things to come as c. 9. Daniel onely praied for the temporall deliuerance of the people but he is iustructed also by the Angel concerning the Messiah which should bring spirituall deliuerance and redemption 4. Pererius thinketh that Daniel prayed that the rest of the Iewes which remained yet behind might returne also into their countrey but Daniel was not heard in this for many of them beeing entangled with the pleasures of Babylon neuer returned 5. Wherefore Daniels praier was this rather that whereas the building of the Temple and Citie was hindred by Cambyses it would please God that the worke might goe forward and that the impediments might be remooued and the enemies of his Church preuented herein Daniel was heard for the present in the one that the malice of the aduersarie might be staied which was the cause of the Angels stay to bridle the enterprise of the king of Persia the other was in due time effected afterward when the Temple was reedified vnder Darius and afterward Ezra and Nehemiah were sent to set the citie in order and to finish the building of it And that this was Daniels request may be gathered by these two reasons 1. Daniel was heard concerning that matter for the which he was in griefe so many daies but that is shewed before to haue beene for the hindring of the building of the Lords house 2. that which deteined the Angel 21. daies was to shew the effect of Daniels prayer but the busines of Persia staied the Angel that the enemies of Gods people should not proceede in their malice therefore for that Daniel praied 20. Quest. Who is vnderstood to be the Prince of Persia. 1. Some doe thinke that this Prince of Persia was an euill angel and no other but Satan this was the opinion of Iulian the Apostata and some doe father it also vpon Hierome as Rupert lib. 9. de victor verb. Dei Thomas p. 1. qu. 113. Carthusian and Hieromes words seeme to import so much for he thinketh that this Prince of Persia was of those Princes whome S. Paul calleth princes of the world which crucified Christ 1. Cor. 2. 8. which are vnderstood to be the euill angels though indeede in that place S. Paul speaketh of the Princes and gouernours of the world which set themselues against Christ. But whether Hierome were or not of that opinion Cassianus euidently saith quem principem regni Persarum minime dubitandum est adversariam fuisse potestatem quae favebat genti
herein applyeth himselfe to their capacitie and as he alleadgeth out of Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth incorporate his cause that is speaketh as it were grossely to their vnderstanding such he taketh those speaches to be of the Angel that wrestled with Iacob which was Christ let me alone because the day is risen and the Lord said to Moses Exod. 32. let me alone tht I may destroy them But these speaches are not alike for there God hath to doe with men and so applyeth his speach to their best vnderstanding but here the Angel is helped of Michael which must be taken properly this matter beeing done among the celestiall spirits Then to say that Christ is helped and ayded of the Angels is a verie improper speach and agreeth not with the analogie of faith 4. Bullinger and Calvin thinke that although God could haue protected his people by one Angel yet quo magis testatam faceret curam c. alterum submisit Angelum the more to testifie his care to his Church he sendeth an other Angel to helpe But this is more to the comfort of Gods people when they vnderstand that not onely the Angels fight for them but euen Michael the Prince of the Angels the Sonne of God himselfe protecteth them 5. Wherefore it is the sounder opinion that this Angel was helped non accessione numeri sed virtutis not by the encrease of the number but by the accession of a greater power and strength Iun. Polan for it is sufficiently prooued in the former question that this Michael was Christ. Quest. 24. How the Angel saith he was left with the kings of Persia. 1. The Septuag whom Theodoret followeth read thus whom I left with the kings of Persia that is Michael but the true reading is I remained or was left with the kings of Persia 2. the ordinar gloss which Hugo Cardinal followeth by the king of Persia vnderstandeth Michael but the construction of the text will not beare it for Michael helped him against the Prince or king of Persia. 3. Oecolampad referreth it vnto Christ who is said to remaine in Persia in his members that were captiues there as Paul is said to haue persecuted Christ in his members But the text sheweth that this is giuen as a reason why the Angel came no sooner to Daniel because he remained all that while and was staied in Persia by occasion of the businesse which there fell out the Angel speaketh then of a personall remaining or staying which could in no wise agree vnto Christ who was not yet incarnate and as he is God he is in euerie place at once 4. the most by the kings of Persia doe vnderstand the Angels which were presidents of Persia against whom this Angel striued for the people of God But Rupertus reasoneth against this because Angels are not called kings of countreys and beside he would haue said be remained against rather then with those Angels which did contradict him 5. Therefore Rupertus though by the Prince of Persia before he vnderstood the euil Angel of Persia yet here resolueth that by the kings of Persia must be vnderstood Darius or Cyrus with whom the Angel furthered the businesse for the returne of the people and afterward in the raigne of Assuerus he preuented the mischieuous counsell of Haman against the Iewes and turned it vpon his owne head And this indeede is the right meaning of these words sauing that the Angel speaketh onely of his remaining at this time with the kings of Persia Cambyses and his nobles or Cyrus and Cambyses rather not of his remaining there still as though the charge of that Prouince were committed still vnto this Angel for no such thing can be gathered out of the Scripture that the nations and kingdomes of the earth are assigned to particular Angels as their presidents Quest. 25. Who it is whome Daniel calleth Lord v. 17. 1. Lyranus vnderstandeth it of the Angel Gabriel that spake vnto Daniel before and some thinke that Daniel modestiae causa for modestie sake doth so call the Angel Lord whereas indeede the Angels count the Prophets their fellow seruants Apocal. 22. 8. Vatab. Pintus so also Calvin honorifice cum Angelo locutus est he giueth honourable tearmes vnto the Angel so also Iunius readeth thus how can this the seruant of my Lord talke with that my Lord that is I so weake a man talke with an Angel so glorious Osiander But it is euident that he to whom Daniel spake was an other beside him that stood by the riuer described v. 4. for this that he here speaketh to stood before him v. 16. but the other cloathed in linen stood by the riuer c. 12. 6. Neither is it like that the Angel would haue receiued this submission of so great a Prophet seeing he refused it at Iohns hand Reuel 22. 8. and take him as his seruant whose fellow seruant he was as the Angel saith to Iohn in that place He calleth the Angel afterward Lord which was an honourable saluation vsed among men but seruant he was onely to Iesus Christ. 2. Oecolampadius taketh this to be Christ whose seruant Daniel here professeth himselfe to be and he noteth therein the distinction of persons in that Daniel speaketh to one present of an other absent the seruant of that my Lord. But he thinketh all this to be vttered also by Christ and not by the Angel whereas it is euident that many things here spoken in this conference with Daniel cannot be vnderstood of Christ as that he was sent that he speaketh of Michael which was Christ as an other person beside himselfe in that he saith he was helped and remained in Persia these things cannot agree vnto Christ. 3. Wherefore I thinke rather with Polanus that Daniel turning himselfe to the Angel Gabriel which was before him speaketh of Christ that glorious person which appeared v. 4. as may be gathered by the demonstratiue which he vseth how can the seruant of that my Lord talke with that my Lord that is seeing I am so afraid talking with thee how should I be able to endure to talke with yonder my Lord So it is euidēt that there is an interchange of persons in this chapter as shall further appeare now in the next question Quest. 26. Who it was that had this communication with Daniel in this vision 1. Some thinke that the Angel which appeared at the first in that glorious manner v. 4. hath this conference with Daniel so Hierome in hominis figura videtur Angelus c. the Angel is seene in an humane shape and stretcheth forth a mans hand vnto Daniel that he should not be afraid So also Hugo Cardin. Perer. Pintus Pappus Bullinger Calvin with others But it is shewed before quest 12. that it was Christ not a created Angel which so appeared v. 4. 2. Some thinke that as Christ appeared there so it was he that had all this conference with Daniel and thrice touched him with his hand so
56. 3. Controv. That Nero the Emperour shall not be the great Antichrist Severus Sulpitius writeth lib. 2. sacr histor that it was the opinion of some that Nero should come againe in the ende of the world to be that great Antichrist his words are these Nero creditur etiamsi seipsum gladio transfixerit curato vulnere eius servatus Nero is held although he did thrust himselfe through with a sword beeing healed of his wound to be preserued and to that purpose they alleadge that place Apoc. 13. 3. I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death but his deadly wound was healed which they vnderstand of Nero his wound healed againe But the same Sulpitius dialog 2. reporteth an other opinion that Nero should come againe in the ende of the world and tyrannize in the West parts compelling men to worship the idols of the heathen and Antichrist should rage in the East whose seat should be at Ierusalem commanding men to be circumcised and making himselfe the Messiah Augustine likewise remembreth this opinion of the comming againe of Nero in the ende of the world Nonnulli Neronem resurrecturum futurum Antichristum suspicantur alij â—um non occisum putant sed subtractum potius c. diuers doe thinke that Nero shall be raised againe to be that Antichrist some thinke that he was not slaine but rather taken away and preserued in the same state of yeares c. lib. 20. de civit Dei c. 13. But Augustine misliketh this opinion and saith it is mira praesumptio a wonderfull presumption for any so to thinke And beside there is no probabilitie of it for it is not like that God would worke such a miracle for so notorious a wicked man as either to raise him from the dead before the generall resurrection or to preserue him aliue we read onely of two that were translated Henoch and Elias both holy men for such a wicked man to be translated it neither hath probabilitie neither yet is there any example for it That place in the Revelation is indeede vnderstood of Nero but not in that sense in him the stocke of the Cesars was extinguished and so the Imperiall succession receiued a deadly wound but it was cured in that the dignitie of the Empire was restored in the Emperors succeeding though not lineally descended from Cefar 4. Controv. That Antichrist shall be a deceiuer rather then a victorious conqueror Pererius concurring with other Romanists thinketh that Antichrist shall be the greatest Monarch that euer was and that he shall ouercome three kings of Egypt Africa Ethiopia and all the rest shall submit themselues vnto him lib. 14. in Daniel in v. 24. Of the same minde was Lactantius that Antichrist should ouercome three kings qui tum Asiam obtinebunt in societatem assumetur à caeteris which shall then raigne in Asia but he shall be admitted to the societie of the rest c. Lactant. lib. 7. c. 16. But Lactantius here saith that the three kings which Antichrist shall subdue shall be three kings of Asia whereas Pererius and so likewise Bellarmine suppose them to be in Africa so well men agree together when they follow their owne fansies 2. Whereas Pererius would haue Antichrist to be the greatest Monarch that euer was in the world because it is said v. 24. that he should doe that which his fathers had not don nor his fathers fathers that place is vnderstood of Antiochus who is not simply saide to doe that which his fathers had not done for there were of his predecessors mightier then he as Seleucus Nicanor and Antiochus the great but none had made such spoile of Egypt before as he should doe as hath beene further shewed qu. 31. 3. But that Antichrist shall insinuate himselfe rather as a craftie deceiuer then as a mightie conqueror is euident by S. Pauls description 2. Thess. 2. 9. Whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes and v. 11. God shall send them strong delusions to beleeue lies He shall deceiue rather with lies and false doctrine then conquer by force and violence So S. Iohn describeth the Antichrists in his time by their corrupt doctrine 1. Ioh. 2. 18. and 4. 3. see more hereof Synops. Centur. 1. err 64. 5. Controv. Of Antichrists miracles 1. It is also an old opinion that Antichrist shall worke many strange miracles as Hyppolitus thus setteth them downe Leprosos mundabit paraclyticos sanabit daemones expellet c. he shall clense the lepers heale them that haue the palsey cast out deuills he shall tell things farre off as if they were present raise the dead remooue mountaines walke with his feete vpon the sea bring downe fire from heauen he shall turne the day into darkenes and night into day and bring the Sunne about which way he will and he shall shew that all the elements are obedient vnto him so also Lactantius saith l. 7. c. 17. that he shall stay the sunne from his course and cause images to speake 2. Pererius also deliuereth his opinion thus speaking more distinctly of these miracles Some are profitable miracles as such as Christ did in healing of the lame and sicke some are curious as to cause images to speake and to cause ignorant persons and children to speake with diuers tongues some are powerfull miracles as to bring downe fire from heauen and to command the Sunne all these things he thinketh Antichrist shall doe But yet there are some miracles which are done by a supernaturall power as to raise the dead which onely God can doe and these shall be exempted out of Antichrists power yet whatsoeuer may be wrought by naturall causes Antichrist the deuill concurring with him shall doe though they be neuer so strange 3. But these are mens phansies and dreames 1. to heale diseases naturally incurable as to make men see or heare that are naturally blind is beyond any naturall cause and onely the Creator can heale those defects in his creature 2. much more supernaturall is it to command the Sunne and to change the season of the day or night the Deuill can doe none of these things 3. Neither can he by his owne power raise lightning and tempest for the Lord brought vpon Egypt by Moses ministerie the great thunder and lightening and the fire which came downe from heauen and destroied Iobs sheepe is called the fire of God wherein it pleased God to vse the ministerie of Sathan for if this were in Satans power then Baals priests that serued the Deuill might haue brought downe fire from heauen to consume the sacrifice as Elias did 4. The Deuill yet when the naturall causes beginne to worke can applie them and remooue them from place to place as the fire and lightning beeing caused by Gods power he might bring it downe vpon Iobs sheepe and the winds first raised he directed vpon the house where Iobs children were though of
vnto Antiochus Theos first his daughter Laodice and then afterward his other daughter Berenice they 〈◊〉 two sisters as Appian in Syriac whome Polanus followeth But whether they were sisters or not Antiochus did repudiate his lawfull wife Laodic by whome he had two sonnes Seleucus Callinicus and Hierax but this mariage prospered not for Berenice was slaine by Callinicus which sheweth what is the ende of such vnlawfull marriages and that all leagues and confederacies combined by such meanes can not hold So Ferdinand gaue vnto Sigismund king of Polonia first one of his daughters and after her death an other by the Popes dispensation And in this age the Pope hath dispensed with the like incestuous mariages for the vniting and maintaining of some great houses Polan 5. Observ. Princes that are enemies to the Church shall not long prosper v. 12. But he shall not preuaile Ptolomeus Philopator hauing obtained an exceeding great victorie against Antiochus Megas because he was listed vp in minde and afflicted the people of God profaned the Temple and cast many of them before the Elephants in open shewes he was giuen ouer to a reprobate sense spending his daies in most filthie pleasure and liued not long after such is the ende of those which are enemies to the people of God according to the prayer of the Prophet Dauid Vp Lord disappoint them cast them downe Psal. 17. 13. 6. Observ. There can be no firme peace among the wicked v. 27. They shall talke of deceit at one table Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolome Philometor made semblance and shew of friendship but it was not in truth such are the truces betweene Princes that professe not true religion as betweene the kings of France Spaine in times past as Sleidan and Gnicciardine note in their stories so the Prophet Isai saith c. 57. 21. There is no peace to the wicked 7. Observ. Peace betweene Princes enemies to the Church dangerous v. 28. His heart shall be against the holy couenant As this peace betweene Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolome Philometor redounded much to the hurt of Gods people such are the leagues made in these daies betweene the Princes of the Popes faction which tende to the ruine of the Church as Herod and Pilate were made friends by persecuting of Christ. But God shall breake the bonds of all such carnall deuices and not suffer his Church to be troden downe 8. Observ. That we be not dismaied when religion is hindred v. 31. They shall pollute the Sanctuarie As Antiochus Epiphanes caused an idol to be set vp in the Temple and the daily sacrifice to be intermitted so for a while God may suffer his Church to be tried and his seruice to cease as here in England in the daies of Queene Marie when the Churches were defiled with idols but as Antiochus tyrannie continued not much aboue sixe yeares so God shortned those wicked daies which were vnder that time not full out sixe yeares 9. Observ. The ende of the wicked shall be sudden and fearefull v. 45. He shall come to his ende and none shall helpe him As Antiochus was plagued of God for his wickednes and so he died the like ende wicked tyrants shall haue as Psal. 37. 37. Marke the vpright man for the end of that man is peace but the transgressors shall be destroied together c. CHAP. XII 1. The Argument and Method THis Chapter which conteineth the comforts and consolations ministred vnto Daniel is deuided into three parts 1. the conference of the Angel with Daniel to v. 5. 2. of one of the Angels with Christ v. 5. to v. 8. 3. of Christ himselfe with Daniel thence to the ende of the chapter 1. In the first part there are 4. comforts giuen vnto Daniel 1. one is taken from the efficient cause and author of their deliuerance Michael shall stand vp for his people v. 1. 2. in the second place of comfort first the time of trouble is set forth by way of comparison then the comfort is taken from the issue of their trouble they which are found written in the booke of life shall be deliuered v. 1. 3. the third comfort is from the hope of the resurrection they which are not temporally deliuered shall rise vp in the ende vnto life euerlasting Here the resurrection is set forth 1. in generall many that is all shall awake out of the dust 2. in particular there shall be two sorts some shall rise to life some to shame v. 2. 3. of those which rise to life some shall shine among the rest as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres v. 3. 4. The fourth comfort is that notwithstanding those troublesome times yet the Church of God shall continue and many shall seeke for the vnderstanding of this booke which to that ende Daniel is bid to seale vp v. 4. 2. In the second part is described 1. the vision that Daniel sawe both the number he sawe two and the site or place of them v. 5. 2. their speach 1. the question mooued vnto whom namely to Christ and what concerning the ende 2. the answer 1. by whom by him that stood vpon the waters 2. in what manner by an oath with the lifting vp of both his hands 3. what he answereth both for the cōtinuance of the time for the end v. 7. 3. In the third part there is 1. Daniels question with the occasion thereof his not vnderstanding v. 8. 2. the answer of Christ partly denying Daniels request the things were secret and sealed vp v. 9. partly giuing him satisfaction 1. concerning the Church wherein is shewed the ende and fruit of their afflictions set forth by the contrarie the frowardnes of the wicked v. 10. and the tearme first 1290. daies then a 1335. v. 11. 12. 2. concerning Daniel himselfe that he should be content with a double promise made vnto him that he should presently after his death rest from all his labours and afterward stand vp in his lot in the resurrection 2. The text with the diuers readings 1. And at that time shall stand vp Michael the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as neuer was since there began to be a nation vnto this time and at that time the people shall be deliuered euery one that is found written in that booke in the booke B. G. but the article is prefixed which noteth some speciall booke 2 And many of them which sleepe in the dustie earth V. I. earth of dust H. not dust of the earth B. G. shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt not to contempt that they may see alwaies 3 And they which instruct cause to vnderstand H. are teachers V. are wise G. B. are taught or learned L. but the word is in the active shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they which bring many turne many B. G. to righteousnes iustifie many H. as the
seasons which the father hath kept in his owne power Perer. and so he saith in effect Goe thy way nihil amplius dicturus sum I will say no more at this time vnto thee Vatab. Pintus But it appeareth by the explanation which followeth that Daniel was not altogether repelled 2. Wherefore in part Daniel hath his request pleniorem explicationem Christus exhibuit Christ doth more fully explane the former prophecie of the time of the persecution M. Br. partly he faileth in his desire for he obtaineth not singularem minutam istarum rerum cognitionem a particular and seuerall knowledge of these things which are sealed vp vntill the time come when they should be fulfilled Iun. in commentar for if all these things had beene particularly expounded aforehand the faith and patience of Gods seruants had not beene so fully tried if euery thing had beene manifest as in their sight before for as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5. 7. We walke by faith and not by sight 23. Quest. Of those words v. 10. The wicked shall doe wickedly and none shall haue vnderstanding what wicked he speaketh of 1. Some expound this place by that place 2. Pet. 3. 3. that in the last daies there shall be mockers which shall say Where is the promise of his comming that although some shall profit by the Lords chastisments and thereby be purged and made white yet others shall be secure passing their time in pleasure and carnall delight Oecolampad euen as it was in the daies of Noe and Lot Bulling But the vnderstanding or not vnderstanding here spoken of is concerning the prophesie of this booke as Lyranus obserueth which concerneth not the afflictions of the last times otherwiâ—e then by way of analogie 2. Pererius and Pintus thinke that the wicked may attaine vnto some knowledge but it shall be infructuosa cognitio an vnfruitfull and vnprofitable knowledge But this rather is giuen as a reason why they shall doe wickedly because nihil intelligent quia excaecati sunt they shall vnderstand nothing because they are blinded Calv. the knowledge of these secrets and mysteries shall be kept from their eyes 3. Here then is speciall relation had vnto the false brethren that should be in those daies of persecution which â—hould giue way vnto Antiochus wicked proceedings and labour to seduce and betray their brethren Iun. annot which should not haue any care to obserue the accomplishment of this prophesie nor compare the euent therewith of these the Angel foretold before c. 11. 34. Many shall cleaue vnto them fainedly And as it was in those daies of persecution so should it be afterward as S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3. 12. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution but the euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse deceiuing and beeing deceiued of such also speaketh S. Iohn Apoc. 22. 11. He that is vniust let him be vniust still he that is filthie let him be filthie still c. 24. Quest. What the abomination of desolation is mentioned v. 11. 1. Hierome and Theodoret vnderstand hereby the discontinuing of the true seruice of God by Antichrist at his comming he shall bring in an horrible desolation and abolish the true seruice of God he shall Dei cultum interdicere forbid the seruice and worship of God But neither doth this prophecie concerne the ende of the world nor yet shall there be any such singular Antichrist 2. Pererius and Pintus with other Romanists vnderstand this of the abrogating of the sacrifice of the Masse and in stead thereof Antichrist shall command himselfe to be worshipped so also Hug. Card. Antichristus se exhibebit ad adorandum Antichrist shall cause himselfe to be worshipped But 1. that idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse is rather the abomination of desolation it selfe whereby the true seruice of Christ and the right vse of the Eucharist according to Christs institution is abolished 2. neither shall this abomination be Antichrist himselfe but he shall set vp this abomination as it is saide before c. 11. 31. They shall set vp the abomination c. that is wicked Antiochus with his captaines he that setteth vp and that which is set vp is not the same 3. Bullinger thinketh it is abominanda gentis vrbis vastatio the abominable laying wast of the nation and citie of the Iewes at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans but this prophesie was rather fulfilled in Antiochus time as afterward shall be shewed 4. M. Calvin vnderstandeth the sacrifices of the Iewes which were abominable after the sacrifice of Christs death performed vpon the crosse so also Pëllic but the daily sacrifice of the Temple was not taken away presently after Christs death 5. Osiander thinketh this abominable desolation to be the idolatrous seruice brought into the Church by the Romane Antichrist but then can not the time here described by daies agree for more then so many daies or moneths hath the true seruice of God beene corrupted by them and so many yeares as here are named daies God forbid that Antichrists corrupt religion should continue 6. Wherefore this abomination which shall be set vp was no other but the profanation of the Temple by Antiochus when he caused that abominable idol of Iuppiter Olympius to be brought into the Temple and the daily sacrifice to cease 1. Macchab. 1. 57. 2. Macchab. 6. 2. And hereof mention is made before c. 8. 13. and 11. 31. likewise c. 9. 27. but there the abomination of desolation is spoken of which should be set vp in the finall destruction of the citie and Temple by the Romanes as is shewed c. 9. quest 88. Quest. 25. The 1290. dayes mentioned v. 11. how to be taken 1. Lyranus taketh this to be the tearme of Antichrists tyrannicall raigne in the ende of the world euen 3. yeares 6. moneths and 12. dayes so also Pererius but he counteth onely 10. odde dayes so also Pintus with other Romanists thinke that Antichrist shall raigne 3. yeares and an halfe but as Bullinger saith it is not like that Antichrists kingdome should continue ad tempus vsque adeo breue for so verie a short time 2. Bullinger sheweth how the Iewes warre before the finall destruction of the citie begunne by Vespasian in the 14. yeare of Nero his raigne and ending the second yeare of Vespasian continued about a 1290. dayes that is 3. yeare and an halfe but the text is that these dayes must beginne from the time of that abhominable desolation and continue onely during that time but after these warres which held 3. yeares and an halfe that desolation of the citie and Temple beganne which then ended not but continueth vnto this day 3. Some by so many dayes vnderstand so many yeares a 1290. yeares so long Osiander thinketh that the profanation of religion should continue vnder the Romane Antichrist from the first beginning thereof vnto the vtter ruine of Antichrist But we trust that God will not suffer that man of
Church as is there prooued by these 3. aguments out of this place 1. by the name Michael 2. by the title here giuen vnto Christ called the great Prince 3. by his office he standeth for the people of God Herein then appeareth the horrible blasphemie of Seruetus who as M. Calvin reporteth his words was not afraid to say se esse illum Michaelem Ecclesiae custodem that he was that Michael the protector and keeper of the Church c. What presumption is this for a mortall man to arrogate vnto himselfe that name and title which is too great to be giuen vnto the Angels 2. Controv. Whether Henoch and Elias shall stand vp with Michael in the last times Pererius concurring with other Romanists saith that beside Michael who shall be the inuisible protector of the Church shall stand vp two faithfull witnesses Henoch and Elias who shall oppose themselues against Antichrist and they shall preach repentance vnto the world a 1260. dayes that is 3. yeares and an halfe Apocal. 11. 3. And that Elias should come in person beside the receiued opinion of the fathers as of Theodoret in this place August lib. 20. de ciuitat Dei c. 29. he alleadgeth these Scriptures for it Malach. 3. 4. 5. I will send Elias the Prophet before the comming of the great and fearefull day of the Lord which must be vnderstood of the second comming of Christ which shall be fearefull and terrible Againe Apocal. 11. 6. it is said of these two faithfull witnesses these haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesying wherein there is an allusion vnto Elias at whose word the raine was staied three yeares and sixe moneths so Pererius vpon this place First these places giue no warrant for this opinion 1. the two witnesses are the ministers and preachers of Gods truth who are said to be two because their number shall not be great and yet they shall be so many as one shall giue witnesse to an other neither Henoch nor Elias are here named for these 1260. dayes beeing taken prophetically for so many yeares two Prophets could not continue preaching so long 2. that place in Malachie our Blessed Sauiour expoundeth of Iohn Baptist Matth. 11. who should come in the spirit of Elias to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children as the Angel saith Luk. 1. 17. And the first comming of Christ is there vnderstood to be that fearefull day for in the same place the Prophet saith v. 2. vnto you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise which Zacharie applyeth to the first comming of Christ Luk. 1. 78. whereby the day spring from an high hath visited vs It shall be a day of health and saluation vnto the faithfull but a day of terror to the wicked and vnbeleeuers as Iohn Baptist saith Mat. 3. 12. which hath his fanne in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquencheable sire 3. And by the shutting of heauen is by an allegorie signified the efficacie of the preaching of the Gospel in opening the heauens to the faithfull and shutting vp the same to all vnbeleeuers as our Sauiour faith to Peter Matth. 16. 19. whatsoeuer thou shalt bind in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Secondly concerning these witnesses there is great difference and varietie of opinion 1. both for the number of them 2. and who they shall be 3. and when they shall preach for the first the common opinion is that they shall be but two yet Lactantius affirmeth that there shall be onely one Prophet lib. 7. c. 17. Some thinke there shall be three Henoch Elias and Iohn the Euangelist and this is one of their reasons because as in the world there haue beene 3. lawes in force the lawe of nature the lawe of Moses the lawe of grace so it is requisite there should be 3. witnesses that liued vnder these three lawes Henoch Elias and Iohn Hyppolit oration de consum secul Aâ—br Catharin in Genes 2. As great diuersitie there is of opinion who these witnesses should be Elias is agreed vpon by the most to be one but it is doubted who should be the other Victorinus in Apocal. 11. thinketh that Ieremie the Prophet shall be the other witnesse because the Lord saith Ierem 1. 5. I haue ordained thee a Prophet vnto the nations but then Ieremias onely prophesied to the Hebrewes to fulfill therefore that saying he shall come in the ende of the world to prophesie vnto the nations But Pererius well answeareth vnto this reason that Ieremie is said to prophesie vnto the nations because he fortelleth the destruction in his prophesie of diuerse nations the Aegyptians Moabites Ammonites Philistims with others Areta vpon the Apocalypse thinketh that Iohn the euangelist shall be one of the witnesses whom they suppose yet to be kept aliue in Paradise with Henoch and Elias because it is said Apocal. 10. 11. thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many Kings which was not done in Iohns life time and therefore he thinketh he shall come in the ende of the world to prophesie vnto nations But the meaning of this place is that Iohn should prophesie vnto nations in the rest of the visions of this booke and nowe though Iohn be dead his Reuelation prophesieth still Pererius also vnderstandeth it of the Gospel which Iohn did write after his returne from the Isle Pathmos whereby he prophesieth vnto nations But it is certaine that Iohn is not yet aliue in the flesh as Eusebius prooueth by the testimonie of Polycrates who was the Apostles disciple lib. 3. Ecclesi histor c. 25. Lyranus thinketh that the two witnesses spoken of Apocal. 11. were Sylverius the Pope and Menna that resisted the Eutychiane heresie Ioachimus Abbas and Gagnaeus vpon the Apocalypse c. 11. doe thinke that Moses shall be one of these witnesses that like as he was raised to life to be a witnesse of Christs first comming when he was transfigured in the mount so he shall be raised to be a witnesse of his second comming And this is brought as a probabilitie thereof because these witnesses are said to haue power ouer waters to turne them into blood Apocal. 11. 6. which thing Moses had done before But 1. it followeth not because Moses was seene in the mount talking with Christ that therefore he shall come againe before his second comming for by the same reason it may be inferred that his three disciples also which went vp to the mount and sawe him transfigured should also be witnesses of his second comming be sent againe into the world to preach Sure it is that both the Prophets and Apostles shall accompanie Christ in his second comming and by the doctrine which they preached iudge and condemne the world Matth. 19. 28. But neither
be heresies that they which are approoued may be knowne 2. as the cloath by often washing is whited so by affliction men are purified from their corruptions as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 119. 67. before I was afflicted I went astray 3. as the gold and siluer is tried in the fire so the Lord taketh triall of the faith and patience of his seruants by affliction as S. Peter saith 1. epist. 4. 12. Dearely beloued thinke it not strange concerning the sierie triall which is among you to prooue you c. 7. Observ. Of the fruitfull meditation of death v. 13. Goe thy way for thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot After that the Lord had reuealed to Daniel by his Angel the comming of the Messiah that should finish sinne and reconcile sinners c. 9. 24. and beside he had heard what should be the ende of the iust they should awake vnto euerlasting life now he is called to prepare himselfe to his ende so after we haue attained to the knowledge of Christ we should desire nothing more then with S. Paul to be dissolued and to be with Christ and to sing with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation And now blessed be the Lord who hath suffered me to liue with Simeon to see this great mysterie of saluation reuealed in this booke who I trust will yet strengthen me in other bookes and parts of holy Scripture to embrace Christ as it were in mine armes and to shew him vnto others that when the course of my poore ministrie is fulfilled I may sing nunc dimittis with Simeon and so we the seruants of Iesus Christ may comfort our selues with this gracious promise made to Daniel to rest in peace and stand vp in our lottes in the day of the Lord to whom be praise for euer FINIS ⧠AN APPENDIX vnto this Commentarie wherein are examined the reasons and Arguments vrged by GRASERVS against IVNIVS exposition of the Image which Nabuchadnezzer saw in a dreame c. 2. and of the visions set forth c. 7. c. 8. and of the 11. chap. from v. 36. to the ende AFter I had by the Lords gratious assistance finished this Commentarie there came vnto mine hand a â—reatise set forth this last yeare 1608. by Graserus intituled historia Antichristi illius magni the historie of that great Antichrist wherein he taketh vpon him to infringe and impugne the interpretation of Iunius throughout this booke This his Censure and animadversion he diuideth into tenne exercises as he calleth them I thinke it not amisse speedily to runne through all of them and to weigh his principall reasons and obiections wherein he seemeth to be so confident whose learned trauaile in this argument in applying Daniels propheticall visions against Antichrist as it deserueth commendation so yet some of his reasons are not so pithily set downe but that they may be revewed and examined The first exercise perused and examined In this first part of his treatise Graserus taketh vpon him to prooue that the legges of the image c. 2. and the fourth beast described c. 7. cannot signifie the kingdome of the Grecians which succeeded Alexander as of the Seleucians in the North and of the Ptolomes and Lagidae in the South as Iunius doth well interpret but that by the fourth Monarchie of the Romanes is signified which to this day continueth diuided into two parts as the two legs thereof the kingdome of the Pope in the West and of the Turke in the East and that not the Monarchie onely of Alexander but of him and his successors ioyntly is described by the bellie and sides of the image c. 2. and by the third beast c. 7. His arguments are these Argum. 1. The third beast called the leopard is vnlike vnto the other two before it the lion which signifieth the Chaldean Monarchie and the beare taken for the Persian state But if Alexander in his owne person were this Leopard he should not be vnlike the first for he was an absolute Monarch as the Chaldean kings were whereas the Persian state was not entire but consisted partly of the power of the Persians partly of the Medes like to the Polonian state which standeth in the ioynt authoritie of the Polonians and Lithuanians And beside not the persons of the kings but the kingdomes themselues are here compared together P. 37. Answ. 1. The dissimilitude of these beasts consisteth not in the vnlike forme of gouernement for the state of the Persian kings was as absolutely Monarchicall as was the Empire of the Chaldeans though their kingdome consisted of diuerse vnited parts yet that letteth not the kingly power to be absolutely Monarchicall but the difference between these kingdomes was in other qualities as the one exceeded the other in strength or in more hard and cruell gouernement as is shewed before in the 17. and 18. questions vpon the 7. chapter 2. not the kingdomes onely but the kings together with their kingdomes are compared together as c. 2. 38. Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezzar thou art this kingdom of gold as his Monarchie was as gold in respect of them which succeeded so he was as gold beeing compared also to his successors So Alexanders person together with his kingdome was this third beast as the little horne cap. 7. ver 8. signifieth Antiochus person with his kingdome Argum. 2. The liues of these beastes were prolonged for a certaine time and period c. 7. 12. But Alexanders kingdome ouer the Macedonians continued but 12. yeares from his fathers death his Monarchie but halfe so long after he had ouercome the power of Persia in so short a time what periods and conuersion of times could be obserued p. 38. Answ. That place is not vnderstood of the continuance or periods of those kingdomes and yet this supposall of the fatall periods of kingdomes is found by experience to be but a speculatiue imagination for the text saith the dominion of the beasts they had taken away before the meaning is that their liues that is some remainder and reliques of those beasts should continue after their dominion and kingdome was ended and determined and so there remained some portion of the Macedonian kingdome euen after Alexander and of other the former Monarchies as is further shewed c. 7. quest 39. Argum. 3. The third beast had 4. heads which are taken by Iunius for the fowre chiefe regiments which were vnder Alexander managed by his principall and chiefe captaines But those 4. captaines are signified by the fowre hornes which came not vp till the great horne which signifieth Alexander was broken for they came vp in stead of that great horne c. 8. 8. pag. 40. Answ. 1. Graserus here confoundeth the visions of the 7. and 8. chapter he maketh the Leopard c. 7. and the Goat c. 8. to signifie the same whereas the goat more generally comprehendeth the whole Grecian Monarchie both vnder Alexander and his
praying to offer himselfe to publike danger 17. qu. Of Daniels aduersaries practise and accusation against him 18. qu. How the king laboured to deliuer Daniel till the Sunne went downe 19. qu. whether Darius might not haue broken this decree 20. qu. whether Darius praier for Daniel were of faith 21. qu. v. 17. why the king sealed the stone with his seale 22. qu. Whether Darius were truly conuerted confessing Daniels God to be the liuing God 23. qu. Of Daniels deliuerance from the lyons and the cause thereof 24. qu. Of Daniels salutation to the king O king liue for euer 25. qu. Of Daniels maner of deliuerance froÌ„ the lyons that it was diuine extraordinary 26. qu. why the Lord doth not alwaies send his children temporall deliuerance 27. qu. Of Darius ioy v. 23. then was the king exceeding glad 28. qu. whether the king did iustly in causing Daniels accusers with their wiues and children to be cast into the denne 29. qu. Of king Darius decree concerning the worshipping of Daniels God the order and parts thereof 30. qu. Of Daniels prosperous estate vnder Darius and Cyrus 31. qu. Whether this miracle of Daniels deliuerance from the lions were shewed at Babylon in Chaldea or in Media Questions vpon the seuenth chapter of Daniel 1. qu. Of the order obserued by Daniel in the setting downe of these visions 2. qu. Of the visions which followe in generall 3. qu. Of visions in generall 4. qu. Of the time when this vision was reuealed vnto Daniel 5. qu. Why the vision of the fowre Monarchies is againe reuealed vnto Daniel being shewed before to Nebuchadnezzar c. 2. 6. qu. What manner of vision this was which Daniel here had and how it was reuealed 7. qu. What was meant by the fowre winds which stroue together vpon the sea 8. qu. Of the description of these beasts in generall 9. qu. Why the kings and kingdomes of the earth are likened vnto beasts 10. qu. Of the agreement betweene this vision of the fowre beasts and that of the image shewed to Nebuchadnezzar c. 2. 11. qu. Of the first beast representing the Chaldean Monarchie 12. qu. Where the Chaldean Monarchie here described must take beginning 13. qu. Of the second beast and why the Persian Monarchie is compared to a beare 14. qu. Why the beare is said to stand vpon the one side 15. qu. Of the three ribs in his mouth what they signifie 16. qu. Who said vnto him Arise and deuoure c. v. 5. 17. qu. Of the Persian kings with whom the Persian Monarchie begunne and ended 18. qu. Of the third beast called a leopard the description of the third Monarchie 19. qu. Why the fourth beast hath no name 20. qu. Of the description of the 4. beast in generall 21. qu. Whether the Romane or Turkish Empire be signified by this fourth beast 22. qu. That the kingdome of Syria which was held by Seleucus and his posteritie was this fourth beast 23. qu. Of the yron teeth and other parts of the generall description of the fourth beast 24. qu. Why it is said to stampe the residue vnder the feete 25. qu. Wherein this fourth beast was vnlike the rest v. 7. 26. qu. Of the tenne hornes what is signified thereby v. 7. 27. qu. Who is signified by the little horne ver 8. 28. qu. VVho these three kings should be signified by the three hornes plucked away 29. qu. Of other properties of this litle horne 30. qu. Of the description of the glorious manner of Gods iudgement expressed v. 9. to v. 15. 31. qu. VVhether the finall iudgement in the ende of the world be here described 32. qu. v. 9. who is said to be the auncient of dayes and how 33. qu. How God was seene of Daniel which is invisible 34. qu. How iudgement is said to be set seeing God is iudge from euerlasting 35. qu. VVhat the fire signifieth which issued from the throne 36. qu. Of the number of Angels that ministred vnto God thousand thousands c. ver 10. 37. qu. VVhat bookes these were which were opened v. 10. 38. qu. Of the destructioÌ„ of the fourth beast 39. qu. VVhy tâ—e other beasts had their dominion taken away and how their liues were prolonged 40. qu. v. 13. VVhy it is said one like the sonne of man 41. qu. How he is said to come in the clouds and approacheth to the auncient of dayes and when 42. qu. That this kingdome could not be the kingdome of the Macchabees 43. qu. That this kingdome is the kingdoms of Christ our Blessed Lord and Sauiour 44. qu. That this kingdome giuen to the sonne of man shall not be in earth against the Chiliastes 45. qu. Of the excellencie of Christs kingdome beyond other kingdomes 46. qu. How the kingdome of Christ is said to be euerlasting seeing it shall be deliuered vp vnto God 1. Cor. 15. 24. 47. qu. v. 17. Of the rising of the fowre beasts 48. qu. VVho shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints 49. qu. VVhy they are called the most high Saints v. 18. 50. qu. v. 20. How the horne called before little is said to be in shewe greater then the rest 51. qu. How this little horn is said to change lawes and times 52. qu. What is meant by a time times and a part of time v. 25. 53. qu. What is meant by the halfe or diuiding of time v. 25. 54. qu. How this kingdom is said to be giuen to the holy people v. 27. which is said v. 14. to be giuen to the sonne of man Questions vpon the 8. chapter of Daniel 1. qu. The difference between this vision and the former 2. qu. Of the time of this vision 3. qu. What manner of vision this was 4. qu. How Daniel is said to be in Sushan ver 2. 5. qu. Of the citie Sushan by whom it was builded and whence so named 6. qu. Of the situation of the citie Sushan 7. qu. Of the riuer Vlai where Daniel had this vision 8. qu. Why Daniel nameth himselfe in the first person 9. qu. Why the kings of Persia are compared to a ramme v. 3. 10. qu. Who are signified by the two hornes whereof one was higher then the other 11. qu. Of the greatnesse and prosperous successe of this ramme 12. qu. Of the meaning of these words as I considered v. 5. 13. qu. Why the kingdome of the Grecians is resembled to a goat 14. qu. Of Alexander the great signified by the horne betweene the eyes his birth education exploits death and ende 15. qu. Of the victorie of Alexander against Darius described by the goats ouercomming the ramme 16. qu. Of the breaking of this great horne and of the death of Alexander 17. qu. Of the fowre hornes which came vp in the stead of this great horne 18. qu. When these foure kingdomes did arise after the great horne was broken 19. qu. Who was this little horne v. 9. 20. qu. Of the outrages committed by Antiochus Epiphanes signified by this litle horne 21. qu.