Hast thou found me O my enemie that is hast thou met with me Quest. 27. vers 25. Why Arioch nameth Daniel to be one of the captiues rather then of the wisemen 1. Some thinke he nameth him of Iudah because he had heard that diuers excellent Prophets had beene of that tribe Lyran. Pintus but that is not like for the famous Prophets which liued about that time in the captiuitie were Ieremie and Ezekiel who both were of the kindred of the Priests Ierem. 1. 1. Ezeck 1. 3. and so not of Iudah 2. Therefore Gods prouidence rather appeareth herein that as Daniel was not before in the assemblie of the wisemen so now he should not be counted among them that the interpretation of the dreame should onely be acknowledged to proceede from God and not be ascribed to the skill and cunning of any wisemen 3. Hugo Card. following the ordinarie gloss noteth here that Daniel was of the tribe of Iudah and not a priest sicut in fine continet fabulae Belis as is contained afterward in the fable of Bel c. he calleth that supposed historie of Bel and the dragon a fable which among the Romanists is held for canonicall 4. Bullinger here obserueth well in that the Lord refused the great wisemen of Babylon who were had in great reputation for their learning and wisedome and preferreth a poore captiue infirma mundi fortissimis esse robustiora that the weake things of the world are stronger then the mightie as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1. 27. God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mightie Quest. 28. vers 26. How the king is said to answer no question beeing demanded The word hhanah or ghanah which properly signifieth to answer is taken simply for to speake as Iob 3. 2. Iob cursed his day and Iob answered and said so is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed in the newe testament as Math. 11. 25. at that time Iesus answered and said I giue thee thankes O father c. and yet no man asked him there any question Pintus so Mark 11. 13. when Iesus came to the figtree and found nothing but leaues it is said Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering said where the word answered is superfluosly added as it is vsed in the Hebrewe tongue and therefore the Syrian interpreter onely readeth and he said so in this place then answered the king and said the word ganah answered is added ex abundanti as we say more then neede see Beza in his annota vpon that place Quest. 29. vers 27. Why Daniel denieth that any of the wisemen of Babel could expound this dreame 1. Daniel reckoneth vp 4. kind of wisemen among the Chaldeans the first are called cachinim wisards which by coniectures and casting of lots did gesse of things to come the second ashphin which by the aspect and sight of the starres did make coniecture of things the third chartummim which consulted with spirits of these three see before Qu. 7. the fourth sort are called gazrin of the word gazar to cut and they were they which did open and cut the entrals of sacrifices and by the sight thereof diuined of things to come Polan 2. All these Daniel denieth to be sufficient or able to finde out this secret and that for these causes 1. least men should arrogate vnto themselues diuine knowledge 2. that from henceforth the king should not exact any such thing of his wisemen which was farre beyond their reach 3. that he might stay from putting in execution his bloody sentence against the wisemen Iun. Quest. 30. vers 28. VVhether God onely be the reuealer of secrets and things to come It will be obiected on the contrarie that the heathen often had dreames whereby they knewe things to come and the like oracles they receiued at Delphos which were not giuen by God but vttered by spirits Hereunto we answer 1. that many of those oracles were false ambiguous and doubtfull as those which were giuen to Craesus and Pirrhus 2. many of them were deuised either by them who affirmed they had such dreames or by the writers to win more credit thereby 3. And if some such dreames and oracles tooke place either verie sewe of them did hit which might be by chance and hap hazzard as we say a fewe onely of a great number falling out or the deuill by the subtiltie of his nature by some naturall signes might foresee the effects and euents which should follow or he might foretell such things as by Gods permission he should effect himselfe Pere Polan 4. And as their dreames were vncertaine so were they as vncertainely interpreted as the dreame which Darius had before he encountred with Alexander some expounded to signifie the victorie that he should haue against him some gaue a contrary sense as Q. Curtius writeth lib. 3. Tullie giueth an other instance how one going to the Olympike games had a dreame that he was turned into an eagle one wisard interpreted it that he should ouercome because the Eagle is superiour to all other foules an other turned it the contrary way that he should haue the worse because the eagle driuing other birds before her commeth last of all so then the Gentiles had neither any diuine dreames and such as they had they could not interpret Pere Quest. 31. vers 28. VVhat Daniel meaneth by the latter dayes 1. Some doe expound it of all the time from thence when Daniel expounded this dreame vsque ad consummationē seculs vnto the ende of the world Hierome which were then to be fulfilled complenda modo incepta but alreadie begun Hugo But Nebuchadnezzars thoughts extended not so farre to the ende of the world but onely to knowe what should come to passe after him and according to his thoughts so was the dreame answerable as Daniel sheweth vers 29. 2. Some by the latter dayes vnderstand the comming of Christ extremitas dierum vocatur Christi aduentus the extreame or latter dayes are the comming of Christ because the Gospel is as it were the perfection and renewing of all things Caluin Bullinger so also Lyranus because mention is made in this vision of the kingdome of Christ quod est vltimum regnorum which is the last of all kingdomes but if it were onely vnderstood of Christs comming then all the times following betweene Nebuchadnezzars raigne and Christs comming should be excluded 3. Much lesse for the same reason is it vnderstood de vltima mundi aetate of the last age of the world from the comming of Christ vnto the ende of the world as Pintus for then Nebuchadnezzar should haue had no reuelation of the times which should immediately followe wherebout his thoughts were most of all troubled 4. Wherefore by this word acharith are signified posteriora tempora the latter times Pellican or consequentia the times following Polan as the word is taken Gen. 49. 1. where Iacob declareth to his sonnes the things which should come to passe
all one somnia divinare interpretari to diuine what the dreame was and to interpret it But I rather herein consent to Pererius recte redarguit eos Rex the king doth with good right reprooue them for if they could not tell the dreame which was now in act how could they haue told of things to come by that dreame quae nunquam actu fuerunt c. which neuer were in act c. Indeede if it belonged vnto humane skill and coniecture to interpret diuine dreames it were possible to doe the one and not the other as Physitians can interpret naturall dreames but what the dreame was if it be not declared they can not gesse and the reason hereof is because humane skill and arte is finite and hath certaine limits and bounds but seeing it proceedeth of a diuine instinct to interpret diuine dreames by the same instinct which is not limited he taht can doe the one can the other also 12. Quest. v. 10. Of the Chaldeans answer vnto the King The Chaldeans and wise men doe seeme modestly to excuse themselues by these 5. arguments 1. From the impotencie and weaknes of mans nature v. 10. There is no man vpon earth that can declare the kings matter they thus reason That which is in no mans power to declare the king ought not to enquire of any but to tell a dreame that is forgotten is in no mans power to doe 2. Ab exemplo from the example of other kings neuer any asked any such thing of any Chaldean and therefore it beseemed not the king to propound that question which neuer any did before 3. From the qualitie of the thing it was a rare and pretious thing which the king demanded exceeding the wit of man 4. A comparatione from the comparison with others there is none else that can declare it they dare vndertake to doe as much as an other 5. A causa efficiente sola from the sole efficient cause which is God who onely can declare such secrets whose habitation is not in the flesh that they might conferre with him 13. Quest. Of the impostures and falshoods in the answer of the Chaldeans 1. They promise and vndertake to expound the dreame if they did know it v. 4. but the king afterward by experience found the contrary c. 4. 4. for though he told them his dreame yet could they not expound it Perer. 2. They say none els liuing could tell the dreame whereas Daniel was then liuing and afterward did both shew the dreame and the interpretation of it Bulling 3. They superstitiously affirme a multitude of gods saying Except the gods so they ignorantly worshipped many gods Polan 4. They denie Gods prouidence as though he had nothing to doe here with mortallmen that liue in the flesh Bulling 5. They seeme to affirme that man can know nothing of God vnlesse he cohabited in the flesh with them Polan 6. They also denie the incarnation of God Whose dwelling say they is not in the flesh wherein they bewray their ignorance and misbeleefe Bulling 14. Quest. What the Chaldeans meane in these words Except the gods whose dwelling is not in the flesh 1. Although they erred in holding a multitude of gods yet herein they were right that God onely had the knowledge of things to come Pint. Some thinke that by gods here they vnderstand not onely the superiour gods but the Angels also who might know and vnderstand their dreames which beeing in a materiall and corporall obiect are comprehensible of the Angelical power Perer. But it seemeth rather that these Magicians who were not ignorant of the power of spirits with whome they had familiaritie and now they failed them doe meane hereby the superiour diuine power onely Indeede naturall dreames beeing certaine corporall affections and qualities spirits may finde out but diuine dreames are of a spirituall nature and are wrought by the act of the vnderstanding which is not knowne vnto the spirits and beside diuine dreames haue a signification of things to come which are manifest onely vnto God 2. Concerning the cohabiting or beeing present of the gods with flesh that is with mortall men the Gentiles had diuers opinions 1. The Epicures thought that the gods nihil extra se agentes c. did nothing at all in the world without themselues neither were occupied in doing any thing but made them idle gods doing nothing 2. The Peripatetikes following Aristotle did make the gods onely to haue their dwelling in the heauens and to be occupied in the motion of the celestiall orbs but had nothing to doe cum rebus sublunaribus with things done vnder the Moone 3. The Platonists and Stoikes placed the gods onely in heauen but they held that there were otehr spirits good and bad in the ayre which did conuerse with men and that the gods immediatly had nothing to doe with men but per daemones tanquam internuntios by the spirits which were as messengers comming betweene God and man 4. Wherein they diuersly erred 1. in making many gods 2. in holding that God did nothing in the earth but by the mediation of such spirits 3. and that some spirits were good some euill by nature whereas the Angels were all created good in the beginning but some fell through their pride and were cast downe to hell 5. But concerning the conuersing of Angels with men the truth is this that both good Angels whose chiefe employment is in giuing attendance vpon God in the heauens yet sometime haue appeared vnto men as vnto Abraham Lot laakob the euill Angels also more often doe intermedle with humane affaires for the probation and triall of men and to their owne iust condemnation whereof there are two notable experiments the one is in those which are called energumeni possessed or bestraughted some such beeing very idiots vnlearned and vnlettered men haue spoken Hebrew Greeke Latine and disputed of profound questions in Philosophie and Diuinitie the other experiment is in the Magicians themselues which worke by such spirits and effect strange things as in counterfaiting the shapes of beasts in causing images to mooue and speake in telling strange things done farre off in remote countries these strange works either to ascribe to melancholie as some Physitians doe or to the operation of the starres as Astrologers est perquam ineruditum insulsum c. it is both an vnlearned and vnsauourie shift and to denie these former experiments extremae impudentiae contumaciae videtur it seemeth to be extreame boldnes and contumacie therfore these strange things must of necessitie be referred to the operation of spirits c. Perer. lib. 2. in Daniel in v. 10. c. 2. 15. Quest. v. 12. Of the Kings rash sentence in commanding all the wise men of Babel to be slaine 1. Though by the law of God these Sorceres and Soothsayers had deserued worthily to die and so in respect of the diuine iustice were iustly put to death yet in respect of the King who looked not
of this stone he forbeareth to giue any interpretion of it putting off the matter thus mihi hoc narrare non libuit cui propositum est non futura sed praeterita scribere c. Daniel also giueth an interpretation of the stone but it liked me not to declare it whose purpose is to write of things past not of things to come It seemeth he was loath to offend the Romanes of whom he had receiued so great grace and fauour which he should haue done if he had giuen his opinion that the Romane Empire should in the ende haue beene ruinated by his nation But how vnlike a thing this is that the Iewes should obtaine such a temporall dominion it is euident to all the world they beeing now a dispersed nation without either king or priest Church or commonwealth And our Blessed Sauiour hath assured vs that his kingdome is not of this world they then dreaming of such an outward kingdome doe therein shewe their infidelitie that they haue no part in the true Messiah who is blessed for euer 2. The heretikes called Chiliastes which hold that 6. thousand yeares expired from the creation of the world there shall be a resurrection of iust men who shall raigne with Christ a thousand yeares in the earth doe expound this place of that terrene kingdome But their hereticall fansie is confuted by the verie words of this text for the kingdome here spoken of shall stand for euer it shall not then onely continue for a 1000. yeares 3. Wherefore this Scripture euidently describeth the spirituall kingdome of Christ in this world ruling and gouerning the hearts of his seruants by his grace and propagating his truth and Gospell ouer all the world exercising his power vpon the enemies of his Church which kingdome shall be perfected in his euerlasting glorie of this eternall and euerduring kingdome the Prophet Isay saith the Encrease of his gouernement and peace shall haue no ende Quest. 54. Whether the stone cut out of the mountaine doe signifie Christ or his kingdome 1. The most doe vnderstand this of Christ himselfe who is signified by this stone of which opinion are of the ancient writers Iustinus Martyr dialog cum Tryphone Ireneus lib. 3. aduers. haeres cap. 28. Cyprian lib. 2. aduers. Iudaeos sect 17. and sometime Augustine enarrat in Psal. 98. and so interpreteth Lyranus and of the newe writers Bullinger by this stone would haue Christ vnderstood as Psal. 118. 22. the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner and Isay 28. 16. Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation to the same purpose Melancthon likewise Perorius beside these testimonies of Scripture sheweth how Christ this precious stone was prefigured by certaine typicall stones in the old Testament as by the stone Iacob pitched and annointed it with oyle and the rocke which Moses smote with the tod and water gushed out by the stone that bare vp Moses hands Ezod 17. and by that rocke where Moses was set when he saw the Lords backe parts Exod. 33. Further in these fower respects Christ is compared to a stone 1. for the continuance 2. for the strength he is the fundamentall stone 3. a rocke of refuge vnto them that beleeue 4. and a rocke of offence for the wicked to stumble at 2. Some doe by this stone vnderstand the kingdome and Church of Christ as Augustine in Psal. 42. and 44. so also Caluine comparat regnum Christi cum omnibus illis Monarchijs c. he compareth the kingdome of Christ with all those Monarchies c. so is the Church of God likened to a stone Zach. 12. 3. in that day I will make Ierusalem an heauie stone for all people all that lift it vp shall be torne c. 3. But these interpretations are not contrarie one to another they may well stand together for Christ is not here considered apart by himselfe but together with his Church he as the head and the other as his bodie So the Apostle sometime by Christ vnderstandeth the whole mysticall bodie consisting of Christ and his Church as 1. Cor. 12. 12. As the bodie is one and hath many members so is Christ so the Church is called the bodie and fulnesse of Christ. Ephe. 1. 23. Then in this place Christ is not vnderstood without his body the Church but both Christ and his kingdome which is the Church are ioyned together for ver 44. Daniel speaketh of a kingdome which God should set vp Polan Quest. 55. Whether this prophesie be fulfilled in the first or second comming of Christ. 1. Tertullian expoundeth it of Christs second comming lib. contra Iudaeos So also Theodoret beeing mooued with this reason because at the first comming of Christ all these kingdomes were not destroyed for the Romane Empire then flourished but at his second comming this prophesie shall be fulfilled but this argument is soone answered the kingdomes here spoken of were all dissolued at the comming of Christ in the flesh the Romane Empire is not comprehended in this vision as is before shewed at large quest 49. 2. Some thinke that this prophesie agreeth vnto the first comming of Christ inchoate aliquatenus in some sort and by way of beginning and that in the ende it should dash in peices the Romane Empire but it shall most fully and absolutely be accomplished at Christs second comming Pere Pap. 3. But it shall appeare by these arguments that this Scripture must onely be referred to the first comming of Christ and not at all to the second but onely by way of analogie and by a consequent 1. This kingdome shall be set vp in the times of these Kings but in the euerlasting kingdome of Christ in the next world there shall be neither any such kings nor any more time 2. This stone was but small at the beginning but afterward it grew into a mountaine but Christ when he commeth in his glorie shall then shew himselfe in his greatnes he shall not be as a small stone 3. And this stone became a great mountaine and filled the whole earth which sheweth that Christs kingdome here spoken of should increase by little and little but after his second comming it shall be at the full not still encreasing therefore the kingdome of Christ here in this world of necessitie must be here described 4. Yet by way of analogicall collection this prophesie may be applyed vnto Christs second comming when as Christ shall make a perfect conquest of all earthly kingdomes and powers and of all other aduersaries vnto his kingdome 5. Of this opinion that this prophesie concerneth the first comming of Christ are all they which expound this phrase of the cutting out of this stone without hands of the miraculous conception and birth of Christ of the virgine Marie as Lyran. gloss ordinar Vatab. Pin. with diuerse of the auncient fathers Caluin also though he refuse that
a noble man the first time he should pay 25. ducats the second 50. the third time that he offendeth nobilitatum perdat he should loose his nobilitie If he were a common person he should be imprisoned if he offended more then twice he was to be enioyned to stand one whole day before the Church doore if yet he continued in the sinne of blasphemie ad perpetuos carceres vel ad triremes damnetur let him be condemned to perpetuall prison or to the gallies 40. Quest. Whether the three last verses doe belong vnto this second chapter v. 31. Nabuchadnezzer vnto all people nations and languages c. The vulgar Latine following the Septuag so also Pererius doe make these three last verses part of the third chapter some also of the Hebrewes doe the like But they are better referred vnto the historie of the next chapter as Iun. Vatab. Calvin Oecolampad Pellican Osiand Bulling so also Lyran. gloss ordin Hugo Cardin. doe thinke that this Epistle was written by the king after the Lord had humbled him and depriued him of his vnderstanding and afterward restored him againe as it followeth in the next chapter the reasons for proofe herof are these 1. Because the style and manner of writing in the first person the epistle beginneth thus Nabuchadnezzer king To all people c. and v. 32. I thought it good agreeth with the first words of the next chapter I Nabuchadnezzer c. 2. He intendeth to declare the signes and wonders which God wrought toward him such as specially concerned him and none did more particularly touch him then his transformation into the life of a bruit beast 3. If this epistle should not haue coherence with the narration following it should be much imperfect for he saith I thought good to declare the signes and wonders and yet he declareth none if this epistle should not haue relation to the next chapter Seeing then that these 3. last verses are a part of that chapter the questions here arising shall be there handled 4. The places of doctrine 1. Doct. That the godly haue alwaies some enemiâ— or other to encounter with v. 1. Nebuchadnezzer the king made an image of gold c. Many are the aduersaries and diuers the assaults and combates which are opposed to the faithfull their enemies are cither internall which is their owne corrupt concupiscence whereof S. Paul speaketh Rom. 7. 23. I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde or externall which are enemies spirituall and inuisible as Sathan with all his temptations as S. Paul saith We wrastle not against flesh and blood but against principalities c. against spirituall wickednesses Eph. 6. 12. or enemies visible which are either Gentiles and idolaters or heretikes and schismatikes as the Apostle saith he was in daunger among the Gentiles and among false brethren 2. Cor. 11. 26. 2. Doct. Of the manner of accusation which the wicked lay in against the seruants of God v. 8. That same time came men of the Chaldeans and grieuously accused the Jewes 1. As the Chaldeans were the first that gaue counsell to the king to make this image to entrappe the faithfull Iewes so it is the guise of the enemies of Gods Church to lay stumbling blocks before the seruants of God and to make lawes to entangle them as they practised against Daniel c. 6. 2. They are readie to take any occasion to accuse them as the Chaldeans here 3. They omit no time they vse all speed and opportunitie to prosecute their wicked enterprise as the Chaldeans came the same time and houre and made their complaint 4. They are flatterers and make Princes beleeue that they are very obseruant of their lawes and pray for their prosperitie as here they wish the king may liue for euer whereas they doe onely make a way hereby to worke more mischiefe 5. They doe set themselues specially against poore strangers and make them odious by their countrey as they say v. 12. There are certaine Iewes 6. They accuse them of vnthankfulnes mutinie and rebellion as these Chaldees doe here v. 12. and it is the vsuall accusation against the seruants of God as though they were contemners of the lawes and decrees of Princes 3. Doct. That God is one v. 12. Neither will they serue thy gods c. The Gentiles brought in an infinite number of gods Hesiode saith that they worshipped 30. thousand gods the same also is testified by Eunomius lib. de falsit or aculor Tertullian in Apologet. alledgeth out of Marcus Varro that they had thirtie gods called by the name of Iuppiter 1. But the Scripture euidently testifieth that God is but one as Deut. 6. 4. Heare O Israel the Lord our God is the Lord onely Deut. 32. 39. Behold heare O Israel for I am he and there is no gods with me Psal. 86. 10. thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone Isa. 45. 5. I am the Lord and there is none other there is no God beside me 2. yea the Philosophers and wise men among the heathen though the vulgar sort worshipped a multitude of gods did hold that there was but one beginning of all things as Trismegist 4. dialog Pymandri saith Vniuersum mundum verbo non manibus fabricatus est opifex c. that one workeman made all the world with his word not with hands Orpheus in his verses calleth God protogonâ—â— the first begotten that nothing was before him and that all things were created by him Iustinus Martyr alleadgeth out of the verses of Sybil vnus Deus solus c. that there is one God alone vnbegotten omnipotent inuisible Sophocles both a Philosopher and a Poet doth affirme the one God to be the creator of the world so Thales Pythagoras Socrates Plato Chrysippus did all affirme that there was one God whome they called a diuine Spirit and as it were the soule of the world And it is said of Aristotle that when he was at the very point of death he cried out causa causarum miserere meâ— O thou cause of causes haue pitie on me And they were induced thus to thinke by these and such like reasons 1. Because they saw that in a Commonwealth the Monarchicall state was the best in a kingdome one Prince in an armie one generall in a shippe one gouernor in a beehiue one master-bee so in the world there is one chiefe Ruler and moouer of all things 2. God is an infinite spirit but one infinite thing can not stand with an other 3. God is loue vnitie concord but where many gods are there is varietie not vnitie discord not peace 4. Like as in the bodie though there be many and diuers parts there is but one soule the fountaine of life and motion in the bodie so is it in the greet world 4. Doct. We must be resolute in religion v. 16. We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter These three holy men could not be neither by
my maiestie 31. While the word was in the kings mouth the word beeing yet in the kings mouth C. V. A. I. a voice came downe from heauen saying To thee be it spoken they speake C. O king Nabuchadnezzer thy kingdome is departed from thee 32. And they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beast of the field they shall make thee to eare grasse they shall cause thee to tast grasse C. like the oxen and seuen times shall passe ouer thee vntill thou knowest that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will 33. The very same houre was this word this thing G. this matter B. fulfilled vpon Nabuchadnezzer and he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the oxen and his bodie was wet with the dew of heauen till his haires were growne as eagles feathers and his nailes as birds clawes 34. And at the ende of these dayes I Nebuchadnezzar lift vp mine eyes to heauen and mine vnderstanding or mind V. I. returned vnto me was restored vnto me L. B. G. and I blessed the most high and I praised and glorified him that liueth for euer because his power whose power B. G. is an euerlâ—sting power and kingdome is from generation to generation 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and according to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen and in the inhabitants of the earth and there is not any that can stay resist L. B. his hand or say vnto him What doest thou 36. At the same time did mine vnderstanding returne vnto me and I returned to the glorie of my kingdome my glorie and my beautie was restored returned C. vnto me and my counsellors and my princes sought vnto me and I was established in my kingdome and my glorie was augemented toward me 37. Now therefore I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extoll and magnifie the king of heauen because all his workes are truth and his wayes iudgement and those that walke in pride he is able to abase 3. The questions discussed Quest. 1. Of the kings epistle the summe and parts thereof This epistle of the king consisteth of the exordium or beginning in three verses which some make part of the third chapter whose opinion is refuted before quest 40. 3. chap. and the narration in this whole chapter The exordium or beginning which is the generall inscription containeth 1. the salutation 2. the generall argument of the whole epistle 1. the salutation sheweth 1. the author and writer Nebuchadnezzar 2. the persons to whom he writeth to all nations and languages vnder his kingdome 3. the salutation it selfe peace be multiplied 2. In the argument three things are declared 1. what he will set forth the signes and wonders of God which are amplified by two adiuncts of the greatnesse and strength 2. what mooued him to declare them because they were shewed toward him he had particular experience of them 3. to what ende to make knowne the power of Gods euerlasting kingdome Quest. 2. At what time Nebuchadnezzar wrote this epistle 1. It is euident by the salutation of the epistle wherein the king wisheth peace vnto all nations that as Oecolampad noteth quietus erat in regno militiae finem fecerat he was now quiet in his kingdome and had made an ende of warre c. it is cleare then that this epistle was written after he made an end of conquering subduing the nations round about 2. Further the conquest of Egypt fell out after the 25. yeare of Ieconias captiuitie Ezec. 29. 17. which was 10. yeare before the ende of Nebuchadnezzars raigne for in the 37. yeare of Iechonias captiuitie began Euilmerodach the sonne of Nebuchadnezzar to raigne 3. This fearefull and strange accident then of Nebuchadnezzars transmutation his deiecting from his throne and restoring againe might fall out some 9. or 10. yeares before the ende of his raigne Perer and this epistle might be written two yeares before his death Iun. for one yeare after this dreame ver 26. he was driuen from among men and liued 7. yeares among the beasts Quest. 3. How Nebuchadnezzar could write vnto all the people in the world 1. Caluin thinketh that here the king superbe locutus est spake proudly as making himselfe Lord of the whole earth as the Romanes because they had a large dominion called Rome Dominam totius orbis the Ladie of the whole world so also Polan But that Nebuchadnezzar did not this of any ostentation may appeare both by the ende of his writing which was to set forth the power of Gods kingdome and by his stile he contenteth himselfe with one title calling himselfe king whereas the Emperours of Rome vsed many swelling titles of their conquests as Parthicus Persicus Germanicus c. of Parthia Persia Germania and such like Bulling 2. The same author maketh this the reason because now this epistle beeing preserued vnto our times as the rest of the Scriptures by the spirit of God is indeed written and made knowne to all people but this seemeth not to be the literall and historicall meaning 3. Pappus saith he writte to all people and languages not onely to those which were subiect vnto him but he was desirous to make knowne the workes of God to all people in the world So also Oecolampad vnder these nations comprehendeth the South and West parts of the world as Mauritania Spaine for he was known in those parts as Strabo writeth lib. 15. non enim praecipit sed hortatur for he in this epistle coÌ„mandeth not but onely exhorteth But it is euident by the forme of the decree which he made before concerning euerie people nation and language where he onely meaneth such nations as were subiect vnto him for his lawe could not bind those which were not subiect that the inscription of this epistle must be taken in the same sense 4. Wherefore as R. Saadiah well expoundeth he vnderstandeth here onely his owne kingdomes as of Persia Assyria Egypt which are said to be the whole earth because he was monarcha orientis the Monarch of the East parts Lyra which was the most famous and flourishing part of the earth the principall part then is taken for the whole Geneuens Quest. 4. Of the signes and wonders which Nebuchadnezzer declareth 1. Some seeme to confound these two signes and wonders making them all one as Oeco Osian 2. some make this distinction those are signes qua fieri videntur contra naturam c. which seeme to be done against nature wonders and miracles are those workes which are admiratione digna worthie of admiration Hugo but this is no difference at all for whatsoeuer is done aboue or against nature is worthie of admiration 3. They are thus rather to be distinguished the same things in diuerse respectes are both signes and wonders signes because many things are thereby signified and miracles or wonders because they are done aboue and beyond nature Iâ—n
vnderstand it of the Pope who at the first gaue himselfe titles of humilitie as â—ervus servorum seruant of seruants 3. Calvin vnderstandeth it of Iulius Cesaer who refused to be called king but Tribune of the people 4. Some referre it to their Antichrist which shall come in the ende of the world qui ignobilis in obscuro loco nascitur who should be very base and borne in an obscure place Hugo But these seuerall opinions we before confuted qu. 26. qu. 27. 5. Therefore this is better vnderstood of Antiochus Epiphanes who is resembled to a little horne because he was younger brother to Seleucus Philopator and had no right to the kingdome but it should haue descended vnto Demetrius Seleucus sonne 2. This little horne came vp among the rest 1. Some vnderstand here that inter ipsos in terra eorum c. that this little horne or King shall come vp among the other kings and in their land Andreas ex Hugon But how can he come vp among the tenne kings seeing three are plucked vp before him to make a way for him 2. Some hold that these teâ—â—e kings shall come in the ende of the world and that this shall be the eleuenth whome they suppose to be Antichrist Hierom. Lyran. 3. But the meaning rather is that it shall come vp among them that is be one of the tenne Iun. and he shall come vp as of himselfe intruding and vsurping for Antiochus Epiphanes had no right to the kingdome beeing the yonger brother yet though he be one of the tenne he may be said to be the eleuenth as differing from all the rest see the like Apoc. 17. 11. The beast that was and is not is euen the eight and is one of the seauen 3. This little horne had the eyes of a man 1. They which applie it vnto Antichrist doe thereby insinuate that he shall not be a deuill as some thinke but a man though it be their opinion that he shall be possessed of the deuill who shall rule in him both in bodie and soule the spirit of Sathan shall not be hypostatically ioyned vnto him as the Godhead in Christ but Sathan shall dwell in him as in those that are possessed not tormenting him but in stirring of him vp and instructing him and teaching him many hid things thus Hierome Hugo addeth further that although Antichrist shall be conceiued of the seede of his parents yet the deuill shall enter into the wombe of his mother cuius virtute nascetur puer by whose power the childe shall be borne and so by these eyes they vnderstand the wonderfull knowledge and magicall science which shall be infused into him by Satan But all these are mens fansies concerning Antichrist in that he is said to haue the eyes of a man an humane not diabolicall science is insinuated 2. Pintus expoundeth the eyes of a man of carnall wisdome not spirituall 3. Vatablus referreth it to the policie of the Turks 4. Bullinger to the hypocrisie and subtiltie of the Pope 5. Oecolampadius to both 6. Calvin to the humanitie of the Emperours that madâ— themselues in outward shew as one of the Senators but tooke all authoritie from them 7. But it is a true description rather of Antiochus Epiphanes three properties are signified by these humane eyes first that he should make an outward shew of humanitie intending nothing els but deceit and crueltie then hereby his subtiltie and cunning is expressed and thirdly his couetousnes and ambitious greedie desire Iun. Polan 4. He hath a mouth speaking presumptuous things 1. that is Antichrist shall make himselfe God and shall faine himselfe to be the Messiah Hugo he shall speake great things promise more then he can performe Lyran. 2. Vatablus vnderstandeth it of the blasphemie of the Turke against God and his Church so Melancth Oâ—iand 3. Bullinger of the blasphemies of the Pope 4. Oecolampadius comprehendeth the blasphemies of them both as the Turke denieth Christ to be the sonne of God and saith he was not crucified but an other for him he preferreth his law before either Moses or Christs So the Pope challengeth to be Christs Vicar in earth that he can not erre that he is the head and husband of the church that he hath power to dispose of the kingdomes of the earth and giue them to whome he will 5. Calvin vnderstandeth the terrible threatnings of the Emperours of Rome against their enemies who though they pretended humanitie which is signified by their eyes yet they were fierce and cruell 5. But it is better vnderstood of the blasphemie of Antiochus which he vttered against God and his people as is extant in the histories of him 〈◊〉 30. Quest. Of the description of the glorious manner of Gods iudgement expressed v. 9. to v. 15. Here first is set forth the forme and manner of the iudgement it selfe v. 9. 10. then the execution v. 12. to v. 15. In the forme of iudgement foure things are described 1. he which sate vpon the throne 2. the throne it selfe 3. the assistants 4. the processe in iudgement 1. He which sate vpon the throne is described by three essentiall properties 1. his eternitie he is called the Auncient of daies which also sheweth his infinite wisdome which is found in the auncient 2. his authoritie his garments were white which Hugo applieth to Christs transfiguration in mount Tabor but the white garment was a signe of authoritie as Ioseph when he was aduanced by Pharaoh had a white garment put vpon him 3. by his haire which was as pure wooll is signified his innocencie and integritie in iudgement 2. First it is said that thrones were set in the plural which some read thrones were cast downe vnderstanding the thrones and kingdomes of the former beasts Iun. Polan Vatab. but it is better interpreted thrones were set vp as the 24. Elders had their seates about the throne Apoc. 4. 4. these thrones were set as inferiour seates for the Lords assistants the Angels which title of honour is vouchsafed vnto them in Scripture Calvin then the throne of God is set forth by three properties it is fierie which sheweth that all things are manifest vnto God it hath wheeles which signifieth the celeritie of Gods iudgements and a fierie streame issued forth which sheweth the power of Gods iudgements which none can resist no more then the course of a streame can be staied 3. The Angels as Gods assistants in this iudgement are described 1. by their number thousand thousands and ten thousand thousands a finite number beeing taken for an infinite 2. by their office they are saide to minister vnto God 3. by their alacritie and readines they stand before him as readie at his becke to execute his will 4. The processe is set forth the bookes were opened the bookes of euery mans acts as Princes in their iudgements haue bookes and euidence brought forth not that God needeth any information as terrene Iudges but to shew the equitie of his
iudgement 2. The execution followeth which is of two sorts in iustice in condemning the beasts v. 11 12. and in mercie in setting vp the kingdome of his sonne Christ and his Church v. 13 14. 31. Quest. Whether the finall iudgement in the ende of the world be here described 1. Some thinke that the forme of the finall iudgement of the world is here set forth as they which either by the little horne vnderstand Antichrist who as they imagine shall come in the ende of the world as Lyran. Hug. and likewise they which by the fourth beast vnderstand the Romane Empire or the Turks as Bullin Oecol Osian But seeing this vision and that of the Image c. 2. in effect is all one as there the stone cut out without hands that dashed the image in pieces signifieth Christ in his first not in his second comming for that stone grew into a mountaine and filled the earth but after Christ commeth to iudgement his kingdome shall be at the full it shall not afterward encrease see this confirmed by other reasons c. 2. qu. 55. So this iudgement here described must be referred vnto Christs first comming And if the fourth beast be the kingdome of the Seleucians as is before prooued at large then these thrones must be set when that beast was destroied 2. Burgensis is of opinion that the first vision concerneth the first comming of Christ when he dashed the image in pieces in that all idolatrie of the Gentiles was abolished at his comming but this he referreth to the finall iudgement when all the kingdomes and Monarchies of the earth shall be destroied and Christ onely shall raigne But Thoring taketh exception here to Burgensis that all idolatrie was not abolished at Christs comming seeing in many nations it continued long after Christs comming into the world and yet in Asia Africa and some places of Europe is practised This rather maketh against Burgensis that seeing in this vision there is a description of the foure Monarchies which were represented in that image c. 2. that the same manner of iudgement by the comming of Christ for the destruction of those Monarchies is in both places signified 3. Calvin misliketh that this place should be vnderstood of the second comming of Christ and yet he holdeth this fourth beast to be the Romane Empire both these can not stand together for the Romane Empire was not iudged nor dissolued at the first comming of Christ. 4. Therefore by the iudgement of God here shewed in this manner to the Prophet is better vnderstood the processe of the diuine iustice against these Monarchies which were all dissolued before the first comming of Christ. In like manner is the iudgement of God described in the ouerthrow of Senacherib which came against Ierusalem Psal. 76â— 9 10. Thou didst cause thy iudgement to be heard from heauen c. when thou O Lord arose to iudgement to helpe all the meeke of the earth Iun. Polan 5. But yet we so vnderstand here the iudgement of God vpon these kingdomes at the first comming of Christ as that it is also a type and figure of the finall iudgement this iudgement beginneth at the first comming of Christ Genevens and shall be perfected at his second comming when all the enemies of Christ and his Church vniuersally shall be destroied 32. Quest. v. 9. Who is said to be the Auncient of daies and how 1. Some vnderstand here the person of the Father because mention is made v. 13. of the sonne of man which approached vnto the Auncient of daies Polan so also the ordinarie glosse taketh it But Christ is there called the Sonne of man in respect of his humane nature as he is God he is the Auncient of daies from all eternitie as God the Father is as he is called the euerlasting father Isa. 9. 6. 2. Some by the Auncient of daies vnderstand Christ the Mediatour Christus antiquus dierum introducitur Christ is brought in as the auncient of daies who is the lambe that was slaine from the beginning of the world Oecolampad But Christ as the Mediator God and man is described afterward v. 13. where he is called the Sonne of man and approacheth to the auncient of daies the Sonne of man then and that Auncient of daies are not all one 3. Wherefore by the Auncient of daies the euerlasting God is signified Iun. the Father Sonne and holy Ghost who were from all eternitie for concerning the person of the Father our Sauiour saith My Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne Iob. 5. 22. So Hugo Deus aeternus iudicabit the euerlasting God shall iudge not God the Father onely by his sonne as Osiand but although the person of the Sonne onely shall appeare non deerit pater spiritus sanctus yet there shall not be wanting both the father and the holy Ghost Vatab. 4. God is said to be the Auncient of daies both in respect of his eternitie who was from the beginning before all time and shall continue for euer Iob. 36. 26. The number of his yeares can not be searched out And of his wisdome it is said Iob. 12. 12. Among the auncient is wisdome and in the length of daies is vnderstanding 33. Quest. How God was seene of Daniel who is inuisible 1. God in his inuisible nature such as he is in his diuine essence was neuer seene of any The Apostle calleth God the King euerlasting immortall inuisible 1. Tim. 1. 17. who dwelleth in light that none can attaine vnto whome neuer any man saw neither can see 1. Tim. 6. 16. 2. And yet if God would not be seene at all the Apostle would not haue said of Moses that he saw him which is inuisible Heb. 11. 27. God then did shew some visible signes of his presence vnto his seruants not beeing in deede any such thing as he appeared as fire or any such thing but he reuealed himselfe induit varias formas pro captu hominum c. and put on diuers shapes according to mens capacitie as it was fit for them to see God and they were able to beare Calv. Polan 34. Quest. How iudgement is said to be set seeing God is Iudge from euerlasting 1. The Lord applieth himselfe to our weaknes and imbecillitie for although the Lord be Iudge for euer yet he doth not alwaies exercise iudgement So then while the Lord suffereth the wicked to preuaile in the world and deferreth their punishment he seemeth vnto men not to sit in iudgement whereupon the seruants of God doe vtter these speaches Psal. 10. 1. Why standest thou so farre off and hidest thee Psal. 13. 1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord 2. But when the Lord sheweth himselfe and sendeth forth his iudgements then he seemeth to vs to sit in his throne as Psal. 7. 6. the Prophet saith Arise O Lord in thy wrath and list vp thy selfe against the rage of mine enemies we doe not so effectually acknowledge God to be
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
vsque in futurum seculum in quo regnabunt per gloriam their kingdome shall begin in this world wherein they raigne by grace and continue vnto the next world wherein they shall raigne in glorie c. 3. this kingdome of the Saints in Christ shall beginne after the dissolution of the foure former Monarchies as is before shewed 49. Quest. Why they are called the most high Saints v. 18. 1. The vulgar Latine readeth which H. Br. followeth in his commentarie Saints of the most high God but beside that the word high ghelonin is in the plural and so must be ioyned with Saints the other word God is not in the text 2. Some by the high Saints vnderstand the Angels but that can not be for v. 27. they are interpreted to be the holy people of the most high the Saints in earth 3. neither by the high Saints can God himselfe be vnderstood the Scripture vseth not in the plural number so to speake of God 4. some thus read the Saints of the high things that is to whome belongeth the inheritance of the high and heauenly things Iun. Polan Calvin But it is better ioyned as an epithete to Saints they are called the high Saints as v. 27. the people of the Saints most high they are most high in respect of all other people in the world in respect of the most high Prince the Lord Christ to whome they belong and in regard of the most high inheritance of heauen which appertaineth vnto them 50. Quest. v. 20. How the horne called before little is said to be in shew greater then the rest 1. Before in the vision it is saide to be a little horne in respect of the obscure base and meane beginning for so Antiochus Epiphanes beeing the younger brother had no right nor title to the kingdome and in this sense he was a little horne 2. But the euent considered how afterward Antiochus Epiphanes proud Antiochus who of some is rather called Epimanes madde Antiochus exceeded all other of the Seleucians in greatnes he is in this respect said to be greater in shew then the rest So both are true but not in the same time 51. Quest. How this little horne is said to chaunge lawes and times 1. Hierome by changing times and lawes vnderstandeth that Antichrist shall abolish and take away all religion so also Lyran. he shall abrogate the worship of God sibi illum cultum vsurpabit and shall vsurpe vnto himselfe that worship making himselfe God But Antichrist which was prophecied of and is now come into the world shall not be an open and professed enemie vnto all religion but rather through hypocrisie and vaine shew of religion shall deceiue many and therefore the Apostle saith he shall come with lying wonders 2. Thess. 2. 9. 2. Calvin vnderstanding the Romane Emperours to be this little horne giueth this sense that omnia iura humana divina peruertent they shall peruert all lawes humane and diuine as Augustus caused altars to be erected vnto him though otherwise a ciuill Prince Tiberius neglected all religion Caligula threatned to banish Iuppiter their great god into Greece and would often smite his image with his fift Domitian wished that all the people of Rome had but one necke that he might smite it off at once he would haue made his horse Consul But though these things may by way of analogie be thus applied yet historically as hath beene shewed at large this prophecie was fulfilled before the comming of the Messiah into the world 3. Bullinger with others shew how this is practised by the Pope of Rome to chaunge lawes and times for he canonizeth Saints and erecteth holy daies vnto them appointeth fastâ— and fasting daies for religion he chaungeth lawes as commanding adoration of Images which is forbidden by the law of God restraining mariage which God hath made free for all taking away the cuppe in the Eucharist which Christ in the institution of his last supper appointed to be vsed 4. Other doe verifie these things in the Turke who endeauoureth what he can to abolish all Christian religion he thinketh to doe it laboureth what he can to extitpate the Gospel of Christ but he can not These two last expositions also we refuse vpon the former reason These applications by way of analogie we mislike not but this prophecie had the historicall accomplishment before the birth of Christ. 5. Wherefore this is a true and liuely description of Antiochus Epiphanes how he attempted to change times to abolish the festiuals of the Iews to prophane their Sabbaths the rites also and ceremonies of Moses law he abrogated defiling the Temple and the altars and setting vp most abominable idols as is shewed at large 1. Macch. 1. 46. c. Antiochus sent his letters to Ierusalem and the cities of Iuda that they should follow the straunge lawes of the countrey that they should forbid the burnt offerings and the sacrifices and the offerings of the Sanctuarie and that they should defile the sabbaths and the feasts and pollute the sanctuarie and the holy men and to set vp altars and groues and chappels of idols and offer vp swines flesh and vncleane beasts c. The like reporteth Ioseph lib. 12. Antiquit. Iudaic. c. 6. It is very euident now by comparing the historie of the Macchabees with the prophecie of Daniel that all these things were most truly and properly fulfilled in the raigne of Antiochus Epiphanes which are here described of this little horne 52. Quest. What is meant by a time times and a part of time v. 25. 1. Some by these termes vnderstand not any certaine definite time but take it at large for a certaine season not determined 2. Others vnderstand precisely a certen prefixed time 1. Of the first sort 1. some doe vnderstand longam durationem a long continuance of time yet certaine and determined with God Papp So Bullinger calleth it praefinitum tempus sol Deo cognitum a time defined but onely knowne vnto God to the same purpose also Calv. Genevens Melancth 2. Oecolampad also here defineth not any certaine time but giueth this reason of three times and an halfe which maketh halfe a propheticall weeke dimidiat Deus hebdomadam God halueth the weeke because he will not be angrie for euer as our blessed Sauiour saith that for the Elects sake those daies shall be shortned But it is euident that a certaine time is here prefixed and limited and that by times yeares are signified as c 4. in the vision of the great tree by seauen times are vnderstood seauen yeares 2. They which vnderstand here a certen time 1. some would haue hereby signified so many yeares as there be daies in 3. yeares and an halfe as R. Levi saith that the desolation of the Temple shall continue a 1335. yeares which number of daies Daniel hath c. 12. 12. But the grosse blindnes of these Rabbins is euident to all the world for since the last and finall desolation of the
called his speaking whereby we are giuen to vnderstand that the writings of the Prophets and Apostles ought to be receiued with no lesse reuerence then if we had heard them speake with their owne mouthes So S. Paul saith to Timothie that the holy scriptures were able to make him wise vnto saluation and they were able to make the man of God absolute and perfect to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 15. 17. Polan 2. Doctr. The Church in this world subiect to affliction Because all these Monarchies and kingdomes are described by these foure beasts which deuoure and destroy beeing therefore resembled to cruell and sauage beasts the lyon beare leopard hence it is euident that the portion of the Church of God in this world is to be subiect for the most part to the violence and rage of oppressors to the end that they should not looke for their kingdome or inheritance in this world but seeke for their peace and true comfort in Christ Ioh. 16. 33. In the world ye shall haue affliction but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Bulling 3. Doctr. The Sonne of God equall vnto his Father v. 13. He approched vnto the Auncient of daies By this kind of speach is signified that Christ the Sonne of man according to his humanitie is equall vnto the Father touching his Godhead as sitting together in the throne with him as Apoc. 5. 6. The Lambe stood in the middes of the throne And whereas the kingdome is here said to be giuen vnto the Sonne that is to be referred to the time of his dispensation and comming in the flesh which glorie and kingdome he receiued as man but it was his owne as God from the beginning as Ioh. 17. 5. our blessed Sauiour thus praieth Glorifie me thou Father with the glorie which I had with thee before the world was Bulling 4. Doctr. Of the vocation of the Gentiles v. 14. That all people nations and languages should serue him This is an euident testimonie that the Gentiles should be conuerted vnto the faith and knowledge of Christ and so be subiect and obedient vnto him as Tertullian by this inuincible argument sheweth that Christ is the true Mossiah in quem enim alium vniuerse gentes crediderunt quam in Christum vpon whome els haue all the nations beleeued then in Christ and he reckoneth vp the Parthians Medes Egyptians Germanes Britaines Scythians and many other nations in the remotest parts of the world toward the North and South and East countries which haue receiued the faith whereas all other kingdomes and dominions haue beene confined The kings of Babylon and Persia raigned from India to Aethiopia yet had limits and borders of their kingdome neither did Alexander conquer all Asia the Romane Empire was defended in their borders with garrisons But the kingdome of Christ is not limited or confined to any place according to that prophesie in the Psalm 2. 8. Aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession to this purpose Tertull. l. 7. cont Iudaeos 5. Doctr. Of whome the kingdome of Christ consisteth v. 18. The high saints or the saints of the most high shall take the kingdome The Church of God then consisteth of the Saints and elect which are ordained to euerlasting saluation So our Sauiour calleth them his flocke for whome his Father had prepared a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. And againe he saith I pray not for the world but for those whome thou hast giuen me Ioh. 17. 9. they then which are of the world are not of the Church of Christ Hypocrites then heretikes misbeleeuers carnall liuers way well be in the Church but they are not of it as S. Iohn saith They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. The Church is not discerned by the greatnes and bignes thereof v. 3. Foure great beasts came vp These foure beasts signifying foure kingdomes are said to be great they were large and mightie in dominion as the Persian Monarchie had vnder it an 127. Prouinces yet all these kingdomes were enemies to the people of God So then the Church of Christ is not to be measured by the bignes and greatnes of it our Sauiour calleth his flocke a little flocke Luk. 12. 32. and few there be that finde the way vnto life Matth. 7. 14. Vniuersalitie then and multitude is not a sure and infallible note of the Church as the Romanists would haue it Nicolaus the 1. thus wrote vnto Michael the Emperour Numerus pusillus non obest vbi abundat pietas nec multiplex prodest vbi abundat impietas a small number doth not hurt where pietie aboundeth nor a great doth not profit where impietie aboundeth See hereof more Synops. Centur. 1. err 20. 2. Controv. Whether the Saints shall iudge the world v. 9. The thrones were set Hence Pererius inferreth that beside Christ there shall be other quasi iudicis assessores as assistants of the Iudge as our Sauiour saith that his Apostles shall sit vpon 12. seates and iudge the 12. tribes of Israel But it is euident out of the Scripture that Christ onely shall be Iudge of the world for the Father hath committed all the iudgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5. 22. But the Saints are said to iudge the world not as Iudges to giue sentence sed iudicant vt testes they iudge as witnesses Bulling their life and doctrine shall be the condemnation of the world In this sense our Sauiour saith that his word shall iudge those which receiue it not at the latter day Ioh. 12. 48. that is it shall be a witnes against them Hugo hath here this distinction Deus pater indicabit per authoritatem filius per sententiae prolationem sancti per assensum approbationem God the father shall iudge by his authoritie the Sonne by pronouncing the sentence the Saints by their assent and approhation c. 3. Controv. The vulgar Latine translation not authenticall v. 10. Whereas it is in the originall ribo riban ten thousand times ten thousand the Latine translator readeth ten thousand times an hundred thousand Pererius would excuse it thus that the interpreter did not so much respect the words as the minde of Daniel which was to expresse an infinite multitude of Angels putting a finite number for an infinite Contra. But an interpreter is tied to the very words which he translateth It is one thing to interpret an other thing to expound or comment Interpreters must not take vnto themselues that libertie in following the sense to leaue the text and depart from the words of the originall 4. Controv. Of the diuers orders of Angels v. 10. Whereas it is saide a thousand thousand ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousand stood before him Hence Pererius would prooue that there are two sorts of Angels some that
the guilt vnto condemnation and in making expiation for the fault and offence it selfe Quest. 23. v. 24. How the Messiah brought euerlasting righteousnesse 1. Some by this euerlasting iustice vnderstand Christ himselfe Vatab. who is said to be our iustice fiue wayes 1. exemplariter because his iustice and righteousnesse is set before vs to imitate and follow 2. satisfactorie because he hath satisfied the wrath of God by his righteousnesse for our sinnes 3. meritorie he hath by his righteousnes merited for vs eternall life 4. efficienter he is the efficient cause of our iustice and righteousnes 5. finaliter because this is the ende of our holinesse and righteousnesse to be made like and conformable to the image of the sonne as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 29. Perer. But here is vnderstood not that righteousnesse which Christ hath in himselfe but that which is communicated vnto vs for here are two benefits rehearsed which should come by the Messiah the first is the taking away of sinne which is before expressed the other the bringing and giuing of righteousnesse 2. Some by iustice vnderstand the preaching of righteousnesse by the gospel as Lyranus as it is taken Isay. 45. 23. the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse Pintus But the preaching of the gospell shall not be euerlasting for in the next world there shall be no neede of preaching the Saints shall enioy the presence and sight of the lambe who shall be their light 3. Some by iustice interpret the actiue iustice which God exercised vpon the crosse in not sparing his sonne but giuing him for the redemption of the world Hug. Card. But the verie phrase to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse sheweth that such a iustice is here meant not which was shewed vpon Christ but was communnicated to his members 4. Wherefore by iustice here is vnderstood nothing els but our iustification whereby the iustice of Christ is imputed vnto vs freely and made ours by faith Bulling and in this sense is the word iustice or righteousnesse taken Iames. 2. 23. Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for iustice or righteousnesse Pintus 5. But we must take heede here of that Popish conceit of inherent iustice as Pererius here vnderstandeth that iustice quae in homine inest à Deo effecta which is in â—â—an wrought by God c. for this iustice which is wrought in man by faith is nothing else but our sanctification which is imperfect and therefore it is not that euerlasting iustice which is the iustice of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith Quest. 24. Why it is called euerlasting righteousnesse 1. The iustice or righteousnesse of faith in Christ is called euerlasting in respect of the iustice of the lawe non euanescet sicut iustitia legis it shall not vanish away as the iustice of the law Osiand which was a temporarie iustice consisting in the obseruation of legall rites and ceremonies which were not to continue Perer. such was the righteousnesse of Zacharie and Elizabeth which are called iust because they walked in all the commandements and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constitutions and ordinances of the lawe Luk. 1. 6. so also the gloss it is called eternall iustice quae legis iustitiam vincat which should exceede the iustice of the lawe 2. This iustice of faith is euerlasting because it is omnium temporum for all times all that euer liued in the world were iustified by the iustice of faith in Christ Bulling 3. And is eternall quia inchoatur in via in patria perficitur it is begunne here as in the way and shall be perfited in our countrey Pintus 4. But it is rather so called in respect of the euerlasting force and vertue of this iustice which shall neuer be extinguished but shall make vs accepted of God for euer Polan as the Prophet Isay saith c. 45. 17. Israel shall be saned in the Lord with an euerlasting saluation ye shall not be ashawed nor confounded world without ende Here followe certaine questions of the iustice of Christ in what manner wherein and in what measure it is applyed Quest. 25. Whether as Christs satisfaction for the punishment of sinne is imputed to vs by faith so likewise his innocencie It must of necessitie followe if that Christ hath obtayned and purchased for vs a perfect and absolute redemption that he hath discharged our whole debt not onely in satisfying for the punishment of the lawe but in imputing also vnto vs his innocencie and obedience as may appeare by these reasons 1. Christ is of greater power to communicate vnto vs his innocencie then Adam was to deriue vnto vs the guilt of his sinne and disobedience then as by Adam sinne was propagated and death came in by sinne Rom. 5. 12. so it is necessarie that we should receiue from Christ not onely exemption from death by his death but be cloathed also with his righteousnesse 2. We cannot stand in iudgement before God vnlesse we be endued with perfect iustice now perfect iustice is that whereby the commandements of God are exactly fulfilled which was performed not onely by that one act of Christs death but by the perfect innocencie and holinesse of his whole life therefore the whole obedience of Christ must be imputed and communicated vnto vs. 3. Christ discharged our whole debt Now we are debters not onely in respect of the punishment of the lawe which by our disobedience we haue deserued but the lawe exacteth also of vs perfect obedience and integritie from sinne in both these respects then we haue neede of Christ. 4. The Apostle saith directly Rom. 10. 4. that Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth that is by faith the righteousnes of Christ in fulfilling the lawe is imputed vnto vs in as full and ample manner as if we had fulfilled the lawe our selues 5. If Christ hath not fulfilled the lawe for vs it would followe that the law remaineth still to be fulfilled by vs which is impossible The contrarie obiections answered Obiect 1. The righteousnesse of faith and the righteousnesse and fulfilling of the lawe are two diuerse things the righteousnesse which we receiue by Christ is by faith therefore not the fulfâ—â—â—ng of the lawe Answ. The righteousnes of the lawe by works and of the gospel by faith are not two diuerse righteousnes for they differ neither in matter as both requiring that obedience which is to be performed vnto God not in forme for the lawe of God is the rule of righteousnes in both they differ in the efficient and worker the legal righteousnes must be performed by man himselfe the Euangelical by Christ in our name and in the ende for the ende of the legal righteousnes is the glorie of man if he could keepe it by his owne strength the ende of the Euangelical iustice is the glorie of God in the setting forth of his mercie So then one and the same righteousnes is both of
leaueth vs forren witnesses are to be receiued Now seeing it is collected that the raigne of the Grecians from Alexander vnto Cleopatra Q. of Egypt continued about 300. yeares and from thence to the death of Christ the Romanes ruled 60. yeares H. Br. â—roleg in Daniel there can remaine but an 130. yeares for the Monarchie of the Persians to make vp the summe of Daniels 70. weekes that is 490. yeares So then thus farre we are directed by the holy storie as is shewed before by the age and life of Nehemias who sawe the beginning and ende of the Persian Monarchie that it could not continue 200. yeares or aboue the rest must be supplied out of the Greeke and Latine historians Here then two erroneous opinions are to be touched the one of Varro who vntill the beginning of the Olympiads holdeth no certainty of time to be gathered for he distinguisheth the age of the world into these 3. times before the flood which he saith is altogether vnknowne after the â—â—ood vnto the Olympike yeares which time he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fabulous and full of tales the third from the beginning of the Olympiads which time he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 historicall as certaine and true whereas the contrarie is euident that the historie of time from the beginning of the world vntill somewhat after the Olympiads is most certaine out of the propheticall writings but there is no certaintie of the times following because the propheticall writings were ceased The other opinion is of Paulus Burgans who thus aduiseth de quibus non habetur historia sacrae Scripturae recurratur ad historiaâ— authenticaâ— specialitâ—r Hebraeorum whereof there is no historie of the sacred Scripture we must haue recourse to the authenticall histories specially of the Hebrewes But Burgens beeing a conuerned Iew himselfe doth ascribe too much to the historicall accounts of his nation whereas after their Prophets ceased there â—re no more vncerten false and fabulous Chronicles then those of the Hebrewes are As appeareth by that one instance of the number of the Persian kings whome they generally hâ—ld to haue beene but foure This then remaineth as the best resolution concerning this matter what Chronologie is to be followed in the computation of Daniels weekes that it is safest to take direction of the Scriptures so farre as they proceede in the historie of the Persians and then to vse the helpe of the Olympiads and other forren histories for the rest of the yeares And yet further to shew what small certentie is to be found in the historicall accounts of the Gentiles concerning the Persiah Monarchie it shall not be amisse before we come to examine the true reckoning of Daniels weekes briefly to shew the great diuersitie of writers both of the number and yeares of the Persian kings 37. Quest. Of the names and number of the Persian kings 1. Hierome whome the Latine historians and interpreters follow numbreth 14. kings of the Persians as they are set downe in order before qu. 17. vpon the 7. chap. so also Pererius followeth the same account and Oecolampad in which number are comprehended Smerdes that succeeded Cambyses and Artabanus who killed Xerxes both beeing vsurpers and Xerxes the second who raigned 2. moneths and Sogdianus 7. moneths betweene Artaxerxes Longimanus and Darius Nothus These partly because they were vsurpers partly for their short raigne are not to be counted among the Persian kings for the historie of time 2. As the Latines exceede in number so the Hebrewes come as farre short Some of them doe make onely three kings of Persia Cyrus Assuerus Darius and whereas mention is made beside Ezâ— 4. 7. of Artaxerxes and then of an other Artashasht or Artaxerxes Ezâ— 7. 1. they say that the first Artaxerxes was the same with Assuerus and the second with Darius So R. Saadâ—a and R. Davison Some of them number foure kings Cyrus Assuerus Artaxerxes Darius Ab. Ezra Some count fiue as R. Moses But all these are euidently conuinced of vntruth by the historie of Ezra and Nehemia as may thus appeare First it is cleare that Xerxes was the fourth king of Persia mentioned Dan. 11. 2. who should be richer then the rest Then after this Xerxes the fourth king succeeded Artaxerxes surnamed Longimanus because he had one hand longer then an other then followed Darius surnamed Nothus because he was the base sonne of Longimanus after him raigned an other Artaxerxes who was surnamed Mnemon of his singular memorie there is mention made yet further of an other Darius who was the last king of the Persians Nehem. 12. 22. Thus it is euident that there were more kings of Persia then the Hebrewes imagine as may be gathered out of the Scripture 3. Some name but 8. kings of Persia in all As 1. Cyrus 2. Artaxerxes Assuerus 3. Darius with the long hand 4. Darius Nothus 5. Artaxerxes Mnemon 6. Artaxerxes Ochus 7. Arses 8. Darius so Annius Viteâ—biens But in this account are omitted two famous kings of the Persians Darius Hystaspis and Xerxes his sonne 4. Some make but nine which they thus number Cyrus Cambyses Darius Hystaspis Xerxes Artaxerxes Longimaâ—â—us Darius Nothus Artaxerxes Mnemon Ochus Darius Codomannus Ioseph Scalliger But here is omitted Arses the last king but one who succeeded Ochus 5. Some doe set downe tenne kings of the Persians namely all these before rehearsed so Bulling but the leaueth out Sâ—erdes the vsurper who succeeded Cambyses and raigned not one yeare but onely certaine moneths 6. Beroaldus whom H. Br. followeth reckoneth 11. kings of Persia agreeing in the number but he misseth in the order for thus he placeth them Cyrus Assuerus Artaxerxes Darius Assyrius Artaxerxes pins then Xerxes the fift then the other sixe in order But in this account he maketh Xerxes the rich king of Persia the fift king who in Daniel is the fourth c. 11. 2. and he supposeth him to haue beene the sonne of Artaxerxes pins who was indeede the sonne of Darius 7. Iuniâ—s setteth downe the Persian kings in this order 1. Cyrus 2. Cambyses his son 3. Smerdes who vsurped the kingdome a yeare 4. Darius Hystaspis 5. Xerxes 6. Artaxerxes Longhand 7. Darius the bastard 8. Artaxerxes Mnemon 9. Darius Ochus 10. Arses 11. Dariiâ—s Codomannus whome Alexander ouercame Iun. But if Smerdes be counted for one then Xerxes should be the fift not the fourth king as Dan. 11. 2. Thus much for the vncertentie of the names and number of the Persian Kings 38. Quest. Of the vncertentie of the yeares of the Persian Monarchie and of the Persian kings 1. Concerning the continuance of the Persian Monarchie the Hebrewes generally giue vnto it not aboue 50. yeares Tertullian an 107. yeares Isidor lib. 5. etymolog an 180. Annius Lucidus Driedo an 190. Dyonisius Halycar lib. de Rom. Antiquit. 200. yeares and somewhat aboue Clemens Alex. lib. 1. stromat 215. Severus Sulpit. lib. 2. sacr histor 250. Lyranus 230. so also M. Lively Pererius 232.
writeth lib. 5. Agrippa was confederate with the Romanes and Iosephus also testifieth that he tooke part with the Romanes after be could not perswade the Iewes to giue ouer their intended warre and that the said Agrippa suruiued after the destruction of the citie 2. Beside here is a great error in Chronologie for from the beginning of the 70. weekes which he maketh 52. yeares before Cyrus to the destruction of Ierusalem are in the most compendious reckoning almost 600. yeares 2. Theodoret and Eusebius by the Messiah vnderstand Hyrcanus who was the last anointed gouernour of the Priests and after him the Herodians vsurped the kingly authoritie vnto the destruction of the citie But the Messiah here spoken off must reconcile iniquitie and finish sinne but so could not any of the anointed Priests 3. M. Liuely by Messiah taking the singular for the plurall would haue meant the anointed gouernours for all lawfull rule and authoritie ceased a little before the taking of the citie by the Romans there was hauock made of the rulers and Elders and a generall disorder and Anarchie brought in first vnder Albinus then Florus Persian Monarchie pag. 212. and p. 241. And this reason he vrgeth why the Messiah is not here Christ because it were an vnproper speach to take the last weeke for the Messiah as they are forced thus to interpret these words after 62. weekes shall the Messiah be slaine that is in the 70. and last weeke Contra. 1. Whereas the Prophet here speaketh of one Messiah by this interpretation we shall haue many and a succession rather of gouernours then any one certain gouernour in which sense I thinke it cannot be shewed that the word Messiah is taken throughout the whole Scripture 2. and by this exposition of Messiah we are depriued of one of the most pregnant prophesies of Christs holy passion 3. neither doth it follow that the 70. weeke in that sense should be taken for the Messiah no more then he himselfe taketh it where he saith that after 69. weekes counted from the commandement thâ— Messiah whom he interpreteth the annointed gouernour should be cut off the citie and Temple destroyed leauing the last weeke of the seuentie for the accomplishment thereof pag. 224. for doth not he likewise vnderstand the 70. weeke after the 69. wherein the Messiah should be cut off 4. euen to admit his owne sense the lawfull anointed gouernours ceased in Ierusalem long before the destruction of Ierusalem about the birth of Christ in the 30. yeare of Herod when that tyrant slew all the Sanedrim as the L. of Plessie sheweth out of Philo whereupon he inferreth that to be the time wherein the soueraigntie and Iurisdiction of Iudsh did cease And so was Iacobs prophesie fulfilled Gen. 49. 10. that the scâ—ptâ—r should not depart from Iuda nor a law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shiloh come M. Liuely hereunto answeareth that this prophesie was rather fulfilled in the destruction of Ierusalem which he calleth the beginning of Christs second comming to iudgement the ende and accomplishment whereof shall be in the last day of iudgement and therefore all the time afterward is called the last daies and this is the reason why our Sauiour Matth. 14. treateth in the same place of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the end of the world So M. Lively p. 251. But 1. this is a strange exposition to vnderstand Christs comming in the flesh when he was gone out of the world and to make his going his comming 2. Iacob prophesieth of the first comming of Christ in the flesh as Iunius noteth out of the word Shilob which he interpreteth her sonne the word properly signifying the matrice or wombe because Christ was borne of a woman without the helpe of man Iun. annot in Gen. 49. 3. The reason why our Sauiour treateth of both those questions together is because the Apostles had propounded two questions both of the time of the destruction of the citie and Temple and of the ende of the world for thus they say Tell vs when these things shall be and what signe shall be of thy comming and of the ende of the world Matth. 24. 3. therefore our Sauiour satisfieth them in both their demands 4. These very words last rehearsed shew that the second comming of Christ and the ende of the world should be ioyned together 4. Iunius who vnderstandeth this place of the true Messiah yet referreth the ende of these 70. weekes to the destruction of the citie is forced to vse a kind of zeugmatical construction as he calleth it by supplying the word after in this sense after 62. weekes after the Messiah is slaine so also Polanus which words they thus interpret not that after the 62. weekes the Messiah should be cut off but after such time as the Messiah should be slaine which was within the 69. weekes and after the said 62. weekes then should follow the destruction of the citie But who seeth not how in this exposition the text is strained for the nominatiue is turned into the accusatiue after the Messiah slaine or the ablatiue the Messiah beeing slaine and the word after is inserted which is not in the text And the very first reading of the words after 62. weekes the Messiah shall be slaine doe euidently giue this sense that after that time and not before he should be slaine 5. Iunius hath an other interpretation in his annotations shewing the accomplishment hereof in the members of Christ how that after the Messiah himselfe was slaine his members were persecuted for in the ende of the 69. weeke about the 7. yeare of Nero Iames was put to death and a grieuous persecution was raised against the Church But the members and seruants of the Messiah can not be the Messiah and this cutting off must be after the 69. weekes not in any part of them neither as is shewed before doth the 69. weeke extend to the 7. of Nero beeing expired before the baptisme of Christ. 6. Oecolampad yeeldeth this as a reason why this cutting off can not in his iudgement be referred to the death of Christ because the word signifieth so to cut off as the thing cut off be in a manner extinguished and perisheth but so was not Christ cut off who hanging vpon the crosse was written in the superscription king of the Iewes But M. Calvin answereth this obiection well quâ—ad communem sensum quia putabant homines prorsus esse abolitum this was true according to the common sense because men thought that Christ was wholly abolished So that he was in the opinion of men as quite cut off as the Prophet Isay faith c. 53. 8. he was cut out of the land of the liuing 2. And the word here vsed caâ—ath signifieth to cut off either by death or banishment as Amos. 1. 5. I will cut off the inhabit aâ—ts of Bikeath-auen c. the sense then is no more but this that the Messiah shall be an off that is slaine
done a good while after So Iohn here omitteth those things which were done by our Sauiour betweene the 2. and 3. Pasch especially because they are handled at large by the other Euangelists Matth. c. 12. to 14. Mark 2. to the 6. Luk. 6. to the 9. 2. As some would thus abridge the number of the feasts and bring them to three so some others would enlarge the number of them as they which thinke that there passed a yeare betweene the baptisme of Christ and the first miracle which he did in Cana of Galile so that they thinke one of the Passeouers which followed next after the baptisme of Christ to be passed ouer in silence to this opinion inclineth Pererius and holdeth it to be an auncient receiued tradition But this is confuted before qu. 69. artic 6. 3. Ios. Scal. also thinketh that there were fiue Passeouers between the baptisme of Christ his passion making that mentioned Matth. 12. 1. Luk. 6. 1. to be the 3. Passeouer beside those other 4. mentioned by the Euangelist S. Iohn as is noted before quest 69. opinion the 4. But what small ground there is of this assertion there it is likewise shewed Wherefore this remaineth as the best resolution that because Christ onely kept 4. Passeouers neither more nor lesse after his baptisme as M. Lydyat well collecteth pag. 177. that he liued onely 3. yeares and so much as was from his baptisme to his first Passeouer and so was put to death in the 33. yeare of his age Now for the further manifestation hereof before we proceede it shall not be amisse breifely to touch the verie time of the yeare when Christ was borne and the verie day of his passion 71. Quest. At what time of the yeare Christ was borne 1. Epiphaenius opinion was that Christ was borne vpon the 6. day of Ianuarie vpon which day he thinketh he wrought his first miracle in Cana of Galile and before that 60. daies he was baptized whereof he maketh this demonstration after his baptisme he fasted 40. daies then he went to Nazareth and there staied 15. daies then one day which was the 56. he staied with Iohn who beeing absent gaue that singular testimony of Christ and the 57. Iohn beeing present called Christ the lambe of God that tooke away the sinnes of the world the 58. day Andrew followed Christ and the 59. Christ called vnto him Philip and the 60. day was there a marriage in Cana of Galile as vpon which day Christ was borne But here diuers things are vncertenly alleadged as of Iesus staying in Nazareth 15. daies and some of those things which Epiphanius thinketh to haue beene vttered by Iohn of our Sauiour after his baptisme Ioh. 1. were spoken before as v. 26. there is one among you c. whose shooes latchet I am not worthie to vnloose these words were vttered by Iohn-before the baptisme of our blessed Sauiour Matth. 3. 11. And seeing the Euangelist calleth it the 3. day wherein that miracle was done in Cana c. 2. 1. how can he make it the 60. day and the next day after Christ had that conference with Philip wheras it seemeth to be called the 3. day froÌ„ thence 2. M. Lydyat agreeth with their opinion whom Clemens Alexander mentioneth who held Christinaâ—ale verna tempestate anni Christs birth day to haue beene in the spring and he alleadgeth Keplerus who leaueth it vncertaine whether Christ were borne the 6. of Ianuarie or the 19. of Aprill or May. M. Lydyats coniecture is because the sheepheards are said to haue watched their sheep by night which more agreeth with the spring time when the lambes were young and the rauenous beasts haue then their young also and so are more greedie and desirous of their pray p. 157. Contra. 1. But seeing there must be halfe a yeare betweene the season wherein Christ was baptized wherein he suffered because he preached 3. yeares an halfe after his baptisme which was in the beginning of his 30. yeare as S. Luke saith c. 3. 23. then will his passion fall out in the middle not in the ende of his last yeare and the time of his birth must be halfe a yeare before qu. 68. 2. The shepheards might watch their flockes as well at other times of the yeare when they kept their sheepe abroad as in the spring because that countrey was full of wolues the reason is giuen of their watching because of their flocke Luk. 2. 8. not of their young onely 3. The common and receiued opinion is that our blessed Sauiour was borne about the 25. of December and baptized 13. daies after that season in the beginning of his 30. yeare about the 6. of Ianuarie But beside these coniectures 1. that is not like that in the deepe of winter the edict should come forth from Augustus to haue men called together to me chiefe citie of their tribe to be taxed as Ioseph and Marie came to Bethlehem to be taxed Luk. 2. 6. 2. or that in the cold time of winter the people went into the waters of Iordan to be baptized of Iohn 3. beside these coniectures this is an euident argument that Christs birth was not so neare the Passeouer because by Daniels prophesie here there must be halfe a Propheticall weeke from the time of confirming the couenant by the preaching of the Gospel which was immediatly vpon the baptisme of Christ who was then entring into his 30. yeare Luk. 3. 23. from the baptisme then of Christ about which season he was borne we must count 3. yeares 6. moneths to the time of his passion 4. Vpon this reason Berâ—aldus thinketh that Christ was borne about the 14. or 15. of September because 6. moneths after he suffered vpon the 15. of the first moneth Beside he taketh an other argument from the custome of the Grecians and Egyptians who in memorie of Christs birth beganne their yeare in September and the Imperiall indictions beganne then also and this third reason he vrgeth there were 24. courses of the Priests 1. Chron. 24. who serued euery moneth by couples Abiahs course of the which Zacharie was was the 8. single course 1. Chron. 24. 10. and the 4. double these courses beganne in March then Abiahs course fell out to be in Iune the 4. moneth immediatly after was Iohn Baptist conceiued and 6. moneths after our blessed Sauiour as may be gathered Luk. 1. 26. 36. Iohn beeing then conceiued in Iune must be borne 9. moneths after in March And our blessed Sauiour must be conceiued in December and his birth will fall out in the ninth moneth after namely September this reason also is pressed by Ioseph Scalig. M. Lively in his Persian Monarchie from p. 144. to p. 151. doth make this answer to Beroaldus reasons 1. he answereth to the first reason taken from that place in Luk. 1. that Christs age can not be gathered out of that place because it is said he was about or as it were 30. yeares old which
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
shall ayde and assist him as the Lybians and Aethiopians which shall helpe him to take the spoile of Egypt here then are in all these fowre particular members 1. of the battell betweene the king of the South and the North. 2. of the pleasant land 3. of Edom Moab and Ammon which escaped 4. of Lybia and Aethiopia that helped of all these how they should be taken there are diuers opinions 1. Some doe vnderstand all this of the Antichrist who as they imagine shall come in the end of the world 1. he shal be that king of the North who shal first subdue Egypt 2. and theÌ„ he shal inuade Iudea called the pleasant or glorious laÌ„d because of the miracles which were wrought there 3. Moab Ammon Edom shall escape because diuerse in that great persecution of Antichrist shall saue themselues there in the mountaines for these were hilly countreys 4. he shall take also Lybia and Aethiopia which shall first of all be subiect vnto him Hierome Lyran Perer. But this exposition of such a singular Antichrist hath beene refused before vpon these two reasons 1. because the Angel prophesieth onely of such things as should befall the people of the Iewes for whom Daniel was so soliicitous and carefull 2. that there shall be no such singular Antichrist whom they suppose to be one particular person is shewed afterward controv 2. 2. M. Calvin giueth this interpretation 1. that the king of the South and the North shall encounter with the Romanes for so Mithridates and Tigranes in the North had long warre with the Romanes and Cleopatra with Antonie in Egypt fought a great battell with Augustus 2. the Romanes shall preuaile and inuade Iudea also 3. But the hillie countreys of Moab Edom Ammon shall escape them or they shall not greatly regard them 4. the Romanes also shall conquer the Lybians and Aethiopians But this exposition cannot stand 1. because the kings of the North and South doe not ioyne together but it is said the king of the North shall come against him that is against the king of the South 2. here is no mention made of any third king or power beside the king of the North and South and he that is the king of the North is said to doe all that followeth in the next verses v. 41. he shall enter into the pleasant land v. 42. he shall stretch forth his hands that is the king of the North shall doe all this 3. Bullinger thus interpreteth 1. by the king of the North and South he vnderstandeth the Turkes and Saracenes which should come from the North and South with huge armies of footemen and horses and strong shippes 2. They shall inuade the pleasant land and many shall falk which he referreth to the holy warres decreed against the Turke by Gregor 2. in the Councell of Claromont which was the occasion of the ruine and ouerthrowe of many 3. Edom Moab and Ammon that is the people inhabiting those countreys shall ioyne themselues vnto the Turkes and Saracenes and so be free 4. The Lybians also and Aethiopians shall be confederate with the Turkes who shall ouercome Egypt and expell the Sultane thereof which was brought to passe by Selymus the great Truke But these exceptions likewise may be here taken 1. that this prophesie beginning with Antiochus is not like to end with the Turke and so the space of a thousand yeares comming betweene should be left vntouched 2. the kings of the North and South are not here confederates but they one fight with an other 3. the names of Moab Edom Ammon and their generation were extinguished before the Turkes Monarchie beganne this prophesie then cannot be extended so farre but must be restrained to those times while these names and nations continued 4. Osiander and Pappus 1. by the king of the North vnderstand the Romane Antichrist by the king of the South Christ for as from the North they say commeth all euill so from the South that which is good and thus the king of the South that is Christ hath raised vp from time to time diuerse of his saithfull seruants which haue opposed themselues to Antichrist 2. by the pleasant land is vnderstood the Church which Antichrist shall continually afflict 3. Edom signifieth redde Moab the father Ammon my people and these three sorts shall be free from the corruptions of Antichrist the martyrs that are made redde with their blood they which depend onely vpon the mercies of God the father and the first of Ammon that is infants which are as the first fruites of the people of God 4. And though the Popes authoritie be not receiued in Lybia Aegypt Aethiopia yet he challengeth iurisdiction ouer them all c. But this exposition also faileth 1. the king of the North and South are literally to be taken as before in the rest of this chapter and who seeth not how improperly Christ is said to be king of the South if the Pope of Rome be the king of the North Christ borne in Ierusalem which is not South but East to Rome is vnfitly called king of the South And seeing he is king of all the world his kingdome must not be restrained to the South 2. by the pleasant land Iudea is vnderstood here as also before v. 16. 3. as Egypt and other countreys are here vnderstood literally for the nations so called so likewise must Edom Moab and Ammon be taken 4. Lybia and Aethiopia which neuer yet receiued the Pope are verie improperly said to be in subiection to him 5. It remaineth then that all this was historically fulfilled in Antiochus 1. the occasion of his comming agaiâ—st Egypt was this Philometor king of Egypt had an other brother called Physcon who sought to expell Philometor out of his kingdome with Physcon Antiochus taketh part and prepareth an armie to come and helpe him which Philometor vnderstanding here called the king of the South went against him and this is the battell here spoken of betweene the king of the South and of the North But the king of the North preuailed whose armie is compared to a whirlewind and to an ouerflowing water but the other is said onely to push at him This historie is touched by Florus in the Epitome of Livie lib. 46. and by Iustine also and Zonaras tom annal 2. 2. As Antiochus returned from the spoile of Egypt he tooke Iudaea and other countreys in the way and spoiled them also 3. But he spared the Edomites Moabites and Ammonites because they tooke his part against them and much molested the Iewes and therefore Iudas Macchabeus did fight against the children of Esau and Timotheus the captaine of the Ammonites besieged their cities and put them to the sword 2. Macchab. 5. Ioseph lib. 12. antiqu c. 11. 4. The Lybians also and Ethiopians which before were on Philometors side beeing allured by his faire promises ioyned with Antiochus and therefore it is said they were at his footesteppes or pases that is they followed
Dan. c. 1. c. 3. yet there was neuer an vniuersall persecution before for religion among the Iewes H. Br. in Daniel But Lyranus obiecteth so also Pererius and Pintus that there were greater persecutions before then this vnder Antiochus both intensive extensive in the intending and extending thereof in the greatnes and in the continuance the persecution by Nebuchadnezzer was both greater for the citie and Temple was destroied and many carried away captiue and many slaine it was also longer for it continued full 70. yeares Contra. It is true that the captiuitie of Babylon continued longer then this persecution but it was not greater for beside that all these outward calamities of the sword captiuitie spoiling of citie and Temple here concurred they were generally persecuted for their conscience and religion which triall they were neuer put vnto before so that in this respect these may be said to be the greatest troubles which euer that nation had 4. Quest. What deliuerance the Angel speaketh of and of whome v. 1. At that time shall thy people be deliuered euery one that shall be written in that booke c. 1. Bullinger vnderstandeth this deliuerance not in this life but at the comming of Christ which time is called the day of refreshing But then this clause should be confounded with the next v. 2. where he speaketh of those that shall rise and awake out of the dust vnto eternall life he therefore speaketh of an other deliuerance here 2. Some referre it to the spirituall deliuerance of the faithfull from the persecution of Antichrist in the end of the world isti vere salvabuntur de tribulationibus Antichristi these shall truly be deliuered from the tribulation of Antichrist Lyran. so Calvine vnderstandeth it of the spirituall victorie and conquest whereby the faithfull are conquerors euen in the middes of death Osiander of the spirituall deliuerance of the faithfull from Antichrists superstitions by the preaching of the Gospel But Daniel doubted not but that all the elect should be spiritually deliuered therefore some other deliuerance is spoken of from those externall troubles 3. Iunius in his commentarie applieth it to the vocation of the faithfull by Christ that although many should be called in common to the knowledge of Christ at his comming yet the Elect onely should be effectually called vnto life eternall But some externall deliuerance is here signified as the Angel spake before of an outward troublesome time 4. Iunius in his annotations followeth an other sense that euery one should be temporally deliuered from those troubles euen euery one whome it seemed good vnto God in his immutable decree to preserue but by the booke here is vnderstood the booke of life wherein they were written which were ordained to euerlasting life not any such knowledge or decree of God for a particular deliuerance 5. Some giue this sense that all the Elect of the Iewes should by these afflictions be brought vnto life eternall God would sanctifie their afflictions vnto them that thereby they should be consecrate vnto God and so obtaine euerlasting life according ro their election M. H. Br. But in this sense is excluded the temporall deliuerance which is promised for the comfort of the people 6. Pellican doth expound it altogether of their temporall deliuerance that they which then stood for the law obtinuerunt claram Deo auxiliante victoriam obtained a most glorious victorie by the helpe of God But euery one of the Elect in that time of persecution were not deliuered and all that temporally escaped it is hard to say whether they were all elected 7. Wherefore both these the spirituall and temporall deliuerance must be ioyned together that euery one of Gods elect should be deliuered some both in bodie and soule if any of the elect were slaine and put to death in that persecution though their bodie suffered yet their soule should be deliuered and afterward in the resurrection both soule and bodie should be saued as it followeth v. 2. 5. Quest. Whether all the Iewes shall be called before the comming of Christ. Because some vnderstand this deliuerance of the people of the Iewes of their last conuersion and calling in the ende of the world as Lyran. Perer. it shall not be amisse by the way to touch somewhat of that matter 1. Theodoret vpon this place and Gregor hom 12. in Ezech. doe deliuer their opinion that not all the nation of the Iewes but onely so many as shall by the preaching of Henoch and Elias be conuerted to the knowledge of Christ shall be saued the rest which shall cleaue vnto Antichrist who shall most of all deceiue the Iewes they shall be damned as it is said Apoc. 14. 9. If any man worship the beast and his image c. he shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God But 1. if none els of the Iewes shall be called saue such as shall be conuerted by the preaching of Henoch and Elias none are like to be called at all for that is a meere fable of the returne of Henoch and Elias in their owne persons to preach vnto the world as is afterward shewed Controv. 2. 2. this opinion includeth a contradiction for if at the comming of Antichrist whome the Iewes suppose to be their Messiah he shall most of all seduce them then is it like that very few of the Iewes shall be conuerted but rather more hardened their hoped for Messiah as they thinke beeing come 2. An other opinion is that vniuersally all the Iewes shall be called as Chrysostome inferreth vpon those words Rom. 11. 13. if the diminishing of them be the riches of the Gentiles how much more shall their abundance or fulnesse be which fulnesse Chrysostome thus expoundeth quando vniuersi ad fidem accessuri sunt when all of them shall come vnto the faith hom 19. in epist. ad Romanos 3. But the safer opinion is betweene both these that neither vniuersally the whole nation is like to be called for in their best times when as the worship of God most flourished among them there were many carnall men and vngodly persons among them neither yet shall so fewe of them be conuerted because of the generalitie of the Apostles words v. 26. and so all Israel shall be saued as here in these troublesome times euerie one of the elect was preserued But it is euident by S. Pauls prophesie of the calling of the whole nation that the greater part shall be conuerted and beleeue so that the other part of those which shall remaine in their blindnesse and hardnesse of heart still shall be but small in respect of the other And thus the Scripture vseth to take all for the most and greatest part Now that there shall be before the comming of Christ such a generall calling of the Iewes the Apostle prooueth out of Isay 59. 20. the deliuerer shall come out of Zion and shall turne vngodlinesse from Iakob this prophesie is not yet fulfilled for though some of
a contrarie religion may be tolerated in a Commonwealth 14. contr That the conuersion of Nebuchadnezzer doth not signifie the conuersion of the Deuill in the ende of the world Controversies vpon the 4. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. That the virgin Marie was not without sinne 2. Contr. Against free will 3. Contr. Against the inuocation of Saints 4. Contr. That the Pope is not the distributer of kingdomes 5. contr Against satisfaction by workes 6. contr Of the certaintie of remission of sinnes 7. contr Which be the good works of Christians 8. contr That Gods prouidence is not onely a bare prescience or permission 9. contr Against the Pope who would be without check or controlment Controversies vpon the 5. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. That idolaters and worshippers of images make them their gods 2. contr Whether images in Churches may be retained though they be not worshipped 3. contr That not Protestants but Papists are the profaners of holy things 4. contr That there are no certen periods of kingdomes Controversies vpon the 6. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. Against canonicall and stinted houres of praier 2. contr That it is no Apostolicall tradition to pray toward the East 3. contr That the publike profession of our faith is necessarie and it is not sufficient to haue it inwardly in the heart 4. contr That it is not lawfull worshipping God to looke toward an image 5. contr Against the Papists and Vbiquitaries that hold a carnall presence in the sacrament 6. contr Of the false suggestions of the Papists against the Protestants 7. contr Of the vniust proceeding of the Romanists in their cruell inquisition condemning the Protestants their cause not beeing heard 8. contr Of the practising of Popes against Princes 9. contr Whether one is iust before God by an inherent iustice 10. contr Whether Daniels innocencie were the meritorious cause of his deliuerance 11. contr That a generall faith called salus implicita an implicit faith is not sufficient Controversies vpon the 7. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. The Church is not discerned by the greatnes and largenes thereof 2. contr Whether the Saints shall iudge the world 3. contr The vulgar Latine translation not authenticall 4. contr Of the diuers orders of Angels 5. contr The glorious persons of the Trinitie are not to be represented by any image 6. contr Against the Vbiquitaries which hold an omnipresence of Christs humanitie 7. contr That diuturnitie and long continuance without interruption is no infallible note of the Church 8. contr That the dominion of the Pope is temporall rather then spirituall 9. contr That Antichrist is alreadie come Controversies vpon the 8. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. Prosperitie and externall felicitie is no perpetuall note of the Church 2. contr That the abomination of desolation spoken of v. 13. is not the abolishing of the sacrifice of the Masse 3. contr The authoritie of the Scripture dependeth not vpon the testimonie of the Church 4. contr The description of Antiochus agreeeth to the Pope and Antichrist Controversies vpon the 9. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. That praier and fasting is not meritorious 2. cont God only is to be inuocated not Saints or Angels 3. contr That Christ is the onely Mediator 4. contr Against praier or inuocation of the dead 5. contr Of the name of the Catholike Church that it is but vsurped by the Romanists 6. contr That no man is perfect in this life 7. contr That the prayers of the faithfull are not meritorious 8. contr That we are not iustified by any inherent righteousnes but imputed onely by faith 9. contr Whether sinne any way after forgiuenes may be said to remaine in the faithfull 10. contr That charitie is not more principal in the matter of iustification then faith 11. contr That the Pope doth blasphemously vsurpe the title of Christ to be called most holy 12. contr Whether the Sacrament of the Altar be most holy 13. contr That Christ is Mediatour both as God and man 14. contr Against the sacrifice of the Masse 15. contr Against the Iewes that the Messiah who was expected of the Fathers is alreadie come into the world Controversies vpon the 10. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. Against superstitious fasting 2. contr That Paradise was a terrestriall place 3. contr Against the curious distinction of the orders of Angels Controversies vpon the 11. chapter of Daniel 1. Contr. Of the birth and offspring of Antichrist 2. contr That Antichrist shall not be one particular man 3. contr That Nero the Emperor shall not be the great Antichrist 4. contr That Antichrist shall be a deceiuer rather then a victorious conquerer 5. contr Of Antichrists miracles 6. contr That Antichrists comming shall not be deferred to the ende of the world 7. contr That Antichrists seate shall not be at Ierusalem 8. contr That the citie of Rome shall not be vtterly destroied before Antichrist shall come 9. contr That the Papists Antichrist and the Iewes Messiah shall come together 10. contr Of the true marks whereby Antichrist may be discerned 11. contr How the description of Antiochus historically doth typically decyphre the Pope and Antichrist 12. contr That S. Paul speaketh of an apostasie and departure from the faith 2. Thes. 2. 3. 13. contr Of other notes and marks wherein Antiochus and Antichrist agree 14. contr How the Antichrist of Rome hath persecuted Emperours Kings Princes and learned men for religion 15. contr Of the pride and blasphemies of Antichrist against God 16. contr How Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God 17. contr Of the prosperitie and outward successe of Antichrist 18. contr That externall happinesse is not a sure note of the Church 19. contr why the Lord suffereth Antichrist to rage against his church 20. contr That out of this text v. 36. it cannot be prooued that the Pope is not Antichrist as Bellarmine intendeth 21. contr How Antichrist shall forsake his fathers god v. 31. 22. contr How the Romane Antichrist regardeth not the desire of women 23. contr That the Antichrist shall not care in deede for any god nor haue any sense of religion 24. contr How Antichrist shall bring in a strange god which his fathers neuer knew v. 38. 25. contr Of the theatricall and pompous seruice with siluer and gold which Antichrist hath found out for his newe idol 26. contr How Antichrist shall distribute honours and possessions vnto his fauourites and that for money 27. contr Of Antichrists insatiable ambition crueltie and couetousnesse 28. contr Of the rage and furie of Antichrist 29. contr How Antichrists palace is planted betweene two seas 30. contr Of the fearefull ende of diuerse Popes Controversies vpon the 12. chapter 1. Contr. Against blasphemous Servetus that made himselfe Michael 2. contr Whether Henoch and Elias shall stand vp with Michael in the last times 3. contr What manner of persecution shall be vnder Antichrist 4. contr Of the certaintie of Election that none of the elect can finally fall