of accesse into such a kingdome Hither belong the miracles most clearely to shew that God spake by his sonne Psal 2. the Brightnesse of glorie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa 4. which washeth the vncleannesse of the daughters of Sion bringing in eternall iustice The raising vp of dead by his owne authoritie the making wine of water presently the multiplying of corne and fish these were works proper vnto the Sonne of God And these fit for the striker and the healer The cleansing of leprosies the strengthening of palsique nerues and lunatique braines the cooling of burning agues the raising vp of the bowed the sight-gift vnto the blind the freshing of the withered hands the gift of legs to the lame eares to the deaffe tongue to the dumbe eloquence vnto the stammering and healing of all sicknesses these doings expound Esay and shew who taketh away all our infirmities and bringeth in iustice eternall So the casting out of deuils might make any Iannes or Iambres confesse the finger of God and the kingdome of heauen to be come in the due time the deuils expresly confessed the holy one of God the Sonne of God as the deuillish Aben Ezra doth vpon v. 24. acknowledge Christ the most holy though where twise he is named Messias and onely there and in the exposition he there would place earthly sinfull persons But the Pharisies were openly pronounced of our Lord to be of their father the deuill that stood not in the truth but became a murtherer from the beginning The Psalmist might see a walker on the sea The breaches of the waues were mightie but his voyce rebuked the seas As the sea was his and he made it so it bare him vp like the dry land yea the sea reioyced and the store of it when a fish payed tribute and shewed that Christ knew what fish had swallowed a stater and how the same would come quicke to Peters angle when also fish at his commaundement came so into the nets that they ouer-laded two botes and did come also great ones 153. into the net and brake it not there Dauid must be remembred how the fish of the seas that passe through the passage of the paths of the seas shew vnto what man all things were made subiect Here Iob might see a walker vpon the mountaines of sea and glorie larger then the sea and here the fish would tell him this much Also the earth could not stand still but must acknowledge who setled it Here Ezekiel might haue seene after an earthquake the fountaine of all resurrection Amos vvould tell that vvhen the Sonne darkened the Sunne at noone day Israel should take heede of vtter darknesse where Malachie would teach that there the Sunne of iustice arose with health in the skirts of his garments Moreouer Elias would tell that the mind which rent the stones if they saw not God in it would after send a fire vpon Citie and Sanctuarie when the Lord should not be in it Vpon these miracles the Centurion sayd Truely he is the Sonne of God and so the most holy The fasting aâ— Moses and Elias and shining before Moses and Elias talking of his Exodus passing at Ierusalem there Law Prophet say here in Daniel is told the wisedome and here is the place of vnderstanding The resurrection maketh the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their owne terme in Ierusalemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Paul When they make Isaak to beare his owne crosse to be after a sort recouered from death to be thereby as it were the ground of all their prayers They speake many things of open trial by the third day make this the glory of all Thus in Midras Bereshith they do speake Vpon the third day Abraham did lift vp his eyes It is written he will quicken vs after two dayes the third day he will raise vs vp and we shall liue afore him In the third day of the Patriarkes it is written and Ioseph spake vnto them the third day in the third day of the spies it is written hide your selues there three dayes Ios 2. In the third day of the Law it is written and it fell out on the third day so in the third day for Ionah as it is written and Ionah was in the whales bellie three dayes and three nights And in the third day of the ascending from captiuitie it is written and we were there three daies in the third day shalbe the resurrection as it is written he will make vs aliue after two daies Hosea 6. and in the third day it is spoken in Ester In the third day Ester did put on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly kingdome the kingdom of her fathers house By what iustice Thus do the Rabbines speake Now all these looked vnto the resurrection wherin the Church and her assemblie of the righteous put on the kingdome now also the ascention sheweth iustice brought in confirmed by the wind fires tongues speaking of these matters to all nations vnder the heauen aâ— all the miracles of the Gospell belong directly hither All further speeches of doctrine keepe them within this compasse which followe after the sermon vpon the mountain or yet went afore it The chiefe heads shalbe touched for our Lords speeches in the Gospel his doings or suffrings which all tend to the streÌ„gthening of this testament for the many And seeing this must be in effect the same that Moses law was the chief of it the difficulties taught in ceremonies and poinâ—ts peruerted by the Pharisees were to be handled by our Lord and the knowne matters to be recorded by his Apostles as where S. Luke recordeth his line to Adam that chaine draweth all the storie vnto it and all the times be starres for the same Such things were to be penned But our Lords speeches touch vs. Many orations are of his Godhead in S. Iohn They are a coÌ„mentary vpon the first entrance of Genesis as Iohn beginneth with a commentarie for it and him How God resteth on the Sabbath and yet worketh the Sonne doth teach and the ioyning from God of Adam and Eue this is brought as a ground of expounding Deut. 24. Adams fall from the beginning with Satans murther is taught expresly that none of vs should stagger in that and how as Pharisies all naturall be Satans childreÌ„ Abel is termed the iust his death applyed vnto Ierusalems destruction here told The carelesse at the flood are remembred and the calling of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from East and West directly belongeth hither Abraham for that is cited as vvith whom they shall feast in heauen so in forsaking all for Christ and for seeing his passion in Isaak for immortalitie in that God was after his death the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob The name of Israel and Angels ascending and descending are mentioned principally Moses cometh vvholly as a Martyr and witnesse of Christ. Matth. 17. His miracles be glaunced at by
DANIEL HIS CHALDIE VISIONS AND HIS EBREVV BOTH TRANSLATED AFTER THE Original and expounded both by reduction of heathen most famous stories vnto the exact proprietie of his wordes which is the surest certaintie what he must meane and by ioyning all the Bible and learned tongues to the frame of his worke Let him that readeth Daniel vnderstand Mat. 24. The vvise vvill vnderstand Dan. 12. AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field for William Young dwelling neare the great North doore of Paules where the other workes of the same author are to be sold 1596. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LL. OF HER M. MOST HONORABLE PRIVIE COVNSEL THE Prophet Nathan right H. told Dauid of a sonne that should build a temple vnto God and sit vpon a throne for euer touching whom as Daniel penneth all his booke which I present vnto your Lordships I request your pacience to iudge by a short summe what vse my explicatiō may haue in our Church and state That speech of Nathans was commonly vnderstood of Salomon but indeede belōgeth more vnto his brother Nathan to whom Dauid gaue the Prophets name that by it the godly might see from what line he should come which alwayes sate on the right hand of the father And that the Elder sonne of Bathsheba for whom Dauid made the most heauenly Psalme of repētance should not want his dignitie God gaue him praerogatiues verie fit to allure the world vnto higher matters He built by Gods commaundement a temple of Masons worke sate after a sort in Gods speech vpon the throne of the Eternall Yet God spake vnto him for the people and he vnto God before the people wordes touching that his kingdome should not stand And in his whole booke that teacheth how all things vnder the sunne are vanitie the whole drift is to expoūd the truth of the promised throne VVhen his line should end in Ie-Choniah the Eternall Iah sweareth that if Choniah were a signet vpō his finger he would plucke him thence and pluckt his name from the kings and preacheth ô earth earth earth write him childlesse for none of his seede shall sit vpon Dauids throne Him Nebuchadnezar kept in prison 37. y and ouerthrew Salomons kingdome and temple with all the implements that Iudah should looke to the other house of Dauid for the true throne Then Ierusalem was to be taught a new in what sort they should see to peace For them the booke of Daniel is a Commētary handling principal points of their seuentie yeares thraldome seuen times that space vnto Christ his ascention to reigne in the house of Dauid for euer who destroyeth vtterly as with a floud Citie and tēple to shew that such outward things of mans worke could not be fit for to be meant in the most glorious promise vnto Dauid So Ierusalem surprised by the Chaldeā and razed by the Romane is the limites of his story For the middle space he hādled certaine principall heads touching Zorobabels people and the enemies Zorobabel was the onely of Nathan that bare rule and that to build a temple and to receaue the promise of Christ as in Ag. 2. Then his familie hath an expresse declaration what throne belongeth vnto them For they are termed the Sainctes of the high Trinitie who shall possesse a kingdome for euer yea for euer and euer And Daniel sheweth thrones set vp one like the sonne of man comming into the world and againe ascending vnto the king euerlasting and reigning aey ouer all nations And this much is the summe of their comfort Touching the kingdome he nameth the nations that should successiuely take it from thē with open iniurie to their Religion The Chaldeans had begun The Persians cōquering them should continue Next Great Alexander So interchangeably the Seleucidae and Lagidae vnto ten tyrannical kings But afterwardes they should be weakened that Daniels people might hold their own kingdome He nameth the Romanes but not as enemies here vnto their Religion yet toucheth their comming vp that all might know by what nation Christ should be kild when by his birth time the fourth kingdome should fall through the Romanes And they should be the second Babylon to Ierusalem But seeing they medled not with the Iewes vntill they called for their helpe that when the Machabees had vsurped long a kingdome against Iacobs will no lesse enemies to Zorobabels house then the others as their familie perished alike vtterly so the seueritie of God was not to prophecie a comfort against the Iewes calamities called for by their own prophanesse as it were open request For Caesar and Pompey were called into partaking by striuing Machabees and before had made league and friendship with Iudah Therefore comforts in such dealings might not be sent frō heauē The plainnesse of Daniel is great telling of matters that all the world would note Strabo knew Nebuchadnezars greatnes Berosus better Abydenus toucheth his propheticall traunce as hearing of that his Proclamation or Epistle sent vnto all the world Cyrus Conquest of Babel all nations knew Xerxes fall was more in speech Alexāders stories better knowen in most people then their owne his victories ambition of Godhead quick death and ruine of familie And againe his Captaines partitions of spoyles their falling to foure chiefe kingdomes and two of them principall Syria and Aegypt comming vnto perpetuall strife among them selues these heathē obserued who knew likewise the strāge successe of Ptolemie Lagidas the stranger of Seleucus Nicator their league in friendship their sonnes falling out their seeking atonement by that Mariage of Berenice their greater warres vpon her death the ouerrunning of Syria to win the syrname 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a further reuenge in Philopators victory Againe the other sides conquests to syrname Antiochus great his Cleopatras mariage with Ptolemie his inuading Grece his fall by Rome his Church robbing his two sonnes Church robbing their three extraordinarie deathes these matters be most famous amōg the heathē And Antiochus Epiphanes subtiltie in ouerreaching his brother and two nephewes his comming vp in Syria his three inuasiōs of Aegypt his endeuour and crueltie to haue extinguished Iudahs Religiō these matters are the most famous of any in heathen stories VVhen we adde vnto them the iest of Augustus how it was better to be Herods hog then his sonne because of his slaughter at our Lordes birth and Vergils harping at a child comming from heauen noysed doubtlesse by Iewes and the expectation of all the East of a king arising then to rule all the world and Tacitus for Christ Pilate and Christians lastly the manifold writers of Ierusalems fall the last part then we shal haue open all the humane points of Daniels booke VVhen we ioyne from Diuinitie storie Nathans prophecie for Nathan Salomons Eldership in a touch of throne and Temple the threefold charge to write Iechonias
and terme them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artaxashta Artaxasata or Artaxiasata as Strabo writeth townes named from the kings name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahashueroth The fourth Daniel 11.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darius Artaxashta or Artaxasta thorough Ezra from Chap. 7. as the Massorites there note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darius These three are passed ouer in Nehemiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artaxerxes These three are passed ouer in Nehemiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ochus These three are passed ouer in Nehemiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darius Neh. 12. The Greekes whole Alexander the great the notable horne in the forehead of the Goate-bucke His posteritie Hercules and Alexander These with the principall parters of his kingdome make the bellie and the sides of brasse the Leopard with foure heads and the Goate-buckes notable horne and the foure that came vp for it The Greekes parted The Southerne all are in Strabo Geog. 17. Ptolemy Lagides 1. horne the king of the South Dan. 11.5 Ptolemy Philadelphus 3. horne v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bernice his daughter is married to the king of the North and killed Ptolemy Euergetes her brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that standeth vp from the Impe of her rootes 5. horne v. 7. Ptolemy Philopator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. horne v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in whose times the lawlesse Iewes will be stirring and perish Ptolemy Epiphanes He had with his wife Cleopatra Syria in dowrie v. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— horne The Northerne all are in Appians Syriac Seleucus Nicator 2. horne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. Antiochus Soter who dealt in no special sort against the Iewes and therfore is omitted in Gabriels speech Antiochus Theos 4. horne v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seleucus Callinicus soone killed Antiochus the great v. 10. 6. horne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee that marrieth his daughter to the king of the South he shall also consume Iudaea Seleucus Philopater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the taxer 9. horne v. 20. Antiochus Epimanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vile the 10. horne v. 21. These kings make the iron of the two legs and somewhat of the iron and clay thinking by mariages to make attonement for Syria and Iudaea but further falling out These also such as are noted with Hebrew make the ten hornes of the fourth beast and in these dayes the Iewes the high Saintes begin to recouer their kingdome In particularitie Daniel speaketh no further of them The clay weaknes of the Images legs Southerne Ptolemy Philometor and Ptolemy Physcon Ptolemy Lathurus Ptolemy Auletes the Piper Cleopatra Strab. 17. All after the third Ptolemy were corrupt in wantonnesse and ruled cruelly But the seuenth and eighth the Piper specially Northerne two at once Demetrius Soter Demetrius Nicator Antiochus brother to Demetrius he killed himselfe Cleopatra wife to Demetrius killed him she had maried her brother Antiochus and had children by Demetrius Seleucus and Ant. Grypus Seleucus was kild by his mother Cleopatra Grypus poisoned his mother Seleâ—cus he droue out Cyzicen was killed by Antiochus An. Cyzicenus he droue out Grypus Antiochus who maried his mother in lawe Selene Tigranes droue him out And Pompey refused to suffer his sonne to raignâ— Antiochus Eupator Alexander Diodotus who maried Ptolemies daughter Tryphon killed by Antiochus Trogus Pompeius noteth that thus by the discord of the brethren of consanguinitie the East became vnder the people of Rome And so all may see how iron and clay the mixture in mans seed not cleauing together giueth testimonie to Daniels vision Of the times and yeares which these kings raigned WHereas these prophane kings are compared with Scripture we must take heede lest we grant vnto them a longer time of raigne then the holy text hath for the same ages for so we disanull the authoritie of Gods word Yet former ages haue bene in that blame a long time This may be spoken of them in generall that the whole yeares of no kings out of Gods people haue or were to haue their whole summe in holy record Besides heathen are so vncertaine that they agree not for the yeares of any one king betwixt Nebucadnezar and Iulius Caesar Yet when heathen are throughly examined from age to age by particular testimonies and by the liues of most famous men they shall be found to agree very well so with that which Scripture testimonies liues require Though strong errors like hedges of thornes stop the passage of the truth The truth must be confirmed from them for better satisfaction of such as braue more in heathen studies then Diuinitie Of the Chaldeans time of raigne THe Iewes agree vniuersally that from the first of Nebuchadnezar vnto the death of Belshazar the time is seuentie yeares And if Christian Commenters had followed them in that agreement and truth it had bene better with vs. Whereas the second captiuitie by some the third by some others is made the beginning of the seuentie yeares so a great rent is made in the holy storie Of the Persians true times and erronious sleights that deceiued From Darius Hystaspeos age about 20. at Babels fal he liuing but 43. vnto Xerxes warre 6. yeares after his death are 30. yeres Then Artaxerxes raigned at home Herod and Ctes Artaxerxes in all 42. Clem. 1. Storm He died in the seuenth of the Peloponnesian warres Thuc. Ochus 8. cleare y. 16. with his father 11. with his son Artaxerxes 42. Clem. Ochus three Darius about fiue Summe 130. Of the Grecians times from Clemens but Epiphanius differeth in twelue yeares excesse and Maximus Monachus cometh shorter Alexander sixe yeares Ptolemie Lagides fortie Ptolemie Philadelphus seuen and thirtie Ptolemie Euergetes fiue and twentie Ptolomie Philopator seuenteene Ptolemie Epiphanes foure and twentie In this age Iuda recouereth their owne gouernement Ptolomie Philometor fiue and thirtie Physcon nine and twentie Lathurus sixe and thirtie Auletes nine and twentie Cleopatra two and twentie Summe 300. The Romans vnto our Lords death threescore years so arise 490. Thus we may see how they litle examined the heathen who could not see that some agreed most exactly with the Scripture Nowe Suidas hath for all the Greekes times about thirtie yeares lesse then Clemens They who thinke that true may pardon the Greekes thirtie in their fortie of excesse past from Lysanders vnwalling Athens or Phyle stirres in the life of them who sawe it and heard Dinarchus cite their testimony against Demosthenes after Alexanders death of which sort Aeschines and Demetrius Phalereus are cited by them selues and others Such as heard not of Greciaes most moÌ„strous lying may pay the one with the other In sound learning and religion that must stand in summe which best agreeth with scripture for the same times otherwise Greekes disagree for ech kings yeres The Nobles of
hornes were pluckt away before it And loe eyes like the eyes of a man were in that horne and a mouth speaking presumptuous thinges I behelde till Thrones were set vp and the Ancient of dayes sate His garment was white as Snow the heare of his head like y e pure Wooll His throne was flames of fire the wheeles of it a burning fire A streame of fire issued came foorth from before him a thousand thousandes ministreâ— vnto him and a million of millions stoode before him Iudgement was seated and the bookes were opened I behelde then for the voyce of the presumptuous wordes which the horne spake I behelde vntyll the beast was slayne and his body destroyed and geuen to be brent in the fire Now the rest of the Beastes they had had their dominion taken away as space in lyfe was geuen them for a time and a season I behelde in the visionâ— by nyghâ— and loe in the cloudes of y e heauens came one like the SONNE OF MAN Afterwardes he went to the ancient of dayes and before him they brought him And to him was geuen power and glory and kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serue him His power is a power eternall which can not alter and his kingdome is that which shall neuer be corrupted I Daniel felt my spirite perted within my body and the visions of my head troubled me I approched vnto one of the wayters sought from him the trueth of all this and he spake vnto me and made me know the interpretation of the matters These great Beastes which are foure are foure Kinges arising from the earth But the Sainctes of the highest shall take the kingdome and holde a kingdome for euer yea for euer and euer Then I desired the trueth concerning the fourth beast which was vnlyke to them all exceeding fearefull whose teeth were of iron and his nayles of steele which did eate and brake to peeces stamped the residue vnder his feete Also concerning the ten hornes that were in his head and concerning the last which came vp before which three fell And that was the horne which had those eyes and the mouth speaking presumptuous thinges and his looke was stouter then his felowes I behelde and the horne made battayle against the Sainctes and preuayled ouer them Vntyll the ancient of dayes came and iudgement was geuen to the Sainctes of the most high and the time approched that the sainctes should holde the kingdome Thus he sayd The fourth beast shalbe the fourth kingdome in the lande which shalbe vnlyke to all the kingdomes and shall deuoute the whole lande and shall treade it downe and shall breake it in peeces And ten hornes from the kingdome are ten kinges that shall arise and the last shall arise in the ende of them and he shalbe vnlike the former and shall put downe three kinges And he shall speake wordes against the most High and consume the Sainctes of the most High and thinke to alter the tymes and Law and they shalbe geuen into his hand for a time and times and halfe a time And iudgement shalbe seated they shal take away his kingdome to wast to destroy it vnto the ende And the kingdome and the power and the greatnesse of the kingdomes vnder all the heauens shalbe geuen to the people of the sainctes of the most high His kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serue and obey him Hitherto reacheth y e ende of y e matter I Daniel was greatly troubled in my thoughtes my brightnes was changed in me I kept the matter in my hart Here ende the visions of Daniel which the Prophet penned in the tongue knowen ouer the East and South wherein the Iewes are not descried playnely to be the people for whom God plagueth the kingdomes and the Heathen might be drawen to thinke somewhat better of the God of heauen Of the Visions penned in the Iewes proper language HEnce vnto the end of Daniel the visions are penned in the language spoken onely in Daniels owne nation Moreouer the speaches be full of artificiall tearmes knowen onely to the Iewes and some neuer spoken afore yet by their composition easie This was needefull to be done For the Persians would hate the Iewes yf the prophecie of their fall by the Greekes had been published in the tongue knowen ouer the East Also the Greekes would haue raged much more yf their shame had been written in a common language And none could abide the Iewes to clayme onely to be the nation onely good or yet to be capable of heauenly matters to be so familiarly tolde as Daniel had taught them Therefore he was not to giue such pearles to Hogges but to write them in the holy tongue which the Heathen studied not Close phrases vsed in chap. 8. To saue the Iewes from hatred danger these close phrases Daniel vseth For the Sonne of God The Prince of princes Vers 25. And Palmony The wonderful numberer a tearme easie by composition and by the matter proper to God but neuer vsed saue verse 23. And Prince of the armie called Michael from chap. 10. and 12. So Aben Ezra calleth him Michael The Angels name is An holy one And a peculiar name Gabriel a man of the mightie meaning God FroÌ„ these visions the Hebrewes note in Ierusalemy Ros hasana that their Fathers brought Angels names with them from Babel The Iewes are called the Armie of heauen the Starres the Armie and Holy people Their religion the Trueth their Temple the Sanctuarie and the Holy Antiochus dealyng against them the treading of the Sanctuarie and Armie vnder foote Iudea is called Tzeby as in Ezekiel chap. 20. an ornament or Roe of all landes and so in Dan. cha 11 16 41 4â— Therfore I holde it best to haue it a proper name to Iudea Some equiuocations touching Gods enemies were to be spoken in tearmes doubtfull to the vnâ—brâ—â—ed as when the Angel calleth the King whom the Machabees storie sheweth to be the worst that euer the earth had borne a King hard faced and minding hid thinges that is in deede impudent and practising most vnhumane dealinges against women and chyldren and prophannesse against God all religion Atheneus further setteth foorth Antiochus Epiphanes The vnheedy might take the wordes For fierce of countenance and vnderstanding darke sentences For in deede the wordes will abide both But the wittie Daniel woulde maruell that any should misse to giue to an enemie of Gods people the worst that coulde be those attributes which best agreed with his whole dealings spoken in ver 10 11 12 14. And thus for this Chapter and the other we are to weigh Gods counsell why they are vnlike the other visions in Ebrew spoken closely to the Iewes and also why God commaundeth to close some
enforcement to beholde that Christ will destroy the Citie and Holy place in the age folowyng His prayer is penned with speciall regarde euen of the very Ebrew syllables to the prophets from whom the matter of his speach is taken Those places must be marked IN the first yeere of Darius the sonne of Achashuerosh of the seede of Madaj in which he was made king ouer the realme of the Chaldeans In the first yeere of his reigne I Daniel marked by bookes the number of the yeeres whereof the word of the Lord had been vnto Ieremie for accomplyshing in the ruines of Ierusalem seuentie yeeres And I turned my face vnto the Lord the God and sought by prayer and supplication and fasting and sackcloth and ashes And I prayed vnto the Lord my God saying Oh Lord the mightie God the great and fearefull who keepeth the couenant and the mercie toward them which loue him and towarde them which keepe his commandementes VVe haue sinned we haue transgressed we haue done wickedly we haue rebelled and we haue turned backe from thy commandementes and from thy iudgementes And we haue not obeyed thy seruantes the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kinges to our Princes and to our Fathers and to all the people of the land Thou hast O Lord the righteousnesse and we open shame euen this day euery one of Iudah and the dwellers of Ierusalem and all Israel the neare and the farre off through al the countries whither thou hast dryuen them for their offence wherein they haue offended thee O Lord we haue open shame our Kinges our Princes and our Fathers as we haue sinned against thee The Lord our God hath the tender mercies and forgiuenesse albeit we haue rebelled against him And haue not obeyed the voyce of the Eternall our God to walke in his lawes which he hath layde before vs by the ministerie of his Seruantes the Prophetes Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy law and turned backe that they woulde not heare thy voyce Wherefore there is poured vpon vs the curse and the oth that is written in the law of Moses the seruant of God Because we haue sinned agaynst him And he hath confirmed his wordes which he spake against vs and against our iudges that iudged vs. For vnder the whole heauen hath not bene done the like as hath bene done vpon Ierusalem As it is written in the Law of Moses all this euil is come vpon vs. Yet haue not we besought the eternall our God that we might turne from our iniquities and vnderstand thy truth Therefore the Lord our God was watchfull concerning the euill and brought it vpon vs. For the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he hath done seeing we obeyed not his voyce And now O Lord our God that hast brought forth thy people out of the land of Egypt by a mighty hand and hast gotten thy selfe a name as this day we haue done wickedly O Lord according to all thy righteousnesse let now thine anger and thy wrath be turned away from thy citie Ierusalem thine holy mountaine For because of our sinnes and for the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem thy people are a reproch to all that are about vs. And now heare O my God the prayer of thy seruant and his supplication and make thy face to shine vpon thy sanctuarie that lyeth desolate for the Lordes sake Encline O my God thine eare and heare open thine eyes and see our desolations and the citie whereupon thy name is called for we present not our supplications before thee for our righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare ô Lord forgiue ô Lord giue eare do defer not for thine own sake ô my God For thy name is called vpon thy citie vpon thy people And as I was yet speaking and praying and confessing my sinne and the sinne of my people Israel and presenting my supplications before the Eternall my God for the holie mountaine of my God Euen as I was yet speaking the man Gabriel whom I had seene afore in a vision came vnto me flying with vehemencie vntill he touched me at the time of the euening oblation And he gaue vnderstanding and talked with me said Daniel I am come forth to giue thee skill of vnderstanding At the beginning of thy prayers came forth the word which I am come to tell because thou art greatly beloued Therefore conceiue the word g and perceiue the cleare vision The cleare vision for the certaine time of redemption vvherein the Iewes through all the Gospell agreed and also all the East as Iosephus recordeth and Tacitus and Suetonius do both touch it Seuentie seuens of yeares is pared out for thy people and for thy holy citie to consume wickednesse and to abolish sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquitie and to bring righteousnesse euer-lasting and to seale vision and prophet and to shew-Messias the Holy of Holiest Of the 70. seuens SEuentie seuens make 490. in ordinary speach But that Daniel might conceaue how at the beginning of his prayer vpon considering of Ieremy for that 70. yeares of captiuitie ended God tooke notice of his meditation the Angel toucheth that seuentie shewing how exactly seuen times that space is declared afore hand for the Iewes prerogatiue continuance of Ceremonies and meditation how reconciliation of sinne is truly made That euery Sabbath in the meane vvhile they might learne to enter into the rest of Christ How the 70. seuens end the holy Chronicle FIue as it were chaines of time are in Scripture all drawen through so many seuerall matters The first is cōtinued through the Ages of the Fathers vnto the death of Terah who falling into Idolatrie gaue occasion to end that honour of making the Fathers to draw the worldes age in theirs After the death of Terah Abraham hath the promise of Christ and is called vnto Chanaan For that promise one tenour of certaintie is linked vnto the Lambe Temple and Salomons death after his Idolatrie and held on while Abrahams tribes held the faith of Christ Thēce a new state measure of it as a third chaine cōmeth in Iudah holdeth a kingdome vnto Sedekiahs captiuitie and Ieroboam draweth Israel to sinne vvhich time is termed Israels sinne by God to Ezekiel chap. 4. vvhen he sheweth vnto him the fall of Ierusalem with which fall also famous 40. yeares of Iudahs vvarning must end Which 40. are complete from Ieremies prophecying in the 13. of Iosias at the beginning of the 19. of Nebuchadnezer when the citie vvas brent And that continuance of Iudahs kingdome is in one summe giuen by God 390. y. Ezek. 4. The particulars vvherof are cast by the kings of Iudah Israel iust into that summe by sundry learned And Abraham Ben Dauid in Cabala sheweth that the Iewes vniuersally but that they hid
euent of this matter THe HeatheÌ„ for this story as in my former of Greeks must be my warraÌ„t Thus it dependeth vpoÌ„ the friendship vvhich vvas betwixt Ptolemie Lagides and Seleucus Nicator vvho ioyned helpe continually to make them selues strong Magas sonne to Ptolemie Lagides brother by mother also vnto Pt. Philadelphus maried the daughter of Antiochus Soter sonne to Seleucus He vndertaking warres against his brother Philadelphus caused his father in law to breake the league vvhich Seleucus and Lagides their two fathers made Therupon Philadelphus sendeth forces into Antiochus countries to busie him at home This much Pausanias recordeth in Atticis This breach wearying both sides might wel force them to seeke a new attonement which here the Angell telleth and Appiane the prophane writer doth recorde for good diuinitie vse in these wordes in Syriac After Seleucus the first successour vvas Antiochus surnamed Soter that is a Sauiour because he droue the French out of Asia He married his stepmother Stratonice like to dye for loue of her the Phisitian Erasistratus told the father Which matter is most famous in many Heathen vvriters and among them infamous And 2. Cor. 5. the H. Gh. seemeth to call his storie into minde Next vnto him vvas Antiochus begotten by that mariage called of the Milesians Theos the God because he did put downe their Tyrant Timark This God vvas poysoned by his wife two he had Laodice and Berenice the DD. of Ptolemie Philadelphus Laodice kild him and after him Berenice and an infant of Berenices In reuenge of that Ptolemie her brother being then king killeth Laodice marcheth vnto Syria and vnto Babylon and now first the Parthians rebell vpon the stirres in the kingdome of the Seleucidae Thou all might see vvho is the true God wheÌ„ the very enemies are sufficient iudges Foretel euents vvithout helpe none but God can Here an Angell from God foretelleth matter most fit for the Iron Clay shewed to Nebuchadnezar 68. yeares ago and â—n heathen is an indefferent recorder of the euent And vve see then vvho be the persons vvhich the Angell speaketh off what daughter of a father king of Egypt is maried and to what king of Syria vvhat successe it had and vvho being an impe from her rootes reuengeth her death and inuadeth the others kingdome how they seeke by mariages to make agreement vvhich cleaueth together no better then Iron and Clay but that the marier and marieâ— dye for it and the killers vvith the killed pay for their doings These be most noble examples to shew the iustice of the Iudge sitting vpon a fierie Throne He that maried his fathers vvife vvhich verie mariage is most famous and infamous among the Heathen first is troubled vvith warres for his owne daughter that his incestuous sonne is driuen for peace to mary vnto the disturbance of all his kingdome and admitting a title of God dyeth not a men but by poysoning from his owne vvife Of Seleucus Callinicus Iustine vvriteth and bestoweth his â—7 Bâ—oke to be a verie fit Commentarie for the storie of this Prophecie and for the iustice of Gods iudgement There Seleucus through Laodices pricking forward beginneth his reigne vvith the death of his stepmother Bernice and her child Ptolemy her brother warreth the Cities in Asia reuâ—â—â— Seleucus fleate vvraâ—â— he scant saued his naked bodie◠〈◊〉 brother Antiochus banked for his kingdome tell robbers kild him Eumenes was much from him Ptolemy and the French spoyled him He dyed by a fall off an house so paying for his murther This the Heathen noteth So the king of the South shall come into the kingdome and returne into his owne land Of Antiochus surnamed the Great .6 horne But his sonnes shall warre and gather a multitude of great forces And the one shall continue voyages and ouerflow and ouer-run shalbe restored and shall warre at the others fortresse Of the great Armies of Antiochus and Ptolemy Philopator Polybius recordeth how Antiochus was put in hazard for all his kingdome beyond Taurus by Molon Alexander two brethren who despising his young yeares meant to haue hold all ChristiaÌ„s must marke that God wil haue his word true besides mans hope His elder brother Sel. Cerannus was soone dispatched But that Gods word may be cleare the other finding his owne mightiest seruants rebels God beside his hope doth bring them to horrible killing of themselues hath his enemies as Theodotus aboue named mightiest traytors for him he represseth being a child his home enemies and also beside hope preuaileth by his forraine so farre as God had foretold But wheÌ„ so much is accomplished then as farre againe beyond mans expectation God peyseth the ballaunce to the other side Ptolemy Philopator fled to Memphis his chief strength Agathocles and Sosibius his chiefe gouernors and counsellers had no better hope of safetie then to seeke delay by sending Ambassadors for peace and stirred the Rhodians Byzantians Cyzicens and Actolos to do the same WheÌ„ce wheÌ„ they came to both kings they found oportunity for Ptolemy to prepare all things needfull for warres Captaines of Greekes of best fame and of all sorâ—â—â— are obtained Souldiers from other bandes called vnto this seruice are dayly practised for all cheualrie and the Ambassadors from Antiochus vnto Ptolemy are â—n Memphis most gently entertained but see not what preparation he maketh in Alexandria Antiochus hauing obtained the most part of Syria and Phoenice had no great care to practise his Armie but thought that he should without warre haue the rest to yeeld and that Ptolemy durst neuer now hazard his whole estate In this hope he thought to match Ptolemies Ambassadours who came to him vnto Seleucia as much by pretence of iustice as by strength Antiochus sayd that his surprizing of Seleucia was no iniurie vnto Ptolemie because those quarters were won from Antigonus Monophthalmus by Ptolemies helpe for Seleucus not for him selfe and that then also Coele Syria by agreement was graunted vnto Seleucus that Ptolemy warred for Seleucus and not for him selfe and that this was the common graunt of all the Kings When Cassander Lysimachus Seleucus ouercame Antigonus they sware that Coele Syria should belong to Seleucus The Ambassadour from Ptolemy spake for their side of great Leage-breach of Theodotus treason of Antiochus inuasion of Ptolemy Lagides possessions saying that Lagides helpt Seleucus vpon this condition that Seleucus should haue Asia and he should hold Coele Syria and Phoenice to himselfe but after long debuting nothing was concluded and thereupon Antiochus prepared to winne the rest of Syria But Gaza is fortified by Ptolemy Sundrie townes Polybius reckeneth that he conquered Through he commeth to Berytos recouering Botrys and Theou Prosopon He burnt Trieris and Calamus by the way Of Sidon he missed but wanne Philoteria set vpon Iordan Thence he commeth to Atabyrion Tabor on a Mountaine fifteene furlongs high and surpriseth it There Hippolochus a Thessalian falleth vnto him from
Antiochus dealings ouer ReligioÌ„s which the Angell termeth against euery God and which phrase S. Paul translateth against all that is called God or vvorship and how he exalteth himselfe against the God of Gods Polybius toucheth the former and the bookes of Machabees the later Thus Polybius in Athenaeus vvriteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In sacrifices and honours about Gods he surmounted all that euer reigned Olympieum in Athens and the huge Images at Delos altar argue that The prophane Polybius might thinke of his Religions vehemencie for the vrging vvhich vvas for the Iewes vnto it vvhich must be countenanced vvith great charges And concerning his exalting of him selfe against God for all the Law dayes 2300. for the temple Ierusalem and Gods people vvith torments and death three yeares and an halfe the Machabees shew that vvhither once for all I referre the reader There it vvill appeare how he did set his hart against the holie couenant how he had intelligence vvith the forsakers of the holy couenant Iason Menelaus and such vvhich were come to the fulnesse of sinne how he by great promises allured to mischief the couenant and much preuailed how he advaunced in honour heathen vvhom he fauoured to rule the many in Iuda and parted the land into a gaine how armes from his polluted the Sanctuarie vvith banquetting harlots and Idolatrous sacrifices and inhibited all Moses Religion and required practise of his heathen and punished the refusers many dayes by sword flame captiuitie spoile how the Machabees vvere holpen vvith little helpe how the teachers by all good example and giuers of true knowledge in holie couenant vvere ouerthrowne As Eleazar their old Scribe vvith his most graue oration and the seuen brethren vvho handled this Angels oration most diuinely all these matters may thence be fetched And specially how he neuer vvas moued vvith the tendernesse of vvomen but tormented them against all nations humanitie for their lawes that is often and much recorded But touching his owne concubines Tarsenses and Malleotae rebell by Theodoret for that their towns were giuen to queanes allowance Now for the God of all might how in his place he honoreth yea a God he honoreth vvhom his fathers knew not Iupiter Olympius and causeth the forces of the God of all might to haue a strange God and maintained by Apollonius the authour of abominations the most lothsome infidels as the lothsome beastes in Leuiticus and souldiers working desolation these points all together may be fetched better froÌ„ the Machabees then here mixed The Angell vvas here to take speciall heed that his phrases should be darke for heathen and cleare for them that knew the Ebrew Prophets style In opening of them a speech somwhat long must come in after their translation And the wicked dealers against the couenant he shall make prophane by guile but the people that know their God shall lay hold and practise And the teachers among the people shall giue instruction to many who shall be ouerthrowen by sword and by flame by captiuitie and by spoyle many dayes And wheÌ„ they are ouerthrowen they shalbe holpen with a little helpe But many shall ioyne vnto them fainedly And some of the teachers shalbe ouerthrowen to be tryed and to be purged and to be whited vnto the times end For the set time is yet to come And the king shall do what he list and exalt him selfe and magnifie himselfe aboue all that is called God and against the God of Gods shall he speake swelling things and prosper vntill the anger be finished for a seuere iudgement is to be executed And vnto the Gods of his fathers will he haue no regard likewise vnto the tendernesse of women or vnto any God he will haue no regard but will magnifie himselfe aboue all As for the God almightie in his place he will honour yea a God whom his fathers knew not will he honour with gold with siluer and with precious stones and with iewelles So he shall deale that the forces of the almightie shall haue a straunge God Whom he fauoreth he shall greatly aduaunce and make them rulers ouer many and shall part the land to be a sale Antiochus his third voyage into Egypt against Ptolemie Philometor And at the end of time the king of the South shal push at him the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind with charet horses and shippes many and shall come through countreys and flow and passe ouer Also he shall come into the Tzeby land and many landes shalbe ouerthrowen But these shalbe safe from his hand Edom and Moab and the chiefe of the sonnes of Ammon Also he shall stretch forth his hand ouer countreys specially the land of Aegypt shall not escape But he shall haue power ouer the hid treasure of gold and siluer and ouer all the iewels of Aegypt and Lubin and Cushim shalbe with his passages How Antiochus bestowed the spoiles of Aegypt and of other countreys as Polybius in Atheneus recordeth as a witnesse vnto the holy Angell I Thinke good to lay downe here Polybius wordes touching Antiochus vvho came vp poorely and saw his father distressed and his brother likewise when both vvere forced to Church-robbing The summe is this that he bestowed infinite cost vpon a triumph to imitate Paulus Aemilius hauing gotten the vvealth by spoiling young Philometor and breaking league vvith him by the contributions of his friendes and by robbing most Churches Wherein he would manifestly be aboue euery God The learned vvill best like the authours owne vvordes neither can our tongue so vvell expresse them Thus Athenaeâ—s bringeth Polybius vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This record I hold much worth seeing it agreeth so fitly with the robbing of Aegypt and also might well be the cause of his necessitie proceeding from prodigalitie to spoyle the temple of Persepolis mentioned 2. Mach. 9. An old opinion that the Romanes are one of the foure kingdomes in Daniel made men draw them as enemies to Gods people into this oration They are in the commers vvith shippes from Chittun indeede therein Daniel remembring BalaaÌ„ knew that hence the Romanes might should encrease to afflict Assur and Eber whose chiefe Christ vvas and that they should hold-on vnto the end and specially be the lothsome infidels vvhich should destroy Ierusalem But the Romanes dealt not against the holie Iewes lawes of Religion vvhich matter here was to be handled nor medled vvith the Iewes till the nation by sedition called for them and Gods seueritie vvas not to giue them comfort touching ill called for by their owne loosenesse but against such as by force continued the vvith-holding of their kingdome And no vvord here vvill agree vvith the Romanes vnlesse vve dare make Scripture a nose of vvaxe The Iewes indeede since the dayes of Methargem Ierusalemy would haue the Romanes meant one of Daniels foure kingdomes and yet them selues the onely nation blessed