and hath made thee ruler ouer in C. them all thou art this head of gold 39. And after thee shall rise an other kingdome inferiour to thee of siluer L. G. but this is inserted by way of exposition and an other third kingdome shall be of brasse which shal beare rule ouer all the earth 40. And the fourth kingdome shall be strong as yron for as yron breaketh in peices and subdueth all things and as yron which bruiseth as yron bruiseth L. V. G. B. here the relatiue which is omitted all these things so shall it breake in peices and bruise 41. Where as thou sawest the feete and toes part of potters clay and part of yron the kingdome shall be deuided but there shall be in it of the strength I. V. G. of the planting L. A. of yron for so much as thou sawest yron mixed with clay and earth 42. And as the toes of the feete were part of yron and part of clay so shall the kingdome be partly strong and partly broken 43. And whereas thou sawest yron mixed with clay and earth they shall mingle themselues with the seede of men but they shall not ioyne one with an other this with that C. as yron cannot be mixed with clay 44. And in the dayes of these kings not kingdomes L. shall the God of heauen raise vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed and this kingdome shall not be left giuen ouer B. G. deliuered ouer L. to an other people but it shall breake and destroy all these kingdomes and it shall stand for euer 45. Whereas thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountaine which was not with hands I. without handes caeter see before vers 34. and that it broke in peices the yron the brasse the clay the siluer and the gold so the great God hath made knowne to the King what shall be hereafter and the dreame is true and the interpretation thereof faithfull V. L. I. sure B. G. 46. Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell vpon his face and bowed himselfe G. B. worshipped L. V. I. vnto Daniel and charged oblations V. sacrifices L. meate offrings G. rewards B. gifts I. the word is mincah which signifieth gifts and oblations offred and sweet odors to be offered to be ordained B. vnto him 47. Also the king answered vnto Daniel and said Of a truth it is that I know of a truth G. of a truth your God c. L. B. but here the word translated that is omitted your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings reuealing secrets seeing thou wast able to reueale this secret 48. So the king made Daniel a great man magnified him C. I. and gaue him great gifts very many and made him gouernour ouer the whole prouince of Babel and chiefe of the rulers aboue all the wisemen of Babel 49. Then Daniel requested of the king and he set ouer the businesse I. L. P. the charge B. G. V. of the prouince of Babel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego But Daniel was ruler in the kings gate I. sat in the kings gate B. G. was in the kings gate L. was in the court V. 1. The questions discussed Quest. 1. vers 1. How the second yeare is to be counted wherein Nebuchadnezzar had this dreame 1. Theodoret thinketh that it was the second yeare from the beginning of his raigne but that cannot be for Nebuchadnezzars raigne beganne in part of the 3. and 4. yeare of Iehoiakim cap. 1. 1. and Ierem. 25. 1. and 3. yeares after that were appointed for Daniels education c. 1. 5. while those 3. yeares were expired there was no proofe or triall had of Daniels wisedome therefore it can not be that the storie in the first chapter is set downe by way of recapitulation as Theodoret thinketh for till the three yeares were past they were not brought before the king 2. Some thinke that this was the second yeare of Nebuchadnezzars raigne by himselfe alone who also raigned after a sort with his father who also was called by the same name Caluin Geneuens But this cannot stand because the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar his sole raigne was in the 3. and 4. raigne of Iehoiakim Ierem. 25. 1. after which three yeares must be counted for Daniels education this then could not be the second yeare of his raigne alone 3. Some vnderstand here two Nebuchadnezzars the father mentioned before cap. 1. 1. and his sonne brother to Euilmerodach who beeing the younger was preferred before the other and the Elder because of his wickednesse was put by the gouernment ex Lyran. so also Emmanuel Sa. But this Nebuchadnezzar could not be sonne to Nebuchadnezzar the great and brother to Euilmerodach for the Lord had giuen the kingdomes of the earth but vnto Nebuchadnezzar and his sonne that is Euilmerodach and his sonnes sonne which was Balthazar the sonne of Euilmerodach but if there were a Nebuchadnezzar brother to Euilmerodach then should there be three beside Nebuchadnezzar the great and not two onely as Ieremie saith there were indeede two Nebuchadnezzars one called Nebuchadnezzar priseus the auntient the other Nebuchadnezzar magnus the great who beganne his raigne the same yeare Daniel went into captiuitie in the 3. and 4. yeare of Iehoiakim 4. The vsuall interpretation is that it must be vnderstood of the second yeare of Nebuchadnezzars absolute Monarchie after the subduing of Egypt so Iosephus lib. 10. cap. 11. of the same opinion is Hierome and of the later writers Lyranus Hugo Cardi who thinketh it was the 26. yeare of his whole raigne and the second of his Monarchie Peter also Pintus Bullinger Pellican are of the same opinion But this cannot stand for Nebuchadnezzar conquered Tyrus before he subdued Egypt for Egypt is giuen him for his wages for his seruice against Tyrus Ierem. 24. 18. 19. but Daniel was famous for his wisedome which was not knowne till he had expounded Nebuchadnezzars dreame before Tyrus was destroyed for he is celebrated for his pietie and therein ioyned with Noah and Iob Esek 14. and for his wisdome Esek 28. 3. And then immeadiately in that chapter followeth the prophesie of the destruction of Tyrus 5. Wherefore this second yeare must be counted from the time when Daniel first stood before the king in the second yeare then of his seruice and ministrie Nebuchadnezzar had this dreame but where it is added in the raigne of Nebuchadnezzer these words are not to be ioyned with the former in the second yeare as appeareth by the Hebrew distinction rebiah set ouer the word shetaim second this then happened in the raigne of Nebuchadnezzar which is mentioned by way of distinction because in the last words of the former chapter it is said that Daniel was to the first yeare of King Cyrus least any should thinke that this was done in the second yeare of Cyrus direct mention is made of the raigne of Nebuchadnezzar Inn. Polan Pappus Quest. 2. What Nebuchadnezzar this was and whence he was so called 1. Some
all things and reuealeth secrets and from heauen he sendeth all good things Angels and Saints haue no such title they are not gods of heauen they neither create it nor can they from thence reueale secrets or send downe heauenly graces therefore they are not to be inuocated or called vpon Polan Bulling 3. Controv. That prayer is not meritorious but grounded onely vpon Gods mercie v. 18. For grace or mercie in this secret All our prayers then must lay their foundation in Gods mercie that he would first forgiue vs our sinnes and then freely and gratiously conferre vpon vs such things as we aske Polan then the seruants of God doe not place any merit or worthines in their prayers Bulling which is the opinion of the Romanists that the prayers of the Saints are meritorious for first our prayers tend altogether vnto our good God receiueth nothing thereby as Iob. 33. 11. Elihu saith If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thine hand there can not be any desert where he is not benefited or furthered at whose hands we should deserue Againe that which should merit at Gods hand must be perfect and absolute but in our prayers there are many wants and imperfections Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought 4. Controv. That matrimonie is no sacrament v. 18. Whereas the word raza is by the Septuag here translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mysterie or secret and so also read P. A. V. I. with others the Latine translateth a sacrament and yet in the next v. he retaineth the word mysterie whereupon it is euident that in the vulgar Latine translation the word sacrament is diuersly taken not alwaies for the sacramēts of the church properly so called but for any mysticall or secret thing as here the interpretation of this dreame which Daniel prayeth for he calleth a sacrament that is a secret or mysterie Therefore it is but a weake collection of the Rhemists and of other Romanists vpon the Latine text which readeth Eph. 5. 32. This is a great sacramēt to inferre thereupon that mariage is a sacrament for they might as well conclude here that this Image which Nabuchadnezzer saw in his dreame was a sacrament 5. Controv. That the Saints merit not v. 23. O thou God of my fathers c. Pintus hereupon giueth this note that Daniel in his thanksgiuing maketh mention of his fathers Abraham Izaak and Iaakob that he should not seeme to attribute this thing onely to himselfe which he obtained of God sed potius illorum insignium virorum meritis institiae but rather to the merits and iustice of those excellent men c. Contra. Whereas Daniel maketh mention of his fathers he doth it not as relying vpon their worthines or merits for he groundeth his prayers onely vpon Gods grace and mercie v. 18. but for these two causes 1. he remembreth the promise and couenant which God had made to and with their fathers to be their God and the God of their seede which promise the Lord gratiously performed now in granting Daniel his request Polan 2. because they were worshippers of the true God hereby he excludeth all false gods whome they worshipped not Genevens 6. Controv. v. 21. That the Pope hath no power committed vnto him to put downe Kings v. 21. He taketh away Kings This beeing here by Daniel ascribed vnto God as his peculiar worke to remooue Kings from their thrones and to plant others in their place the arrogancie of the proud Bishop of Rome is made manifest to all the world who taketh vpon him Gods office to depose and set vp kings at his pleasure Polan As Platina writeth of Gregorie that he vttered these presumptuous words Nos nos imperia regna principatus quicquid habere mortales possunt auferre dare posse c. That we euen we haue power to take away and giue Empires Kingdomes principalities and whatsoeuer mortall men haue Thus Iulius 2. gaue the kingdome of Navarre to the Spanish king because he tooke part with Lewes the 12. king of France likewise the Bishop of Rome stirring vp Matthias king of Hungarie against the Hussites of Bohemia promised him quicquid Boemiae etiamsi totum regnum caperet suae fore ditionis that whatsoeuer in Bohemia though it were the kingdome should belong vnto him This sheweth the presumptuous insolencie of that proud Sea to challenge that right and power which belongeth onely vnto God 1. Kings onely are to be deposed by him from whome they receiue their power and authoritie but that they haue from God as the Apostle saith The powers that be are ordained of God not of the Pope therefore by him they are not to be deposed 2. The Pope himselfe is subiect to the Emperour as the same Apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers he therefore hath no superioritie ouer them 7. Contr. That the Pope can not be Christs Vicar generall in earth v. 44. The God of heauen shall set vp a kingdome This kingdome of Christ is no visible but a spirituall and vniuersall kingdome thorough the world wherein though he vse Ministers as Apostles Prophets Pastors Doctors to reconcile men vnto himselfe by the preaching of the Gospel yet Vicar generall he hath none 1. The embassage which Christ hath committed to his Ministers in his stead is to reconcile men by the preaching of the word as the Apostle saith We are Embassadors for Christ c. we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled vnto God But the Pope can not in Christs stead reconcile men vnto Christ but this is the dutie of seuerall Pastors and Ministers who are in Christs stead and as his vicars to beget men vnto the faith Polan one man alone vnlesse he were of infinite power can not suffice to execute this embassage of reconciliation through the Church 2. Christs kingdome is eternall the kingdome of the Pope is temporall he therefore can not be Christs Vicar in his eternall kingdome Osiander 3. Christs kingdome is spirituall the Popes is externall he therefore can not be Christs Vicar in his spirituall kingdome 8. Controv. That the time of Christs comming to iudgement can not be gathered from Daniels prophesie v. 44. Some doe make this coniecture that seeing the kingdome of Christ should be raised vp toward the ende of the fourth Monarchie which they suppose to be the Romane Empire which is now decaied and almost at an ende they would hence gather that the comming of Christ is at hand Contra. 1. If their meaning be that Christs comming is nearer at hand then before that is most certen if that a small time remaineth in respect of Christs euerlasting kingdome it is confessed but if they would hence prooue that the comming of Christ is now presently to be expected because the Romane Monarchie is at an ende they are deceiued because they build this collection vpon two vncertenties 1. this fourth Monarchie is
euerlasting kingdome and his dominion is from generation to generation with generation and generation 4. I Nebuchadnezzar beeing at rest happie V. in mine house and flourishing like the spreading boughes C. in my palace 5. I sawe a dreame which made me afraide and the thoughts vpon my bed and the visions of mine head troubled me 6. Therefore I set forth a decree to bring before me all the wise men of Babel to make knowne vnto me to shewe vnto me caeter the interpretation of the dreame 7. So came the magicians astrologians Chaldeans and Soothsayers and I told the dreame before to them G. B. but they could not make knowne vnto me the interpretation thereof 8. Till at the last Daniel Daniel the collegue L. S. but acharin beeing onely found in this place as R. Kimhi is better interpreted here at the last came before me whose name was Belteshazzar according to the name of my God which hath the spirit of the holy gods in him and before him I told the dreame 9. O Belteshazzar chiefe of the Magicians because I knowe that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee and not any secret puts thee to businesse is impossible vnto thee L. or escapeth thee V. or troubleth thee G. B. or oppresseth thee I. the word anas signifieth to trouble to put to businesse tell me the visions of my dreame which I haue seene that is I. and caeter but it is not here a coniunction copulatiue for he desireth onely the interpretation of his dreame ver 15. he declareth his dreame himselfe the interpretation thereof 10. Thus were the visions not vision L. of mine head in my bed I did behold and loe a tree in the middes of the earth and the height thereof was great 11. A great tree and strong and the height thereof reached vnto heauen and the sight thereof to the ende of all the earth 12. The boughes thereof bough C. the singular is put for the plurall not the leaues thereof L. were faire and the fruit thereof much and in it was meate for all the beasts of the field tooke shade I. B. not it made shade G. or the beasts dwelt vnder it and in the boughes thereof dwelt the foules of heauen and all flesh fedde of it 13. I sawe in the visions of my head vpon my bed and behold a watchman and an holy one came downe from heauen 14. And cried aloud with strength C. and said thus Hewe downe the tree and breake off his branches shake of his leaues and scatter his fruite that the beasts may flee from vnder it and the foules from his branches 15. Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe not the budde of his rootes in the earth and with a band of yron and brasse bind it among the grasse of the field not which is without and let it be wet dipt C. with the dewe of heauen and with the beasts beast C. let his portion be among the grasse of the field 16. Let his heart be changed let them change C. from a mans from a man and let a beasts heart be giuen vnto him and let seauen times be passed changed L. ouer him 17. The sentence is according to the decree of the watchmen and the request according to the word of the holy ones B. I. V. not and the word of the holy ones and the request and is but once in the originall nor according to the word of the holy ones the demaund was answered G. for this last word is not in the originall to the intent that vntill L. the liuing may knowe that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men man C. and giueth it to whom he will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect of men 18. This is the dreame that I king Nebuchadnezzar haue seene now thou Belteshazzar tell the interpretation thereof for all the wisemen of my kingdome are not able to make knowne the interpretation but thou art able for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee 19. Then Daniel whose name was Belteshazzar was amazed I. stood as astonished V. held his peace L. B. G. S. but the word shamam signifieth properly to be astonished amazed to wonder by the space of an houre and his thoughts troubled him and the king spake and said Let neither the dreame nor the interpretation thereof trouble thee then Belteshazzar answered and said The dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies 20. The tree which thou sawest which was great and mightie whose height reached vnto the heauen and the sight thereof through all the earth 21. Whose leaues were faire and the fruit thereof much and in it was meate for all vnder the which the beastes of the field dwelt and the foules of the heauen did sit 22. It is thou O king that art great and mightie for thy greatnesse is growen and reacheth vnto the heauen and thy dominion is to the ende of the earth 23. Whereas the king sawe a watchman and an holy one that came downe from heauen and said Hewe downe the tree and destroy it yet leaue the stumpe of the rootes thereof in the earth and with a band of yron and brasse bind it among the grasse of the field and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen and let his portion be with the beasts of the field till seauen times passe ouer him 24. This is the interpretation O king not of the king I. and this is the decree of the most high which is come vpon my Lord the king 25. That they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field and they shall make thee â—ate grasse like the oxen thou shalt â—at L. and they shall wet thee with the dewe of heauen till thou knowe that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will 26. And whereas they said not he said L. that they should leaue the stumpe of the tree rootes thy kingdome shall be stable vnto thee or remaine vnto thee L. B. G. after thou shalt haue knowne hast learned to knowe L. that the heauens beare rule 27. Wherefore O king let my counsell be acceptable vnto thee and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse I. G. B. not redeeme thy sinnes V. L. by almes deeds L. for pharach signifieth to breake off as it is taken Gen. 27. 40. and the other word tzidecah signifieth righteousnesse if so be thy peace may be prolonged I. A. P. V. better then that there may be an healing of thine error G. B. or God may forgiue thy sinnes L. S. 28. All these things came not shall come G. or touch B. vpon the king Nebuchadnezzar 29. At the ende of twelue moneths he walked in the palace of the kingdome of Babylon 30. And the king spake and said Is not this great Babel that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of
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
well vnto vs yet it would not follow that therefore we should pray vnto them Oecolampad see hereof Centâ—r 2. err 8. 4. Controv. That the Pope is not the distributer of kingdomes v. 22. Till thou know that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdomes of the earth and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will This Soueraigne power belongeth vnto God to dispose of kings and kingdomes to pull downe and set vp then it is presumptuous arrogancie in the Pope to challenge vnto himselfe any such supereminent power ouer kings vnto whome he himselfe ought to be subiect according to S. Pauls rule Rom. 13. 1. See before chap. 2. controv 6. 5. Controv. Against satisfaction by workes v. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse The Latine interpreter readeth redeeme thy sinnes by righteousnes whereupon Pererius with other Romanists doe collect that workes of righteousnes and mercie doe satisfie for sinne and are auaileable ad expianda peccata venialia to expiate veniall sinnes And to that purpose he vrgeth that place Prov. 16. 6. By mercie and truth iniquitie shall be forgiuen Contra. 1. It is before sufficiently declared Quest. 30. that the true reading here is not redeeme but breake off thy sinnes 2. Though that other reading be retained the meaning onely is that he should redeeme and satisfie men whome he had wronged 3. And this had beene impossible for him to doe to make recompence to so many whome he had cruelly handled the space of 40. yeares 4. And if he would not make satisfaction vnto men much lesse vnto God 5. Wherefore in these words non exponitur modus redimendi peccata sed modus potius agendi the way of redeeming his sinne is not declared but the way rather of working such as becommeth those that are truly penitent first then his sinnes must be forgiuen by faith before he can bring forth the workes of repentance Iun. 6. Further as Nabuchadnezzer could not satisfie for his sinne no more can any man for our best works are imperfect our righteousnes is as a stained clout Isa. 6. 6. but that which must satisfie before God ought to be perfect and absolute it is therefore the most perfect righteousnes of Christ and none other that is able to satisfie Gods iustice for our sinnes 7. And concerning that place vrged out of the Proverbs either it may be vnderstood not of mercie which we shew which is called an actiue mercie but of mercie shewed vnto vs from God which is a passiue mercie by the which our iniquitie is forgiuen as Iunius prooueth by the words following by the feare of the Lord they depart from euill or els the meaning is by the works of mercie we are assured our sinnes are forgiuen vs Genevens as in the like sense our Sauiour saith Many sinnes are forgiuen her because shee loued much Luk. 7. 47. her great loue was not the cause but the signe rather and effect of the forgiuenes of her sinnes And so the Apostle saith 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren he saith not we are translated but we know we are But of the question against satisfaction by workes see more Synops. Papism Centur. 4. err 78. 6. Controv. Of the certentie of remission of sinnes v. 24. The Latine readeth It may be God will forgiue thee thy sinnes whereupon Pererius inferreth nemini liquido cognitam remissionem peccatorum that remission and forgiuenes of sinne is not certenly knowne vnto any Contra. 1. It is shewed before Quest. 31. that the word here vsed is not a particle of doubting but rather it serueth to exhort and stirre vp to haue further confidence in God and to take away carnall securitie 2. But that by faith we are vndoubtedly assured of the remission of sinne the Scripture euidently sheweth Rom. 5. 1. Beeing iustified by faith we are at peace with God but our conscience can not be setled or at peace vnles it be assured of Gods fauour in the remission of sinnes likewise Rom. 8. 16. The same spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God but how can we be assured that they are the children of God if their sinnes be not forgiuen them See further hereof Centur. 4. err 56. 7. Controv. Which be the good workes of Christians v. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes c. Here good workes are defended to be the workes of righteousnes and mercie Among the Romanists these are counted their good workes suscipere peregrinationes erigere statuam c. to vow and take in hand pilgrimages to set vp an image to found crosses Calvin But these are not the workes which God is pleased with those are the works acceptable vnto him not which mans curiositie hath inuented but such as God himselfe hath appointed for vs to walke in Eph. 1. 10. The hypocrites say Wherewith shall I come before the Lord c. will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand riuers of oyle c. But the Lord maketh answer what workes he requireth To doe iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe c. Mich. 6. 7. 8. Controv. That Gods prouidence is not onely a bare prescience or permission v. 32. According to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen c. Polanus hence refelleth that error of certaine Lutherans who affirme providentiam Dei nihil aliud esse nisi praescientiam that the prouidence of God is nothing els but a certain prescience formul concord fol. 249. for here it is euident that God is not a foreâ—eer but a doer that all things in heauen and earth fall out according to his will as Psal. 135. 6. Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord that did he in heauen and earth c. And Luther himselfe was of an other iudgement whose words are these Deus omnia infallibili voluntate praevidet proponit facit c. that God by his infallible â—ill doth foresee propound and doe all things c. Polan Calvin further vrgeth this place against those which make a distinction betweene the will of God and permission As though he suffered some things which he would not haue done which should argue impotencie and weaknes in God as though he should suffer some things against his will A voluntarie permission there is in God in leauing men vnto themselues and suffering things to worke according to their kind but an inuoluntarie permission there is not in God to suffer any thing which he would not haue done He suffereth sinne to be done though he will it not to be done yet it is his will it should be done because he knoweth how to make it serue vnto his glorie yet he is no way the author of sinne nor yet accessarie vnto it 9. Controv. Against the presumption of the Pope who would be without checke and controlement v. 32. None may say vnto him What doest thou This prerogatiue and priuiledge this great king giueth
of the truth of this speech but if it be not true why standeth it in the Canon after so often reuising and perusing of the Canons 2. They denie Christ to be our onely Priest in making other Mediators and intercessors beside him contrarie to the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediatour of God and man the man Iesus Christ. 3. Neither doe they acknowledge Christ to be the onely king of his Church making the Pope his Vicar and head of the Church and they say that vnto the Pope is giuen all authoritie in heauen and earth lib. 1. Ceremoniar cur Roman Bellarmine answereth that the Pope no more denieth Christ to be king then a Viceroy in a countrey denieth the king of the land Ans. 1. The reason is not alike for a king can not be present in euery part of his kingdome and therefore committeth many things to his deputie which he can not doe himselfe but Christ is for euer present with his Church 2. the Viceroy taketh not vpon him to be the king and head as the Pope doth So then it is euident that the Pope in effect renounceth the God and religion of his fathers see further in the Appendix exercis 3. argum 1. 22. Controv. How the Romane Antichrist regardeth not the desire of women Though the Antichrist of Rome doth publikely pretend chastitie yet all fornication and vncleannes both naturall and vnnaturall is practised and suffered vnder that licentious gouernment And herein the Pope regardeth not the desires of women in that he is an enemie vnto lawfull marriage forbidding his Clergie to marrie which is made lawfull to all men 1. Cor. 7. 1. Hebr. 13. 4. And while marriage is restrained there is a way open to all other kind of vncleannes euen that filthie Sodomitrie which is against nature in commendation whereof a great Bishop of Italie did write publikely and that without any checke Papp This sinne some scoffingly haue called mutum peccatum a dumme sinne but they shall finde that it is peccatum clamans a crying sinne which called for fire and brimstone from heauen vpon the Sodomites Bulling But Bellarmine to cleare his great Master the Pope of this suspition also he alleadgeth that in the originall the words stand thus and he shall be in the desires of women though that in the Greeke translation it be read negatiuely he shall not c. And he giueth two coniectures why it should be read rather affirmatiuely then negatiuely both because Antiochus as Hierome writeth who is here historically meant was giuen vnto the desire and lust of women neither is it probable that Antichrist should command or commend single life but the Iewes rather doe expect that Antichrist shall suffer them to haue many wiues which they count a part of their terrene happines Contra. 1. That it is more agreeable to the originall to read here negatiuely he shall not haue respect to the desires of women then affirmatiuely is shewed before qu. 45. whether I referre the Reader 2. Though Antiochus were one way giuen vnto the desire of women in respect of his carnall lust yet an other way he was not in not regarding the request and desire of his wife for to spare Ierusalem as is shewed likewise before qu. 45. 3. It is most probable nay rather that Antichrist shall enioyne single life and restraine marriage because he shall maintaine the doctrine of deuills whereof this is one 4. And though the Iewes expect such carnall libertie when their Messiah commeth that is nothing to the purpose for such a Messiah as they expect shall neuer come But we know certenly that the Antichrist should come into the world and is indeede alreadie come 5. And that Antichrist shall outwardly seeme to maintaine single life it is the opinion of their owne writers exterius finget castitatem vt facilius decipiat he shall outwardly faine chastitie that he may the more easily deceiue Lyran. so also Pererius Intimis animi sensibus erit super omnes libidiâ—osus c. in his inward disposition he shall of all men be most licentious and lustfull though he shall outwardly dissemble chastitie 23. Controv. That Antichrist shallnot care indeede for any God nor haue any sense of religion That the Antichrist of Rome herein also was well resembled by Antiochus may be prooued first by particular induction that many of their Popes haue beene found in a manner to be very Atheists hauing â—o sense of religion Iohn the 12. whome Platina maketh Iohn the 13. nec Deum nec hominem prae oculis habuisse had neither God nor man before his eyes so testifieth Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. c. 9. Innocentius the 8. was seene for the most part to sleepe in the time of diuine seruice of Alexander the 6. saith Guicciardine that he had nullum religionis sensum no feeling of religion his holy-daies exercise was to see Plautus comedies plaied of Leo the 10. it is reported that he should thus say quantum nobis profuit fabula ista de Christo how much hath this fable or tale of Christ profited vs Secondly this may be shewed how the Pope doth magnifie himselfe against God by those blasphemous titles and prerogatiues which he suffreth to be giuen vnto him by his Canonists as Osiander doth exemplifie these the Pope is the vniuersall father of all the faithfull and of all the sheepe of Christ Ioannes de tur cremat the Pope hath the same consistorie with God and the same tribunall with Christ the Pope is a certaine diuine power representing a visible God in earth Gomesius All power is giuen vnto the Pope in heauen and earth from the Pope appeale is not to be made no not vnto God the Pope can make something of nothing the Pope can doe all that God doth Decius the Pope is God Felinus the Pope is greater then any other creature and his power extendeth it selfe to celestiall things terrestriall and infernall Antonin Florentin the Pope may change the forme of the Sacraments deliuered from the Apostles Archiadiacon the Pope is the foundation of faith as the canons speake God hath subiected all lawes to the Pope and no lawe can be imposed vpon his highnesse 〈◊〉 Gratian. the Pope may decree against the epistles of S. Paul Carolus Râ—â—nus God hath brought all things in subiection vnder the Popes feete Barbazia none is equall to the Pope but God August Beroius the Pope is the husband of the whole Church Ioan. de tur cremat These and such like blasphemies are vttered by the Popes claw-backes and â—e accepteth them for if he misliked them why doth he not prohibite them to vse such grosse and blaspemous seatteries By this it is euidently manifest that the Pope as here it is said of Antiochus seeketh onely to magnifie himselfe and in effect careth not for any God 24. Controv. How Antichrist shall bring in a strange God which his fathers neuer knewe v. 38. As Antiochus brought in his newe
it ought to terrifie and mooue vnto repentance Bulling 2. Doct. vers 8. That mens hearts are in the hand of God Ver. 8. He required the chiefe of the Eunuches that he might not defile himselfe Hence it is euident seeing this chiefe officer of the kings tooke no exception to this free speach of Daniel charging the kings table and meates with pollution that God ruled and inclined his heart to fauour Daniel and to take all in good part which he said Some would haue said to Daniel what doest thou charge the kings Court and religion with impuritie and vncleannesse are ye Hebrewes onely the pure men and is there no religion good beside yours This then was Gods worke thus to qualifie the heart and affection of Ashpenah toward Daniel so it is here found to be true as the wiseman saith The kings heart is in the hand of God c. he turneth it whithersoeuer it pleaseth him Prou. 21. 1. 3. Doct. vers 12. Of th◠commendation of fasting Vers. 12. Let them giue vs pulse to eate By this example of Daniels abstinence who preferred a thinne and course diet before the kings full and delicate dishes we see how excellent a thing frugalitie and temperance is Euen among the heathen Philosophers parsimonie and sparing diet was much set by Socrates beeing asked wherein he differed from other men answered illi vivunt vt comedant ego edo vt viuam they liue to eate but I eate to liue the sobrietie of Democritus and Demosthenes is much celebrated among the heathen The Egyptians liued of herbes and the fruits o◠trees the food of the Argiues in time past were peares of the Athenians figges of the Medes almonds of the Ethiopians locustes of the Arabians milke They say that the spittle of a man fasting killeth a serpent So fasting ioyned with prayer is a spirituall remedie against the spirituall serpent and his tentations Hierome calleth it caeterarum virtutum fundamentum the foundation of other vertues Chrysostome alimentum animae the nourishment of the soule Basil saith it is similitudo hominum cum Angelis that which maketh men like vnto Angels Christ sanctified fasting and abstinence by his owne example and Sathan sought to interrupt and breake off his holy fast thereby shewing how soueraigne a remedie it is against his tentations seeing he would not suffer Christ ro hold out his fast for as a ship the lighter it is beeing vnloaden of the burthens doth better brooke the water and endure the force of the windes so he which is giuen to a temperate and sober life melius effugit fluctus nymbos tentationum doth better escape the floods and tempests of temptation Pintus 4. Doct. That true vertue consisteth in the inward purpose of the heart not in the outward appearance Vers. 8. Daniel had determined in his heart that he would not defile himselfe Daniels continencie was not in outward shewe but rooted and grounded in the heart which is the seate of vertue for that is not vertue which is done onely to the sight of others and for ostentation to seeke the praise of men but that which lieth hid in the heart The Pharisies gaue their almes prayed fasted to be seene of men but Christ teacheth his Disciples to pray and fast in secret that the Lord may approoue their worke and not men Matth. 6. And S. Paul saith that he is not a Iewe which is one outward c. but he is a Iewe which is one within c. whose praise is not of men but of God Polan 5. Doct. Of worldly feare which carrieth away carnall men Ver. 10. The chiefe of the Eunuches said to Daniel I feare my Lord the king c. This man feared more the terrene power of the visible Emperor thē the celestial maiestie of the omnipotent and inuisible God as Tertullian obiected to the Romanes maiore formidine Caesarē obseruatis quā ipsum de Olymp◠Iouē with greater feare ye obserue Cesar then Iupiter himselfe of Olympus c. they stand more in awe of their great commander in earth then of their supposed gods in heauen But the Apostles had a contrarie resolution whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge ye Act. 4. 19. Polan 6. Doct. ver 12. Prooue thy seruants tenne dayes of the certaintie of faith Bullinger hereupon noteth fides non fallit nec deserit Deus constāter inherentes verbo c. faith falleth not neither doth God forsake those which constantly cleaue vnto his word c. Daniel with his three brethren and companions were assured that God would giue successe according to their faith and if they in this particular thing which concerned but an outward obseruation of the lawe had such assurance and confidence much more ought we to be assured of such things which God hath promised concerning euerlasting life for all things as our Blessed Sauiour saith are possible to him that beleeueth Mark 9. 23. 7. Doct. That learning is necessarie in Kings Ver. 19. And the king communed with them Nebuchadnezzar beeing a great warrior and conquerour yet was himselfe so well seene in the knowledge of the Chaldeans who were held to be the most learned in the world that he was able himselfe to sift and examine these 4. men whom he found in wisedome to goe beyond all his wisemen and soothsayers in Babylon Such learned princes among the people of God were Dauid Salomon Hezekiah Iosias among the Heathen Alexander the great Scipio Africanus Iulius Caesar with others and among the Christian Emperours Constantine the great who decided the controuersies and questions among the Christian Bishops And this famous kingdome of England hath had most learned princes Henerie the 8. Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth of late blessed memorie and our now Soueraigne king Iames who is able to conferre learnedly with any man in his faculty as here Nebuchadnezzar doth with Daniel and the other three 8. Doct. That the perfection euen of humane arts and learning is to be found in the Church of God Ver. 20. And he found them tenne times better then all the enchanters and Astrologians c. Like as these fower fearing God obtained greater wisdome euen in the Chaldean learning then any of the other cunning men So it may be seene this day that euen the liberall sciences which were inuented among the Heathen haue beene much perfited among Christians who haue added vnto their beginnings for seeing God is the giuer and author of euery good gift who are more like to receiue such gifts then his owne people who can tell how to aske them of him they therefore are in great error who either in times past gaue the preheminence of learning vnto the Gentiles before the Christians or now to the Papists and Romanistes before the professors of the gospel it is euident to all the world that neither for the knowledge of tongues or artes we are any thing inferior vnto them 5. Places of
interpretation thereof 8. The king answered and said I know certenly that he would gaine time redeeme or buie time Chald. because ye see the thing is gone from me 9. But if yee will not declare me the dreame there is but one iudgement sentence L. V. I. or law A. for you for yee haue prepared lying and corrupt words to speake before me till the time be changed G. I. the time be passed L. till there be an other state of things V. therefore tell me the dreame that I may knowe if ye can declare the interpretation thereof 10. The Chaldeans answered before the king and said Chal. and saying there is not a man vpon the earth Chal. vpon the drie ground which can declare the kings matter therefore not any king nor prince or ruler mightie Chald. euer asked such a question such a saying C. of any Magician Astrologian or Chaldean 11. And the matter the saying C. which the king requireth is precious I. rare G. of great weight L. A. and there is not any other to be found L. which can declare it before the king except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh with men L. with mortall men V. 12. For this cause the king was angrie and in a great furie and gaue charge to destroy all the wisemen of Babel 13. So the sentence was giuen and the wisemen were slaine and they sought Daniel and his fellowes to be slaine 14. Then Daniel enquired of the counsell and decree L. Po. returned the counsell and decree C. not answered with counsell G. or interceded V. of Arioch the captaine of the guard I. or cheife marshall or executioner V. the captaine of his armie L. to the king which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babel 15. Yea he answered and said vnto Arioch the kings captaine why is the sentence so hastie from the king then Arioch made knowne declared G. the thing the word C. to Daniel 16. So Daniel went in and desired of the King that he would giue him time leasure G. and he would declare the interpretation to the king 17. Then Daniel went to his house and made knowne the matter the word C. to Hananiah Chananiah C. Mishael and Hazariah his companions 18. And that they should beseech mercie from the God of heauen in this secret sacrament L. that Daniel with his fellowes might not perish with the rest of the wisemen of Babel 19. Then was the secret reucaled to Daniel in a vision by night therefore Daniel blessed the God of heauen 20. And Daniel answered and said The name of God be blessed for euer and euer for wisedome and strengh are his 21. And he changeth times and seasons moderateth V. he taketh away kings not kingdomes L. and establisheth kings setteth vp G. createth V. he giueth wisedome to the wise and knowledge to men of vnderstanding to them which knowe vnderstanding C. 22. He discouereth the deepe and secret things he knoweth what is in the darkenesse and the light dwelleth with him 23. I thanke thee and praise thee O thou God of my fathers that thou hast giuen me wisedome and strength and hast made knowne vnto me made me to knowe that which we desired of thee for thou hast made knowne vnto vs the kings matter word C. 24. Wherefore Daniel went vnto Arioch whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babel he went and said thus vnto him Destroy not the wise men of Babel bring me in before the king and I will declare vnto the king the interpretation 25. Then Arioch in hast brought in Daniel before the king and said thus vnto him I haue found a man of the children of ludah taken captiues children of the captiuitie of Iudah C. that will make knowne vnto the king the interpretation 26. Then answered the king and said vnto Daniel whose name was Beltshatzar Balthasar L. Beltsazar V. Belteshazzar G. art thou able to make knowne vnto me the dreame which I haue seene and the interpretation thereof 27. Daniel answered before the king L. A. to the king I. V. in the presence of the king B. G. and said The secret which the king hath demanded can neither the wisemen astrologians magicians L. wisards V. soothsayers B. magicians I. V. enchanters G. wise men B. coniecturers L. soothsayers such as gaue coniecture by the entralls of beasts aruspices I. L. readers of destinies V. B. declare vnto the king 28. But there is a God in heauen the reuealer of secrets who hath made knowne vnto king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the dayes following I. V. in the latter dayes L. G. B. A. P. but many of these things fell out not long after Nebuchadnezzars time in the consequence or following of dayes C. Thy dreame and the vision of thine head vpon thy bed is this 29. O king thoughts came ascended C. to thee vpon thy bed what should come to passe hereafter and he which reuealeth secrets telleth thee what shall come 30. As for me not for any wisedome which is in me more then in any liuing is this secret reuealed vnto me but for this that they might not that I might B. or that it might L. that some might V. for their cause which might I. make known vnto the king the interpretation and that thou mightest knowe the thoughts of thine heart 31. O king thou sawest and behold a great image this large image whose glorie and the glorie thereof C. was excellent stood before thee and the forme thereof was terrible 32. This images head was of fine good C. gold the breast thereof and the armes thereof of siluer his bellie and his sides I. thighes caeter of brasse 33. His legges of yron his feete were part some of them C. of yron part of clay 34. Thou beheldest till a stone was cut out which was not with hands that is cut out without hands caeter but then the relatiue which should be omitted which smote the image vpon his feete which were of yron and clay and brake them in peices 35. Then was the yron the clay the brasse the siluer and the gold broken altogether and became like the chaffe of the summer floates where the wheat is threshed and the wind carried them away that not any place was found for them and the stone that smote the Image became a great mountaine and filled the whole earth 36. This is the dreame and we will declare the interpretation thereof before the king 37. O King thou art a King of Kings for the God of heauen hath giuen thee a kingdome power and strength and glorie 38. And in all places where the children of men dwell the beasts of the field and the foules of heauen hath he giuen into thine hand A. P. G. B. not all those places where c. V. L. for here the preposition in is omitted or where the children of men the beasts of the field c. dwell I. these are rather said to be giuen as Ier. 27. 6.
was sent as he saith Thou hast shewed now the thing that we desired of thee it is not like that Daniel and the rest beeing full of care in this so weightie a busines would giue themselues to rest but they awaked when other slept So Hugo Card. giueth this as a reason why this vision came in the night quod tempus magis orationi competit because that time is fittest for praier 3. And presently after this thing was reuealed it is said that Daniel answered and said The name of God be praised but he could not thus answer and praise God in his sleepe It was then such a vision in the night as Paul had Act. 16. 9. when a man of Macedonia appeared vnto him and said Come and helpe vs. 4. Yet this further must be added that visions come not onely by day but by night and not onely when men are awake but when they sleepe as Daniel saw a dreame and had visions in his head as he lay vpon his bed c. 7. 1. such visions are more then dreames and differ in respect of the more cleare illumination and euident demonstration of things such was Salomons dreame wherein he had a vision beside when actually the gift of wisdome was conferred vpon him 1. king 3. whereof see c. 1. qu. 51. Yet dreames and visions doe differ in nature still though they may concurre together the one beeing but a representation of the image and similitude of things the other a demonstration of the things themselues 20. Quest. Of the forme and order of Daniels thanksgiuing Daniels thanksgiuing is of two sorts either generall v. 20. to 23. or speciall and particular and either of them consisteth of the proposition containing the doxologie or thanksgiuing and the probation thereof 1. In the generall benediction in the proposition is expressed who is to be praised the name of God not the letters or syllables as the Iewes adore the name Iehouah the Papists the name Iesus but the name of God is God himselfe and the adiunct of the time also is added for euer and euer 2. The probation is set forth briefly for wisdome and strength are his then it is amplified by the effects first his power is declared by two effects the changing of times and seasons and the taking downe and setting vp of Kings then his confidence by three effects 1. in giuing wisdome for action 2. vnderstanding for contemplation 3. and in discouering secret things which is amplified by the cause taken from the essentiall propertie of God he knoweth what is in darknes because with him is light 3. Then followeth the speciall thanksgiuing with the proposition wherein Daniel giueth thanks for himselfe and the probation taken from two effects in opening vnto them the Kings dreame according to their desire and giuing them power and strength thereby to preuaile against and ouercome the imminent danger and perill of death the latter effect is set forth in the first place Quest. 21. v. 19. How Daniel is said to haue blessed the God of heauen 1. The Lord is called the God of heauen 1. because he made the heauens but other gods haue not made the heauen and the earth Ierem. 11. Hug. Card. 2. And this sheweth a difference betweene the true God and idols herein because they are worshipped onely in the earth and not in heauen Pint. 3. And God is so called because he is habitator coeli he inhabiteth and dwelleth in the heauens and therefore he saith heauen is my seat or throne Isa. 66. 1. not that God is limited and confined in the heauens but there are the most glorious and visible signes of his presence Pintus 4. And by this title is set forth Gods glorie greatnes and power because the heauens are the most glorious of Gods creatures and doe sway things below in the earth Polan 2. To blesse is taken diuersly in Scripture 1. when God is said to blesse man benedicere to blesse is the same that benefacere to bestowe benefits as the Lord saith to Abraham I will blesse thee and make thy name great Genes 12. 2. to blesse here is to encrease and multiplie him and make him great 2. when one man blesseth another it signifieth to wish well vnto them and to pray for them as Rebekahs mother and brother are said to blesse her Gen. 24. 60. 3. but when man is said to blesse God it signifieth to praise him and giue thankes vnto him as Psal. 54. 1. I will blesse the Lord for euer his praise shall be in my mouth continually and so is it taken here 22. Quest. vers 21. How the Lord is said to change times and seasons 1. He changeth times 1. he maketh day and night summer and winter ipse est primus motor coelestium corporum because he is the first mouer of the celestiall bodies which doe rule the time 2. and he changeth and altreth the times either according to the course of nature ordinarie as in distinguishing dayes moneths and the times of the yeare or extraordinarie as when the seasons of the yeare keepe not their kind but many times the Summer weather is changed into the winter raine and cold and the winter into Summer Cal. and he altreth the times against the course of nature as when he caused the Sunne to stand still in Iosuahs time and to goe backe in the dayes of Hezekiah Pere 2. He also changeth the particular seasons both of the ayre and weather sending sometime heate and drought sometime raine and cold Polan as also he disposeth of the age and yeares of mans life in generall as mans age was shortened after the flood and in particular sometime shortening mans dayes as he did vnto Moses not suffering him to liue to see the land of Canaan sometime prolonging it as he added 15. yeares to Hezekiahs life Pere 23. Quest. vers 22. VVhat secret things the Lord is said to discouer There are three kinds of secret things which the Lord is said to discouer 1. The mysteries of religion as concerning the blessed Trinitie the incarnation of the Sonne of God the life to come the knowledge of which things a man cannot attaine vnto vnlesse it be reuealed vnto him from God 2. There are the secrets of the heart which none knoweth but God who is the searcher of the heart saue the spirit of man which is in him 1. Cor. 2. 11. to none other are the thoughts of the heart knowne but onely vnto God 3. The things to come are great secrets which onely are manifest vnto him by whome all things are acted and gouerned both past present and to come Pere 24. Quest. How light is said to dwell with God v. 22. whereas it is said Psal. 18. 11. he made darkenesse his secret place 1. God is said 1. to be light in himselfe in his essence because there is nothing in God but most pure sincere cleare as also because he communicateth of this light vnto others as Iohn 1. 9. he is the
Iupiter I haue taken the earth to my selfe take thou heauen c. with which picture Alexander was so delighted that he proclaimed none should take his picture but Lysippus 6. Such was his celeritie also that in the space of 13. yeares he conquered more nations then one would haue thought he could haue trauelled ouer in so short a time Apelles therefore pictured Alexander with a thunderbolt signifying his great swiftnes and agilitie in his exploits 7. Alexanders great â—ame also may be counted among other parts of his greatnes by the which he subdued more nations then by warre for the very terrour of his name made many Kingdomes submit themselues vnto him and at the same time when he died he expected Embassadours from all the Nations of Europe from France Spaine Italie Sicilie and from Africa for if he had not then died he had taken order to prouide him a great navie to haue compassed Arabia and Africa and so to haue surprised Spaine and Italie 8. The acts and monuments of Alexander are to be counted among other memorable things as first the Cities which he built which Plutarke nameth to haue beene 70. then he brought the barbarous nations to ciuilitie he taught the people Hyrcani the vse of mariage the Arachosians tillage and husbandrie the Sogdians that they should nourish and not kill their parents the Persians to honour their mothers and not to vse them for their wiues the Scythians that they should not eate the dead but burie them 9. Adde hereunto his singular vertues his constancie and patience in induring of labour his clemencie toward those whome he conquered the same day he tooke and restored againe to the king of India his kingdome Darius mother he honourably entertained as a Queene his continencie was singular Darius wife and his most beautifull daughters he touched not but preserued their chastitie neither would he see them But his liberalitie and magnificence exceeded his other vertues he gaue 23. thousand talents among his souldiers to pay their debts he bid to one feast 9. thousand ghests and gaue vnto euery one a cuppe of gold to one that asked a reward of him he gaue a citie which he refusing as too great a gift for him Alexander said Non quaero quid to decet accipere sed quid me decet dare I stand not vpon it what it is meete for thee to take but what it is fit I should giue And to conclude this point Plutarke saith that those vertues for the which seuerally certaine worthie men haue beene commended did all concurre in him as the valour of Achilles the chastitie of Agamemnon the pietie of Diomedes the courage of Cyrus the policie of Themistocles the boldnes of Brassida the wisdome of Philip his father 10. This was also part of his terrene happines that as he counted Achilles happie because he had Homer to set forth his praise so he had diuers excellent writers to register his acts as Ptolome King of Egypt Hecataeus Aristobulus Callisthenes Onesicratus Diodorus Siculus Trogus Pompeius Iustinus Q. Curtius with others Quest. 49. vers 40. Whether this fourth kingdome must be vnderstoode to be the Romane Empire There are here two opinions some take the Romane Empire to be vnderstood by this fourth kingdome which is compared to yron and the same to continue after the comming of Christ to the ende of the world as Lyranus interpreteth the two legges of the diuision of the Romane Empire into the Occidentall and Orientall at Constantinople of the same opinion are Rupertius Hugo Cardinal Pintus and of our writers Bullinger Pellican Geneuens Caluin Melancthon Osiand Some doe here comprehend the Romane Empire but vntill the comming of Christ as Pererius in vers 32. We will examine their reasons 1. Vers. 28. Daniel saith that the Lord shewed the king what should come to passe in the latter dayes therefore all the Monarchies to the ende of the world are here signified Contra. The word acharith as is before shewed doth not onely signifie the latter or extreme dayes but the time following as it is taken Gen. 49. 1. and the Prophet expoundeth himselfe vers 29. what is meant by the latter dayes that which should come to passe hereafter 2. It is not like that the Lord would conceale this thing from his Prophet and that Daniel speaking of three of the Monarchies should omit the fourth which was the greatest of all neither would the Lord leaue his Church without comfort herein Contra. 1. As God reuealed not his whole minde vnto the rest of the Prophets so neither had Daniel a cleare vision of all which should happen in the world 2. he toucheth all these foure kingdomes and gouernments which should be the chiefe oppressors and afflictors of his people vntill the rising of Christs kingdome vntill which time they had not endured much at the Romanes hands but by their owne procurement Daniel therefore speaketh of those kingdomes onely which medled most with the people of God then it much belonged not to their present comfort to heare of those kingdomes which should come afterward 3. Daniel prophesieth of the kingdome of Christ which should still encrease vnto the ende of the world vers 44. And cap. 12. 2. he euidently speaketh of euerlasting life and of the resurrection Contra. 1. The Prophet doth but touch that by occasion in a word to shewe the perfection and consummation of Christs kingdome it followeth not that therefore he should describe all the Monarchies to the ende of the world 4. But the euent of things answering to this prophesie sheweth that it is most fitly applyed to the Romane Empire 1. Because as yron the Romane Empire subdued all other kingdomes for whereas Alexanders kingdome was diuided into foure Prolome had Egypt Seleucus Syria Antigonus Asia the lesse and Antipater Macedonia who also obtained Antigonus regiment all these foure dominions were dissolued and dissipated by the Romanes Paulus Aemilius ouercame Perseus king of Macedonia and led him with his two sonnes Philippui and Alexander in triumph Lucullus and Pompeius subdued Mithridates and Tygranes and brought vnder the Syrian kingdome and Augustus Caesar ouercame Antonie with Cleopatra his wife and made a Prouince of Egypt And all the East countries Pompey the great subdued and ioyned to the Romane Empire as Asia Pontus Armenia Paphlagonia Cappadocia Cilicia Syria with others waging battell with them 30. yeares together hauing slaine put to flight or taken an 121. thousand and 83. thousand and taken 846. shippes and a 1538. cities and castles Plin. lib. 7. cap. 26. Bulling Pap. and Lyranus sheweth 3. wayes whereby they became such conquerours sapientia exercitio armorum bonâ— regimine by their wisedome exercise of warlike feates and good discipline and gouernement 2. The two legges doe signifie the diuersitie of gouernement which was euidently seene in the Romane common wealth first they were gouerned by Kings then by Consuls afterward by Tribunes they had their decemviri their Dictators for a
interpretation of Christs birth yet holdeth the first comming of Christ to be here signified by this reason propheta admonet exordia regnt Christi fore contempta the Prophet admonisheth that the beginning of Christs kingdome shall be base and contemptible c. because he likeneth it to a small stone at the first but the second comming of Christ shall be glorious Quest. 56. The description of the kingdome of Christ by the Prophet vers 44. 45. 1. It is described by the adiunct of time when it should come in the time of those kings which held the fourth Monarchie toward the ende thereof 2. by the manner it shall be raised vp as from a small beginning 3. by the efficient it shall be set vp by God 4. by the eternitie of it it shall stand for euer neither apt to fall of it selfe neither shall it be surprised by any other for these two are the causes of the alteration of kingdomes internall within themselues or externall by foorren power 5. by the effects it shall breake and destroy all other kingdomes as the Prophet Zachatie sheweth cap. 12. 3. 6. by the firmenes and surenesse thereof compared vnto a stone 7. by the originall or beginning it was cut out of a mountaine the beginning thereof was from heauen from abnue as our blessed Sauiour himselfe Iohn 3. 13. no man hath ascended into heauen but he that came downe from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen 8. by the manner of his comming which shall be sudden and vnlooked for as a thing that is cut out at once 9. by the manner of administration it shall be cut out without hands that is any humane helpe 10. by the power thereof it shall breake in peices c. Polan Quest. 57. That this kingdome which God shall raise vp must be vnderstood of the kingdome of Christ. Vers. 44. The God of heauen shall set vp a kingdome Caluin here setteth downe certaine reasons out of the Rabbine Barbinel whereby he would prooue that this kingdome cannot be referred to Iesus the sonne of Mary his reasons are these six in all 1. Seeing these foure kingdomes here described are terrene and visible the fift also which should destroy the other must be also visible for vnlike things cannot be compared together Contra. 1. It is not necessarie that all things should be like in a comparison nay here is rather an opposition betweene the 4. kingdomes and this fifth then a comparison and in that it is to destroy the rest it must be vnlike vnto the rest the Rabbines argument therefore followeth not The fift kingdome shall destroy the former foure Ergo it shall be of the same kind with the rest the contrarie is better inferred that therefore it shall be vnlike vnto the rest 2. Ar. If religion made a difference between these kingdomes then were they not foure but one for all of them were giuen to idolatrie and so followed the same superstition Contra. 1. It is necessarie that the 5. kingdome which should abolish all the rest should differ in the truth and sinceritie of religion from them but it is not necessarie that the foure Monarchies one destroying and confounding another should be of diuerse religion for kingdomes that are of the same superstition may be one enemie vnto another as one error may be contrary to another 3. Argum. It is said of this kingdome that it shall not be giuen vnto an other but the Turke now possesseth a great part of the kingdome of Christians And among themselues also religion is diuided and many distast the Gospel therefore this cannot be vnderstood of the kingdome of Christianitie Contra. 1. By this kingdome which God should raise vp is not vnderstood any visible or externall kingdome though the Turke haue surprised the terrene kingdomes and nations which sometime the Christians possessed yet the spirituall kingdome of Christ is not resigned vnto them nor to any other 2. Euen among Christians there may be diuisions and many carnall men may liue in the Church but they belong not to the spirituall kingdome of Christ though they remaine in the externall societie of the visible Church 4. Argu. If this be the kingdome of Christ who was borne vnder Augustus Caesar when the Romane Monarchie in a manner beganne then the fourth Monarchie and this fifth kingdome should beginne together which cannot be for the one must be the ruine and destruction of the other Contra. 1. To this Caluin answereth that the Monarchie of the Romanes beganne not with the Caesars but long before when the Macedonian kingdome was dissolued 2. But this is an vnsufficient answer 1. because it was no Monarchie till the time of Iulius Caesar but the gouernment before that was sometime Democraticall popular sometime Aristocraticall gouerned by Consuls therefore till it became a Monarchie it could not be the fourth kingdome here spoken of 2. Though the fift kingdome and the fourth beganne not together yet the same inconuenience followeth if they continue together for the fift kingdome when it commeth must be the ruine of the other this argument therefore of the Rabbine is inuincible against their opinion which make the Romane Monarchie this fourth kingdome 3. Therefore to the Rabbines argument we make this further answer that this fourth kingdome diuided into two as consisting of two legges was the Monarchicall state of Syria and Babylon where the sonnes and ofspring of Seleucuâ— raigned and of Egypt where the Ptolomies succeeded one another as is before shewed quest 50. And so indeed this fift kingdome was the ende of the other 5. Argum. The fourth kingdome and the fift can not stand together the one beeing the ruine of the other but vnder Constantine and other Christian Emperours of the Romane state the Gospel of Christ flourished therefore it cannot be meant of that kingdome Contra. 1. Caluin here answereth that the kingdome of Christ non debet referri ad tempus natiuitatis must not be referred to the time of his natiuitle but to the preaching of the Gospell and when the gospell beganne to be published then the Romane Empire after Traianus time was translated to strangers to heardmen and swineards and beastly monsters 2. This answer is likewise insufficient 1. for as soone as Christ was borne his kingdome beganne in the dayes of his flesh as the Angel in the annuntiation of Christs birth to the virgine Marie telleth her that God would giue him the throne of his father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob c. 2. the gospel was neuer more published in the world then in the Apostles time while yet the Romane Empire continued in the name and stocke of the Caesars 3. though the Empire was deuolued to strangers not of Caesars familie yet was it still the Latine and Romane Empire and therefore was the same Monarchie 3. Wherefore vnlesse the Romane Monarchie be disclaimed here from beeing this fourth kingdome this argument cannot be answered for the
lesse for that were to take God out of the world as either he were carelesse thereof or impotent as not beeing able to guide it but leaueth it to chaunce But the Prophet sheweth that all creatures doe waite and depend vpon God Psal. 104. 27. 7. Doct. Of the mutable state of kingdomes Vers. 22. He taketh away kings he setteth vp kings c. The state then and condition of kings though it seeme to be least subiect to change of all other callings vnto men yet God the king of kings can turne and winde them at his pleasure the preacher saith that out of prison one commeth to raigne when he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore Thus Balthazar Cyrus Alexander Caesar Pompey soone lost both their kingdomes and liues Pere And as these auncient kings and kingdomes were soone ouerturned so it is still Anno 1523. Christierne king of Denmarke with Isabel his wife sister to Charles the fift was driuen out of his kingdome and realme and died in prison when he had liued 27. yeares in captiuitie Anno 1567. Iohn Duke of Saxonie was depriued of his dukedome and carried captiue to Maximilian the Emperour Anno 1568. Ericus king of Suetia the sonne of Gostavus was deposed from his kingdome and died in prison And as God pulleth downe kings so he setteth other vp Matthias Hunniades was taken out of prison to be a king So was Elizabeth our Late renouned Soueraigne succeeding her sister Marie Anno 1577. Ioannes king of Suecia was from the prison aduanced to be king Polan 8. Doct. A good King hath many carefull thoughts of his kingdome and commonwealth Vers. 29. O King when thou wast in thy bedde thoughts came into thy minde This great king euen in the night thought of his kingdome what should befall it after his dayes euen the care thereof made him he could not sleepe Bulling he was not addicted altogether to his ease and pleasure as Balthazar who the same night that the citie was taken gaue himselfe to eating and drinking Dan. 5. Like vnto this Nabuchadnezzar was the great king of Persia Assuerus who when he could not sleepe caused the Chronicles to be read vnto him Ester 6. 1. 9. Doct. Of the kingdome of Christ as he is God and as he is Mediatour God and man v. 44. The God of heauen shall set vp a kingdome The kingdome of Christ is either his naturall kingdome which he had from all beginning togither with the Father and the holy Ghost which is called the vniuersall kingdome whereby he ruleth in heauen and earth which kingdome as he assumed not so he shall neuer lay it downe There is also regnum donativum the kingdome which is giuen to him of his Father as he is Mediatour God and man whereof he speaketh Matth. 28. 18. All power is giuen vnto me is heauen and earth this is that speciall and particular kingdome which he exerciseth more specially in his Church in protecting and defending the same against all the enemies and aduersaries thereof This kingdome giuen vnto Christ is likewise considered two waies it is either the kingdome of grace whereby he guideth his Church in this world directing them vnto euerlasting saluation or the kingdome of glorie in the next life when he hath brought his Church and companie of the Elect vnto euerlasting saluation in heauen there to raigne for euer Polan 10. Doct. Daniels prophesie of Christs euerlasting kingdom containeth the whole summe of the Gospel v. 44. A kingdome which shall neuer be destroied c. This euerlasting kingdome of Christ resting not in his person alone but beeing communicated to all his members comprehendeth the whole summe of Euangelicall doctrine for the Elect cannot raigne for euer with Christ but death must first be destroyed and sinne the cause thereof the bodies also of the Saints must rise againe from death so then in this prophesie of Christs euer-during kingdome is included the faith of remission of sinnes of the conquest of death and of the resurrection Bulling Melancth 11. Doct. Of the certentie of our saluation v. 44. And it shall stand for euer As Christs kingdome is sure and cannot be shaken in himselfe so neither can it haue any alteration or change in his members Christus tam in se quam in suis membris citra vllum mutationis periculum dominatur Christ as well in himselfe as in his members doth rule without any feare or daunger of change Calv. for he hath made vs partakers of his kingdome by faith by which we stand for he by his grace is able to make vs stand of our selues by nature we are changeable euery moment but by the power and grace of God our state in Christ is certen and vnchangeable as S. Peter saith We are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time 1. Pet. 1. 5. 12. Doct. Religion ouerthroweth not the policie and forme of Commonwealths v. 48. He made him gouernour ouer the whole prouince of Babel Daniel beeing made a chiefe gouernour in Chaldea did no doubt iudge the people according to the lawes of the countrey which differed much from the politicall state of the Israelites by the which it is euident that necessarily euery countrey is not now tied to the iudicials and policie of Moses neither is religion an enemie to the forme of gouernment in Commonwealths beeing grounded vpon equitie Papp for the Apostle saith The powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. wheresoeuer and howsoeuer the administration and gouernment beeing iust and equall 5. Places of controuersie 1. Controv. That the Scriptures should be extant in the vulgar and knowne tongue v. 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the King in the Aramites language This tongue not much differing then from the Chalde was the knowne and vsuall language wherein they spake that they might be vnderstood of all Afterward the Greeke tongue was generally vsed and therefore Ptolome caused the Scriptures to be translated into the Greeke tongue and the Apostles writ the new Testament in the same language This euidently sheweth that the Scriptures should be set forth to the people of God in such a tongue as they know and vnderstand and hereupon Iustinian appointed that Bishops and other Ministers should vse such a tongue in the administration of baptisme and of the Lords Supper which was knowne and vnderstood of all The Romanists then are too blame which cause the Scriptures to be read publikely in an vnknowne tongue and though vpon better aduisement they haue thought good to set forth a vulgar translation of the Bible yet they allow not priuately euery one to vse it 2. Controv. That prayer must onely be made vnto God v. 18. That they should beseech the God of heauen God onely then must be praied vnto who is called the God of heauen because he is the creator thereof that is the seate and habitation of his glorie from thence he seeth
borne of a noble mother the daughter of Astyages king of the Medes but of a meane father one Cambises should come and bring them into seruitude and then he suddenly vanished away the Chaldeans in Abydenus fragments record that he was blasted by some god and spake of Babels fall by the Persians H. B. consent 2. But that this was a true historie and not done in figure type or vision it may thus appeare 1. if this be no historie no more should the rest be written in this booke and so we should haue no certentie of any thing 2. Daniel himselfe rehearseth this as a matter of fact before Balthazar how Nebuchadnezzer was deposed c. 5. 20. 3. there are many things in this chapter which can in no wise agree vnto the deuill as how Nebuchadnezzer dreamed and asked counsell of the wise men and Daniel wisheth him to breake off his sinnes by repentance none of these things can be said of the deuill ex Perer. 8. Quest. Why Daniel was called by the name of Belteshazzar 1. Dorotheus in synops and Epiphan lib. de vit interit prophet doe thinke that Daniel was so called after the name of Balthazar the kings sonne because he purposed to make him heire with him of the kingdome And this opinion may seeme somewhat to be fauoured by the vulgar Latin translation which readeth v. 5. till Daniel collega my collegue or companion in the kingdome came in which Pererius vnderstandeth so to be saide because Nebuchadnezzer had ioyned Daniel with him as his fellow in the kingdome Contra. 1. There is no word of that sense to signifie a collegue or fellow in the originall and therefore we will not insist vpon this reason 2. But the name of Belteshazzar and Belshazar are diuers in the the originall the one consisteth of 7. letters Beltheshaatzer the other onely of sixe Belshazzer And Daniel was so called before this time when as Balthazar the king was not yet borne nor named in storie 2. Suidas and Iosephus thinke that Daniel was so called because of the interpretation of hid and secret things but that is not so for he was thus called before he had yet expounded any of the kings dreames c. 1. 7. 3. The most thinke that this was the name of the god of the Chaldees and giuen vnto Daniel because of his diuine wisdome Lyran. Hugo Vatab. but the name of the Chalde god was Bel Isa. 46. 1. not Belteshazzar 4. Therefore Daniel had not the very name of his god but the king saith he was called after or according to my God the first syllable onely is borrowed from the name of his god Bel the whole name consisteth of three Babylonian words signifying keeping or laying vp the treasure of Bel Iun. as is shewed before qu. 28. c. 1. 9. Quest. In what sense Nebuchadnezzer saith that Daniel had the spirit of the holy gods v. 5. 1. The Sâ—ptuag read in the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy spirit of God thinking to excuse the king and free him from idolatrie but the word in the originall is in the plural elohim gods 2. Some thinke that by gods are here vnderstood the Angels who are sometime called gods in Scripture Pint. but the knowledge of secrets the Angels haue not because they know not things to come and the magicians who had conference and familiaritie with spirits not beeing able to tell the king his dreame which he had forgotten excuse themselues because none but the gods could declare such things c. 2. 11. 3. His meaning then is that the gods aboue onely knew secrets whose diuine spirit Daniel was indued with loquitur more gentilium he speaketh after the manner of the Gentiles who held that there were many gods Lyran. And it was a receiued opinion among them that it was a diuine thing to interpret dreames as Socrates answered the Athenians that he was ignorant of that diuine science Lyran. ex Albert. mag 10. Quest. Of Nebuchadnezzers dreame and the summe thereof There are two parts of his dreame the first containeth a description of a goodly faire tree v. 7. to v. 10. the second the ouerthrow and cutting downe of this tree thence to v. 15. 1. The tree is described 1. by the situation of it in the middes of the earth 2. by the height which reached vnto heauen which Theodoret expoundeth of his pride so also gloss ordin Lyranus of his high aduancement to such a great Monarchie 3. by the spreading of it to the endes of the earth is vnderstood the largenes of his dominion which extended very farre Megasthenes as Iosephus citeth him thinketh that he subdued part of Spaine 4. by the vtilitie thereof which was double it gaue meate and shadow vnto all both foules and beasts that is all kind of people both of ciuill and vnciuill life both had nourishment and peace vnder the raigne of Nabuchadnezzer 2. Then the destruction of this tree followeth 1. by whome by a watchman which is interpreted to be an angel 2. the manner is described how this tree should be serued the tree is broken downe that is the king is cast out of his kingdome the branches are broken off his nobles and princes are remooued from him his leaues are shaken off his glorie and renowne is taken from him the fruit are scattered the riches of the kingdome euery one snatcheth and diuideth the birds and beasts flie away many taking occasion by the fall of the king withdraw themselues from his yoake 3. Then followeth the limitation and qualifying of the punishment of this tree a stumpe of it shall be left that is his kingdome shall be reserued for him still gloss interlin with the condition thereof set forth first metaphorically it shall be bound with chaines of brasse whereby is signified his phrensie and madnesse because mad men are bound with chaines Bulling then literally or historically his state is described both outward that he should liue with the beasts of the field and inward his heart should be changed which is amplified by the circumstance of time till 7. times that is yeares be passed ouer him v. 13. So this dreame was propounded in allegorie in such maner vt tamen Deus aliquid permiscuerit vnde colligeret aliud notari that yet God mingled withall some thing whereout he might gather that some other thing was signified Calvin for a tree from whence he borrowed this allegorie needed not to be bound with chaines neither hath any heart 5. Lastly the certentie of this decree is set downe by a generall consent of God and his Angels v. 14. 11. Quest. Why this tree is said to be in the middes of the earth 1. Hugo Card. thinketh it to be so said because Nebuchadnezzer had Iudea subiect vnto him which is thought to be in the middes of the earth 2. Some of the Rabbins thinke that Babylon is signified because it is in the same line or parallel with Ierusalem which is in the middes of the
reason yeelded in this place this speech of the Angel hewe downe sheweth a generall consent of all the Angels one encouraging an other to effect and execute the decree of God and therefore it is called v. 14. the decree of the watchmen that is a ioynt consent of all the Angels And postulat ab hominibus fieri quod Deus imperat he desireth that what God hath commanded may accordingly be performed by men Iun. 16. Quest. v. 14. Why the Angels are called Watchmen 1. The Angels are so called because of their spirituall and incorporeall nature Ab. Ezr. for bodies onely neede sleepe and because they haue no bodies and so neither eate nor drinke which are the causes of sleepe they are alwaies watchfull Calv. quia homines laborant fatigantur somno egent c. because men doe labour and are wearied they neede sleepe therefore the Angels which labour not as man neither are wearied are free from sleepe Perer. 2. And by this word is not onely expressed the spirituall nature of Angels but their watchfull office also they doe alwaies waite and attend vpon God to fulfill his will as the Prophet Dauid setteth them forth Psal. 103. 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels which excell in strength that doe his commandement in obeying the voice of his will in which sense they are said to be full of eyes Ezek. 1. Iun. annot 3. But because euill angels are watchfull also as S. Peter saith The deuill goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking whome he may deuoure an other title is giuen vnto these watchmen v. 10. the Angel is called a watchman and an holy one ad differentiam dâ—monum c. to shew a difference betweene good Angels and deuills who are also spirits Lyran. 4. And whereas v. 10. the word is vsed in the singular a watchman but here in the plural multos intelligere debemus c. we must vnderstand that there were many Angels which were employed in this businesse Oecolamp 5. This tearme of watchman is vsed also as fitting the present matter for as watchmen explorant singula facta c. doe obserue all our doings Oecolampad so the Angel here obserued Nabuchadnezzer narrowly for while the word was in the kings mouth v. 28. that proud word whereby he boasted of his power and magnificence the sentence decreed from God was pronounced from heauen against him Iun. annot 17. Quest. By whome the 14. v. was pronounced by the Angel or by the King v. 14. The sentence is according to the decree of the watchmen 1. Some thinke that these are the words of the king for the Angel would not haue called the decree of God the decree of the Angels and in the next verse following v. 15. Nabuchadnezzer speaketh in his owne person This is the dreame that I Nabuchadnezer haue seene Contra. 1. It is called the decree of the watchmen in respect of their ministerie the decree came from God but was executed by them as Eph. 2. 20. the Apostle â—aith the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles because they were Gods ministers in laying of it 2. It is not necessarie because the next verse is vttered in the kings person that this should be so likewise 2. Wherefore these words are also deliuered by the Angel 1. because if Nebuchadnezzer had so said he euen then had attained to the vnderstanding of the dreame he needed not to haue any further helpe 2. these words following according to the word or request of the holy ones could not be vttered by the king for how should he know what was the desire and request of the Angels Quest. 18. ver 14. Of the meaning of these words according to the request of the holy ones 1. Osiander expoundeth these words of the blessed Trinitie as though post rogatas sententias fecerint senatusconsulum after they had asked voices they made the decree against Nebuchadnezzar so also Pintus thinketh it may be vnderstood of the Trinitie But neither can the Trinitie in the plurall be called watchmen which word noteth not their persons but their nature and office nor yet can God be said to make any request 2. Vatablus by the watchmen vnderstandeth the superiour by the holy ones the inferiour Angels that these aske of the other a reason hereof and the answer to their demaund is that which followeth to the intent that men liuing may knowe c. But this is too curious that the watchmen and holy ones are the same is euident ver 10. where the watchman is called an holy one 3. Some by holy ones vnderstand the Saints in earth that this question should be asked of them and the Angels made answer thus seemeth Oecolampad to interpret erat petitio interrogatiue respondent there was a certaine petition and they answer by way of interrogation c. so translate Geneuens the demaund was answered but the text admitteth not this sense for the word sheelâ—a which signifieth request or petition is ioyned to the first clause of the sentence and diuided by a perfect distinction from the sentence following 4. Pellican thinketh that the Iewes hearing what calamitie had befallen their king praied vnto God to restore him to his right mind But these words were vttered and this petition made before this sentence was executed vpon Nebuchadnezzar 5. Lyranus thus vnderstandeth ad petitionem sanctorum in terra quam Angeli praesentant in coelo at the request of the saints in earth which the Angels did present in heauen c. but the Angels would not haue presented a request if any such office were committed vnto them contrarie to the decree of God 6. Caluin giueth this sense that Angeli vno â—re te accusant c. the Angels with one mouth accuse thee before God Deus annuens eorum votis decreuit te abijcere and God consenting to their motion hath decreed to cast thee off So also Hug. the Angels desired that this decree should be made against him But the Angels request procured not this decree it followed vpon Gods decree as the order of the words sheweth 7. The meaning then is no more but this that the Angels with one consent desire that Gods decree might take place and that the sentence giuen by God in heauen might be executed by men in earth And therefore the Angel said before hewe downe the tree breake off the branches that men might in earth fulfill what God had purposed in heauen Iun. Polanus Quest. 19. Of the meaning of these words ver 14. and appointeth ouer it the most abiect of men 1. Lyranus thinketh that this is to be vnderstood of Christ who was humbled and abased in this world but afterward God exalted him and all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth But it is euident that this is spoken of the terrene and externall kingdomes of this world that God setteth vp some and pulleth downe others but Christs kingdome was not of this world 2. Lyranus also
an other aboue that of the same height vntill they came to the eight Diodorus saith it was so high that the Chaldeans thereon made obseruation of the starres toward the east and west Curtius saith that this tower of Babylon had 20. stadia or furlongs in compasse the foundation whereof was 30. foot deepe in the ground By these euidences it appeareth that this Babylon was a citie of huge bignesse and therefore the king calleth it here great Babell Niniue had beene as great a citie or greater beeing 60. miles in compasse the walls were an 100. foote high and the towers 200. whereof there were an 150. but Niniue was now much empayred and decayed and Babylon was made the chiefe citie of the kingdome Quest. 36. Whether Nebuchadnezzar were the builder of Babel Ver. 27. Which I haue built for the house of my kingdome c. 1. There are diuerse opinions hereof who should be the builder and founder of Babel Moses saith that Babel was the beginning of Nimroths kingdome Gen. 10. 10. Alexander Polyhistor in Eusebius out of Eupolemus saith that it was built by the gyants after the flood Alphaeus maketh Belus the founder thereof as Eusebius saith the most of the Grecians doe giue the honour thereof vnto Semiramis the wife of Ninus as Herodo lib. 1. Diodo lib. 3. Strabo lib. 16. Iustine with others Iosephus out of Berosus maketh Nebuchadnezzar the builder of Babel and therfore findeth fault with the Greeke writers for ascribing it vnto Semiramis 2. But all these may easily be reconciled 1. Nimroth is held to be the same who of forreine writters was called Belus for this Belus was the first that brought in idolatrie as Cyril saith and so was Nimroth for hence it is that most of the idols of the Gentiles tooke their name from Bel as the first founder of them as Belial or Baal the God of the Sidonians Beelzebub the god of Ekron Beelphegor the god of the Moabites Numb 25. Baalsamen the idol of the Carthaginians as Augustine saith so then it may well stand togethet that Nimroth and Belus beeing both the same man as is more at large shewed elsewhere were the founders of Babylon 2. And seeing Ninus was the captaine and chiefe of the Gyants they might be assistant vnto him in building of the tower of Babel and he a tingleader vnto them 3. It may also verie well agree that Nimroth or Belus laid the first foundation of Babylon which was enlarged by Semiramis 4. And afterward when the Kings of Assyria left Babylon made Niniue the cheife citie of their kingdome by this meanes Babylon was decayed and lay waâ—t which last of all was reedified and beautified by Nebuchadnezzar who as Iosephus out of Berosus writeth in these fiue works added to the buildiug of Babylon 1. he repayred the old citie and the temple of Belus 2. then he built a new citie adioyning vnto it 3. he compassed each of them with three walls for defense with towers and gates 4. then he built a most sumptuous palace next vnto the Palace of his father and finished it in 25. dayes 5. he made certaine artificiall rockes and mountaines with orchards and gardens vpon them to satisfie the desire of his wife who beeing a Median desired to see such hillie prospects after the manner of her countrey Because Nebuchadnezzar then had so enlarged and beautified the citie he maketh himselfe the builder of it Quest. 37. Of Nebucadnezzars pride in saying which I haue built for the house of the kingdome Nebuchadnezzars pride diuersely appeareth 1. because he thinketh that by his owne power and strength he had raised those great buildings as though by his owne witte and strength he had attained vnto that power riches to be able to compasse such great works whereas it is said in the Psal. 126. 1. except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Caluin 2. he considered not how to compasse such a great worke innumerorum pauperum facultates exhausit he had wasted the substance of a number of poore and wearied their bodies Oecolamp 3. He robbeth his father and auncestors of their due praise who had builded much before him he taketh all to himselfe Polan 4. then he sheweth his contempt against God as though he should haue said hauing now made Babylon inuincible as he thought quis inde me posset deijcere who can cast me out of it no not God himselfe Lyran. Iun. 5. then he addeth further he built it not for Gods honour but his owne he neither respected Gods glorie nor the good of the commonwealth but his owne fame and magnificence Osiand Caluin 6. whereas the Septuag readeth as he walked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the temple Eudoxius is of opinion that the king would haue beene counted for a God Oecolampiad 7. But the kings great securitie appeareth herein deambulat otiosus he walketh idlely as though in such a great kingdome there had been no businesse for him and he museth of nothing but his owne greatnesse Pellican 8. nemo interrogat c. â—pse primus suâ— encomia decantai no man asketh him any question he first soundeth out his owne praise wherein he bewraieth his vanitie and selfeloue Oecolamp Quest. 38. v. 28. What manner of voice it was which came downe from heauen 1. The Lord dealeth with Nebuchadnezzar by degrees first he spake vnto him by dreame then by the voice of his Prophet and seeing he was not mooued by any of these now the Lord thundreth from heauen 2. This voice was not spoken in Nebuchadnezzars eare but in the hearing of all that stood by Iun. vt Dei vindicta intelligatur à populo that all the people might see and vnderstand how the Lord tooke reuenge of him for his pride Lyran. 3. And it commeth from heauen both to shewe the authoritie and power the voice came from heauen quasi quoddam pondus deijciens eius superbiam as a mightie weight pressing downe his pride Lyran. as also the certaintie that those things beeing pronounced from heauen should vndoubtedly come to passe Iun. 4. And this voice commeth of a sudden euen while that proud speach was yet in his mouth to shewe that God neuer punisheth without cause and that all his iudgements are iust Bulling and further to testifie that such as abuse Gods long suffering and patience as Nebuchadnezzar here did shall suddenly be cut off and that when men are come to the height of pride the Lord will no longer forbeare Polan Quest. 39. The summe of the sentence denounced against Nebuchadnezzar 1. The circumstances of the sentence are described 1. the time that the voice came while Nebuchadnezzar was yet in speaking 2. the manner it was vttered by a voice 3. the place from heauen 4. the person to whom to Nebuchadnezzar by name by the which he is conuented as before his superiour Iudge his title is added O king to taxe him for
he put downe 20. But when his heart was lifted vp and his minde spirit C. hardened in pride he was deposed caused to descend C. from his kingly throne and they tooke his glorie from him 21. And he was driuen from the sonnes of men and his heart became as a beasts was put vnto the beasts C. and his dwelling was with the wild asses they fedde him with grasse like oxen and his bodie was wer with the dewe of heauen till he knewe that the most high God bare rule ouer the kingdome of men and he appointeth ouer it whomsouer he pleaseth 22. And thou his sonne O Belshatzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this 23. But hast lift thy selfe vp against the Lord of heauen and they haue brought the vessels of his house before thee and thou and thy princes thy wiues and thy concubines haue drunke wine in them and thou hast praised the gods of siluer and gold and brasse yron woode and stone which neither see neither heare nor vnderstand 24. Then was the part palme B. G. knuckles B. ioynts V. L. see before v. 5. of an hand sent from his presence and so this writing was written C. hath written this writing G. B. 25. And this is the writing that is written mene mene tekel vpharsin 26. And this is the interpretation of the words of the things B. G. Mene God hath numbred out thy kingdome and hath finished it 27. Tekel thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting too light G. 28. Peres diuided I. and so he interpreteth the other words before but first the words are set downe as they were written and then the interpretation thy kingdome is deuided and giuen vnto the Medes and Persians 29. Then Belshatzar gaue charge said C. and they cloathed Daniel with purple and put a chaine of gold about his neck and made proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome 30. The same night was Belshatzar the king of the Chaldeans slaine 31. And Darius Dariaves C. the Mede tooke the kingdome beeing threescore and two yeare old 3. The questions and doubts discussed Quest. 1. Why this chapter is transposed and not set downe according to the order of time 1. It is euident by the last verse of this chapter that this historie fell out in the last yeare of Balthazar 's raigne for at this time Babylon was taken but the prophesies and visions contained cap. 7. 8. were shewed vnto Daniel before the one in the first yeare c. 7. 8. the other in the third cap. 8. 1. 2. The reason hereof is this because Daniel would set downe together all the matters of fact and historie vnto the 7. chapter and then followe the propheticall visions together which onely were reuealed to Daniel from cap. 7. to the ende beside this chapter hath a very fit coherence with the former for as there it is shewed how Nebuchahnezzar was punished for his pride so the like is set forth here in the fall of Balthazar 3. It is like that many other memorable acts fell out in the raigne of Nebuchadnezzar his sonne Euilmerodach and this Balthazar but Daniel onely toucheth such things quorum vtilis futura erat posteris memoria the memorie and knowledge whereof might be profitable to posteritie as were these miraculous workes of God which were shewed vpon these kings Theodoret. Quest. 2. Of the kings of Chaldea which succeeded after Nebuchadnezzar 1. Iosephus setteth them downe in this order after Nebuchadnezzar he nameth his sonne Abilomarodachus then Niglisar his sonne and Labosardachus his sonne the father of Balthazar the same order followeth Eusebius differing somewhat in names he calleth these four Amilmathapacus Egressaâ—ius Labosardochus Balthazar so also Hierome and Lyran. 2. Metasthenes as Pintus alleadgeth him saith that Euilmerodach had three sonnes which succeeded one another the first Niglazar or Regassar who raigned 2. yeares then Lab-assar-dach who raigned 3. yeares and the third was Balthazar 3. But all these are deceiued for it is euident out of the Sâ—â—â—pture Ierem. 27. v. 5 6 7. that after Nebuchadnezzar succeeded onely his sonne and his sonnes sonne there were not then 4. descents but onely three from Nebuchadnezzar who was the grandfather not the greatgrandfather of Balâ—hazar for after Nebuchadnezzar succeeded Euilmerodach 2. king 25. 27. and after him his sonne Balthazar thus Hugo Vatab. Inn. Oecolamp Calvin 4. But hereupon riseth this difference that this Ncega-letzer or Niglazar did depose Euilmerodach his kinsman who together with his sonne Balthazar liued in exile among the Medes and in the meane time Neegaletzer or Niglazar possessed the kingdome and so indeede there were fower in all but one of them was an vsurper Polan see more hereof afterward quest 20. Quest. 3. Of the diuerse names of this Balthazar 1. He is here called Belshatzar which signifieth a searcher of treasure of belash scrutatus est he searched and atzar treasure he is called of Metasthenes Balt assar and in the vulgar Latine Balsasar of the Septuag Baltasar 2. He was also called Nabobonidus or Naboan with Iosephus or Nebonidachus in Eusebius or as others Nebonidus which signifieth a prince expelled 3. Herodotus calleth him Labynetus or Labunitâ—s the sonne of Nitocris whom he maketh more famous then Semiramis but here Herodotus falleth into great error making these two famous Queenes but fiue ages or generations one before another whereas from Semiramis to Nitocris there were runne a 1500. yeares Peter 4. Pererius thinketh that this Balthazar was called Merodach because Ieremie saith cap. 50. 2. Bel is confounded Merodach is broken downe where Merodach which signifieth sceptrifer a scepter bearer is there vnderstood rather of their idol Bel as appeareth by the phrase is broken downe which title also they gaue vnto their kings Iun. annot some thinke that Euilmerodach was so called as to say prince of Merodaciâ— the name of a region of Babylon which Ptolomie calleth Amordacia Polan Quest. 4. In what yeare of Balthazar 's raigne this historie fell out 1. Pererius thinketh it was in the 17. yeare of his raigne Hugo Cardinal in the 18. yeare Metasthenes giueth vnto Balthazar 's raigne 5. yeares Calvin saith he raigned 8. yeares and this happened in the last yeare of his raigne 2. But it was rather in the third and last yeare of his raigne as Oecolamp Bulling for if so many as 17. or 18. yeares be allowed vnto Balthazar 's raigne there will be more then 70. yeares of captiuitie which now were expired at the taking of Babylon and Cyrus entrance for 37. yeares were gone of the captiuitie before Euilmerodach beganne to raigne 2. king 25. 27. then Euilmerodach raigned as some account 30. yeares Bulling others giue him but 23. Oecolampad Calvin they that giue the least reckon 18. yeares Iosephus there could not then be yet 18. yeares remayning And that it was in the third yeare rather then in the 5. or 8. this may be
of man comming in the clouds to vnderstand in base and suppliant manner to come vnto a mortall Prince 2. R. Saadia vnderstandeth this also of the Messiah that he shall come as was prophesied of him sitting vpon an asse that is in great lowlinesse and in the clouds armies of Angels shall attend vpon him and that great dominion shall be giuen as the auncient of dayes that is sicut domini filiorum hominum as they which are Lords among men c. But herein also is his errour 1. he confoundeth the first comming of Christ which was in humilitie and his second comming which should be in glorie 2. he dreameth of a temporall kingdome 3. he misinterpreteth the auncient of dayes which he applyeth to mortall men 3. The most of the Christian writers doe here vnderstand the second comming of Christ to iudgement as Lyran. Hugo gloss So also Oecolampad Bulling Pererius granteth that in the vision of the image c. 2. the stone cut out without hands doth signifie Christ in his first comming but here he thinketh that Christ is described comming vnto iudgement because so it is said Matth. 24. then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds c. And because this apparition of the Sonne of man followeth after the destruction of Antichrist But 1. Christ also ascending to his father was taken vp in the clouds 2. the little horne of the fourth beast signifieth not Antichrist but typically and by way of analogie it historically is meant of Antiochus Epiphanes as is before shewed 3. seeing the same Monarchies and kingdomes are described in the vision c. 2. and this c. 7. the same destruction and extinguishing of the kingdomes in both places must be insinuated 4. neither is this aptly referred to Christs second comming but to that his coÌ„ming which followed vpon the dissolution of that fourth kingdome which was of the Seleucians in Syria as is shewed before quest 22. and quest 26. 5. Iunius vnderstandeth the approaching of Christ to the Auncient of dayes of Christs ascension vnto his father but the comming in or with the clouds he applyeth to Christs comming into the world to finish the worke of our redemption deitas illius figuratur aduentu è nubibus his deitie is prefigured by his comming out of the clouds Inn annot so also Calvin thinketh the meaning is that Christ though he were the sonne of man yet differed much from all mankind c. his beginning was from heauen ours is from the earth 6. But all these are better ioyned together to set forth the glorious ascension of our Blessed Sauiour which type we see fulfilled Act. 1. where Christ ascended vp in a cloud by this approaching to the Auncient of dayes is signified his equalitie with his father he approached ad aequalitatem Deipatris to be equall to his father in the diuine essence Lyran. Bulling and to sit at the right hand of God his father Vatab. they brought him before him that is he offred and presented himselfe to his father for so in the Chalde tongue the third person plurall is vsed impersonally Iun. or else the Angels reioycing at the ascension of Christ attended vpon him when he ascended in tryumph to his father as Iustine Martyr expoundeth dialog cum Tryphon Polan 7. And that this part of the vision is rather vnderstood of Christs first comming into the world and his returning to his father then of his second comming to iudgement these two reasons out of the text it selfe may perswade 1. because this dominion is here giuen vnto Christ but Christ receiued his kingdome at his resurrection from the dead when he said to his Apostles all power is giuen vnto me in heauen and earth tunc regnum suum auspicatus est then Christ beganne his kingdome Calv. it was not deferred till his second comming Oecolampadius answereth nouo modo datur illi gloria quam in membris suis accipit c. then after a newe manner glorie shall be giuen him because he shall receiue it in his members c. But it is euident that this is meant of Christs receiuing this kingdome in himselfe though for his members because he is brought to the Auncient of dayes as it were to sit downe in the throne with him which cannot be vnderstood of his members 2. the kingdome vnder the whole heauen is said to be giuen vnto the holy people v. 27. but the celestiall and heauenly kingdome cannot be said to be vnder heauen therefore it is not meant of the Church tryumphant in heauen but of the Militant in earth 8. And yet we so vnderstand this of the first comming of Christ as that we say with Rupertus in primo aduentu coeptum fatâ—mur quod in secundo consummandum est we confesse this kingdome to beginne in the first comming of Christ which shall be finished in his second c. and that Christs kingdome then tooke beginning he sheweth by that text Ioh. 12. 31. now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out Quest. 42. That this kingdome could not be the kingdome of the Macchabees v. 14. And he gaue him dominion and honour c. 1. Porphyrie by this kingdome vnderstandeth the prosperous gouernement of the Macchabees who obtained diuerse victories against Antiochus and procured the libertie of their countrie 2. But this cannot be 1. Theodoret thus reasoneth this kingdome here giuen shall neuer be taken away but this gouernement of the Macchabees continued not long Iudas gouerned three yeares Ionathas 31. Simon 8. yeares but afterward the countrey of the Iewes was oppressed againe And though we take the whole time of the Macchabees which succeeded it continued not aboue an 126. yeares till the time of Herod who depriued them of the kingdome to this purpose Theodoret. 2. this kingdome shall be ouer all the world but the Macchabees onely ruled in Iudea Perer. 3. whereas this Sonne of man commeth in the clowds and approacheth vnto the Auncient of dayes it cannot be shewed how this should agree vnto mortall men Quest. 43. That this kingdome is the kingdome of Christ our Blessed Lord and Sauiour 1. The Iewes seeke by their cauils and shiftes to obscure this cleare prophesie and first obiect that Christs kingdome is not here vnderstood Secondly they argue that Christ is that little home which came out of the fourth beast 1. The first they would thus prooue 1. the fifth kingdome must destroy the fourth beast but Christ at his comming did not dissolue the Romane Empire it then most of al flourished vnder Augustus and Tiberius 2. the fifth kingdome must be distinct from the fourth but the kingdome of Christ flourished vnder the Romane Empire beeing aduanced by Constantine and other Christian Emperours 3. this fift kingdome shall be of all other the most mightie but there are other kingdomes mightier then the Christans as the Turkish power 4. this fift kingdome must continue for euer but the kingdome of
Christianitie decreaseth and is more and more empayred 2. That Christ is that little horne out of the fourth beast and so consequently not this fifth kingdome thus they obiect 1. this horne was little in respect of the obscure beginning so was Christs rising vp obscure 2. this horne speaketh proud things so Christ said he was without sinne that he was the sonne of God 3. this horne changeth times and lawes so Christ violated the Sabbath and abolished the ceremonies of Moses 4. and as this horne was to continue a time two times and an halfe that is three yeares and an halfe so Christ preached iust so many yeares Contra. 1. Their reasons vpon the first point are easily answered 1. It is denied that the Romane Empire is the fourth beast but rather the kingdome of the Seleucians in Syria which was destroyed before the comming of the Messiah 2. And so Christs kingdome was distinct from the fourth and from all other terrene kingdomes and dominions they are earthly and temporall Christs is spirituall and eternall the Christian faith is maintained vnder the Romane Empire yet it is farre differing from it the Iewes here imagine that this fift kingdome should be a temporall and externall kingdome in the world such as they dreame of their Messiah but therein they are deceiued for our blessed Sauiour himsefe saith that he came not to be ministred vnto but to minister Matth. 21. and he said to Pilate that his kingdome was not of this world yea the thiefe who was conuerted vpon the crosse vnderstood as much saying to Christ remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome therefore Christ had no temporall kingdome in this world but spirituall in which respect it was diuerse and distinct from all other earthly kingdomes See more hereof cap. 2. que 58. 3. And though this kingdome of the Messiah doth not alwaies shewe it selfe mightier in this world in externall power then other kingdomes yet the spirituall power thereof farre exceedeth all temporall dominion seeing euen those terrene powers which persecuted the gospel of Christ were by the power thereof subdued vnto the faith as Constantine the Empecour and other Christian Emperours and Kings which maintained the Christian faith according to the prophesie of Isay 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes thy nursing mothers 4. though the terrene bounds and limits of those kingdomes which profâ—sse the gospel of Christ may sometime be enlarged sometime empayred yet the spirituall kingdome of Christ is not conquered which triumpheth in the middes of the greatest trialls and afflictions of his seruants and it is most certaine though the Church of Christ may be translated from one kingdome to another yet it shall remayne as long as the earth endureth and after shall raigne in heauen for euer 2. Concerning the other obiection that Christ should be this little horne 1. The most of these arguments are answered before quest 27. 7. to the which place I referre the Reader 2. Christ violated not the Sabbath but taught the right vse of the Sabbath against the superstitious obseruations of the Iewes 3. though this little horne was to rage against the Saints 3. yeares and a halfe it followeth not because Christ preached no longer that he should be this little horne euerie meane Logician knoweth what an inartificiall kind of reasoning it is to conclude affirmatiuely in the second figure as thus this little horne shall rage 3. yeares and an halfe Christ preached 3. yeares and halfe Ergo he is this little horne Beside there is great difference betweene raging and tyrannizing against the Saints and preaching to the Saints so that beside the fayling in the forme of the argument they assume not right 4. But that Christ no wayes can be this little horne it is euident for these hornes must be kings and kings of the fourth kingdome or Monarchie and it must plucke away three kings before it but Christ was no king neither of the Syrian nor Romane kingdome neither can it be shewed how he remooued 3. kings before him 2. and after this horne is taken away it is said the Saints should haue the kingdome but after Christ was put to death the people of the Iewes were more afflicted then they were before and within fewe yeares their citie and Temple were destroyed by the Romanes Therefore this their assertion is most blaspemous and absurd that Christ should be this little horne 3. Those Rabbines are more reasonable which doe vnderstand this kingdome of the Messiah as R. Iesua Ab. Ezra R. Saadia though herein they fayle in dreaming of a temporall kingdome which should be raised by their Messiah Quest. 44. That this kingdome giuen to the Sonne of man shall not be in earth against the Chiliastes 1. Some of the auncient writers were of opinion that after 6. thousand yeares for so long they held the world should continue for euerie of the sixe dayes of the creation counting a thousand yeares Christ should come and raigne with his Saints a thousand yeares in all prosperitie in the earth they should be raised from the dead which they call the first resurrection and liue in peace and all happinesse marrying wiâ—es and begetting children And after these thousand yeares Sathan should be let loose and then should be the greatest persecution that euer was by Antichrist after which time the dead should be raised to life which they say is the second resurrection and then the Saints should raigne with Christ in heauen for euer 2. Of this opinion was Papias whom Ireneus affirmeth to haue beene one of Iohns disciples who for his antiquitie mooued others to embrace the same opinion as Iustinus dialog cum Tryphon Iereneus Tertullian also as Hierome thinketh lib. 11. in Ezekiel Victorinus in Apocalyps Lactantius also and Seruius Sulpitius But the simplicitie of Papias gaue occasion to this error who vnderstood literally those things which the Apostles spiriâ—ually meant of the glorie and peace of Christs kingdome and to Eusebius giueth this testimony of Papias that he was a man ingenij perquam tenuis of a verse slender wit as may appeare by his writings 3. The chiefe ground of this errour is by the mistaking of that place Apocal. 20. 2. that Sathan should be bound for a thousand yeares and that the Saints liued and raigned with Christ a thousand yeares this is the first resurrection But this place maketh nothing at all for this opinion as shall be shewed afterward 4. Cerinthus the heritike had the like conceite of Christs raigning in earth a thousand yeares as Eusebius testifieth lib. 3. histor Ecclesiast c. 22. But herein they differed Cerinthus thought that men vnder this kingdome of Christ should liue in carnall pleasure and voluptuousnesse This opinion Augustine alwaies misliked but he confesseth that sometime he approoued the other lib. 20. de ciuit dei c. 7. Contâ—a But now briefely it shall be shewed how vaine and false this opinion is 1. Our Blessed Sauiour himselfe saith
his father Geneuens who is said then to be subiect to his father as man not that he was not subiect before but because the Church which is his bodie which shall be also subiect is not yet perfect Beza This is most true that the Sonne as man is subiect vnto God as Augustine saith Christus vt Deus nos cum patre subiectos habet vt sacerdos nobiscum patri subiectus est Christ as God together with his father hath vs subiect vnto him as he is the Priest he is together with vs subiect to his father lib. 1. de Trinitat cap. 8. yet this doth not fully satisfie how Christ shall deliuer vp his kingdome for as he is the Sonne of man he is said here to haue aâ— euerlasting kingdom and he shall be adored and worshipped for euer as the king of his Church 3. Therefore this is to be vnderstood of the manner of his kingdome that it shall not be administred in the next world as now per ministerium verbi sacramentorum by the ministerie of the word and Sacraments Osiand And that part of Christs kingdome shall cease which is exercised in the subduing and vanquishing of his enemies for then there shall be no enemies at all to be subdued this execution of Christs kingdome shall cease yet Christ shall remaine king of his Church for euer to be adored of his Angels and of all his Elect. 47. Quest. v. 17. Of the rising of the foure beasts 1. Where it is in the text these foure beasts are foure kings Calvin following the vulgar Latine readeth kingdomes but the word is malchin kings malcutha signifieth a kingdome v. 18. But yet by Kings we must vnderstand kingdomes Iun. Vatab. for there were diuers kings in the second Monarchie of the Persians and in the fourth of the Seleucians 2. It is saide they shall arise by a synecdoche the greater part beeing taken for the whole for the Chalde Monarchie was alreadie not onely risen but almost at an ende the other three were yet to rise Polan 3. They shall arise out of the earth before it is said out of the Sea sed metaphorice posuerat nomen maris the name of the Sea he put metaphorically the earth in respect of the troubles thereof is compared vnto a turbulent and vnquiet sea Calvin 48. Quest. Who shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints v. 18. Some read they shall take the kingdome of the Saints of the most high 2. Some the most high Saints shall take the kingdome c. and possesse the kingdome for euer yea for euer and euer 3. Some referre the first clause to the beasts that they shall take the kingdome the second to the Saints who shall possesse it for euer 1. They which so vnderstand these words as though these foure kingdomes which should rise out of the earth shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints 1. Some by the kingdome vnderstand the earth which is due vnto the Saints and in Abraham was promised to the faithfull which these foure Monarchies shall possesse for euer that is till the world be restored by Christ. Genevens Iun. 2. Or it is said for euer in respect of the longing desire of the Saints that are afflicted who shall thinke the time very long before they be deliuered Calvin 3. Some doe thus interpret it for euer yea for euer and euer that is for diuers ages shall these Monarchies keepe the people of God in subiection for the Chaldeans held them and their countrey in bondage 70. yeares the Persians 207. yeares the Seleucians 148. yeares which make aboue 400. yeares foure complete generations Polan But all these expositions are confuted by these two arguments 1. because it seemeth an hard speech that the wicked should possesse the kingdome of the Saints for euer and euer whereas the kingdome onely of the Messiah shall be euerlasting v. 14. 2. the kingdome of the Saints is not here taken for any earthly inheritance but for a celestiall and spirituall dominion as is euident v. 22. 27. And therefore the other kingdomes are said to rise out of the earth to shew a difference betweene this kingdome and theirs as the ordin gloss well obserueth Whatsoeuer is earthly shall returne to the earth Sancti non accipient regnum terrenum sed coeleste the Saints shall not receiue an earthly kingdome but an heauenly 2. They which follow the second reading that the Saints shall take the kingdome 1. Some referre it to the euerlasting kingdome of heauen onely which they shall receiue at the comming of Christ hoc erit in iudicio finali this shall be in the finall iudgement Lyran. post regna mundi finita post mortem Antichristi after all the kingdomes are at an ende after the death of Antichrist gloss interlin But this fift kingdome the Saints shall receiue presently after the dissolution of the foure former kingdomes which were ended before the first comming of Christ. 2. Oecolampad likewise vnderstandeth this fift to be the celestiall kingdome where the faithfull shall raigne with Christ But it is euident v. 27. where it is said the kingdomes vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen vnto the people of God that this kingdome of the Saints shall begin in earth for the heauenly kingdome can not be saide to be the kingdome vnder heauen 3. Some thinke that this kingdome of the Saints shall take place while the other Monarchies doe yet stand as vnder the fourth Monarchie of the Romanes the Church of Christ was propagated ouer all the world Pellican So also Bullinger Ecclesiam per omnes istus Monarchias in mundo futuram that the Church shall be in the world during all these Monarchies which exposition in part is true that the Church of God the spirituall kingdome of Christ can not be extinquished or ouercome but shall still continue in the world the very gates of hell shall not preuaile against it yet herein it faileth that they suppose these Monarchies shall still haue dominion when this fift kingdome taketh place whereas the contrarie is euident v. 11 12. that the fourth beast shall be slaine and the dominion taken from the other three beasts before this kingdome should be giuen vnto the Saints 4. It remaineth then that the fift kingdome beeing the spirituall dominion of the Church shall then beginne when the other foure kingdomes are extinguished And for the more certen and euident demonstration hereof these positions shall be here affirmed 1. that the kingdome here spoken of though the foure beasts shall first take it yet in the ende shall be possessed of the Saints not that those Monarchies shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints so is it interpreted v. 22. The time approched that the Saints possessed the kingdome 2. this kingdome of the Saints is begun here in this world it is not deferred to the second comming of Christ though then it shall be perfited as Hugo well interpreteth ab hoc seculo in quo regnant per gratiam
raigned in Media but that can not be for this Darius was also the king of the Medes and Persians as is euident c. 6. 5. Iosephus Scalliger giueth vnto Darius 17. yeares making him the last king of the Chaldeans after whome Cyrus succeeded lib. 6. de emendat tempor 6. Iunius opinion seemeth to be commentar in 5. c. v. 29. that the first yeare of Darius was the second of Cyrus 7. Pererius affirmeth that Darius raigned but one yeare and that Cyrus succeeded him in the same yeare beeing the 70. yeare of the Iewes captiuitie 8. But the truer opinion is that Cyrus and Darius raigned ioyntly together as thinketh Calvin and that the first of Darius was the first also of Cyrus for in the first of Cyrus the word of God spoken by Ieremie concerning the 70. yeares captiuitie was finished 2. Chro. 36. 22. And so likewise it appeareth in this place that in the first yeare of Darius that time of 70. yeares was expired the first then of Cyrus and Darius concurred together for the rest it is like that Darius raigned not long but beeing 62. yeare old when he tooke the kingdom vpon him he might die the same yeare which was also Cyrus first see more hereof c. 6. qu. 3. 9. And whereas it is saide in one yeare of Darius which Pererius gesseth to be so called because he raigned but one yeare the reason rather is this that the word aâ—hath which signifieth one is according to the phrase of the Hebrew taken for the first as Gen. 1. the morning and euening were one day that is the first and Mark 16. it is said that our Lord rose in one of the Sabbaths that is in the first day of the weeke Polan Pintus 3. Quest. Whether in the first yeare of Darius the Chaldean Monarchie was dissolued and the 70. yeares captiuitie ended against the opinion of Iosephus Scalling lib. 6. Iosephus Scalliger a man of excellent learning who for his singular labours in that learned and exquisite worke which he hath written of the emendation of the times hath highly deserued of all men yet is in diuers points ouerseene and especially in this matter concerning the ende of the Chaldean Monarchie and of the Iewish captiuitie for lib. 6. of that worke he hath these positions 1. He affirmeth that the Chaldean state was not dissolued in the 70. yeare of the captiuitie but rather in the 60. yeare for from the 8. yeare of Ieconias captiuitie vnto the ende of the Chaldean gouernment are found saith he by Iosephus computation who therein followeth Berosus about 60. yeares 36. yeares remained after the 8. yeare of Nabuchadnezzers raigne when the captiuitie beganne who raigned in all 43. yeares after Nabuchadnezzer Euilmerodach 2. yeares then Niglasar 4. yeares Labosardach 9. moneths and Nabonidus whome Cyrus ouercame 17. yeares 2. He thinketh that Cyrus did not take Babylon in the first yeare of his raigne but many yeares after when he had vanquished Cresus the rich king of Lydia two yeares after that as Herodotus writeth he ouercame the Chaldeans But Cresus was ouercome as Eusebius doth cast the time in the 4. yeare of the 57. Olympiad whereas Cyrus began to raigne in the 1. yeare of the 53. Olyampiad 3. The first yeare of Cyrus he would haue concurre with the 46. yeare of the captiuitie not with the 70. yeare for the beginning of Cyrus raigne as is before shewed was in the 1. yeare of the 55. Olympiade And Babylon was taken in the 2. yeare of the 58. Olympiade which was the 14. yeare of Cyrus and the 60. yeare of the captiuitie 4. A fourth assertion is that the captiuitie ended in the last yeare of Cyrus about the 2. yeare of the 62. Olympiad when as Cyrus had now subdued many countries which could not be in the beginning of his raigne for thus Cyrus saith in his Edict for the returne of the Iewes All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heauen giuen vnto me And whereas it is there called the 1. yeare of Cyrus that is not to be vnderstood of his raigne but of the captiuitie for so the Iewes began their account of yeares from that time Contra. 1. The first position is contrarie to that prophesie of Ieremie c. 35. 12. When the 70. yeares are accomplished I will visit the king of Babel c. then the 70. and last yeare of the captiuitie and the dissolution of the Babylonian state must fall out together as for that computation of Berosus of the yeares of the Babylonian kings it is vncerten neither doth Iosephus alwaies follow it who els where ioyneth the last yeare of the captiuitie with the first yeare of Cyrus 2. Herodotus is deceiued much in his historie in the order of time and in the computation of yeares as is euident in this one instance Nitocris the mother of Balshazar whome he calleth Labynitus the last king of Babylon he maketh but fiue generations or descents from Semiramis which exceedeth not an 165. yeares counting a generation at 33. yeares or at the most 500. yeares if we giue an 100. yeares to a generation whereas the most writers are of opinion as Hierome Eusebius Orosius Augustine with others that there were at the least a 1000. yeares betweene them 3. The two last assertions may euidently be conuinced by the Scripture which expressely setteth downe that the returne of the Iewes and so the ende of their captiuitie was in the first yeare of Cyrus which must be vnderstood of his raigne ouer Chaldea for he had raigned before in Persia and Darius in Media he might say all kingdomes were giuen him because he had ouercome the large Empire of Babylon The Iewes indeede accounted their owne yeares from such notable deliuerances as from their going out of Egypt from their returne out of Chaldea but there is no reason so to account the yeares of the raigne of forren kings neither can any such president be shewed in Scripture 4. Quest. Of the 70. yeares of captiuitie in what sense they are called seuen generations Baruch 6. 2. Whereas the Prophet Ieremie defineth and setteth downe the tearme of the Babylonian captiuitie to be 70. yeares c. 25. v. 11 12. c. 29. v. 10. it seemeth strange that Baruch c. 6. 2. should say that they should remaine in Babylon seuen generations to this obiection diuers answers are made by the Romanists who hold the epistle of Baruch to be Canonicall 1. The word generation is taken diuersly sometimes for 7. yeares as when the Physiâ—ians prescribe that a child should not be let blood till he hath accomplished two generations that is 14. yeares Eusebius taketh a generation for 20. yeares Herodotus sometime for the space of 2â— yeares sometime for 33. yeares Diodorus for 30. yeares in which sense Hâ—mer saith Nestor liued three ages that is 90. yeares Dyonisius Halycarnass by a generation vnderstandeth an 100. yeares and so it is taken in Scripture Gen. 15. 13. 16. foure generations are
the citie and Temple were destroied by the Romanes so also Polanus and M. Lively follow the same sense But such ceasing of the sacrifices de facto actually and in fact happened before vnder the tyrannie of Antiochus Epimanes Dan. 8. v. 11. 12. here such a ceasing of them is signified which was not before namely that by the Messiah all the rites and ceremonies of the law should be abolished 2. Iunius ioyneth both these together that the sacrifices were caused to cease both in respect of the godly whome Christ had sanctified by the one offering of himselfe Hebr. 10. 14. so that they neede not to be purged by the sacrifices of the law and in respect of the wicked they ceased because the Romanes tooke from the Iewes both their Temple altar and sacrifices But concerning the first that was done many yeares before the destruction of Ierusalem when Christ suffered and therefore there is no reason to restraine that benefit to these last times and for the other that actuall ceasing of the sacrifices happened before as is said vnder Antiochiâ—â— 3. Others expound this ceasing of the sacrifices of the time of the Apostles after the death of our Sauiour as when the Apostles by their decree abrogated the ceremonies of the Law certaine onely excepted in respect of the necessitie of the time Act. 15. Melancthon Osiand But these doe not distinguish betweene the ceasing of the sacrifices in right and in fact they in fact ceased not in the death of Christ but in right they were then abolished 4. Wherefore I preferre Calvins exposition that after Christ had offered himselfe vpon the crosse illic cessarunt omnes ritus legales there all the legall rites ceased and after that as Oecolampad well saith lanienae erant non sacrificia the sacrifices were rather butchers slaughters and shambles then true sacrifices And he yeeldeth this as a reason thereof because in the passion of Christ the vaile of the Temple was rent to shew that the sacrifices and rites of the law were abolished Pintus addeth this reason because the bodie beeing come the shadowes must cease like as a painter draweth his picture first with shadowed lines but when he portraiteth the picture he putteth out the first lines so our blessed Sauiour bringing all fulnesse and perfection with him hath dashed out the shadowes of the law according to that saying in the Gospel Ioh. 1. 17. The law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. 87. Quest. What is meant by the ouerspreading of abomination v. 27. of the best reading thereof The word canaph signifieth a wing 1. some therefore take it for the pinacle or wing of the Temple the part for the whole Oecolampad 2. some vnderstand thereby the Temple because it was as a wing and defence wherein the Iewes put their confidence Bulling 3. Some take canaph the wing for the Cherubs which were winged that euen vpon them in the most inward parts of the Temple this desplation should come 4. Some by the wing interpret the extremitie of desolation applying it to the desperate state of the Iewes 5. Vatablus thus expoundeth adam vel extensionem id est longam seriem abominationum the wing or extension that is the long continuance of these abominations so also the Genev. the ouerspreading of abominations 6. Some by the wing vnderstand the armie of the Romanes as the word is taken Isa. 8. 8. The stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land Iun. Polan 7. The Latine interpreter readeth in the Temple shall be the abomination of desolation by the wing he vnderstandeth the Temple and this seemeth to be confirmed by that place Matth. 24. 15. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place c. And so the meaning is this that euen in the inward Temple where the winged Cherubims were should be the abomination of desolation Osiand the word is meshomem which is a participle signifying making desolate But here it is taken substantiuely for desolation as M. Lively obserueth the like in other places Thus then the place is to be read And vpon the wing shall be the abominations of desolations Oecolampad that is vpon the very altar and holy place where the winged Cherubims were 88. Quest. What this abomination of desolation was 1. Ireneus by the abomination of desolation vnderstandeth Antichrist of whome he imagineth that he should sit in the Temple at Ierusalem and be worshipped as the Messiah who is called the abomination because of his abominable and execrable impietie and desolation because he shall make desolate the Churches and worship of Christians But seeing that this desolation is prophesied to come vpon Ierusalem after the death of the Messiah and our blessed Sauiour also referreth it to the destruction of Ierusalem it can not be deferred so long as to the comming of Antichrist neither shall the Temple of the Iewes be repaired againe for any such to sit or aduance himselfe in 2. Some referre it to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes who caused an abominable Idol to be set vp in the Temple and the same to be called the Temple of Iuppiter Olympius as Iosephus writeth lib 12. c. 17. the historie whereof is also set forth 1. Macchab. 1. 57. But seeing our Sauiour hath reference to this place speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem Matth. 24. it seemeth this prophesie was not then fulfilled whereas the profanation by Antiochus was past aboue 200. yeare before 3. Some vnderstand it of the very Iewish sacrifices which after the oblation of Christ vpon the crosse were detestable and abominable Dyonis Carthusian Hug. Cardin. and the author of the scholasticall historie But our Sauiour setteth forth this abomination of desolation as a present signe of the destruction of the citie whereas the legall sacrifices continued still after the death of Christ which was 40. yeares before 4. Tostadius Hesselius and â—ansenius vpon that place Matth. 24. by this abomination of desolation doe vnderstand the abominable outrages which were committed by the seditious Iewes who filled the Temple with dead bodies and defiled it with blood This seditious companie called themselues zelotas zealous men as Iosephus writeth but they spared to commit no abomination in so much that Iosephus writeth of them that their wickednes was such that if the Romanes had not come against them he thinketh that either the earth would haue deuoured the citie or it should haue beene ouerflowne with water or burnt with fire from heauen as Sodom was Iosephus also in the same place testifieth that there was a common speach that the citie should then be destroyed and the Temple set on fire when there should rise vp sedition among the people and the Iewes with their owne hands first had defiled the Temple Ioseph lib. 5. de bell Iudaic. c. 2. But seeing that these seditious though they commited many abominations in the Temple yet the finall destruction was
more then to haue Cesars image in their coine 2. This was done rather after the passion of Christ as Oecolampad inferreth out of Iosephus 3. And though they were remooued yet it is like they stood there some certaine time 4. Neither onely is this abomination of desolation to be restrained to the images which Pilate brought in but it comprehendeth also other like profanations as that of Caligula before mentioned for the word is put in the plural shakutzim abominations Now that this is the most fit and conuenient sense of this place our reasons are these 1. because this reading of the Septuagint and vulgar Latin in the Temple shall be the abomination of desolation is confirmed and warranted by our blessed Sauiour Matth. 24. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place 2. The abomination of desolation which was in Antiochus time foreshewed Dan. 8. 13. 11. 31. they shall pollute the Sanctuarie c. and set vp the abominable desolation is taken in that sense which was the abominable idol of Iuppiter Olympius which was set vp vpon the altar as appeareth 1. Macc. 1. 57. and Iosephus also writeth that he caused the Sanctuarie to be called the Temple of Iuppiter Olympius lib. 12. antiquit c. 7. The like meaning of the same words is also insinuated here 3. The Hebrew word shakutz abomination is peculiar to idols as 1. king 11. 5. Milcom is called shakutz the abomination of the Ammonites the abomination then and abominable thing is most properly vnderstood to be some abominable idol set vp 4. The word also canaph wing is applied to the Sanctuarie as Psal. 61. 4. I will dwell in thy Tabernacle for euer and my trust shall be vnder the couering of thy wings where Dauid alludeth to the Cherubims which strercheth out their wings and ouershadowed the Arke So Matth. 4. 5. the place of the Temple whether Christ was carried in his second temptation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wing that is the pinnacle or battlement of the Temple Pintus taketh the wing for the spreading of the banners in the Temple R. Saadinh by the wing of abomination interpreteth the hand of those which taee abominable things as swines flesh but this is forced and he seemeth especially to haue reference to Antiochus times It is most fitly therefore referred to the Temple the wing or pinacle and part beeing taken for the whole Oecolamp or because in the inward parts were the Cherubims with their stretched-out wings Osiand or rather because the Temple was in respect of the defence thereof and Gods presence called the wings of God Bulling and it stood in the highest part of the citie as ouershadowing the rest as it were with wings see more of the diuers acceptions of this word in the question next before 89. Quest. v. 27. Whether the desolation of Ierusalem here spoken of should be finall The words are thus translated vntill the consummation euen determined shall it be powred vpon the desolate Iun. the meaning of which words is that like a continuall dropping and ouerflowing so shall one calamitie follow an other vntill they be vtterly made desolate 1. R. Salomon vnderstandeth this consummation of the last battell of Gog and Magog in the ende of the world vntill that time should this desolation be but then the Messiah should ouercome all the aduersaries of the Iewes and the citie and Temple should be reedified againe But the battell of Gog and and Magog was past long before Christs time neither should the Messiah come into the world as a victorious Prince he was to be put to death as here the Angel foresheweth see this opinion before confuted qu. 78. 2. Lyranus inferreth vpon these words vsque ad consummationem finem vnto the consummation and ende c. that prope finem mundi c. toward the ende of the world the falsenesse of Antichrist beeing detected by the preaching of Henoch and Elias the Iewes shall be conuerted vnto Christ and vntill that time this desolation shall be c. But that conceit of Henoch and Elias preaching in the ende of the world hath no ground neither shall the comming of Antichrist be deferred so long vnto the ende of the world the Iewes conuersion is expected but their citie and Temple shall neuer be restored againe for that would hinder their conuersion vnto Christ. 3. Wherefore out of this place rather it may be concluded that this ouerthrowe of the citie which is here spoken of should be the beginning of their finall and perpetuall desolation which may thus further appeare 1. This is testified in other places of the Scripture that a finall destruction was determined ouer this people as Ier. 19. 11. I will breake this people and this citie as one breaketh a potters vessell that cannot be made whole againe so also the Prophet Isay saith after he had prophesied of diuerse calamities which should fall vpon them yet for all this his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Hereunto agreeth S. Paul speaking of the Iewes who both killed the Lord Iesus and their owne Prophets and haue persecuted vs and God they pleased not and are contrarie to all men c. for the wrath of God is come vpon them to the vtmost c. 1. Thess. 2. 16. And yet the Prophet Isay more euidently prophesied of the finall ruine of the citie c. 25. 1. 2. O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee for thou hast made of a citie an heape of a strong citie a ruine c. it shall neuer be built againe 2. This further may appeare by comparing this desolation of Ierusalem with the former times of their captiuitie In Babylon they were captiue but 70. yeares afterward the citie and Temple were repaired vnder Antiochus the Temple and citie lay wast 2300. daies Dan. 8. 14. that is 6. yeares 3. moneths and an halfe But this desolation and captiuitie hath now continued aboue 1500. yeares Now whereas the Prophet Hagge saith c. 2. 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Yet a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth c. I will â—â—one all nations and the desire of all nations shall come seeing that in the Prophet Hagges time which is almost 2000. yeares since the Messiah was then to come within a little while what hope can the Iewes now haue after so many yeares to expect an other Messiah 3. Beside this is an euident argument of the finall and perpetuall desolation of the Iewes citie and Temple because they haue attempted since this destruction by Titus to haue restored their Temple and Commonwealth but they were hindred from going forward vnder Adrian the Emperour some 64. yeares after this calamitie the Iewes vnder their captaine Benchochab or Barchochab thought to recouer their libertie they held 50. castles and 980. townes and fortified Beth-oron Adrian came and besieged the citie 3. yeares and 6. moneths at the length
inwardly warranted that they are sent and called by the Lord. 2. they must be Prophets that is indued with propheticall and spirituall gifts for God sendeth no dumbe or lame messenger with his errant and message 3. they must speake in the name of the Lord they must preach nothing but Gods word and warrant their doctrine thereby 4. they must be faithfull not respecting persons in the deliuerie of their message but indifferently speake to all as here it followeth which spake in thy name to our kings to our princes to our fathers 6. Doctr. That Angels are of a finite and circumscriptible nature v. 24. The Angel Gabriel came flying c. Hence it appeareth that the Angels passe from place to place and are circumscriptible and defined by their proper place when they are in heauen they are not at the same time in earth as Damascene saith lib. 2. de fide orthod c. 3. Their errour then is manifest who thinke the Angels to be in heauen and in earth at once they are euidently conuinced by this place which speaketh of the comming of the Angel to Daniel which sheweth that he was not present before Bulling so Daniel saith c. 6. 22. that the Lord had sent his Angel and stopped the mouths of the Lions the Angel then was not there before vntill the Lord sent him to that ende 7. Doctr. That Christ is perfect God and perfect man v. 24. To reconcile iniquitie and bring in euerlasting righteousnesse c. Hence it is prooued that Christ was both perfect God for otherwise he could not take away sinne which is the worke onely of God and he was man in as much as he liued and was conuersant among men the Prophet Dauid therefore vnderstanding this mysterie of the beeing or dwelling of God in the flesh saith Psal 46. 7. the Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge Therefore he is called by the Prophet Immanuel Isay. 7. 14. and 8. 8. Pintus 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. That prayer and fasting is not meritorious v. 3. I turned my face vnto the Lord c. with supplications with fasting and sackecloth Fasting is not of it selfe a thing acceptable vnto God but as it is vsed as a meanes to make â—ur prayers more feruent the Romanists then are in an errour which make fasting a thing meritorious Calvin the contrarie is euident in the Pharisie who boasted of his almes deeds and of his fasting twice in a week yet his prayer was not accepted of God Luk. 18. If prayer then and true contrition with hartie repentance and vnfained humilitie doe accompanie fasting it is regarded and had in remembrance with God otherwise it is an vnprofitable exercise as S. Paul saith Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things 1. Tim. 4. 8. 2. Controv. God onely is to be invocated not Saints or Angels v. 3. Daniel onely turneth his face vnto the Lord now if Saints were to be prayed vnto Daniel had here occasion to turne himselfe vnto Ieremie whose prophesie he maketh mention of before who had beene fitter to assist Daniel praying for deliuerance after the 70. yeares captiuitie then he who was the minister of that prophesie and promise By this then it is well gathered that the invocation of Saints was not in vse in the old Testament Bullinger and therefore the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 73. 25. Whom haue I in heauen but thee And the Scripture commandeth vs to worship God onely and serue him Deut. 6. 13. Matth. 4. v. 10. If God onely is to be worshipped he alone must be prayed vnto for prayer is a part of his worship The Romanistes for the invocation of Angels and Saints doe alleadge these places of Scripture 1. Gen. 48. 16. Iakob saith the Angel which hath deliuered me blesse the children But this was no created Angel it was Christ the sonne of God for in the former verse he is called God the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Izaak did walke the God which hath fedde me all my life long vnto this day blesse c. then it followeth in the next verse the Angel which hath deliuered me c. what other Angel was it which deliuered Iacob but he that fedde him which he saith was God 2. That place also is vrged Iob. 19. 21. haue pitie vpon me haue pitie vpon me O yee my friends which Bellarmine vnderstandeth of the Angels But it is euident that Iob speaketh vnto his friends which came to visit him who seemed to haue small compassion on him but with tauntes and rebukes condemning him as an hypocrite did adde more affliction vnto him for it followeth in the next verse Why doe ye persecute me as God they were not the Angels of God that persecuted him but Sathan was the chiefe instrument of his afflictions and his friends helped it forward 3. That place also Apocal. 1. 4. is abused to the same purpose Grace vnto you and peace from him which was which is and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before the throne by these seuen spirits they vnderstand the Angels But that cannot be 1. these spirits are ioyned as in equall authoritie with God the Father and the Sonne grace is here ascribed indifferently to proceede from them all 2. these spirits are set betweene the father and the sonne as beeing of the same power 3. the Lambe is said to haue 7. hornes and seuen eyes which are the 7. spirits c. 5. 6. these spirits then were of the same essence and substance with the Sonne 4. and by the vertue of these seuen spirits the Lambe openeth the booke with 7. seales c. 5. 5. But Christ receiueth no vertue from the Angels 5. Wherefore these 7. spirits are vnderstood to be the holy Ghost which is called septiformis seuenfold quia licet vnus natura gratiarum distributione multiplex who though he be one in nature yet is manifold in the distribution of the graces gloss ordinar And because Christ did worke so effectually by the coÌ„munication of his graces in the seuen Churches as if there were seuen seuerall spirits therefore is the spirit so described Thus also Iustinus of auncient time expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the holy Prophets say that one and the same spirit is diuided into seuen spirits 4. Then followeth the example of Iohn who saith he fell downe at the feete of the angel to worship him Apoc. 19. 10. and 22. 8. where Bellarmine saith that so great an Apostle and Prophet would not haue offred to haue worshipped the Angel if it had beene vnlawfull he was deceiued in his person taking him to be Christ he erred not in offring to adore him for then if it had beene an error he would not haue done it twice once before c. 19. and now againe c. 22. Contra. 1. it is euident by the text that Iohn is reprooued of the Angel for offring to worship him therefore
not here vnderstood to be the Sea for as soone as he was in the ship he was in the sea and the mariners intended their course to some certaine place not to saile vp and downe in the sea Therefore Hierome neede not to haue found so much fault with Rheticius Bish. of Augustadunum for taking Tarshish here for Tarsus in Cilicia epist. 133. ad Mar. 4. Further this Tarshish here cannot be the Chrysolite which is a pretious stone yellowish like gold as Plinie writeth that Aethiopia sendeth forth Chrysolites aureo colore translucentes which shine with a golden colour lib. 37. c. 9. and so Hugo de S. Victore saith Chrysolithus fulget quasiaurum the Chrysolite shineth like gold as the word signifieth But Tarshish properly signifying the Sea must be here taken for a pretious stone of sea or skie colour See more hereof Hexapl. in Exod. quest 21. 10. 5. But R. Saadiah his conceit here is verie strange who thinketh this glorious bodie to be likened to the Sea for the height thereof the Sea is 2000. cubites deepe as he soundeth the depth and so imagineth that here appeared a shape of an huge proportion farre exceeding the statute of a Gyant But in that the text saith there was a man cloathed in linen thereby is signified that he appeared in the ordinarie shape of a man 6. For the signification hereof some thinke that this skie colour signifieth immortalitie Pintus or the celestiall nature of the Angels Oecolamp rather it betokeneth that Christ is the Lord of heauen Iun. comment and that he is the Lord heauen as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 15. 47. Polan 7. But it will be questioned how the colour of his bodie could be perceiued seeing it was couered with a linen garment Pererius answereth that it appeared as a most fine linen garment thorough the which the heauenly colour of his body might be seene 2. His face was like the lightening So we reade that Christs face in the mountaine did shine as the Sunne Hereby is signified the excellencie of his glorie Pintus and his terror against his enemies Perer. and as the lightening fulget terret both shineth bright and terrifieth so Christ is terrour to the wicked and a comfortable light to the righteous Oecolamp Bulling But it rather sheweth celerrimam eius ad omnia presentiam his swift presence in euerie place as lightening appeareth quickly from the East to the West Mat. 24. 27. Iun. Polan 3. His eyes were as lampes of fire so he is described Apocal. 1. that his eyes appeared as flames of fire whereby is signified ardor amoris his ardent loue Perer. or the perspicuitie of Angels Lyran. Pintus or quia illuminat oculos because he lighteneth the eyes of the minde Bulling and inflammat impios he consumeth the wicked Oecolamp rather hereby is signified that all things are manifest to Christs eyes and nothing can be hidden from him as the Aposte sheweth Hebr. 4. 13. 4. His armes and feete were like polished brasse Ammonius by the armes vnderstandeth the fathers of old time by the feete the faithfull that are now all which as the armes and feete belong vnto one bodie but this is farre fetcht some applying it to the Angels doe giue this sense thereby they will haue signified their great strength ad operandum per brachia ad mouendum per pedes to worke with their hands and mooue with their feete Lyran. Pint. Perer. some referre it to the life and works of Christ which did shine Oecolamp But more properly it sheweth the great power of Christ in rebus agendis efficacissimam most effectuall in doing and working of things Iun. commentar and in treading and trampling vpon his enemies as if one should stampe vpon an earthen vessell with yron or brasen shooes Polan 5. Lastly this glorious and goodly man is described by his voice which was as the voice of a multitude 1. Albertus thinketh that this Angel was accompanied with many Angels beside for the greater consolation of Daniel and so his voice with the rest seemed as the voice of a multitude But Daniel saith the voice of his words was as the voice of a multitude he speaketh of the voice not of many but of one 2. The Lord vseth before any notable vision to send a great noise or sound as Ezech. 1. 24. the sound of the wings of the beasts which appeared was as the noise of great waters and Christs voice was like a trumpet Reuel 1. 10. and as the noise of many waters Reuel 1. 15. So before the comming of the Holy Ghost there was a mightie rushing winde Act. 2. 2. and this the Lord doth to prepare his seruants to whom he reuealed himselfe that they should attend with greater reuerence Polan 3. Now this sound Daniel heard at the first but he setteth it in the last place because it is the manner of the Prophets to speake of that last where the narration following is to beginne as afterward v. 9. he sheweth how he was astonished at the hearing of this mightie voice Iun. comment 4. For the signification of this voice 1. Calvin thinketh that it was onely to this ende to discerne this Angel from the common sort of men but there was more in it 2. Hyppolitus by the many waters vnderstandeth the multitude of the faithfull All that beleeue eloquia Christi sonamus doe â—ound forth the words of Christ. 3. they which apply it to an Angel doe signifie thereby the singular facultie of the Angels eâ—nuntiandi arcana in declaring hid things Perer. Lyran. Bullin 4. But it rather sheweth the mightie power of Christ in teaching of men whose one voice preuayleth more then the voice of many beside Polan as in the Gospel it is said of our blessed Sauiour Math. 7. 29. he taught them as one hauing authoritie not as the Scribes the teaching of Christ onely was more effectuall and of greater power then all the babling of the Scribes and Pharisies 15. Quest. How Daniel is said to see the vision alone 1. The Hebrewes thinke that all this was done in vision and that Daniel imagined that Hagge Zacharie and Malachie were present to whome yet so much was not reuealed as to him But the description which followeth afterward of their fleeing and hiding themselues sheweth that it was done in deede 2. Some thinke that the rest saw not this vision because they were afraid and durst not looke vp Iun. in commentar But the like thing happened rather here vnto Daniels companions which did befall those which accompanied Paul Act. 9. they saw not the vision onely Pauls eyes were opened to perceiue it Iun. annotat 3. But where it is said Act. 9. 7. that the men which iourneied with Paul heard a voice but saw no man and yet Act. 22. 9. it is saide that they saw a light but heard not the voice the meaning is that they heard Pauls voice answering but not the voice of Christ speaking vnto him and they
onely can foretell things to come v. 1. The time appointed was long Hereby the God of Daniel sheweth himselfe to be the true God because he could foreshewe things that should come to passe long after Things at hand which alreadie are begunne in their causes the subtile spirits can giue notice of nay we see that diuerse creatures by their naturall sense can prognosticate of the change of weather which is instant But things a farre off and to come none but God can foretell as he saith by his Prophet Isay 44. 7. what is at hand and what things are to come let them shewe vnto them The Lord by this argument sheweth himselfe onely to be God and all the idols of the heathen to be but vaine because they can declare no such things aforehand 4. Doctr. Of the diuerse kinds of feare v. 7. A great feare fell vpon them so that they fledde away c. Here is great difference betweene the feare of Daniel and his companions they were so frighted that they ranne away and hid themselues and so were depriued of this goodly vision but Daniel though much amazed yet staieth by it and to him is this vision reuealed So there are some which through their infirmitie and weakenesse doe quite fall away others though they haue their imperfections yet doe recouer themselues and returne againe Iun. of this sort was Peter of the other Iudas and to this purpose saith the Apostle Heb. 12. 13. make streight steppes vnto your feete least that which is halting be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed 5. Doct. Of the office of Angels v. 14. Now I am come to shewe thee c. Here are three speciall things expressed wherein the Lord vseth the ministrie of Angels to the comfort of his children 1. They are sent of God vpon their praiers to comfort them as God sent his Angel to Peter beeing in prison Act. 12. 2. their office is to protect and defend the children of God as here the Angel fighteth against the Prince of Persia in defense of the Iewes so was the Angel sent to stoppe the lions mouthes against Daniel 3. they are employed to instruct men and giue them knowledge of such things as concerne them as here the Angel reuealeth diuerse things to Daniel that afterward should come to passe so the Angel appeared to Cornelius aduising him what course to take for his further instruction 6. Doct. Of the power of Angels These Angels are spirits of great power to whom all earthly Potentates must giue place there is no creature that can withstand them beeing armed with power from God therefore they are called principalities Rom. 8. 38. Principalities and powers in heauenly places Ephes. 1. 21. One Angel in Dauids time destroyed 70. thousand when Dauid had numbred the people 2. Sam. 24. 15. One Angel slue in Senacheribs host in one night an 185. thousand 2. king 19. And here one Angel encountreth with the whole power of the king of Persia yet the Angels power is limited they can goe no further then they are authorized of God 7. Doct. Of the presence of Angels The Angels though they are of great agilitie and can speedily passe from place to place yet are they not euerie where nor in many places at once this Angel while he was stayed about these affaires in Persia could not be present with Daniel and while he was communing with Daniel he was absent from Persia as he saith v. 20. knowest thou not wherefore I am come vnto thee but now will I returne to fight with the king of Persia Onely it is peculiar vnto God to fill heauen and earth with his presence and to be euerie where in the same instant as he saith by the Prophet Heauen is my seate earth is my footstoole Isay. 66. 1. 8. Doctr. The cause of the ruine of kingdomes The efficient cause is the Angel the minister of Gods wrath and vengeance as here the Angel sighteth against the kings of Persia vntill by little and little their kingdome was taken away from them by the Prince of Grecia The occasion of the fall of kingdomes is the afflicting and oppressing of the Church of God as the Babylonians for holding the people of God in captiuitie were surprized by the Persians and they likewise for hindering the worke of Gods house and suffering the people of God to be molested were subdued by the Grecians and these also especially the Seleucians for tyranizing ouer the people of God were rooted out by the Romanes 9. Doctr. Of the certaintie of Gods decrees v. 21. I will shewe thee what is decreed in the Scripture of truth that is in the prescience of God who needeth not any bookes to put him in mind but this is taken from the vse of Princes and Iudges which haue their Registers and Records wherein their decrees and ordinances are set downe This Scripture of truth is nothing els but Gods infallible and vnchangeable decree which cannot alter But as the Lord hath decreed so certainely shall euerie thing be fulfilled Isay. 14. 24. The Lord of hosts hath sworne saying Surely like as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. Against superstitious fasting v. 3. I ate no pleasant bread c. Daniel beeing purposed to humble himselfe by fasting did not onely abstaine from flesh but from wine also yea from fine bread and from other delicates as in annointing himselfe with oyle whereby their nice superstition or superstitious nicenâ—sse is reprooued who though they forbeare the eating of flesh in their fastings yet will fill their bellies with other delicate meates with daintie fish and curious confections But here Daniel contenteth himselfe with course bread and water Calvin Neither did he thus fast as thereby thinking to merit any thing at Gods hand but only that he might be the more humbled thereby and to make his prayers more feruent and effectuall Osiand See more of the abuse of fasting elsewhere 2. Controv. That Paradise was a terrestriall place v. 4. I was by the side of the great riuer Hiddekel Whereas some were of opinion that the historie of Paradise with the trees and riuers is spiritually to be vnderstood and in an allegorie as Plilo lib. 1. allegor Valentinus apud Ireneum lib. 1. aduers. hares c. 1. Origen mentar in Genes and of late daies Franciscus Georgius tom 1. problemat S. Hierome out of this place confuteth them where mention is made of one of the riuers which flowed out of Paradise namely Hiddekel or Tigris Hieromes words are these Vnde eorum deliramenta conticescant qui vmbras imagines in veritate quaerentes ipsam conantur evertere veritatatem c. whence their madde conceits are put to silence who seeking shadowes shewes in the truth goe about to ouerthrow the truth in making an allegorie of Paradise of the trees and riuers thereof 3. Controv. Against the
thus writ vnto the Emperour of Constantinople that as gold exceeded leâ—d so the Papall dignitie the Imperiall as the Sunne was the Lord of the Planets so the Pope of all secular dignities and as the Moone receiueth light from the Sunne so the Emperor hath his dignitie from the Pope thus he exalteth himselfe aboue temporall gouernours which are as terrene gods Likewise the Pope maketh himselfe superior to Saints whom he taketh vpon him to canonize or not to canonize at his pleasure Polan The Pope also challengeth to be Superior to all other Bishops and Pastors who are as Angels set ouer the Churches and so he magnifieth himselfe aboue whatsoeuer is called God Bullinger 11. Antiochus did exalt himselfe against the true God who is here called the God of gods so the Pope glorieth to be called God in earth as Nicolaus the Pope in his epistle to Michael Emperor of Constantinople saith that the Pope à pio principe Constantino Deum appellatum was called God of the godly Emperor Constantie distinct 96. c. satis So in a certaine glosse in the ende of the Extravagantes the Pope is called Dominus Deus noster Papa our Lord God the pope which glosse is not ignorantly thrust in but wittingly and well allowed of among the Papists for notwithstanding that the Canon lawe was by the appointment of Gregorie the 13. reuised and corrected by certaine Cardinals and others they suffred that glosse to remaine vnaltered At the coronation of Sixtus the 4. there was this inscription in a certaine triumphall pagen at one of the gates thorough the which he should passe merito in terris crederis esse Deus thou art worthily held to be a God in earth Ludovicus Gomesius in reg Cancellar saith that the Pope is quoddam numen a certaine diuine thing representing a visible God in earth And Stapleton the Iesuite in his preface to Gregor 13. before his booke de princip fid doctr calleth the Pope supremum in terris numen the most diuine power in earth Therefore Friderike the 2. in his epistle to Otto Duke of Baevaria saith not without iust cause Pontifices Romani affectant Dominationem quandam diuinitatem the Romane Bishops affect a kind of Lordlinesse yea diuinitie in earth 12. Antiochus vttered horrible blasphemies against God The Pope therein is no whit inferior vnto him Boniface the 8. in c. quoniam de imm in Sext. calleth the Church his spouse which onely is peculiar to Christ to be the husband of his Church 1. Cor. 11. 3. the same Pope also among many other his arrogant speeches saith haec authortas non humana sed diuina this our authoritie is not humane but diuine and againe subesse Romano Pontifici omni creaturae definimus omnino esse de necessitate salut is we doe define that it is of necessitie of saluation for euerie creature to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome extrav commun de maiorit obedien lib. 1. titulo 8. The same Boniface the 8. in the 1300. yeare when the Iubile was solemnized shewed himselfe the first day in his pontificall attire the next day he came forth in the Imperiall robes causing a naked sword to be carried before him and he himselfe came after crying with a loud voice Ego sum Pontifex Imperator terrestreque coeleste imperium habeo I am both chiefe Bishop and Emperor and haue both the terrene and celestiall gouernement Sixtus the 5. in his bull against Henrie king of Navarre now king of Fraunce and the Prince of Condie boasteth that his authoritie deliuered vnto him from Christ and S. Peter did exceede the power of all kings and Princes incumbere sibi ecclesiarum omnium populorum gentium sollicitudinem that the care of all Churches peoples and nations did lie vpon him c. so that the Pope doth challenge to himselfe that which is peculiar to Christ ex Polan Such like blasphemies are those which are currant among the Popish sort as in the glosse of the decrees the Pope is saide neither to be God nor man sed medius inter vtrunque but a middle thing betweene both Augustin Boetius addeth further Papam omnia in terris posse quae Deus potest in coelis that the Pope can doe all in earth which God can doe in heauen and Philippus Decius Papam omnia posse facere quae Deus facit c. that the Pope can doe all things which God doth such horrible blasphemies doe proceede from that pestilent Sea And as that man of sinne speaketh wondrous and marueilous things against God so doth he take vpon him to worke wonders against the truth which are called lying wonders in two respects because they are not done indeede but in shew and because they are wrought against the truth both these are touched by the Apostle in the description of Antichrist 2. Thess. 2. the first v. 9. Whose comming is by the working of Satan by all power and signes and lying wonders the other v. 11. God shall send them strong delusions to beleeue lies Pappâ—â— And thus this blasphemous Antichrist hath according to this prophesie magnified himselfe against the God of gods and as S. Paul prophesied of him that he should sit in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God 2. Thess. 2. 4. for the further explaning of which words I will make here a short digression 16. Controv. How Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God 1. Some doe vnderstand it of the Temple of Ierusalem which they say Antichrist shall cause to be builded againe and therein he shall sit to be worshipped as God so Hyppolitus Cyrillus and Chrysostome misliketh not this sense in his Commentarie vpon the 2. of the 2. epistle to the Thessal But this can not be the meaning 1. because the Temple of Ierusalem shall neuer be builded againe according to the saying of our Sauiour that one stone should not be left vpon an other The Iewes were licensed by Iulian the Apostata to reedifie their Temple but they could not goe forward that which they built in the day was cast downe in the night and beside a strange fire came forth which consumed the instruments and engines of the artificers 2. And though that Temple should be builded againe it could not be called the Temple of God seeing it should be set vp to revive the sacrifices and ceremonies of Moses law which are abolished by Christ. 2. Theodoret and Damascen vnderstand it of the Temples of Christians which Antichrist shall command to be set vp and erected to his worship but thus he should sit in many temples whereas the Apostle speaketh of Temple in the singular neither doth the Apostle call the Churches of Christians by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temple 3. Wherefore the Apostle meaneth hereby not materiall temples but by the Temple he vnderstandeth the Church of God as it is called 1. Cor. 3. 16. Apoc. 3. 12. Not that
by the brinke of the riuer v. 5. 1. This is not a new vision as Bullinger maketh it in number the fift so also Oecolampad but it is the same vision continued as both the circumstance of the place sheweth it was by the same riuer Tigris mentioned before c. 10. 5. and of the person the man clothed in linen before also described and the question demanded is concerning the continuance of those wonders and strange things before spoken of 2. These two Angels Hierome thinketh to haue beene the one the Angel that stood for Persia the other that was President of Grecia which did hinder the deliuerance of the Hebrewes But it is euident that these Angels stand for the people of God for as affected with the troubles which here are prophesied to come vpon Gods people they desire to know the time of the beginning and ende of them 3. Oecolampadius thinketh that here were not three in all but one more came vnto him that had talked with Daniel all this while and they are said to be two other because alio modo c. they appeared in an other manner But it is euident by their site and standing that they were three for two stood by the brinke of the riuer one on the one side and one on the other and the third was vpon the waters 4. R. Levi thinketh that one of these two was Gabriel but Gabriel was he which had this communication with Daniel all this while and now two other appeare they had not beene other two if there had beene but one beside Gabriel Polan 5. Hyppolitus by these two Angels standing by the brinke of the riuer vnderstandeth the law and the Prophets but Daniel saw some reall thing for he saith I Daniel looked Pererius out of Hierome by these two Angels standing vpon the riuers banke interpreteth the flourishing and standing of the Persian and Greeke Monarchie and by the third vpon the waters of the riuer the troublesome state of the Church for so in Scripture afflictions are signified by waters But hereby rather is signified in that the Angels stand on this side and on that side the readie administration of the Angels which are alwaies at hand to expedite the commandement of God Polan 17. Quest. Who it was that inquired of the man that was clothed in linen v. 6. 1. The Latine translator readeth dixi and I said referring it to Daniel but in the originall the word is vaiomer and he said in the third person not Daniel but one of the Angels 2. Some Greeke copies read in the plurall and they said but in the originall it is in the singular and he said one Angel might aske in the name of the other Oecolampad 3. Like vnto this place is that in the Revelation where the soules vnder the altar that is which yet were not glorified with their bodies did aske the like question which the Angels doe here How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood c. Rev. 6. 10. 18. Quest. Who the man was clothed in linen of whome the question was asked 1. The most generall and receiued opinion here is that this third Angel of whome the question is asked was Gabriel Lyran. Pint. Perer. Bulling with others But how could one Angel aske and learne of an other seeing they are all ministring spirits and doe all fetch their light and knowledge from the same fountaine Christ Iesus the reuealer of secrets M. Calvin here answereth Est aliquod discrimen inter Angelos sed non perpetuum that there is some difference betweene the Angels but not perpetuall onely for a time his meaning is that God may at some time giue greater illumination to one Angel then to an other and so one Angel may receiue direction of an other But the Angels rather receiue their direction from Christ who is that Palmoni one that hath secrets in account and number of whome an Angel likewise enquireth c. 8. 13. 2. Pintus thinketh that these three Angels doe signifie the Trinitie the two Angels that stood by the riuer represent the Father and the holyâ—Ghost and the third vpon the waters the Sonne of God as the three Angels which appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. did likewise represent the Trinitie But 1. in that one of the two Angels asketh of the third as his superiour they can not signifie the Trinitie for this would argue an inequalitie in those most glorious persons 2. One of those three which appeared to Abraham was Christ himselfe whome Abraham there praieth vnto and calleth him Iehovah the other two were indeede ministring Angels which afterward went to Sodome and were receiued into Lots house 3. But this man which was cloathed in linen was none other then Christ himselfe 1. because he is the same which so appeared before c. 10. 4. which was Christ as in that place hath beene shewed 2. he is the reuealer of secrets and of him the Angel asked the like question before c. 8. 13. 3. this vision is interpreted by the like Apoc. 10. 1. where a mightie Angel came downe from heauen with a rainbow about his head and his face was as the Sunne he stood vpon the land and the Sea signifying his power ouer both and lift vp his hand to heauen as this Angel here standeth vpon the waters and lifteth vp both his hands to heauen but that great Angel was Christ the similitude of the vision argueth the identitie of the same person 4. and beside his standing vpon the water doth signifie quod olim super Iordanem testimonium accepturus that in time to come he should receiue testimonie from heauen vpon the waters of Iordan But it will be obiected that this was not Christ because he lifteth vp his hand and sweareth by God but he that one sweareth by is greater Answ. 1. Christ appearing as a man is here to be considered both as God and man and so as man is inferiour vnto God and sweareth by a greater 2. or rather Christ as God sweareth by himselfe as one euerliuing God with his father but a distinct person so that this oath is the same in effect with that Deut. 32. 40. I lift vp my hand to heauen and sweare for euer sic vides quod iurat per seipsum c. so you see that he sweareth by himselfe touching the heauens with his hand and setting his feete vpon the water and land shewing his dominion therein Oecolampad And in that he lifteth vp both his hands whereas vsually in taking an oath one hand is lifted vp Gen. 14. 22. Deut. 32. 40. hoc ad plenissimam pertinet rerum confirmationem this is for the more full confirmation of these things Bulling voluit hoc modo exponere rei magnitudinem he would hereby shewe the greatnesse of this thing Calvin And because an Angel stood vpon each side of his hands he lifteth them both vp that each of them might haue a signe of the certaintie of this thing
Church as is there prooued by these 3. aguments out of this place 1. by the name Michael 2. by the title here giuen vnto Christ called the great Prince 3. by his office he standeth for the people of God Herein then appeareth the horrible blasphemie of Seruetus who as M. Calvin reporteth his words was not afraid to say se esse illum Michaelem Ecclesiae custodem that he was that Michael the protector and keeper of the Church c. What presumption is this for a mortall man to arrogate vnto himselfe that name and title which is too great to be giuen vnto the Angels 2. Controv. Whether Henoch and Elias shall stand vp with Michael in the last times Pererius concurring with other Romanists saith that beside Michael who shall be the inuisible protector of the Church shall stand vp two faithfull witnesses Henoch and Elias who shall oppose themselues against Antichrist and they shall preach repentance vnto the world a 1260. dayes that is 3. yeares and an halfe Apocal. 11. 3. And that Elias should come in person beside the receiued opinion of the fathers as of Theodoret in this place August lib. 20. de ciuitat Dei c. 29. he alleadgeth these Scriptures for it Malach. 3. 4. 5. I will send Elias the Prophet before the comming of the great and fearefull day of the Lord which must be vnderstood of the second comming of Christ which shall be fearefull and terrible Againe Apocal. 11. 6. it is said of these two faithfull witnesses these haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesying wherein there is an allusion vnto Elias at whose word the raine was staied three yeares and sixe moneths so Pererius vpon this place First these places giue no warrant for this opinion 1. the two witnesses are the ministers and preachers of Gods truth who are said to be two because their number shall not be great and yet they shall be so many as one shall giue witnesse to an other neither Henoch nor Elias are here named for these 1260. dayes beeing taken prophetically for so many yeares two Prophets could not continue preaching so long 2. that place in Malachie our Blessed Sauiour expoundeth of Iohn Baptist Matth. 11. who should come in the spirit of Elias to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children as the Angel saith Luk. 1. 17. And the first comming of Christ is there vnderstood to be that fearefull day for in the same place the Prophet saith v. 2. vnto you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise which Zacharie applyeth to the first comming of Christ Luk. 1. 78. whereby the day spring from an high hath visited vs It shall be a day of health and saluation vnto the faithfull but a day of terror to the wicked and vnbeleeuers as Iohn Baptist saith Mat. 3. 12. which hath his fanne in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquencheable sire 3. And by the shutting of heauen is by an allegorie signified the efficacie of the preaching of the Gospel in opening the heauens to the faithfull and shutting vp the same to all vnbeleeuers as our Sauiour faith to Peter Matth. 16. 19. whatsoeuer thou shalt bind in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Secondly concerning these witnesses there is great difference and varietie of opinion 1. both for the number of them 2. and who they shall be 3. and when they shall preach for the first the common opinion is that they shall be but two yet Lactantius affirmeth that there shall be onely one Prophet lib. 7. c. 17. Some thinke there shall be three Henoch Elias and Iohn the Euangelist and this is one of their reasons because as in the world there haue beene 3. lawes in force the lawe of nature the lawe of Moses the lawe of grace so it is requisite there should be 3. witnesses that liued vnder these three lawes Henoch Elias and Iohn Hyppolit oration de consum secul Aâ—br Catharin in Genes 2. As great diuersitie there is of opinion who these witnesses should be Elias is agreed vpon by the most to be one but it is doubted who should be the other Victorinus in Apocal. 11. thinketh that Ieremie the Prophet shall be the other witnesse because the Lord saith Ierem 1. 5. I haue ordained thee a Prophet vnto the nations but then Ieremias onely prophesied to the Hebrewes to fulfill therefore that saying he shall come in the ende of the world to prophesie vnto the nations But Pererius well answeareth vnto this reason that Ieremie is said to prophesie vnto the nations because he fortelleth the destruction in his prophesie of diuerse nations the Aegyptians Moabites Ammonites Philistims with others Areta vpon the Apocalypse thinketh that Iohn the euangelist shall be one of the witnesses whom they suppose yet to be kept aliue in Paradise with Henoch and Elias because it is said Apocal. 10. 11. thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many Kings which was not done in Iohns life time and therefore he thinketh he shall come in the ende of the world to prophesie vnto nations But the meaning of this place is that Iohn should prophesie vnto nations in the rest of the visions of this booke and nowe though Iohn be dead his Reuelation prophesieth still Pererius also vnderstandeth it of the Gospel which Iohn did write after his returne from the Isle Pathmos whereby he prophesieth vnto nations But it is certaine that Iohn is not yet aliue in the flesh as Eusebius prooueth by the testimonie of Polycrates who was the Apostles disciple lib. 3. Ecclesi histor c. 25. Lyranus thinketh that the two witnesses spoken of Apocal. 11. were Sylverius the Pope and Menna that resisted the Eutychiane heresie Ioachimus Abbas and Gagnaeus vpon the Apocalypse c. 11. doe thinke that Moses shall be one of these witnesses that like as he was raised to life to be a witnesse of Christs first comming when he was transfigured in the mount so he shall be raised to be a witnesse of his second comming And this is brought as a probabilitie thereof because these witnesses are said to haue power ouer waters to turne them into blood Apocal. 11. 6. which thing Moses had done before But 1. it followeth not because Moses was seene in the mount talking with Christ that therefore he shall come againe before his second comming for by the same reason it may be inferred that his three disciples also which went vp to the mount and sawe him transfigured should also be witnesses of his second comming be sent againe into the world to preach Sure it is that both the Prophets and Apostles shall accompanie Christ in his second comming and by the doctrine which they preached iudge and condemne the world Matth. 19. 28. But neither
meant in deed 11. I preferre here therefore the interpretation of Chrysostome in the place before alleadged that Moses and Paul tanto Dei amore flagrabant c. did burne with such loue and zeale to the glorie of God that in respect thereof Deo ipso frui pro nihilo reputarunt they made no account of the fruition of God himselfe hoc erat eorum propositum ne Deus ab ipsis summe dilectus irrideretur ab impijs this was the purpose and scope of their desire least God whome they dearely loued should haue beene laughed to scorne and derided of the wicked which Moses feared would haue beene if the Lord should at this time haue destroied his people as Moses had declared before in his praier Exod. 32. 12. Wherefore shall the Egyptians speake and say He hath brought them out miraculously to slay them in the mountaines These holy men preferred the glorie of God before their owne saluation 6. Controv. That the soules of the faithfull departed doe not sleepe vntill the resurrection but presently enioy the sight of God Bellarmine falsly ascribeth this opinion vnto Luther and Calvin and vnto the reformed Churches that the soules of them which depart hence in the Lord doe not enioy the presence and sight of God vntill the generall resurrection Tom. 1. contr 7. l. 1. c. de canon sanct But 1. Bellarmine is much deceiued for they hold no such thing it was the opinion of one of the Popes Iohn 22. which is thus reported by Hadrian the 6. an other of their Popes in 4. sententiar de sacram confirm artic 3. Ioannes 22. publice docuit c. Iohn the 22. did publikely teach and commanded also to hold quod animae purgatae ante sinale iudicium non habent stolam quae est clara facialis visio Dei that the soules beeing purged receiue not their stoale or garment before the finall iudgement which is the cleare vision of God face to face c. 2. This his error might seeme to be grounded out of this text they that sleepe in the dust shall awake but this is euidently spoken of their bodies which are laid in the graue and dust of the earth which are said to sleepe because their bodies doe but rest there for a time they shall be raised againe But that the soules of the beleeuing doe presently passe out of their bodies vnto heauen is manifest by the answer of our Sauiour vnto the theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise out of which place Gerson Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Paris in an oration before the states of France inferreth Latronem c. beatificatum suisse in Paradiso in ipsa hora mortis that the theefe though he had not fulfilled his penance was made blessed in the very houre of his death Gaguin histor Francor lib. 8. 3. The truth then is this that the soules of the faithfull departed are presently taken vp vnto rest but yet their glorie shall be more full and absolute when the bodies together with soules shall be glorified in the resurrection as S. Peter faith 1. epist. 5. 4. When the chiefe shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie So the Angels that fell are said to be kept in chaines of darknes vnto damnation 2. Pet. 2. 4. they are alreadie damned but yet they shall haue a further consummation of iudgement at the last day Likewise the wicked are said to goe into euerlasting fire in the day of iudgement Matth. 25. 46. and yet presently after death their soules goe vnto the place of torment Luk. 16. 23. 7. Controv. That all men shall rise againe and not onely the faithfull neither shall they die againe Two errors of the Iewes are here conuinced 1. they hold that the resurrection shall be onely of the righteous but the wicked they thinke shall abide in death for euer But the Angel saith that of these which awake out of the dust some shall awake to shame the wicked then shall rise againe 2. The Iewes hold with the Chiliasts that the iust shall rise againe and shall liue a thousand yeares in the earth without any warre or trouble and afterward they shall die againe But here the Angel saith that some shall rise vnto euerlasting life they shall rise then neuer to die againe 8. Controv. That Christ died not in generall for all but for such onely as beleeue The Vbiquitaries which hold an omnipresence of Christs flesh in euerie place doe also hold that Christ died vniuersally for all men and that where the Scripture seemeth to speake otherwise naming many and not all as Matth. 26. 28. the blood of Christ was shed for many for remission of sinnes Rom. 5. 19. by the obedience of one many were made righteous In these and such like places many are vnderstood for all as here in Daniel many that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake Pap. Contra. 1. Why in this place of Daniel many are named not all diuerse reasons are before alleadged quest 9. 2. and though in this place many be taken for all yet it followeth not that euerie where it should so in this place it is so because it is warranted by other places of Scripture as Ioh. 5. 28. the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice But in the other places many cannot be all because the Scripture doth not warrant that sense that Christ intended the benefit of his death to all but onely to those which beleeue the holy and vndefiled Apocal. 14. 3. they sung a new song before the throne c. and no man could learne that song but the hundreth fowre and fourtie thousand which were bought from the earth by this place it is euident that all are not bought by Christs blood but onely a certaine number for whom it is ordained Christs death is indeede sufficient for all the world but is effectuall onely to those which doe beleeue in him see more of this question of the vniuersalitie of grace Synops. Centur. 4. err 23. 9. Controv. That the faithfull doe not iustifie other by way of merit or satisfaction but as ministers onely of saluation In what sense the faithfull seruants of God are saide to iustifie others as here the Angel faith to Daniel v. 3. is before sufficiently shewed qu. 12. But the Romanists by occasion of this and other such like places as namely that Coloss. 1. 24. where S. Paul thus faith I fulfill that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church whence the Rhemists inferre that the sufferings of Christs members are not onely satisfactorie for the sufferers but for others But this is a blasphemous assertion that the passions of any are meritorious or satisfactorie sauing onely of Christ. 1. The sufferings of Christs members are called his sufferings because Christ suffereth in his members 2. but their sufferings are to
with himselfe he must first looke into his owne conscience and see his owne pouertie and nakednes mendicat à te anima tua esurit iustitiam thy owne soule beggeth of thee it hungreth after iustice Perer. 7. Doctr. Of true repentance v. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse c. 1. Here the parts of true repentance are set downe which are these two to depart from sinne and to follow righteousnes as the Prophet Isai saith Cease to doe euill learne to doe well Isa. 1. 16. 2. Hence also the effects of true repentance are gathered which are the fruits of righteousnes so that in vaine doth one afflict himselfe if he doe not alter and change his life such are reprooued by the Prophet Isa. 58. 5. that did afflict their soules for a day and bow downe their head like a bulrush and yet continued in their sinne 3. The qualitie of true repentance is here also expressed that it may not be deferred or put off but speedily prosequuted which is signified by this phrase of breaking off As the Apostle to the Hebr. c. 3. 7. vrgeth that place to day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts 4. The benefit of true repentance followeth it procureth peace and tranquilitie and preuenteth the iudgements of God as here Nabuchadnezzer is promised that by this meanes his peace might be prolonged So our blessed Sauiour saith Luk. 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Polan 8. Doctr. That God seeth and knoweth all things v. 28. While the word was in the kings mouth c. God heard the very proud words which Nabuchadnezzer spake and in that very instant and moment sent his Angel to denounce the iudgement decreed against him So then nothing is hid from God neither our thoughts as the Prophet Dauid saith Thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre off Psal. 139. 2. nor our words as it followeth in the same place v. 4. There is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it wholly O Lord much lesse can our workes be hid as Rev. 2. 2. I know thy workes So that as the Apostle saith All things are naked and open to his eyes with whome we haue to doe Heb. 4. 13. 9. Doctr. Gods iudgements come of a sudden v. 28. As a voice came from heauen euen while the word was in the kings mouth so the iudgements of God ouertake the wicked when they looke not for them so Noahs flood came vpon the old world and the destruction of Sodome vpon the wicked So the day of the Lord as the Apostle saith shall come as a theefe in the night and as the trauell vpon a woman with child 1. Thess. 5. 2. 3. It behooueth vs therefore to be sober and watchful as our blessed Sauiour saith Those things which I say vnto you I say vnto all men watch Mark 13. 37. 10. Doct. Gods iudgements meete with sinnes in the same kind v. 29. They shall driue thee from men Nabuchadnezzer is here punished in the same things wherein he had sinned he was not so much lifted vp before in pride as he is now humbled and cast downe As he had banished many out of their countries and taken them captiue so he is now exiled himselfe and driuen from the companie of men his foode was daintie and delicate before now he feedeth with oxen then he was apparelled in purple and other rich attire now horrido pilo totus obtegitur he is all couered with haire then he was annointed with balme and pretious oyntment now he is wet with the dew of heauen Oecolampad 11. Doct. True repentance is the gift of God v. 31. At the ende of these daies I Nabuchadnezzer lift vp mine eyes to heauen c. Vntill it pleased God to turne this proud kings heart nothing could make it stoope He had receiued many warnings and was foretold of this his downefall and was aduised by Daniel by repentance to preuent this calamitie and beeing in this great miserie he was not mooued therewith till the time was expired and the Lord mooued his heart So our blessed Sauiour saith Ioh. 6. 44. No man commeth vnto me except the father draw him c. 5. Places of controversie 1. Controv. That the virgin Marie was not without sinne v. 12. Leaue the stumpe c. Pererius allegorizing this vision of the tree thereby would haue shadowed forth the beautifull state of man in Paradise before his fall and by the stumpe and roote remaining he vnderstandeth the virgin Marie peccato Adami nullatenus infectam not infected at all with the sinne of Adam And Christ is the branch that sprouteth out of this roote Contra. 1. This comparison first is vnfit for here a stumpe onely remaineth without any branches at all he can not finde then here both a stumpe and a branch 2. This stumpe is bound about with a chaine and what other chaines is mans nature bound with then with the chaines of sinne his owne application maketh against him 3. It is a most blasphemous opinion and contrarie of the Scriptures that Marie was without originall sinne for the Apostle saith All men haue sinned Rom. 5. 12. none are excepted but Christ Heb. 4. 15. Marie also confessed her selfe a sinner in acknowledging that shee also had neede of a Sauiour Luk. 1. 47. see more hereof Synops. Centur. 2. err 79. 2. Controv. Against freewill Lyranus by this stumpe remaining vnderstandeth free will per hoc germen significatur liberum arbitrium reuerti potens ad bonum by this branch is signified free will which hath power to returne vnto that which is good Contra. 1. The vision it selfe ouerthroweth this conceit for this stumpe is bound with a chaine it could not sprout of it selfe till the chaines were taken away and before God had giuen Nabuchadnezzer an vnderstanding heart he could not so much as lift vp his eyes to heauen therefore this is but a weake ground to build free will vpon 2. Beside the Scripture euidently speaketh that there is no power or abilitie in man so much as to think a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. And our Sauiour saith Without me ye can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. see more hereof Synops. Centur. 4. err 46. 3. Controv. Against the inuocation of Saints v. 14. The sentence is according to the petition of the holy ones The Romanists doe thus vnderstand this place that the holy Angels made request for the king that mercie might be shewed him and hence would inferre that we are to make our prayers vnto them Contra. 1. That this place hath no such meaning is shewed before Quest. 18. the Angels pray not against Gods will that Nabuchadnezzer might escape this calamitie for it was alreadie decreed with God that it should fall vpon him but they desire rather that what God had decreed in heauen might accordingly be fulfilled in earth 2. And although it be granted quod bene nobis afficiantur that they are well affected toward vs and wish