his Apostles laboured to teach all men renowming and making glorious all the Law The Pope and his to disgrace and to corrupt all to winne a superioritie to continue in blindnesse and to be openly guiltie of whole ignorance touching the kingdome of heauen But I must returne vnto the Lordes speeches for reduction of all the holy Ebrewes learning vnto the Gospell One thing here he was not to stand vpon the Massorites or Ebrew Grammarians diligence for the Ebrew text But in two wordes he confirmeth all their paines borowing termes frō them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Twentie times doth the spirit handle the alphabet order once in Psal 25. 37.111.112 eight times in 119. once in 145. in Salomon once sixe times most distinctly for the confusion of Iudah in Ieremies Lamentations Yet all this while no one letter is named Belike when Iuda came from Babel and kept their tong by scholes not by dayly speech they first vsed those names And before that Greekes had them as Sigma or San old in Herod And Homers books are named after the letters To confirme the Ebrewes the Lord nameth one of two kinds One with a name Ebrew and Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Likewise in the elder Talmud the Ierusalemy jod is handled most famously and so fit for this matter as any thing lightly can be found Three matters of jod are handled the two first somewhat hard to expresse one an accusation of Salomon exprest in Ebrew by jod another of more difficulty the third shall come after the Ierusalemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This speech the Ierusalemy hath for jod how it is not a small matter that jod is taken away from Saraj to make Sarah which the Greeke hauing not in their tongue could not so augment but were fame to vse the augmentation in r to make Sarra which poinct the holy Ghost followeth still in the Greeke new Testament calling therein still to mind jod reiected But when jod taken from Saraj being the last letter of a womans name cometh first to make Iesus in the sonne of Nun jod appeareth not contemned that well might it be a prouerbiall speech One jod in the Law will not be found idle And so we see how he before whom all the earth is like the dust of a ballance yet descendeth vnto our speeches for the least letter of all the Ebrew and vnto the name of it to the countenancing of the Grāmer studie as a most learned profession that the Ebrew and Greeke should not be despised without open contempt of Christ his authoritie Now the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prick is rare Plutarch hath the terme None beside of heathen that I remember S. Mathew and S. Luke both haue it Though punctum hath no quantitie yet the terme here is of great quantitie and dignity The Iewes note fifteene wordes in the Law with Psalmes and Prophets pricked ouer the heads for speciall deepe consideration and so written from the first copies and Ramban prefacing to Moses declareth how all the Ebrewes honour the warning of waightie matter in them They call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that terme is not vsed in the Ebrewish of S. Mat. nor in the Syriaque or Arabique Neither be any of all their terms anciēt The Aethiop is neare the Greek So that we are to search whether prickes as the fifteene strange or other prickes which are vowels or accentes be meant The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prickes onely of marking and likewise accents are no part of the word Therefore I trow vowel prickes must needs be meant Which poinct conteyneth the most exquisite depth of the Ebrew tongue And so far doth our L. condescēd to our studies as to omit neither Ebrew nor Greek but taketh a touch that authorizeth all the rest Now as I made this long digression of our Lords confirming the couenant with descending vnto Rabbine studies I thinke it not amisse to ioyne Rabbines hither not for one jod but for all the twenty and two letters how often they are vsed Thus the case standeth Rabbi Sadaias learning from the Massorites how oftē euery letter came in Ebrew searched for Scriptures which had the like number most from Numeri and Ezra and from such sentences made Tetrasticon or foure verses for memory from those matters not vnto any further wit for sense Now he beginneth his verses with Aleph where he speaketh of Alephs number with Beth for the like and so for euery letter taketh wordes whose first letters arithmetique being taken for so many thousands in the first verse and in ordinarie arithmetique in the second matcheth the number of the letter So in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph in the first telleth that of Aleph he intreateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being 42 in arithmeticke and the first letters of their wordes make here 42000. the other three first letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make 377 in ordinarie Ebrew arithmeticke So Aleph is vsed times 42 377. By this the student may helpe himselfe Onely this warning may withall go that sometime his textes which I write in rubrique could not affoord an exact agreement but come very neare Now the sonnet of the Rabbine shall speake The certaintie of the Ebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
their minde held the time so The fourth chaine containeth the cōtinuance of Nebuchadnezars 70. yeares Whereof 18. are past afore the kingdome of Iudah falleth And this chaine vvas made afore hand and when it came to the last linke the hād writeth vpō the wall that God MENE MENE had numbred had numbred and Daniel had a chaine of gold for expounding of it As Ouid giueth the Sun foure horses which draw him Pyroeis Eous Aethon Phlegon So more fitly may these foure drawers of the Sunne be termed The first a fierie Pyrocis The next vvhere Abraham commeth from the East is Eous The third vvhen the temple is burnt is Aethon truely And the fourth in heat against Babel is verily from the fierie throne aparching Phlegon The fift passeth all admiratiō that vvhich here the Angel giueth to draw all the vvorld vnto Christ How the Chaine of Iubilees attendeth vpon this IF this chaine be made by him that made also that of Iubilees vvhich must begin vvhen Iesus conquereth and parteth the land that is in his eight yeare it will by fifties end vvith this summe and if it do so there is a double strength Now it doth so most exactly For yeares are by this chaine beginning at Iosuahs eight 1400. Iubilees 28. at our Lords death Wherefore that golden chaine vvhich Homer giueth vnto his Iupiter by vvhich all the Gods drawing could neuer plucke him downe but he could hang them land and sea in the middest of the ayer fastning it in the top of the heauens that is nothing in Imagination to the strength of this at which though Iewes and Gentiles plucke now adayes neuer so feloniously or boysterously they shall not preuaile But vvhen this findeth particular triall euen by heathē approbation as mens liues it draweth them to be set in balances and founde higher then vanitie as I shewed for Ebrew liues in the Preface Of Daniels People AS Daniel prayed for Gods People so he had this kingly honour that they are termed his People euen such of the nature As Aben Ezra rightly doth take it for to seale Messias An exposition of the former Law phrases by the common termes of men Know then marke From the outgoing of the word to restore and to build Ierusalem vnto Messias the gouernour seuens be seuē afterwards seuens sixtie and two In the other it shalbe restored and builded street wall and troublous shall these times be In that after seuens sixtie two Messias shalbe kild and nothing to himselfe Thereupon the Citie and holy place shall he destroy euen the gouernours owne people in the next generation and their end shalbe with a flood and at the end of the warre shalbe a finall iudgement of vtter desolations But he shall make strong the Testament to the Many the last seauen Yea halfe that seauen shall bring to an end sacrifice and offering Afterward by an armie of lothsome infidels he shall make desolation euen till vtter wast and finall iudgement be powred vpon the desolate A reduction of the Gospell vnto the oration of Gabriel THe oration of Gabriel containeth an abridgement of the new Testament and all the Gospell may be easily reduced vnto it The booke of S. Matthew will be sufficient for example when we touch by the way some speciall poinctes of the other Euangelists And first of all the beginning from Abraham and holding on to Ioseph by the kings right that toucheth how Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King prince and gouernour of Iudah And there the speech of Emmanuel declareth how he is the most holy and the name Iesus for sauing his people from their sinnes that plainely sheweth who maketh reconciliation for sinne Now the coming of the wisemen called in Persique Magi vnto Ierusalem that had his plaine ground hence For by the holy citie none but Ierusalem was meant and vnder the Persians this doctrine was first embraced and made famous of a king to arise at Ierusalem at 490. y. which matter so cleare was easily kept in memory 457. that when 33. afore the end a Comet did in the aire argue in the East a cleare fauour of a noble light they knew that a king was meant and could thinke of none but of the famous one whose kingdome was foretold that it should be at Ierusalem by the 490. yeares and begin at 30. later then their present time Likewise when 30. y. after Iohn cometh baptizing and telling that the kingdome of heauen was come the nation was nothing astonished but knew the phrase vsed in Daniel Chap. 2. for the state which should be in Iudah next after the manifest abolishing of the image there which began when our Lord was born in Bethleem and the Angels proclaimed his birth and the tribute of the Romanes ouer the world argued all the images ruine by the exaction of a generall tribute ouer all nations and was to be proclaimed openly in the state when the king was 30. yeares old as Dauid was raigning in Ebron the Leuites by the Law Num. 4. entring into the worke of the tabernacle a token of this worke and fittest at that age as Ioseph at 30. ruled Aegypt and three of each other fathers from Selah he the next saue one Peleg the next to him saue one Serug were fathers at 30. where God would neuer haue disposed thrise equalitie of yeares in fathers but for a monument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and tresadmirable Now the Baptizing argueth most of all a common consent of the nation that an admission into a new kingdome of troupes together was then looked for The Babylonian Talmud recordeth in Iebamoth pag. 76. and Rambam the expounder of it in plaine Ebrew in Asure Biah perek 13. that in the dayes of Dauid and Salomon when many thousands of heathen became Proselytes they were admitted onely by Baptisme without Circumcision as the Iewes in Aegypt washed their garments vpon their calling thence and the leapers their bodies and likewise the sacrificers washed their bodies at their function So now when the testament was to be made for the Many that is for all nations Baptisme was not strange neither is Iohn an astonishment for that but demaunded whether he be Elias or Christ or that speciall Prophet named in Deuteronomie where the agreement in time gaue occasion of all the demands Moreouer when our Lord preacheth openly he confirmeth Iohns speech saying repent for the kingdome of heauen is come speaketh as Daniel of the kingdome that neuer shall be corrupted Chap. 2. which kingdome is here expounded Likewise when the Lord maketh that famous Sermon vpon the mount all his speech tendeth to shew the nature of the kingdome of heauen how it is not pompous but for the poore in spirite for the mourning for the meeke for hungrie and thirstie of iustice and to be short for the godly persecuted And the rest of his Sermon remoueth Pharisaicall hinderances
which woulde cause them to be more hated of the heathen * In comparisoÌ„ of Iuda and in dealing against them vnto Antiochus Epiphanes or somwhat further § In mariages which are handled in cha 11.6 17. †When the kingdomes of the Selucides and the Ptolomies are fallen ‡ Iohn the Baptist looked to this and our Lord also saying the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is come and so did S. Paul 1. Tim. 1.17 ¶ witty Daniel telleth first how the last shalbe destroyed not how Nebuchadnezars house first should fall So he dealeth in Chap. 7. verse 11. 12. * This was about two yeres afore the captiuity of Iechonias an encoragement for the faythful to go willingly to Babylon their owne nobles being so aduaunced there * Y.W. 3408 * Chaldy officers must be tearmed of vs after ours next theirs in vse notation Seeing onely the captiued with Daniel are accused we may know that this was afore Iechonias captiuitie some yeere or two about Nebucadnezars seauenth yeere * The vnperfect speach argueth his heate * The doubtful wordes in the Heathens spech haue been wel taken of the ancient as they best myght meane * Yet wicked Ioakim would not ceasse to deale amysse in Iudah vntyl he was buried as an Asse and had his carcase made as dung being cast away vnburied Ier. 22. 36. * The common distinction of the chapter here agreed not with the argument wherfore I left it The chastisement of the Idolatrous king ‡ Y.W. 3443. * He had not conquered Egypt vntil after 27. of Iechonias or his owne 34 Ezek 30. Wherefore this vision should be about his 36. Y. And this proclamation about an yeere or two before his death at 45. Y. reigne 8. yeeres after the vision § Y.W. 3435. ‡ This place argueth that he forsooke not wholy his Idolatry * As Salomons Temple that seuen yeeres workâ— of many thousandes was by him destroyed That is He hath numbred he hath weighed and they deuide * We may see many reasons why the Chaldeans coulde not reade this Scripture They knew not God to be one and to rule mens affayres Besides they knew not their owne impietie but sayd in their hart There is no God Wherefore they knew not who should be weighed specially in the Ballance And touching the Medes and Persians now their besiegers they litle thought that they could surprise the strong Babel and bragged how they were victualled for 20 yeeres siege as Xenophon recordeth Thus the matter was hard for them The wisedome of Daniel is rare in his commentaries in telling first the storie of the true God in whom we liue mooue and haue our beeing after of Nebuchadnezars greatnesse and iust fall of worse dealing in Belshazar and therevpon how God numbred the yeeres of his kingdome and how the twise telling imported a numbring with a witnesse and full ending of it and whom specially God weighed and how he maketh the partition by Madaj and Paras who are the Parsin partners he departeth somewhat from the wordes to cleare the matter the better And we are to marke the liuely prouidence touching the families of Scripture Babel the oldest wicked monument which was buylt to the great ruine of all the godly Families by Nimrod the Nephew of cursed Cham to the great griefe of Sem and Iapheth wherevpon Adams one tongue was made 70. which Babel ended the Iewes language the first tongue that it was common in no Kingdome after that This kingdome is ouerthrowen by Madaj of Iapheth and Elam of Sem that all should here remember Noahs time and his speach touching Iapheth and Sem. The kinges of which two Patriarkes are presently called to the fayth ioyned in Conquest and Empire and proclayming of Gods trueth ouer all the worlde and both are taught in the heauenly Oration of Gabriel the cleare summe of both Testamentes from Dan. 9 24. And touching the syllables of Paras Peres as Gods eye regarded the allusion So Madai a Meater or Measurer is more euident and to be as well noted but lesse needed wanting being the playner that we might looke euen vnto Iapheths tongue how God ruled it in the geuing of a name to his thirde sonne Madaj * In MENE MENE †Xenophon had heard how Cyrus entred Babel on a nyght when the Chaldeans kept a great Feast and brake into the Palace when the Courtiers were banqueting kild the King § Darius being â—2 at the fall of Babel which reigned 70. yeeres falleth to be borne at the eight yeere of Nebuchadnezar when he caried the king Iechoniah captiue and all the Nobles and ten thousande valiant men and all Ierusalem and all sauing the base of the land and had caried away all the treasure of the house of the Lord and brake all the vessels of the Temple which king Salomon made Then Madai who with Elam must reuenge the cause of Iudah had a Prince borne Doubtlesse the wyse Iewes woulde tell the Medes of their expectation and the King would better affect Iudah I can not see to what better purpose Daniel should tel the kinges age then how God prouided a remedâ—â— when he strake * Darius Madaj a searcher out and a requiter Ezra the learned Scribe cha 10 16. vseth the worde Darios beside all ordinarie forme of grammer for to search iust in the letters of Darius in searching out impietie alluding vnto the kings name office Psal 10 15. * Y.W. 1471. A wonderfull yere for Babels fal Lionshumblenes the Angels oratioÌ„ two Emperours christian Proclamations a generall subsidy ouer 120 nations for Iudahs returne a Chaldy one but in ver 3 it is playne that principall is meant b When the originall is also our language as 15 tymes y-then or by theÌ„ in this chap. in Daniels tonge it is an ouersight not to marke it § The Chaldy terme of Daniel is also Ebrew from psal 2. in Wherefore did the heatheÌ„ RAGE or keepe a stir And doubtles Daniels spirite thought of Dauid his fathers terme * Chap. 5 13. § Chap. 2 12. a That the wyl of none should seeke further meanes to destroy Daniel b So Bath the Arabique here in Mat. 21 17. is taken Tenath fasting Dacheuâ—n musicque Cauâ—n windowes Bal an hart be Arabique in Daniels termes as Aben Ezra noteth c With a voyce not distressed as that of the king was Chap. 4 1. Chap. 4 6. Chap. 2 44. * Daniel transposeth y e dome-letter Aleph in y e kinges name geuing him closely a notation fit for the vision Bel-she-Azar is Bel is he that storeth ryches But this name is Bel on fire by the enemy God as I touched it afore The Massorites note the diuersitie of the writing vpoÌ„ Dan. 5 and translaters shold not omit that * For Babel destroyed Iudahs kingdome Paras meant once to haue destroyed the whole natioÌ„ in one day Alexander required Iudah to take the date from his conquestes to name the Priestes sonnes Alexanders all
childlesse the counsell of God in the kingdomes fall the blessed title of Nathans house the high Sainctes and kings for euer the thrones one for God and an other for the sonne of Dauid the setting vp of kingdomes to deale with Dauids throne to take notice of their Religion the time of a kingdome eternall prefixed in a most plaine speech long before and made famous by 120. nations paying Iuda a subsidie to returne and our Lordes mediation from the Gospell this being done Daniels matters wilbe all knowen vnto vs. The tongues which he vseth may somewhat trouble vs why he should write the greater part of his booke in Chaldie and the same matter againe in Ebrew and why his Ebrew hath affected peculiaritie of phrases yet reasons sensible may soone be rendred The Chaldie tongue was both knoweÌ„ to his natioÌ„ should soone be their vsuall wheÌ„ they had lost their owne in Babylon Besides the North East South Dialectes Syriaque Arabique Aethiopian were neare the Chaldie so that with a little paynes they might learne it Now it was fit for Dauids throne ruling all the world to be penned into the largest language of the world and then most florishing So he sheweth that God setteth vp kingdomes and putteth down kingdomes and how a kingdome froÌ„ heaueÌ„ staÌ„deth for euer This he teacheth in Chaldie as also the state of the world to come neuer shewed so clearely before He declareth how the faithles tyrants perish for euer and Iuda raigneth by Christ as by him also all nations do VVheÌ„ his visions name the oppressours and his nation the oppressed then he writeth in Ebrew and prophetique phrases knowen onely to his learned brethren The summe of him is this and his phrase is thus I thinke my commentations vpon him somewhat profitable to the good of our state Them I commend to your L L. to be regarded according to the sage honour of her M. gouernement Your Lordships to commaund HVGH BROVGHTON To the Christian Reader of Daniels plainnesse WHen this Prophet is cleared from the opinion of hardnesse which men do conceiue of him then with hope of perfecting labour desire to reade him wil increase And the holy man must be cleared For otherwise men would think Daniel a tormeÌ„ter of soules rather thâ—n a teacher if he wrote vnto all nations in their greatest perplexities matters vnfit for their capacitie Besides the duty of clearing him facilitie will be at hand For the matters which onely make him hard are soone taught Stale errours still hinder the negligent in the truth who runne vpon custome and will take no paines to examine the right But thus it doth stand When the promise of Nathan is considered touching the throne of Dauid to stand for euer and the case of Salomonâ— house weighed how in Iechâ—nias it fayled vtterly then the house of Nathan the next brother cometh in first Zorchabel then two families of him Abiud for the Kings right Rhesa father vnto our Lord then the hardest part is gone All must graunt that this hath bene long hid For scant any of the world marke our Lords right line from the text Yet a few words might open it fully Onely many vnpatient of the truth cause griefe and thereupon some more difficulty otherwise all here requisite might be soone knowne For the matter is the easiest standing vpon a plaine storie and the principles are so few that a child might write them They are often handled that such as care for theÌ„ may be instructed many wayes The next matter of darkenesse ariseth touching the nations oppressors and oppressed The doubt sprang for that Daniel in his Chaldy visions nameth neither The solution is easie In his Ebrew visions he nameth both the one and the other and they can containe no other matters then the Chaldy Therefore the nations in all are doubtlesse And seeing Cha. 8. in a vision vpon Babels fall Elam first next Iauan haue all the dealings vnto the ende of wrath the last dealer must be Iauan Also the afflicted in the last dealings are termed Daniels people and the holy people and they are afflicted for the holy couenant Where any may see of what times he was to speake For who knoweth not that the last afflictions that the holy Iewes had with loosing their lands reuenues was vnder Antiochus Epiphanes Now the nations being knowne the places wil be known And for vndoubted certenty the land Tzeby on the holy mountaine is named The soyle of the afflicted The middle sea and dead sea haue it betwixt them and Tzeby is in Ezekiel the attrihute of Iudaea And the places of the visions are the fittest for these poincts At Eular and Tigris the plaine sights were shewed Which should import dealings from Kings of those quarters All this while nothing bringeth in the Romanes They are reserued to greater harmes And such as bring them into Daniel where they are not blamed disturbe learning as much as they disturbe the world But Daniel is not to blame He giueth no cause why men should so deceiue themselues And thus these parcels the most in difficulty are made easie Another is no lesse vniustly blamed the time which he hath most cleare telleth plainly Yea onely he telleth when the first captiuitie began how he was of it The end is most famous in him And the phrases for our Lords death time would make a learned Varro amazed The seueÌ„ty Hebdomades We haue here greater matters theÌ„ how he at 84. had written seuenty Habdomades of books And neuer any could be plainer then he in that If we will not beleeue him but heathen forged studies we should try particulars So true heathen would beare record vnto Daniel Now heathen 2000. yeares haue filled all Libraries full of lyes with forged Olympiades forged Chaldeans forged Atchontes of Athens and forged Consuls that the vnstayed and vnlearned now adayes can triumph to see what store of leasings can be brought against Daniel But the same wil not see how all the millioÌ„s of Iudah of Christians vpon the other captiuitie writings checke the errour So againe Daniel is cleared One poinct remaineth his tongues where any may see that in the Chaldy he studied for plainnesse writing in the most generall tongue yet neare Arabique and so as most generall yet For his Hebrew the learned may not complaine for to them it is easie And all should be senslesse if in plaine matters and matters of daunger he might not haue leaue to hide his minde from the wicked Further difficulties we haue not in him after the consideration of Dauids throne and two families Salomons falling Nathans standing for euer of the nations oppressed long kept close for safetie in his later speeches named for certaintie of the oppressors likewise and of their countreys and last of his times and tongues The difficulties of which being softened none can tell what to imagine hard And to mollifie the readers labour I will contriue into matter following
introductions to his whole summe and Graces and ioyne the kings and Pictures for him pictures afore set in another booke which coming foorth greater with greater lendeth Daniel the former willingly To him they beloÌ„g The summe and graces of Daniel THe holy Prophet Daniel telleth what Kingdomes shall oppresse Dauids house from Iudahs captiuitie vnto the birth of our Lord and endeuour to controll their Religion Also of our Lord he sheweth his continuall protection and payment of his foes his coming into the world his making strong the Couenant for all nations his precious death his glorious ascention and his kingdome ouer all nations And lastly how he will destroy the Citie and Temple finishing the policie which he gaue by Moses that Iewes and Gentiles may be equally Gods people Those kingdomes which Daniel setteth forth are first the Chaldeans who destroyed the Citie Temple Kingdome and house of Salomon and meant in Babel to haue set vp idolatrie The next is a ioynt power of the Medes and Persians who ouerthrew them and would haue made their owne kings as Gods stayed the building of Gods Temple and sought to destroy the Iewes nation The third is compact of all the States of Greeke-land who put downe the former In Alexanders power which King in his pride earnestly laboured to be holden as a God and caused the Leuites to name their sonnes Alexanders and all the Iewes to take their dates from his reigne The fourth and last is of the same natioÌ„ for their Kings called Seleucidae and Lagidae by the first of their houses dwelling North and South from Iuda situated betwixt them both By these Iuda was most vexed and endeuour vsed to haue abrogated the holy Couenant At our Lords birth these nations were fully spoyled of all gouernement and another set vp to whom tribute was payd ouer all the world In plentifull varietie Daniel setteth them forth First in a huge image of foure mettals beaten to powder and he expoundeth the Image so that by a prophane king he is therefore highly aduaunced Long after he seeth them in a sort fit for a spirituall man to iudge of in foure sauage beasts cast into the fire ioyneth a most heauenly exposition and comfort of his nation how from his people an eternall kingdome shall fill all the earth Againe the kingdome of Babel is figured by a Tree touching in height the heauens in breadth the corners of the earth and to that also Daniel affordeth an exposition Likewise the other kingdomes are semblanced by a Ramme and Goat-bucke and both in sundrie hornes and now all the Nations are plainly named who be therein contained So sixe times euery one State is declared all ouer the later declarations adding clearenesse to the former Moreouer the seuenth Narration most plaine as teaching in proper language is not wanting for the coming vp idolatrie chastisement and ouerthrow of these kingdomes A skilfull Reader must fetch from others the dayly dealings which the wisedome of God knew at needlesse to foretell by Daniel and therefore he passeth them ouer in their due places the Reader shall find them marked in obseruations vpon the Prophet The comfort of the holy people is most sweete in this Booke Christ in prophane eyes is a base stone and heathen Kings goodly mettals but he beateth them to dust and becometh a great mountaine In Daniels eâ—en they are beasts cast into fire and the Sonne of man coming in the clouds into the world afterwards going vnto the Ancient of dayes he sitteth on an eternall throne Sundry other heauenly apparations Daniel hath as when the wonderfull Numberer called in Daniel Palmoni calleth an Angel Gabriel and biddeth him teach Daniel the verie dayes from the first of the rage against Moses lawes vnto the last of the Grecians dealing against the Temple And after that his senses had bene acquainted with so exact an accompt vnto the very day for a particular hinderance of the truth he seeth a hand writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MENE MENE and soone the former Angel numbreth most exactly the time vnto our Lords death And againe soone after he hath a vision like that of Christ in the Reuelation and of three Angels one silent another teaching him the summe of his booke in plain speeches another asking a question of times and taking an answer with the very particular dayes of two famous neare matters These two confirme the wonderfull accompt of Christ his owne set time for redemptioÌ„ Dan. 9.24 Farther then which the date of times might not go in the Prophets beyond the glorifying of the King but therein it was to rest By like reuolutions men might know that Christ would graunt them the like space to repentance that they losed not their land as he gaue in the wildernesse to prepare them that should enter into the land And so it fell out alike 40. yeares they spent in the wildernesse 40 after our Lords death in the land And so the whole warning that Daniel gaue the Iewes to beware of their Deluge is iust in space the same that Lamech gaue to the old world at Noahs birth 600 yeares afore the flood From Nebuchadnezers first yeare 70 of captiuitie thence 7 times that space in expressed wordes layd downe in Scripture and 40 afterwards not recorded nor to haue bene recorded in scripture but marked of heathen by the euent This is the compasse of Daniels times which they that cast not aright shal be disturbed The state of the world when he wrote and the tongues vvhich he vsed call vs to farther admiration His Prophecie was written in the most distressed times of the world to be such a iewell that being seene it might haue redressed the calamities of those dayes For when the kingdome of Iudah was to be plagued by the tust God all the world was plagued also with more alterations of kingdomes and warres then had bene afore And then God by Daniel writeth first in the heathens language the Syriaque or Chaldy tong which East South best knew In that he sheweth how the Image of the worldly poÌ„pe all the wicked are made as dust before the winde and prophane Empires are as beasts troubling the sea of life perishing at the last in a fierie lake froÌ„ the throne of a Iudge euerlasting with whom there is no shadow of change Also he telleth of the kingdome that cannot be corrupted set vp by one like the Sonne of man coming in the cloudes and going againe vnto the ancient of dayes to sit for euer in glory All this and other matters of the present Age Daniel penneth in the language most knowne of any one that the heathen might be benefited Notwithstanding the Iewes haue in this worke their prerogatiue For in the tongue vsed onely of them he penneth the selfe same matter naming plainly what people he afore spake off and that in sundrie sortes for exact certaintie And he limiteth the
Iuda that touch principally the booke of Daniell IN sundrie partes and sundrie maners spake God of Redemption to the fathers before the dayes of Dauid and to him he promised that his seed should sit vpon a throne for euer That speech was fit to allure all men vnto searching of the spirituall kingdome But the carnall still vnderstood that carnally The ten tribes despised it and went to Ohelehem and Elohehem to their owne tents and Gods Salomons house hoped to hold still that outward kingdome would not beleeue otherwise the most of them till the Chaldean tooke away and ouerthrew all their state When the visible kingdome fell all Iuda was to be resolued what should become of Dauids throne The whole booke of Daniel is a satisfaction for that perplexitie cleare being considered for that point how Salomons house being extinct in Iechoniah the house of Nathan from Salathiel Pedaiah and Zorobabel come to be heires of the kingdome But as the kingdome of Christ first suffers hath glorie after so they and their faithfull shall be conformed Babel the Medes with Elam and Greekes whole and parted shall rob them but they shall possesse a kingdome for euer and euer And when the seuentie yeares of Babels rage giue a tast of Gods defence and reuenge they are told of that celestiall speech how at seuen times that space the most holy will bring an eternall kingdome opened for all Thereupon the faithfull of the nation go from Babell vnto Ierusalem where the Lord should be king and restore the state and build the Temple Ezra and Nehemia declare their storie vnto Iaduah who and Sanballat saw great Alexander The troupes of them are starres for the storie vnder the Persians to checke heathen that with false regester of times as poeticall Heliades or Phaetontiades will disanull the prophecie of the due season And specially the kingly families of Zorobabel whose regester in the two Euangelistes is more worth then all heathē records Thus it standeth Zorobabel 1. Abiud 2. Eliakim 3. Azor. 4. Sadok 5. Achin 6. Eliud 7. Eleazar 8. Matthan 9. Iacob 10. Ioseph The succession of these ten heires to the Crowne must with our Lordes three and thirtie yeares make vp 490. They were afflicted to be about 45. yeares eache one before they tooke to build families Zorobabel 1. Rhesa 2. Iohanna 3. Iuda 4. Ioseph 5. Semei 6. Matthathie 7. Maath 8. Nagge 9. Hesli 10. Nahum 11. Amos. 12. Matthathie 13. Ioseph 14. Ianna 15. Melchi 16. Leuie 17. Matthat 18. Helie 19. Marie 20. Iesus Daniel CHAPTER 1. The beginning and the ende of the seauentie yeeres captiuitie IN the thirde yeere of the reigne of Iehoiakim king of Iudah came Nebuchadnezar king of Babel vnto Ierusalem and layde siedge agaynst it And the Lorde gaue into his handes Iehoiakim king of Iudah and part of the vessels of the house of God and he caried them into the lande of Shinar the house of his goddes and he caried the vesselles into the treasurie of his goddes And the king spake to Aspenaz lord Chamberlaine that he should bring certaine of the children of Israel of the kinges seede and of the noblest Springalles without any blemishe and goodly in fauour and skilful in al wisedome and wel seene in knowledge and witty of vnderstanding and of abilitie in them to stande in the kinges Palace and to teach them the learning tongue of the Caldeans And the king appoynted them a prouision day by day of a portion of the kinges meate and of the wine of his drinkes so to noorysh them three yeeres that at the ende thereof they myght stande before the kinge Now among these were certayne of the chyldren of Iudah Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah On whom the Lord Chamberlayne set other names and he set on Daniel Belteshazar and on Hananiah Shadrach and on Mishael Meshach and on Azariah Abednego But Daniel set in his hart that he woulde not defile hymselfe with the portion of the kinges meate nor with the wine which he dranke Therefore he made request to the chiefe Chamberlayne that he shoulde not defile hym selfe Now God had caused the chiefe Chamberlaine to fauour and pittie Daniel And the chiefe Chamberlaine sayde vnto Daniel I feare my Lord the king who hath appoynted your meate and your drinke VVherefore should he see your faces worse lykeing then the other springalles which are of your sort then shall you make guylty my head vnto the king Then sayd Daniel to Melzar whom the chiefe Chamberlaine had set ouer Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah O proue thy seruantes tenne dayes and let be geuen to vs some Pulse to eate and water to drinke Then let our countenances be looked vpon before thee and the countenances of the springalles that eate of the portion of the kinges meate and as thou seest deale with thy seruantes So he gaue eare to them in this matter and prooued them tenne dayes And at the ende of ten dayes their countenances appeared fayrer and fatter in flesh then all the chyldren which did eate the portion of the kings meate And Melzar tooke away the portion of their meate and the wine that they shoulde drinke and gaue them Pulse And to these springalles all foure to them God gaue knowledge and skill in all learnyng and wysedome also Daniel had vnderstanding in all visions and dreames At the ende of the dayes that the king had commaunded to bring them in then the chiefe Chamberlaine brought them before Nebuchadnezar And the king communed with them and none of them all was founde like Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah and they stoode before the king And in all matters for wysedome of vnderstanding that the king inquired of them he found them tenne tymes better then all the enchaunters and astrologians that were in all his realme And Daniel continued vnto the first yeere of king Cyrus CHAP. 2. The state of the Hebrewes vntill the birth of our Lord vnder the Caldeans Medes-Persians and the Graecians The kingdome of Christe shall after that fill the whole earth Daniel is a new Ioseph IN the second yeere afterwardes in the raigne of Nebuchadnezar Nebuchadnezar dreamed dreames and his spirite was disquieted and his sleepe brake on him Then the king commanded to call the Enchanters Astrologians and the Sorcerers and the Caldeans for to declare to the king his dreames So they came and stoode before the king And the king sayd vnto them I haue dreamed a dreame and my spirite was troubled to knowe the dreame Then spake the Caldeans to the king in Syriaque O king lyue for euer Tell to thy seruauntes the dreame and we wyll shew the interpretation And the king answered and sayd to the Caldeans the thing is gone from me yf ye wyll not make me know my dreame with the interpretation thereof ye shalbe cut in peeces and your houses shalbe made a dunghill But yf
spirite was excellent in him so that the King thought to set him ouer the whole kingdome Than the Stewardes and Princes sought to finde occasion against Daniel concerning the Kingdome But they coulde not finde any occasion or fault Because he was faythfull that nothing amisse and faultie could be found in him Than those men sayd We can not finde against this Daniel any occasion vnlesse we finde it against him concerning the law of his God Than those Stewardes and Princes assembled with a stirre to the King and thus they sayd vnto him King Darius lyue for euer All the Stewardes of the kingdome Dukes and Princes Rulers and Lordes haue taken counsell to set a Statute imperiall and to confirme an Act that who so euer shall seeke a petition of any God or man for thirtie dayes saue of thee O King shalbe cast into the Lyons den Now O king set thou the Act and write a letter to be vnchangeable according as the law of Madaj and Paras is not to be altered Hereupon king Darius wrote the Letter and Act. And Daniel when he knew that the letter was written went into his house and his windowes being open in his chamber towarde Ierusalem three times a day he kneeled on his knees and prayed and gaue thankes before his God as he did afore-time Than those men bestirred them togeather and found Daniel making petition and crauing grace before his God Than they came and spake before the King concerning the Act imperiall Hast not thou written an Act that euery man that seeketh to any God or man for thirtie dayes saue to thee O king shalbe cast into the Lyons denne The King answered and sayd The thing is true According to the law of Madaj and Paras which is not to be altered Than they spake and said before the king Daniel of the children of the Captiuitie of Iehude nothing regardeth O king thy decree nor the Act which thou hast written For three times a day he maketh his petition Than the King when he heard the matter was much displeased with himselfe and for Daniel set his hart to saue him and till the Sunne went downe he labored to deliuer him Than those men kept a stirre with the King and sayd to the King Know king that it is the law of Madai and Paras that no Act or Statute which the King setteth may be changed Than the King gaue-sentence and they brought Daniel and cast him into the Lyons denne The king spake and sayd to Daniel Thy God whom thou seruest alway he will saue thee And a stone was brought sayde vpon the mouth of the denne and the King sealed it with his Seale with the Seale of his Nobles that the wil might not be changed concerning Daniel Than the King went vnto his Palace and conceaued-all-nyght fasting and would haue no musicke to come before him Also his sleepe fled from him Than the King arose in the dawning at day breake and went in all haste vnto the Lyons denne And when he approched vnto the denne he cryed vnto Daniel with a pitious voyce The king spake and sayd vnto Daniel O Daniel the seruant of the liuing God Thy God whom thou seruest alway hath he been able to saue thee from the Lyons Than Daniel talked with the King O King liue for euer My God sent his Angel and shut the mouth of the Lyons that they haue not hurt mee because before him clearenes was founde in mee and also before thee O king I had done no hurt Than the King was exceeding glad for him and commaunded to take-vp Daniel out of the Lyons denne And Daniel was taken-vp out of the denne and no hurt was found on him because he beleeued in his God Also by the Kinges commandement they brought those men which made the accusation against Daniel and into the denne of the Lyons did they cast them their children their wiues and or-euer they came at the ground of the denne the Lyons had the maisterie ouer them and brake-in peeces all their boones Then Darius the King wrote to all people nations and languages which dwell in all the earth Peace be multiplyed vnto you I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel For he is the lyuing God and continueth for euer And his kingdome is that which shall neuer be corrupted and his dominion shalbe vnto the ende He saueth and deliuereth and worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth who hath saued Daniel from the power of the Lyons So this Daniel prospered in the reigne of Darius and in the reigne of Cyrus the Persian CHAP. 7. The Kingdomes which were showed for the capacitie of Nebuchadnezar in a goodly Image are now agayne shewed aboue 60. yeeres after the other to the prophet Daniel him selfe in the formes of foure Beastes And whereas their worldly destruction was likened to chaffe caried away by the winde now their eternal punishment is expressed by fire And the Stone afore cut from the Mountayne is here the Sonne of Man honored with the throne of the eternall Father IN the first yeere of Bel-Eshe-zar king of Babel Daniel saw a dreame and visions of his head vpon his bed Then he wrote the dreame euen the head of the matters he declared Daniel spake and sayd I saw in my vision by night and lo the foure mindes of the heauen did striue vpon the great Sea The Jmages metalles in Daniels sight ar◠beastes * The Golden head is nou◠a Lion the armes and breast are a bear◠setting vp on Gouernment from ◠East to three costes * 〈◊〉 The Grekes are boeth these beastes first the state whole and son◠after come to foure chiefe thence they of Magōg and Egypt * And foure great Beastes came vp from the Sea one diuers from an other The first was like a Lyon had Eagles winges I behelde til his winges were pluckt off by which he mounted aboue y e earth and he was forced to stand on the feete as a man and a mans hart was geuen him And lo an other Beast the second was like a Beare which erected one gouernement and had three ribbes in his mouth betwixt his teeth and thus they sayd vnto it Arise and eate much flesh After this I behelde and loe there was an other like a Leoparde which had foure winges of a birde vpon his backe And that Beast had foure heades Also dominion was geuen vnto it After this I behelde in visions by nyght and loe the fourth Beast was exceeding fearefull terrible and hard as hauing great iron teeth It deuoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue vnder his feete and it was vnlike all the beastes which were before it and it had ten hornes As I considered the hornes loe the last horne came vp a litle one amongst them three former
Eusebius and other Christians vvould draw the Romanes in but vvould also haue heathen Christians to be afflicted here So the Angell is made to speake in the cloudes and all gracious Daniel sealed vp as vnexplicable and the stories drawen beyond Christ afore they reach neare vnto him and Iewes hardened and Christianitie vveakened and all Libraries pestered vvith errours of infinite confusion And vnlesse vve be content to rouoke our erroneous notes for the Romanes in Daniel chap. 2.7 and here 11. and likewise for Ezek. 38. and a little vpon Zacharie 6. for the foure Monarchies vve shall do our selues great iniurie and breake the law which forbiddeth to lay a stumbling blocke afore the blind and I feare be counted of small conscience in Religion He that vvould vvillingly continue an errour to disturbance of the Bible is no better affected then those foure beastes that goe into the riuer of burning fire Herein Printers should specially shew conscience that their actions continue not errour for gaine after blame iust and profitable Of Antiochus Parthian war and breaking without hand chap. 8. and casting into the fier chap. 7. But tydings shall trouble him from the East and from the North and he shall go forth with great heate to destroy and sacke many And he shall plante the tents of his court betweene seas at holy mount Tzeby and he shall come to his end and none shall helpe him CHAP. 12. A further explication of the afflictions vnder Antiochus Epiphanes and notes vpon the vvhole oration ANd at that time shall stand vp Michael the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shalbe a time of trouble such as hath not bene since there began a nation vnto that time and at that time thy people shalbe saued all that shalbe found written in the booke The better resurrection and the worse Eb. 11. to life and to Iudgement Iohn 5. For the many of them that sleepe in the earth of dust shall awake some to life euerlasting and some to all shame to lothsomnesse euerlasting And the wise shall shine like the brightnesse of the firmamēt they that turne the many to righteousnesse like the starres for euer and euer Of keeping close these Prophecies And thou Daniel shut vp the words and seale the booke till the ende of the time Many will search through and this knowledge shall encrease The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hiding of the minde which Daniel vsed ANd here I thinke it not amisse to shew Daniels owne practise in style of sealing vp his sense euen where he vvriteth in the common language the Chalde tongue folowing the order of his Chapters And first of all though he onely handle the first captiuitie yet he vvould not date it from the first of Nebuchadnezar as lothing to haue a prophane king ouer Gods people to beare a date of their thraldome taking vnto himselfe being of Iudahs kings that honour of measuring the captiuitie So vers 1. and last of chap. 1. he must be vnderstood as setting the limites of the 70. yeares In chap. 2.1 he vvonderfully telleth the date from his owne standing afore the king closly comparing himself with Ioseph for the like time and Nebuchadnezar vvith Pharaoh In expounding the Image vvhen he began vvith telling how the feete perish and commeth last vnto the head that perished first this pleased Nebuchadnezar as though he should not soone fall In the same speach vvhen he ioyneth iron brasse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaspa and Caspa clay and siluer he sheweth his care to please the cruell tyrant and his own readynesse of wit in the allusion besides the depth of the natures that siluer termed Caspa of desire is but Chaspa mere dust And through the whole matter his silence touching Iuda and leauing the oppressed by the iron as though all nations had felt the iron of the legges this holpe his people and the ignorance of his closenesse made 1500. yeares errour in vs. The third and fourth and fift Chapters neither needed nor suffred hiding therein he fully setteth forth the Babylonian shame and Gods glorie So in the sixt he dealt vvith the Persians The seuenth bears his vvit in Belesh-zar shewing that Bel becommeth a fire of sorow from the fierie throne Likewise in speaking first of the last beastes ruine and returning to speake of the former and vsing termes of equiuocation as vve yet mistake them that the Chaldeans could picke no quarell For thus the vvordes might seeme to meane vers 12. Concerning the others beastes they had taken away their dominion yet their liues vvere prolonged for a certaine time and season What the argument calleth for and how the vvordes will abide another sense all may see Like vers 18. Vau signifying And or vvhich the taking one for the other vvould keepe Daniels people from blame and they might see an exposition in the Chapter Therein also his terming of the Iewes the Sainctes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them the holy Trinitie that conteined no danger yet great vvisedome While the kings of Iudah liued Iakim Iackin Zedekias prophane as heathen God vvould shew kingdomes ouer them in no vvorse sort then they vvould vvish to appeare as in the Image and then he gaue his own people no name a bad he might not a good vnder those kings he could not But vvhen Salomons house vvas extinct and our Lordes ancestours right commeth in then it was fit that a name should be giuen them of the highest approbation And all this vvhile he durst aduenture to vvrite in the commonest language of East and South to helpe many and danger none But chap. 8. vvhere Babels fall is gathered by Elam arising and Elam fell by Iauans arising the nations be named Iudah surely described to any Iew and he is commaunded to close it vp then he not onely dissembled his griefe for his people that should fall from being starres but vvriteth in Ebrew and vseth termes that amaze the vnbeedy vnto this day Palmonie Tzeby amazed the vvicked Iewes continually In the ninth he is vvonderfull vvhere while he penneth his own words he plainly teacheth by his stile how ready he was in Moses and the Prophetes When he penneth the Angels he maketh a cloude white towards Israel blacke towards Aegypt Thence a true Israel may looke to our Lordes death forward and turne vnto Moses euen by Sabbates iourneys and thence may see heathen confusion of stories In the tenth he hid his minde not telling vvherefore he fasted because in Persia he might not blame the kings hinderance of the Temple vvhen his griefe is relieued by shewing how foure kings Xerxes campe shall soone fade he knew that Tigris swift vvaters vvere a fit resemsemblance of the speede and knew that they should be punished for the Temple By keeping close his minde he saued his from danger And any that
2. Sam. 7.14 1. Chron. 3.5 Luke 3.31 Psal 51. 1. Chr. 29.23 1. King 9.6 1. King 8.47 Eccl. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iah Choniah made the kings name 2. King 25.27 Chap. 1. 9. Chap. 7. Chap. 7. * AlexaÌ„ders iniurie was in that the Priests for one yeare should name their sonnes Alexanders all Iudah should take their dates from his raigne he their Emperour would be a God Daniels plainnesse * In Theoph. * Euseb 9. Diod lib. 18. and 19. Pausan in Attic. App. in Syri Polyb. 5. Appian Strabo Tacitus Macrob. 2. Aegl Suâ—tonius Tacitus Ben Arama vpon Exod. Ierem. 22. Dan. 7. * R. Akiba vpon Dan. 7 in Sanedrin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan 9.24 Dan. 6. Extra 1. Few wordes containe the whole suÌ„me of Daniel for all his chiefe heads What kingdoms in Daniel oppresse the religion of Gods people * Romanes that medled not with religion How euerie kingdome is seuen times spoken of This vision should haue cut off all doubt for Daniels kingdomes This specially might end all controuersie The degrees of his visioÌ„s The times 2300 dayes Chap. 8. Chap. 5. Chap. 9. * Chap. 1.13 Chap. 12. Three yeres and half and dayes 1290 and dayes 1335 al these are the first from the polluting of the holy Temple vnto the recouerie the other two vnto seuerall comforts against Antiochus which the present Age should marke euen to the exact dayes The whole summe of Daniel is 600 yeares froÌ„ since the Chaldeans tooke Ierusalem vntill the Romans toke it The tongues of Daniel The Zohar noteth this truely and wonderfully A generall knowledg of Law Gospel is taught in Daniel by kingdomes many perishing one standing The phrase of 70 seuens being coÌ„pared with former times wil shew that God ruled al times of Iudah in an order easie to consider Chaldy Syriaque Aethiopian Arabique all foure vse Daniels Syriaque * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 2.26 is in no Chaldy but in the Aethiopian Heb. 2. and 4. c. A wonderful recompence to the Chaldeans for vsing Daniel well Daniels Chaldy caused the Chaldy paraphrastes new honour in our age so perpetuall is the holy mans glorie Elias Leuita moued a question whether the Chaldy could bee brought to Art That GordiaÌ„ knot was cut by breaking all their vncerteinty with Daniels sword by our learned Christians Prophecies in the East tongues for matter recorded in the Westerne should stirre studie honor of studie for both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The planets were their chiefe Gods termed of foretelling as Nabo or of kinghood as Ched is mat 26. in Arabike Mar Dan. 2. Rac. Gen. 42. in Onkelos Shed in Mat. 27. in Arab Sac Ier. 25 and Kimchi in ALN Nego Venus in Rabbines coÌ„monly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * The negligeÌ„t auncient giue Cyrus Cambyses Darius y. spent together before Babel sel the same distinct after and to Darius 46. who liued but 43 Codoman giueth Artax I. 59. fully Plâ—t to Art II. 62. to helpe out the 100 erronious The record of Euripid. 75. in Suid. of Timoth being in those his times in which Philip raigned this will ende the strife heatheÌ„ other liues infinite as Aristides daughters Dem. Phal Lais and Demost acquaintance Platoes Dionys and all commonly then of fame will cut about 40. y. off at a clap * Alexanders Epistle to Darius in Arrianus argueth that Ochus raigned but a litle afore Philips death Yet Olympikes giue him liberally a score of yeares * The ArabiaÌ„s in an Arabike commentarie vpon Gen. 10. haue Suidas iust number at our Lordes birth so belike agreeing here with Suidas * For Zorobabels house the onely then true and right princes of all the world Daniell hath his reuelations and his 490. yeares are to be compared with their liues in two families * The testimonie of Iosephus that Iaduah and Sanballat saw Greâ—â— AlexaÌ„der wherin both Iewes and Gentils hitherto agree that by Ezra and Nehemias personages vtterly coÌ„futes all heathen vsed chronicles * Here consider an easie accompt of Gods prouident gouernement since Moses tymes In the seuenth yeere the lande was parted Thence the first of Samuel falleth in the seuenth Iubilie thence vnto this yeere are seauen seauenties See verse 21. Y. W. 3402. * Esay tolde of this Ch. 39.7 * They had ben all named of God a iudge mercifull and strong That is Belkeepeth treasure but see Cha. 10. how he altereth it § A practise of Leuit. 11. ‡ The effect of Salamons prayer 1. king 8 50. * Or to the Melzar that is Stewarde a name of an office ‡ Therein his whole booke excelleth declaryng the commyng vp idolatry chastisement fall of the Babylonians Medes- -Persians Grekes whole parted and how Christ defendeth the holy Iewes vntyll the redemptioÌ„ § 3407.3471 * Then the 70. of Captiuity ended and the seauen seauenties are told for redemption out of Satans captiuity by our Lordes death erectyng a kingdome ouer al the earth * As Ioseph in the seconde after skil in dreames expoundeth Pharaohs so God disposeth these times alyke the enchanters alyke guydeth aduanceth Ioseph Daniel alike * While the visions are generall and cause the Iewes no danger so farr Daniel writeth in the Syriaque tongue general ouer the east al hence to the 8. chapter But when the oppressors be named Medes Persians and Greekes both whole and also parted about Iuda into Egypt and to the North and the Iewes ar plainly described the people whom god defendeth then the eyght chapter and al after he writeth in Ebrew hath a commandement to keepe close the playne exposition in ch 12.4 * Or in the end of dayes that is vnto Christ as Eb. 1.1 and so Gen. 49. Esa 2. Ezek. 38 * In holy Daniels eyes they are foure beastes which to prophane mens capacity god sheweth as goodly â—owers * Babel alone 70. yeeres not Assur § Medes and Persians two kingdoms here as one agaynst the Iewes 130. yeeres ‡ Great Alexander with the whole power of Greeke states which made him then king for the Persian warre Diod. book 16. syxe yeere †The Legs are in Cha. 11 the successours of Alexander in two the mightiest kingdoÌ„es Egypt and the North the one 294. yeres The errour of taking in hyther the RomaÌ„s is hurtful to al Daniels booke and to all christianity and other stories hath no colour of trueth from Daniel * The Stone is the power of Christ weake base in mens eyes vnles they looke on the fâ—â—â—e throne Dan. 7. ¶ Whom euen the Iewes nation but the wittie prophet hydeth that
borne in one yeere meant to haue been a God The Seleucidae meant to haue altered all Iudahs religion to deuoure y e whole wealth of the nation 1 The golden head and the great tree the power of Babel 2 Chaldy Shetar which terme is a gouernment styl and neuer as I finde for aside Madaj Paras 2. armes in one breast now set vp a ioynt gouernment § Three costes of the worlde from the east which afore it helde West North South as it is tolde chap. 8 4. ‡ or costes * Esay 21. Vp Elam ascende Madaj 3 Alexander the great and Graece for the first partition that was brought vnto foure Perdicas or Antigonus Ptolemy Seleucus and Lysimachus 4 The Seleucidae Lagidae the two legges ‡ Antiochus Epiphanes ‖ Kinges ¶ Antiochus Epiphanes was not right heire but as a priuate man as a friend to the kinges whom by much policie he defeated * One for God the other for Ben Dauid as R. Akibah confesseth in the Talmud Sanadrin in Dine Mammonoth page 38. b. ‡ As in the Images ruine he began with the legges first and not with the head that first perished â—o here first he speaketh of the last for y e safetie of his owne nation that the Chaldeans should pike no quarrel for this vision § The Iewes graunt Christ to be here so termed and yf we had not deceyued them by missing of reconcilyng S. Mathew S. Luke by forging a generall fourth Monarchie and by a false chronicle refusing the playnnes of Daniel chap. 9 â—4 by al lykelyhood they wold long ago haue come to the fayth * The incarnation of our Lord comming into the world in the yeere 3927. § When our Lord continually tearmeth him selfe the Sonne of Man in the foure Euangelistes he most graciously calleth vs to weigh this text ; Our Lord hâ—s ascentâ—oÌ„ at 490 after Daniels yeere of praying for returne Y.W. 3960. subduct thence three yeeres an halfe for our Lord his preachyng by Dan. 9 25. and full 29 yeeres for his age by the Law in Nâ—m 4.3 for 30. yeereâ— of age to do worke in the Tabernacle as S. Luke noteth his age and you may see how Daniel knew when our Lord should be borne After Babels fall yeeres 457. †The conclusion of our Lordes prayer most heauenly calleth into our myndes this speach and â—eacheth of the king of eternity the vncorruptible which ioyneth Iewes and Gentâ—les in one kingdome ¶ The proper meanyng a They are sauage beastes in consideratioÌ„ of theyr dealyng agaynst the familyes of our Lordes ancestours the house of Zorobabel the nation that shold haue their kinges from it b He speaketh y e terme kinges rather the kingdomes that the next verse short in the Chaldy shoulde not be mistaken and y e none should thinke of foure kings to hold a kingdome for euer yea for euer and euer He was to speake short as wyllyng to hyde his mynde from sauage heathen c Theyr arysing what it meaneth it may be gathered by the next verse arysing ouer the kingdomes of the sainctes and withholdyng it d The house of Zorobabel Abiud Rhesa and the godly of theyr nation e Highest is in the plurall number in the Chaldy for the singular as Aben Exra noteth We may be sure that it is spoken so to teach vs of the diuine persons as Abraham speaketh Gen. 20 13. and Dauid 2. Sam. 7 22. Here it was fit in a distinct vision of the sonne and the father as thrones are plurall vers 9. f The translation vsed in our Churches is singuler in this poynt and the Geneua can not stand with colour of diuinity reason or with the termes For euer euer g The house of Zorobabel who should haue inherited the kingdome of Iudah hath in lieu of that the cheefest glory that can be geuen to be pronounced saued for euer before they were many of them borne Theyr names haue notation fitted hyther Zoro-Babel fanne Babel that the Golden head as the rest of the Image became lyke chaâ—fe Dan. 2 35. So these names are agaynst the Persians Abi-hud My father oweth the glory Eliakim God is he that setleth c. All styll had relation vnto this text and so we may see what a stately Vlam or Porch the Genealogy maketh before the temple of the New Testament and a goodly commentary vpon this place h Partly vnlyke because two kinges Syria and Egypt both claymed ryght ouer Iudah since the dayes of Seleucus Nicator and Ptolemy Lagâ— and made continuall warres for it but vnlyke also in cruel spoylyng and hatred of relygion which Babel Madaj Alexander more fauoured i Of the kings Seleucidae Lagidae which greatly troubled the kingdoÌ„e wher the house of Zorobabel should haue reigned to the glory comfort of all the worlde a Iudah c Antiochus Epiphanes who defeated his brother Seleucus his brothers sonne the sonne of his sister Queene of Egypt d Daniel cha 8 11. enlargeth this of the vilenes of Antiochus EpiphaÌ„es further of his endeuour to haue abrogated y e Iewes religioÌ„ e Sabbathes Passeouer Pentecost ExpiatioÌ„ day the feast of Tabernacles new Moones y e seuenth yeres rest such f All Moses ceremonies g A tyme here is a yere tymes two yeere and halfe a tyme halfe a yeere h About 150. yere before our Lords birth are spent in this wastyng to the vttermost of Syria Egypt where warres among them selues the Machabâ—es most of all the Romans coÌ„sumed theÌ„ which long destructioÌ„s are handled in Ezekiel 38. 39. i Saluation commeth from the Iewes k Vpon this al the new Testament goeth Paul to Timothe speaketh when he checketh the Iewes not knowyng whereof they spake aduanced the Gospel and prayse of the king eternal vncorrupt vnuisible God only wyse Also the ReuelatioÌ„ after the destruction of Ierusalem is a heauenly commentarie vpon this part Perek 1. page 56. col 4. * vers 23. * And almost the fourth as Ralbag noteth a The Iewes coÌ„monly hold as in the Palnâ—ud in Megilah that this was the last Y. of Belshazar not long before the mâ—ttars of the fift chapter b In the first of Belshazar cha 7.1 c Not in a dreame on night but awaked in a vision The armes brest and the Beare are here now in y e 〈◊〉 vision that uâ—ah should be â—â—llâ—â—ll in this matter d Vbal in Dan. is not in the Bible but in this vision twyce Iubal in Ebrew is a Riuer The affinity of Eulai the flood sheweth that there it should be so takeÌ„ for a râ—uer e Madaj Paras were kingdomes of great fame before they conquered Babel Madaj of olde the stouter and Paras kinges Cyrus Cambyses Darius Histaspis had reygned all in seuerall authority some good yeeres before Babel fell as theyr yeeres by Greekes are reckoned a Al the Brasse and â—ron cha 2 Also the Leoparde and the fourth beast ar
superioritie from Senear and Nemrod thence they and two more come against Abraham and fall And as Aegypt in Pharaoh after Babel troubled the Church so in these dealings they do that by admonition of place all might be better wayed Full many be the like reuolutions for places and times in the Ebrew stories which obseruation will helpe much The Angels demaund is like Iohn Baptistes of Christ for his Disciples surenesse not for his owne doubt The matter was shewed to Daniel Chapter 7. There commeth vp in the fourth beast one little horne which brake three hornes had eyes like a humane man but a mouth speaking great matters vntill thrones of iudgement were set vp and for the great words which the horne spake the beast was kâ—ld and the body cast into the fier There that horne made warre with the iholy vntill the auncient of dayes came and Iudgement was giuen to the Sainctes of the holy Trinitie and the Sainctes held their kingdome There the Angel expoundeth it of one king that should abase three which Antioch did first to Seleucus next to Demetrius thirdly to Ptol. Philometor The same should speake wordes against the highest and consume the Sainctes of the high Trinitie and thinke to alter times and law and touching that point they should be giuen into his hand for a time and two times and halfe a time Now the terme time put for a yeare was seene chap 4. in Neb. the Angel could not be ignorant of that But whereas all Antiochus dealings against Moses were 2300. dayes afore the 25 of Casleu to distinguish the whole rage from the remouing of the sacrifice that was to be noted And those dealings are termed wonders Seing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continuall sacrifice was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Christes death was the counsell of Christ in giuing that into a Tyrants controlment and the Sabbath which had bene since Adams time and his holy seruants to be tormented this was indeede a great wonder The reason was rendred chap. 11.35 and here vers 10. Christ telleth it in the same termes that the Angel vsed onely he altereth their order as I will shew when I come vnto the verse The answere foloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech of difficultie to the vnebrewed but plaine by the matter * The attire here the whole persons description chap. 10.5.10.5 sheweth a sacrificer holy and higher then the heauens Moreouer the gesture of standing vpon the waters importeth that of the Psalme how as God calmeth the waters so he calmeth the waues of nations And this vision answereth vnto Iobs speach that God walketh vpon the high waues of the seas The metaphors and visions of the Scripture haue a cleare resemblance of that which is taught for mens affaires Besides the gesture and oth calleth into minde Deut. 32. a comfort euen for these times I kill and make aliue I strike and I make whole and none can take away from my hand When I lift mine hand vnto heauen and say as I liue for euer if I whet the blade of my sword and my hand lay hold on iudgement I will requite vengeance vnto my aduersaries pay my foes I wil make drunke my arrowes with bloud and my sword shall eate flesh from bloud of slaine and captiue from the head of vengeance vpon the enemy Reioyce ô heathen with his people For he will reuenge the bloud of his seruants and pay vengeance vnto his aduersaries and be reconciled vnto his people The wordes of Moses begin their execution in this place and hold on vnto the full calling of the heathen So the gesture of lifting vp the hand and swearing calleth all this vnto Daniels minde The summe of the matter here conteineth two things the rage of Gods enemies and the punishment The rage is for three yeares and an halfe So the terme Time by synecdoche in Dan. 4. as I told was taken and Greekes commonly at this day call an yeare a Time and three yeares three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times This time was noted by Iosephus in Bell. Iud. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Antiochus syrnamed Epiphanes surprised Ierusalem by force and held it three yeares and six monethes is cast out of the countrey by the sonnes of Chashmonai that is the Machabees He presently hindred the continual offring when his Idolatrous garrisons being abominations through Idolatry and desolaters by trade held the holy temple Iosephus also here handleth the brusing of the hand set vpon the holy people vnder the casting of Antiochus out of all the countrey The Rabbines commonly note the same euen in the Babylonian Talmud Rambam writeth a common place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 10. vpon the recouerie of the temple There also the driuing out of Antiochus is handled The Iewes testimonie should be strong against them selues good for our surenesse for fame of matter here told Thus RaÌ„bam writeth in his first Tome in Megilah Chanucha Perek 3. Tremellius nameth his worke Talmud In the time of the secoÌ„d temple Iauan gaue decrees ouer Israel and abrogated their Policie and suffred them not to studie the law and commaundementes and layd hold vpon their substance and their daughters and they went into the temple and made breaches and polluted the cleane And Israel was in great distresse through them which oppressed greatly vntill the God of our fathers pitied them and saued them out of the others hand and deliuered them and the Chashmonaim The Machabees the high Priests kild them and saued Israel from their hand set vp a king of the Prists more then 200. yeares afore the secoÌ„d desolation And when Israel preuailed against their enemies and destroyed them it was the 25. of Chasleu and they entred into the temple c. and for this cause the wise men of that generation ordeined that eight dayes beginning from the 25. of Chasleu should be celebrated with gladnesse and songes and they kindled candels in the euening at their houses doores euery night of the eight And these dayes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dedication and they admit no mourning nor fasting as the dayes of Purim Thus the goodnesse of God forced them to keepe a famous memorie of their deliuerance from their persecution Vpon which storie they should looke into the Prophecie which none can denie to be for a vehement persecution and common reason would tell them that the first which fell out in the vehemency here told must needes be meant by this The consideration of this storie with the Prophecie would haue taught them of the person the teller of the time the high sacrificer who would himselfe suffer in like sort three yeares an halfe all gaine saying of sinners teaching that which these visions declared They held their owne kingdome about 150. yeares in reasonable quietnesse but they to whom Christ gaue victories disdisdained the office of white linen and continuall sacrifice and
would be heathen-like kings and brought in Saducisme Yet our Lord called them much vnto consideration of this text For his disputations that he raised vp the dead at the later day his present miracles of the raising Talitha his being at the Dedication feast his speech there that he was the sonne of God his phrase of Lazarus sleeping taken hence from vers 2. his speech with Martha that he is the resurrection his perswasion that she acknowledged him to be the sonne of God which was to come into the world that is by Daniels phrase the Prince of the people which honour no created Michael might vsurpe and as I touched his suffring vnder the Pharisies a time two times and halfe a time from the 15. of Tiberius beginning vnto halfe his eighteenth all these dealings still called vnto these matters And this matter being twise told should haue bene easie vnto them specially hauing so many antecedents that nine hornes rushed afore Antiochus Epiphanes he was a long dealer not onely against Syria but also against Iudaea before this time of placing his garrison in Ierusalem commeth to be in recorde And seeing thrise here times neare halfe a seuen should fall out in straunge euentes they should looke diligently vnto our Lordes halfe seuen †Daniel hauing heard of affliction for three yeares and an halfe in generall termes hauing no note from what speciall marke the time should begin was to confesse that he vnderstood not He knew in chap. 8. that by dayes 2309. from Antiochus first checking of Moses law the temple should be recouered But knew not whence this account here should begin Moreouer by reason that the brusing of the hand plaguing the holy Ebrewes was here ioyned and he might well thinke that it should not fall out presently with the recouerie of the temple he was to require a further explication The Lord doth answere and first acquainteth him further with the whole matter shewing that as the Angel bad him close vp and seale the words that pearles should not be cast before hogs nor holie things before dogges so these matters were to be spoken in such sort that vntil the age of their execution the particulars should not be euident The triall of the faithfull required that whose practise in martyrdome had not bin so great if the season of their deliuerance had bene clearely told For they would haue for a time withdrawen theÌ„ selues Here the repeating of vers 35. from chap. 11. of the Angels speech though there the order went tried purified whited this sheweth one and the same persecution to be meant And seeing we expound that of Antiochus times and not of the Romanes this also being spokeÌ„ a confirmation of that must be equally of Antiochus wherein I maruell how antiquitie could euer misse The remouing of the continuall sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be takeÌ„ for the first remouing that could fall The terme Tamyd or daily sacrifice must stand in his propre sense For a trope may not be vsed but where the hearer may easily discerne it from proprietie otherwise the speaker may be charged of vntruth Also the holy people and Daniels people should argue that the Iewes were meant here and so they hold vniuersally by reason that we cary these stories beyond Christ they do the like As Aben Ezra maketh the litle horne to be the Turke and locketh for speciall affliction three yeares and an halfe vnder him So men make the word of God flexible And we should haue taken heede of the warning here None of the wicked will vnderstand But men of skill will vnderstand Now seeing the very prophane heathen speake that of Antiochus Epiphanes which agreeth exactly with the ende of the last the 11. chap. and these points are but a commoration vpon them and no new states matters the prophane would tell vs that we entangle our selfe wilfully wilfully disturbe all the Bible mistaking whole nations for the Images legs peruerting the markes of mariages in it mistaking the fourth beast what kingdomes it conteineth disgracing the speech of the Buck openly shewing therein the end of wrath disgracing extremely all this last oration drawing likewise Ezekiel for Gog and Magog out of place confounding Daniel with the reuelation and confounding the tenour of narrations for nations through all the Bible Moses layd downe what nation should be the holy people vntill Christ came and how all the other families should striue against that The Prophets were to be but commenters vpon him to lead vnto Christ not beyond him and they might terme no one nation holy but Israel and were to shew how all the auncient nations of Babels dispersion would be busie with Israel While we confound this distinction we confound with it all narrations of Scripture The wise will vnderstand it to be so Now as he that seeketh doth find and he that asketh receaueth he that knocketh obteineth opening alwayes so to Daniel this now falleth out By mentioning one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or marke and adding two neare matters touching brusing of the hand set vpon the holy people he is fully contented and satisfied in these wordes †Infidel garrisoÌ„s destroying the temple as in Rambam aboue was shewed †Daniel knew the end of those wonders mentioned by the Angel when it should be from chap. 8. euen with the clensing of the teÌ„ple But knew not the speciall note of their beginning In answering coÌ„cerning two points for the brusing Seleuciâ—n the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mark of the other is taken a marke of sacrifice Men count the dates of kings reigne stately But God holdeth other matters of greater account as the promise vnto Abraham Gene. 12.430 afore the law the persecution and Ieroboams idolatrie 390. afore the Temples flames Daniels prayer 490. afore the passion and chap. 8. a marke backward the Temples clensing after 2300. dayes dealing against Religion in some sort So here the taking away of the continuall sacrifice is made a date for a day of payment for a double payment from God Antiochus was inforced to confirme Religion restored by Iudas in the 148. yeare of Seleucidâ—Ì„n which in the 145. he hindered Three yeares seuen moneths some 13. dayes might be in this while Another coÌ„fort is added for the patieÌ„t in these persecutioÌ„s eueÌ„ the death of the persecutour As the martyrs told him that God would pay him The closse blessing of the patient imported what kind of comfort was meant in that summe fortie fiue dayes after the other the death of Antiochus should fall out in 149. Seleucidâ—n 1. Mach. 6.16 Though mans obseruation reacheth not commonly vnto dayes yet when for the yeares they speake well by Gods authoritie added we may gather the iust dayes And these were the points which were fit for to be reuealed in particulars the restoring of the sacrifice the tyrants death Now further matters how the clay of the legges should be broken how the fourth beast should do when his hornes hence are broken and the Buckes vnhorned fading body euen how Demetrius and Antiochus sonne fall out Antiochus race should end Demetrius house should be deuided they should match with Aegypt and perish like dogges these matters might be marked by humane skill and they touched not matter worthy particular prophecie nor the Iewes great care And Daniel knew in what yeare from his talke he would come into the world by which time an euident token should be ouer all the world that the house of-Seleucidâ—Ì„n or Gog perished by the Latin natioÌ„ and tongue reigning in those quarters and he knew the very nation that should reigne euen the next ofspring of Cittim vnto the Macedonians the Cetij which was the first name of Italians in Sudas in Latine And therefore the maner of brusing the Greekes and particular dealings were to be sealed vp as needing no long warning And so the Lord concludeth that Daniel should looke for no mo reuelatioÌ„s all his life time but rest in these continue contented with his rare lot if any thing was sealed touching the Persian kings payment thirtie yeares hence Ezra should see it for the temples hinderers Agge and Zacharie should reueale it Now the visions of Zacharie for our Lordes comming and Ierusalems fall they touched not this argument of sorow fasting of Daniel some points were to be reserued vnto the Temples ornaments